Switched On Issue 7

Issue7 | Winter 2007

Consumer Safety

Corgi Trust

Electrical Safety Council

Good news for consumers as charities propose merger Product safety – MPs listen to the Council’s concerns

WELCOME staff with a clear steer on the direction of our work. A summary of the strategy can be viewed on our website.

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elcome to the seventh issue of Switched On.

You will by now have heard that the Electrical Safety Council is in discussion with the Corgi Trust about a possible merger. Our Director General, Jim Speirs, covers the matter in more detail in this issue. From my and my team’s point of view, we are excited about the opportunities that such a merger could bring and we look forward to the discussions leading to a positive outcome.

That said, it is business as usual for the time being and, at the last Board meeting, the Council’s strategy for the next five years was agreed. This is a living document so it will be subject to change, but it provides the Trustees and the

To continue our drive to raise awareness of electrical safety issues, we have recently completed a programme of testing the in-service safety of electric blankets.

In association with Age Concern, we provided support for blanket testing to be undertaken in 15 centres across the UK. Testing was free to those who came along, and we replaced, free of charge, any blankets that were found to be beyond repair or over ten years old.

It was a very worthwhile exercise as more than half of the blankets tested were found to be defective, and either had to be replaced or repaired. I hope that a relative or friend of yours was able to take advantage of this initiative.

Our support to the industry remains strong and we are currently developing guidance

about the impact electrical installations have on fire safety in homes. This will be published as a Best Practice Guide, which will form the basis of a seminar for electrical contractors and house builders to be held later this year.

installers and other interested parties as possible. I am pleased to report that we have arranged for a resized version of the magazine to be distributed through wholesalers as an insert in Professional Electrician.

Further information about the guide can be found in this issue.

Details of the seminar will be published on our website as soon as possible.

We continue to press our message home to politicians about the importance of electrical safety. Our attendance at the Labour Party conference last year gave us the opportunity to talk to Ministers about many issues, one of them being the need for greater enforcement of Part P.

Our campaign to raise awareness of electrical safety issues in schools continues, and we intend to issue educational packs, including reusable stickers, to all primary schools in the UK. The packs will provide a valuable learning resource to teachers for Key Stage 1 of the national curriculums for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Level A P1-P3 of the national curriculum for Scotland.

We have recently been exploring ways of increasing the circulation of Switched On, so that it reaches as many electrical contractors,

Planning is at an early stage for our lobbying activities for this year, but we intend to increase our attendance at political events such as the party conferences.

On a final note I would like to wish all of our readers a prosperous New Year and to thank all the team at the Electrical Safety Council for their hard work and support, which made 2007 such a successful year for us.

COUNCIL ATTENDS LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

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n September, the Council exhibited at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, where Gordon Brown addressed the audience for the first time as leader and Prime Minister.

The annual conference is attended by many Labour Party members, as well as the media, political organisations and stakeholders. It

Rt Hon Baroness Scotland and Claire Curtis-Thomas MP visit the Council’s stand 2 SwitchedOn

provided an excellent opportunity for us to meet a wide range of Labour politicians from councillors and MPs, to Lords and MEPs. With 15,000 visitors, the event enabled us to raise awareness of our consumer protection role and to speak to many delegates and conference goers about the importance of electrical safety.

Indeed, during the week, we were able to speak to a number of Cabinet and other ministers including John Hutton (Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), Hazel Blears (Communities and Local Government), Hilary Benn (Environment) and Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks, as well as the Prime Minister’s wife, Sarah Brown.

Phil Buckle and the other members of the team discussed with them a variety of issues regarding health and safety at work and at home, child safety, arranging temporary disconnections of supply, and improving awareness of electrical safety generally.

Phil said: “It was the Council’s first visit to a political party conference. We found it a great way to extend our political influence, make new contacts and increase our public profile. The interest shown in our stand was extremely positive”.

Plans are already being made to attend next year’s Labour Party conference in Manchester, and to make it an even bigger success than this year. We may also exhibit at the other political party conferences.

