Contego enters Covid 19 lock down.
Colm McGrath • March 27, 2020
Like the rest of the country & a significant portion of the world Contego. are now in lock down.
We had started putting in place contingency plans over the previous 3 weeks for this type of event. So we are prepared. Office staff including Project Managers, QS, IQP’s, Payroll & Accounts are all fully operational from our individual living rooms.
Through the lock down we will be operational in the following capacity:
Essential Service
- We are ready to mobilise for any of our clients that do provide an essential service including; DCC, SDHB, Hotels, Airport, Medical centres. For any clients that do fall into Essential services category please contact justin@contego.co.nz or 027 522 4446
- We are registered with Civil defence for any carpentry or passive fire requirements.
- Otherwise we will not be operational in a site capacity or products.
Design & Specification
- We are working on several design & specification projects for upcoming projects after the lock down.
IQP
- We are working on any outstanding IQP reports and the like.
- For all IQP clients we have notified the relevant Building Consent Authority on your behalf & stated the obvious that there will be a delay to current compliance information.
Estimating & Quantity Surveying
- Positively we have a full tender board at present & we will be working through these tenders over coming weeks
Project Managers
- Project Managers are using the time to ensure all paper work is in order including H&S, Quality Assurance.
- Any ongoing project queries or issues throughout the lock down we are on hand to deal with.
Site Staff
- Our site staff will have the cleanest vans in NZ.
- As well as all being busy working through their NZQA Level 3 Passive Fire installers qualification on line.
For our team we are keeping in touch & keeping morale high. We are also ensuring we maintain some level of normality by keeping our head in the game with the likes of training, design projects and tidying up files. So that we are ready to hit the ground running after the lock down.
For now we wish everyone well and remember the words of our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
"New Zealand, be calm, be kind, stay at home."We can break the chain."
The Passive Fire Protection Intumescent Coating Code of Practice suggests that this should be a collaborative effort between all design consultants to ensure all aspects are considered. This way of thinking is no different to any other collaborative effort in designing a building whereby multiple consultants need to talk & collaborate on a solution.
Assessments – ask the extra questions. As most Passive Fire Protection contractors are aware AS1530.4 & AS4072.1 assessments satisfy compliance with NZBC and Acceptable solutions. However, when utilising an AS4072.1 assessment I would urge a little extra caution.
South Island passive fire protection contractor Contego today announced that it will continue its business expansion by opening a new base in the North Island in December 2021. Located in New Plymouth, the branch is expected to employ 10 persons over the next 24 months. The business currently employs 35 personnel between its bases across the South Island.
Our managing director, Justin McEntyre outlines our top 5 tips for managing your building compliance with regards to passive fire protection.
It has been a busy summer for the Intumescent coatings division with projects right across the lower South Island.
Sadly I am hearing more or more frictions within the industry between Passive Fire Contractors and
consultants and Council inspectors.
I’m sure I’m not the only one that is experiencing weekly headaches with freight delays and lead time materials. What was once available down the road, can now be a lengthy delay to get a hold of it. The feedback I am getting from suppliers and contractors is that the worst is not over, and we should be planning to deal with this for the remainder of this year.
With the current codes of practice and Passive products annual renewal being worked through the issue of Tested vs Assessed is constantly brought up in conversation. NZBC accepts the use of AS4072.1 Assessments as a way of showing compliance as an equal with a tested solution in accordance with AS1530.4.
We are excited to announce that Contego have been selected as finalists within two categories at the 2020 Westpac Otago Business Awards. This year we have been selected as a finalist for the Excellence in Service Award and also the Future Business Leader Award.
Contego is proud to announce that we have been awarded a 3 year contract to provide IQP services to SDHB for all Passive Fire Systems including SS15.2, SS15.3, SS15.4, and SS15.5.