there’s an app for it

Construction Industry Helpline

The Construction Industry Helpline app is a self-help tool that provides vital information, advice and guidance on topics including stress, anxiety, depression, anger and suicidal thoughts. It was created as a collaboration between Lighthouse, construction software firm ‘COINS’, and Building Mental Health.

Features include:

• Mental wellbeing: covering anxiety, depression, anger, suicidal thoughts, sleep and building resilience

• Physical wellbeing: covering aches and pains, nutrition, weight management cancer, alcohol and drug addiction

• Financial wellbeing: covering budgeting, debt management, tax and legal advice, retirement planning and emergency financial aid

• Information about further support and guidance in your area.

Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, says: “The app complements our existing 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline. We recognise that not everyone feels comfortable talking about their feelings or personal situation, so the Construction Industry Helpline app is aimed at people who would like to find out more about how they can help themselves or, if necessary, take the next step in seeking professional help.”

You can call the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity helpline at 0345 605 1956. Resources are also available at: www.constructionindustryhelpline.com

From: Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free www.constructionindustryhelpline.com/our-app.html

Sprint Mobile App

The Anton Sprint Mobile app provides useful gas-related calculators and tools and can be used whether or not you own an Anton Sprint Pro flue gas analyser*.

Features include:

• Gas rate, pipe size, ventilation, radiator output and energy conversion calculators

• Create gas, pressure, temperature and CO room safety reports

• Email tailored reports featuring your company details direct to your customers

• Create landlord certificates, safety notices, gas rate calculations and many other forms

• Annual boiler servicing reminders

• Store reports and customer information

• Create and send invoices and receipts straight to your customers.

The company says: “With the increasing importance of recordkeeping relating to these safety-critical reports – for example the recording of CO and CO/CO2 ratio now being mandatory at the commissioning of all new boiler installations – having all your reports conveniently saved and stored under each customer on your mobile device provides you with this peace of mind. Traceability is assured: you can even ask the customer/tenant to electronically sign their reports before emailing them.”

* Other FGA manufacturers also provide dedicated apps.

From: Crowcon Detection Instruments

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free www.antonbycrowcon.com/products/sprint-pro-app

Tradify

Tradify is job management software designed specifically to help tradespeople, especially gas engineers, with all aspects of running a business and the admin that goes with it. Gas engineers can streamline everything from invoicing and timesheets to job tracking and gas safety certificates, saving them time and money.

Features include:

• Gas safety certificates

• Quoting and estimating

• Invoicing

• Scheduling

• Job tracking

• Field service management

• Timesheets.

Tradify CEO Michael Steckler says: “The real benefit of Tradify is how much faster and easier it becomes to run a business. Some of our customers are saving 10+ hours a week on admin. That’s our goal at Tradify, to give tradespeople their lives back.”

What gas engineers say: “We use Tradify to contact our existing customers to pre-book their annual gas safety checks for next year as we can be booked up for months in advance. There are so many features to this product: we would recommend it for any tradesperson as being fundamental to their business.”

– Marianne, JPL Plumbing & Heating

From: Tradify HQ

Platforms: iOS, Android, Mac, PC

Cost: £21 per month, per user. Free trial available www.tradifyhq.com

Boiler Fault Finder

Boiler Fault Finder is a website and app that provides technical information on fault-finding for gas appliances such as boilers and other heating products. It includes error codes, installation and service manuals, plus templates for purchase orders and CP12 forms, for example.

Features include:

• 180-pages of technical boiler-fault finding information

• Fault diagnosis for thermostats, flow switches, programmers and time switch guides

• Asbestos advice

• Boiler technical error codes for leading boiler manufacturers

• 1,000+ technical reference and installation manuals

• A complete Boiler Fault Manual in downloadable PDF

• CP12 and other form templates

• Free members’ directory for gas engineers

• Heating engineers’ toolkit.

What gas engineers say: “Boiler Fault Finder offers great material that all engineers can benefit from. Whether you have just come out of training or you’ve been in the trade for years, the website will definitely be a massive help and support when you are out in the field.” –

Joe Millar

From: Boiler Fault Finder

Platforms: Website and app, compatible with all smartphones

Cost: £9.99 per year www.boilerfaultfinder.com

All details correct at time of going to press. App costs and features may be subject to change.