Electric blanket testing - see page 7

issue 07 Winter ‘07

switchedon industry news

12

your insight into the electrical safety industry

2

Council attends Labour Party Conference Also, welcome

4

News in brief Also, Consumer helpline

5

Events in 2008 Also, NHIC Annual Awards

6 7

The Technical Manual – status report Also, Grants for electrical installation safety improvements

13

Best Practice Guides Also, Plain English Campaign

14

RoSPA Congress Also, SELECT Awards

15

Website update Also, Secretary of State calls for action to reduce construction site deaths

Longer time limits for Building Regulations prosecutions Also, Schneider Electric gives key to circuit-breaker safety

18

New guide to help consumers and electrical contractors Also, Fire and accident campaign electric blankets

Schools awareness campaign Also, Fire and safety campaign – data collection

19

Product safety – MPs listen to the Council’s concerns Also, Home Information Packs

20

Asbestos prosecution Also, Upkeep

into the in-service 10 Research reliability of RCDs

features 8

Good news for consumers as charities propose merger

16

Faulty cables - a growing concern

Published by: The Electrical Safety Council 18 Buckingham Gate London, SW1E 6LB www.esc.org.uk Tel: 0870 040 0561 Fax: 0870 040 0560 email: enquiries@esc.org.uk SwitchedOn 3

NEWS IN BRIEF BS 7671: 2008 As a result of last minute negotiations between the British Standards Institute and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the publication of BS 7671: 2008 is expected to be delayed until mid-January.

UK still going metric …. inch by inch Last September, the European Commission confirmed that the dual marking of goods in the UK in imperial and metric units can continue indefinitely. The Commission had previously insisted that the UK should discontinue the use of imperial units by 2009, which would have been 40 years after metrication was first introduced in the UK. The announcement prompted the British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC) to issue a warning about the dangers of mixing imperial and metric systems when it comes to engineering safety.

Child Safety Week 2008 We are pleased to announce that the Council will be sponsoring Child Safety Week again this year, which will run from 23 to 29 June. This very worthwhile event is coordinated by the Child Accident Prevention Trust.

To find out more about Child Safety Week, visit www.capt.org.uk

HSE asbestos awareness campaign Every week, about six electricians die as a result of diseases caused by contact with asbestos materials during their working life. To help increase understanding of the long term dangers of asbestos, the Council has agreed to assist the Health and Safety Executive with an asbestos awareness campaign it is planning to launch at the end of February.

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Government consultation - Staying Safe The Council has responded to a call from Government to submit views on a consultation document: Staying Safe. The consultation is intended to create discussion with a wide range of people and bodies about how we, as a society, could do better to keep children and young people safe. We have provided our views on what could be done to improve electrical safety education and to promote electrical safety generally.

The results of the consultation is expected to be made available shortly on the Department for Children, Schools and Families e-consultation website, www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations

The consumer helpline can be contacted by telephoning:

0870 040 0561

CONSUMER HELPLINE

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ince announcing the opening of the consumer helpline in the autumn edition of Switched On, we have received hundreds of phone calls and emails from consumers seeking advice on electrical safety matters.

The main issues of concern to consumers last year were the floods across large areas of the UK, and the articles in the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian that referred to our Using Electricity Safely While Travelling Abroad leaflet.

We have also helped many consumers to find a Part P registered electrician in their area through either the Competent Persons’ Register (www.competentperson.co.uk) or the individual registers on the Part P scheme providers’ websites.

All of our consumer and other literature can be viewed or downloaded free of charge

from our website. However, upon request, we are also happy to supply up to 500 copies of our printed information free of charge.

For details of our literature, please visit our website www.esc.org.uk. Alternatively you can contact us via our enquiries email address, enquiries@esc.org.uk or by calling us on 0870 040 0561.

We do our best to answer all consumer queries relating to electrical safety, but we are unable to provide technical advice. We refer consumers seeking detailed technical advice to a Part P registered electrician, helping consumers to find one in their area if required.

Any electricians or installers seeking technical advice are referred to their scheme provider or trade association, as appropriate.

EVENTS IN 2008

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uilding on last year’s success, we will be attending various events again this year to provide consumers and others with good advice and information on electrical safety issues.

Our attendance at a range of events last year gave us excellent opportunities to discuss electrical safety issues not only with consumers, but also with electricians, politicians and health and safety professionals.

Wherever possible, we also used the occasions to make new contacts with stakeholders including government departments and industry bodies, and to seek ways in which we could work with them to raise awareness of electrical safety.

We will be reporting on our attendance at these and other events over the course of the year.

As well as exhibiting at events ourselves, we will also be providing sponsorship for, and safety information for distribution at, a wide variety of shows, exhibitions and conferences throughout the year. By doing so, we can support organisations with whom we share common goals, and at the same time raise awareness of electrical safety.

All of our attendance at, and support for, events are designed to support our Campaign Team’s objective of raising the level of awareness of electrical safety issues across the UK with a view to reducing deaths and injuries from electrical causes.

