20 March 2019 / Weather Alert

Tropical Cyclone Trevor Warning Updated

Tropical cyclone Trevor is expected to rapidly re-intensify as it moves over eastern Gulf of Carpentaria waters tonight.

Presently it remains located over land near Aurukun and is currently slow-moving.

The cyclone is expected to move offshore over eastern Gulf of Carpentaria waters tonight, where it is expected to rapidly re-intensify to a category 2 cyclone.

Tropical cyclone Trevor will intensify further as it adopts a more general west-southwest movement across the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is likely to cross the Northern Territory coast during Saturday as a category 4 severe tropical cyclone.

General advice in storms

  • Move cars under cover or away from trees. 
  • Secure loose outdoor items. 
  • Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees. 
  • Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
  • Beware of fallen trees and powerlines. 
  • For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

People in the path of the cyclone, in particular in the areas between Weipa and Aurukun, should remain inside until the cyclone has passed and listen to the next advice at 8 pm.

People elsewhere in western Cape York Peninsula, between Cape York and Pormpuraaw, should take precautions and listen to the next advice at 8 pm.

People between Pormpuraaw and Kowanyama should consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.

Hazards

GALES, with gusts in excess of 90 km/h, are occurring near the centre of the cyclone. GALES are expected to extend to areas between Cape York and Pormpuraaw tonight, including Aurukun and Weipa, as the cyclone moves offshore and intensifies.

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS, with gusts in excess of 130 km/h may develop between Weipa and Aurukun during tonight as the cyclone intensifies.

GALES may further extend south to Kowanyama on the western Cape York Peninsula coast during Thursday night as the cyclone intensifies.

As the cyclone intensifies, a STORM TIDE may occur between Mapoon and Aurukun on tomorrow morning's high tide. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to help their neighbours.

HEAVY RAINFALL, which may lead to flash flooding, and DAMAGING to LOCALLY DESTRUCTIVE winds are occurring across parts of the Cape York Peninsula district.

A separate Severe Weather Warning is current for areas between Lockhart River and Laura.

A Flood Warning is current for the Daintree and Mossman rivers as well as a broader Flood Watch for catchments north of Innisfail to Kowanyama.

FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY COASTAL AREAS:

GALES, with gusts to 120 km/h are expected to develop on Groote Eylandt from Friday morning and extend to the mainland coast between Cape Shield and the Northern Territory Border later on Friday. GALES could also extend further north to Nhulunbuy on Friday if the cyclone takes a more northerly track.

The VERY DESTRUCTIVE core of Severe Tropical Cyclone Trevor is forecast to cross the southern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria between Groote Eylandt and Borroloola during Saturday.

VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS, with gusts to 250 km/h, HEAVY RAINFALL and a VERY DANGEROUS STORM TIDE are expected near the cyclone centre as it approaches and crosses the coast.

Tides are expected to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and VERY DANGEROUS FLOODING near the cyclone centre from Friday night into Saturday.

BOM TC Trevor Update

Wind & Rain Radar

This is a live 24 hour forecast radar that updates hourly using modelled data from BOM. 

Other Recent Activities

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30 October / Quality Alert

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned


Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1 July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage. 

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

  • Under 1% silica content
  • Extremely competitive pricing
  • Only comes in 12mm thickness
  • Heat resistance is an issue
  • Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

  • Under 10% silica content
  • Price dependant of product and supplier
  • Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
  • Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
  • Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

  • 0% silica content
  • More expensive alternative
  • Limited thickness availability
  • UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
  • Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
  • Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

  • Various silica content percentages
  • Variety of products at different price points available
  • Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
  • Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.


More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

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10 October / Update

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.

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