A guide to fasteners and their uses
Bolts, set screws, machine screws, nuts and washers - what each is for, the property classes that matter, and coarse versus fine thread. The place to start if you are specifying fixings.
Knowledge base
Guides & knowledge base
Straightforward, practical guides to the things buyers and site teams ask us about most - how to tell a bolt from a set screw, what an S3 boot actually protects, when hi-vis has to be orange rather than yellow, and which hard hat suits which job. Every guide links straight through to the relevant part of the TES catalogue, so once you have decided what you need you can find it in a couple of clicks rather than starting a fresh search elsewhere. If you are after a single term rather than a whole guide, the trade glossary defines 170 of them.
Metric thread pitch guide
A reference table of ISO metric coarse thread pitches from M3 to M24, how to measure a pitch you are unsure of, and why the same diameter can come in more than one pitch.
Choosing the right tools for the job
A quick map from common site and workshop jobs to the hand tools, power tools and cutting kit they call for - and where to find each in the catalogue.
Orange or yellow hi-vis?
Why hi-vis comes in two main colours, what the EN ISO 20471 classes mean, and the sectors - rail in particular - where the colour is not a free choice.
S3 safety boots explained
What the S3 rating adds over S1 and S2, why the penetration- resistant midsole matters on a construction site, and how to read the EN ISO 20345 markings.
Types of hard hat and when to use them
Industrial helmets, height-safety helmets, bump caps and the variants for heat and electrical work - which standard each meets and which job each is for.
Reference
Trade glossary
The guides above take a subject and work through it. The glossary does the opposite - it takes the shorthand you have been handed on a specification, a PQQ or a delivery note and tells you what it means. 170 terms, each with a definition and a practical buying note.
Procurement & compliance
RAMS, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, SSIP, PQQ, call-off, imprest and consignment stock - the language of buying, pre-qualifying and getting goods onto site.
PPE & safety standards
Hi-vis classes, footwear ratings and the 2022 changes, EN 388 cut levels, respiratory and height standards - what each marking on a label actually governs.
Fixings, fasteners & threads
Property classes, DIN numbers, A2 versus A4 stainless, zinc coatings, thread forms and anchor types - the detail that decides whether a fixing lasts.
Tools, abrasives & consumables
SDS shanks, HSS and cobalt, cutting versus grinding versus flap discs, socket drives, VDE insulation and the chemicals that go alongside them.
Not sure which specification you need?
Send us the requirement - a PPE schedule, a fixings list or just a description of the job - and the TES team will come back with the right products, the standards they meet and delivery. Trade pricing is on the B2B portal.