Our attendance at the following events this year is already confirmed: National Home Building & Renovating Show NEC, Birmingham, 10-13 April Home Building & Renovating Show, Scotland SECC, Glasgow, 17-18 May BBC Good Homes/Gardeners World Live NEC, Birmingham, 11-15 June Trading Standards Institute Exhibition BIC, Bournemouth, 24-26 June Labour Party Conference Manchester, 21-25 September

NHIC AWARDS 2007

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n November, for the 33rd year running, the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) held its Annual Awards ceremony in London, where twelve awards were presented. For the second successive year, the Electrical Safety Award was sponsored by the Electrical Safety Council.

The NHIC Award Scheme’s principal target is to:

“… raise the profile of the numerous significant and inspirational initiatives that are a characteristic of our nation’s remarkable ingenuity in the field of housing and environmental renovation.”

Again this year, the overall standard of entries submitted in all categories was very high.

The winning entry for this year’s Electrical Safety Award was submitted by Ocean Services (SW) Ltd. The quality of the submission and the high standards of electrical safety maintained by them very much impressed the judges. It was clear from Ocean’s entry that they are committed to maintaining and improving standards of electrical safety, as well as ensuring good customer care and satisfaction.

The judges used the following criteria to evaluate the entries: • electrical installations are checked regularly – at least every ten years (and on change of tenancy) • residual current device (RCD) protection is provided for socket-outlets that may be used to power portable equipment outdoors • only qualified/registered electricians are used to carry out electrical work • tenants’ and residents’ awareness of electrical safety issues is raised

• customer satisfaction is good • relevant standards are complied with • energy saving initiatives are implemented.

The Electrical Safety Council would like to take the opportunity to congratulate and commend Ocean Services (SW) Ltd. Also to be congratulated are Newham Homes Ltd and Cannock Chase Council who were the runners up.

Ocean Services (SW) Ltd, Newham Homes and Cannock Chase Council have not only met but exceeded the challenge of reaching and maintaining the expected standards of electrical safety. We now call on all social and private housing landlords to introduce these initiatives and share good practice.

If you would like to find out more about how and when to enter this year’s NHIC Annual Awards, please visit: www.nhic.org.uk or www.esc.org.uk

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WEBSITE UPDATE

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ur main website (www.esc.org.uk) is bigger and better than ever as we continue to add information and guidance for all users of electricity. The number of visitors also continues to rise, with over 7,000 visitors a month viewing over 20,000 pages.

The season has seen another change of theme as we put emphasis on using electricity safely over the winter months, including the safe use of electric blankets. Also for consumers, we are promoting the use of our new Guide to ordering electrical work.

For Business & Community visitors, we have published the results of our RCD reliability

study including a downloadable copy of the final report by ERA Technology, who undertook the research for us.

As well as adding new information, we regularly update sections, so it always pays to revisit the site to check out pages such as product recalls, latest news, and events.

Feedback on the content of both the main and the Switched On Kids website (www.switchedonkids.org.uk) is always welcome, so should you have any ideas or comments, please send them to us using the feedback facility accessible from the home pages.

SECRETARY OF STATE CALLS FOR ACTION TO REDUCE CONSTRUCTION DEATHS

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ast September, an action plan to cut workplace deaths and improve health and safety standards was agreed by representatives of the construction industry and the trade unions at a Construction Forum convened by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Peter Hain.

And figures published just before the Forum had shown that nearly one in three construction refurbishment sites inspected by the HSE were putting the lives of workers at risk. Of the sites the HSE had visited, they had stopped work at 244.

The Forum was attended by government, the Health and Safety Executive, trade unions, industry bodies, suppliers, and contractors.

The Forum had been convened to address health and safety practices in the housing and refurbishment sector, following an overall 28% increase in construction deaths. Between March 2006 and March 2007, there had been 77 deaths in construction compared with 60 the year before.

Of the 77 deaths, there were 23 falls from height, 16 people hit by moving or falling objects, and 10 electrocutions. The rate was the highest since 2001/02, when there were 80 deaths.

According to the HSE, the housing industry was responsible for almost half of those construction deaths. 49% of the fatalities (37 deaths) had occurred in the new-build housing and domestic refurbishment sectors, up from 32% (19 deaths) the previous year.

