CFA Guest Column: Resources for floor fitters
The CFA on its resources for floor fitters and their campaign highlighting issues for flooring installations when the mercury falls this winter.
Nobody should get the idea that the CFA is just a library. However, one of the biggest benefits which it can offer to its members is information on virtually every conceivable topic related to floorlaying. This is a great resource, which we have built up over many years, firstly by investing in it, and secondly by harnessing the fact that many of the most knowledgeable people in our industry are involved with the CFA, either directly employed, sitting on our Council or acting in a consultative capacity. The fact that we can act as a hub of talent and expertise enables us to maintain an impressive array of publications which we can offer to our members and the wider industry.
Training, sustainability, specialist information for contractors, distributors and manufacturers – these are all topics covered by the formal publications. The annual CFA Training Guide, for example, is the ultimate industry bible for anyone interested in training issues within our sector. There are also our general publications, such as the CFA Members’ Handbook and the CFA Guide to Contract Flooring, both of which have been recently updated.
The new 2022 Guide to Contract Flooring has an additional benefit for members which allows them to obtain a number of sections in a data sheet format. These can be attached to quotes or used to help explain technical issues such as moisture control when talking to clients. These are available through the Members’ Area of the website and can be easily sent to customers via email.
The CFA’s current campaigns and initiatives, such Future Fitters are also represented. Some publications are freely available to non-members, indeed documents such as ‘Why choose a CFA member to install your flooring’ are specifically targeted at the wider industry.
Members who log in can access a further wide range of documents, many of which are designed to help members run their businesses smarter and more efficiently. These include a range of professionally drawn-up and regularly updated templates, which have been designed for members’ use. The most popular of these are the various disclaimers which give members another tool either to protect themselves or to help a client understand how important an issue is.
The topics covered include:
- Anti Bribery Policy
- Disclaimer (General)
- Disclaimer (Relating to Moisture)
- Environmental Checklist – Master
- Environmental Checklist
- Environmental Policy Statement
- Equal Opportunity Policy
- Method Statement
- Modern Slavery Statement
- Quality Policy
- Risk Assessment
- Standard Conditions of Service
An important point to remember is that the cost of amassing this content independently would be huge, and the CFA provides it for members collectively to spread the cost – another big benefit of membership.
Of course the Members’ Area includes a wealth of other information as well – for instance technical documents and guidance, a Newsletter archive, highlights of recent member webinars and information focused on to specific areas of industry concern, such as Brexit.
Finally – and on a different tack – the CFA would like to take the opportunity to advise all readers of our upcoming Winter Warning Campaign and its benefits for our members. Readers will recognise the challenges – and potential pitfalls – of working on a project which is inadequately heated. Floor layers cannot do their best work, and floor coverings, adhesives and subfloor materials may not perform properly if temperatures fall below certain norms. This is not only recognised as best practice but detailed in British Standards and section 2 (NEW 2022 edition) of the CFA Guide to Contract Flooring. See www.cfa.org.uk downloads.
The CFA Winter Warning campaign aims to tackle these issues with a range of materials which will be made available to members – as a special member benefit – over the coming weeks. Further details on these items will be revealed in due course – keep an eye on the CFA website and social media for more information – and in the meantime keep warm!
If you would like access to all these benefit, and of course gain use of the CFA logo, please visit the join section of the CFA website www.cfa.org.uk or email info@cfa.org.uk.