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Key areas for action agreed at the Forum included: • sharing best practice - working together to agree standards of health and safety to be achieved on house building and domestic repair/refurbishment projects • raising levels of competence - encouraging all site workers in the house building sector to carry a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or be able to demonstrate their occupational and health

and safety competence to the same or better standard; and ensuring all workers receive induction training before they start work on a new site • encouraging worker involvement improving the way employers and others engage with and consult the people they manage • integrated working - ensuring that site specific planning and induction is provided to all those in control of tower crane erection, operation and dismantling, with an emphasis on appropriate risk assessment, and • steps to drive out the informal economy in the sector, which can impact health and safety.

NEW GUIDE TO HELP CONSUMERS AND ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

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e reported in the autumn edition of Switched On that we were working with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to develop a guide for consumers for use when they need to order electrical installation work in their homes.

benefit consumers in getting electrical work done in their homes by registered contractors.

But it will also help contractors assess the extent and limitations of the work they are being asked to quote for and will, we hope, help to reduce contractual disputes.”

Released in November, the ‘Guide for Consumers when ordering electrical work’ contains general tips and advice, a ‘quotation request’ form and a jargon buster.

Nick Canty of the IET said: “As the publishers of the UK Wiring Regulations, the IET plays a key role in the electrical installation industry.

We share the Electrical Safety Council’s commitment to safety and good practice and feel sure this guide will benefit both consumers and electricians by providing common ground on which to discuss electrical work.”

The availability of the new guide has been publicised to electrical contractors and installers first as we recognise the importance of gaining their support before we start to make consumers aware of it early in the New Year.

Phil Buckle, Director of the Electrical Safety Council, commented: “This guide will obviously

Feedback received so far has been very positive and the guide, which is designed to improve communication between consumers and electrical contractors, has been welcomed by

many businesses that recognise the need to provide clear and detailed quotations to their customers.

The guide is available to download free of charge at www.esc.org.uk and www.theiet.org

FIRE & ACCIDENT CAMPAIGN – ELECTRIC BLANKETS The Council joins forces with Age Concern to help older people stay safe this winter

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he Council and Age Concern joined forces last autumn to deliver a campaign to offer free electric blanket testing to older people.

The Council funded 15 testing days across England, Wales and Scotland with the aim of testing at least 1500 blankets during that period.

Of further concern is the fact that, according to the UK Fire Statistics for 2005 (the latest figures published), defective electric blankets are the cause of one in ten of the deaths in household fires having an electrical source.* There were six deaths attributed to electric blanket fires in 2005.

Due to the success of this very worthwhile campaign, we are already planning to run a similar campaign this autumn.

The objective of the campaign was to promote a number of key safety messages around the use of electric blankets. The aim was to improve safety and decrease potential fire risks in the homes of older people, whilst at the same time offering them practical assistance.

The main messages included guidance on correct use and correct storage when the blankets are not in use, and a recommendation to have them checked for safety at least every three years.

The results from the electric blanket testing during this campaign were shocking. Over the four week campaign period, about 70% of the 1,900 electric blankets brought in for testing were found to be faulty. The faulty ones were either repaired or replaced by the Council on the spot, free of charge. In all, about 1300 blankets were replaced.

• Always read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and follow them • Never use a blanket having scorch marks or exposed elements.

• Never use the blanket if it is wet or creased, and do not switch it on to dry it out • Never use a hot water bottle and an electric blanket together in the same bed • Check the plug cord for any signs of wear or damage • When the blanket is not in use, make sure the power is turned off at the socket, or unplug it • When using the blanket, always spread it out - never use it folded

Key electric blanket safety measures • When needing another blanket, always buy new – second hand blankets may not be safe • To check that your blanket is still safe to use, have it tested by a specialist at least every three years – or as recommended by the manufacturer

• Store the blanket carefully over the summer months - refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on how best to do this • Some electric blankets are not designed to be washed - always check the manufacturer’s instructions.

*

Figures from Communities and Local Government Research: Casualties in accidental fires in dwellings by source of ignition and cause, UK 2005.

SwitchedOn 7

Consumer Safety

Corgi Trust

Electrical Safety Council

Corgi Trust

Good news for consum irector General of the Electrical Safety Council excited about merger talks with charity arm of CORGI

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In October last year David Dossett, Chairman of the Electrical Safety Council and Mary Benwell, Chair of the CORGI Trust announced that the two charities were in discussions about a possible merger. The hard work of looking at the detail of the merger will fall to Jim Speirs, Director General of the Electrical Safety Council and Ian Powney, Chief Operating Officer at CORGI. “I am genuinely excited by the proposed merger.

This is a great opportunity for both parties,” explains Jim. “If we get this right, the combined charities can become a really influential and respected body for UK electrical and gas safety issues. There’s a huge amount of detail to work out, but I see this as a positive move for everyone in their respective sectors”.

“For trades people, we will see better cooperation and coordination in the delivery of messages about 8 SwitchedOn

safety; and for consumers, we want to be able to give even greater clarity and confidence about where to go and what to do to ensure that suppliers of services are registered and trusted.

For me, the combination of the two charities makes enormous sense.”

The Electrical Safety Council and the CORGI Trust have similar aims of promoting and supporting electrical and gas safety in the UK respectively.

Both are independent, non-profit making organisations which are supported by a wide range of stakeholders from their respective industries.

The Electrical Safety Council deals with all electrical safety matters on behalf of consumers.

The CORGI Trust, which was set up in 2005, is funded by the commercial activities undertaken by the CORGI Services Group.

Jim is keen to temper any worries about what might happen to the commercial operations of the charities at this stage of the discussions. “When I have spoken to people about this proposed merger, they’ve been keen to ask about the impact

Electrical Safety Council

Corgi Trust

Electrical Safety Council

ers as charities propose merger of the merger on the registration schemes of both organisations. It’s important not to get ahead of ourselves. These discussions are about the merging of the charities and the benefits that might emerge from this.”

“Whilst both charities are sole owners of their commercial businesses, we are not addressing these commercial activities in our talks. Gas installers and electricians shouldn’t be concerned about changes to the registration schemes or other commercial activities as a result of this merger. This is about getting clearer and more coherent safety messages to consumers. Safety should always be our number one priority. This proposed merger means that we’ll be able to get even more on top of health and safety issues and campaign better for safety in both the electricity and gas sectors.”

Jim is pleased with the responses and reactions to the proposed merger so far.

“To date, the announcement appears to have been well received. The members of the Electrical Safety Council seem very positive about the idea.

My feeling is that people see few downsides as it is something of a merger of two equals which is supported by both sides.”

There are a great number of details to work through, and issues such as a new name for the combined charities, and management structures, are some way down the line. It is business as usual at the Electrical Safety Council and still early days for the talks, so the timeframe for the discussions is not yet fully determined. Switched On will of course bring more news of the merger as discussions progress.

“

I AM GENUINELY EXCITED BY THE PROPOSED MERGER. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH PARTIES

”

Jim Speirs, Director General of the

Electrical Safety Council

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RESEARCH INTO THE IN-SERVICE RELIABILITY OF RCDs RCDs pass the test of time … but are some consumers still at risk?

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ince its inception, the Council has been raising awareness of the benefits of residual current devices (RCDs), and encouraging their use in the home. In parallel with this campaign, we have been reporting on the progress of our research into the long term reliability of RCDs installed in domestic premises.

Now that ERA has completed its study and analysis of the results of the in-situ tests, we take a closer look at their final report and how the key findings of the research will steer our consumer awareness activities.

The need for research Although it is widely accepted that RCDs reduce the risk of death and injury in particular circumstances, lingering doubts remained in some quarters as to their long term in-service reliability.

The reliability of RCDs, particularly after prolonged inactivity, had been brought into question by studies undertaken in other countries. However, until now, there has been no published research carried out in the UK. In order to provide meaningful data for the UK and to help understand why RCDs might fail to operate in service, we commissioned ERA Technology to undertake a thorough investigation for us.

Initial studies of available literature and research published in other countries revealed that there had been a number of research projects involving the testing of RCDs, all with findings similar to those first published in Italy. Details of those findings were published in the autumn 2006 issue of Switched On, and can still be viewed on our website.

Whilst the research conducted in other countries helped us to better understand the mechanisms by which RCDs may fail to operate, it is important to recognize that the results were predominantly based on tests carried out in the early 1990s.

Consequently, the findings are unlikely to reflect improvements in RCD design and manufacture that have been introduced through subsequent revisions of the relevant product standards. For devices manufactured since 1996, these include a 28 day environmental type test to simulate ageing, and EMC tests.

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On-site testing Our tests were carried out on a total of 607 RCDs in properties owned by four Housing Associations and Local Housing Authorities in the UK. All the devices tested were of the electromechanical (voltage independent) type.

The tests were made on the load side of the RCD, as close as practicable to the device.

Occupiers were asked to turn off all appliances such as washing machines, TVs and computers for the duration of the test.

Although it could not be guaranteed that all loads had been disconnected prior to the RCD tests, there was no indication from subsequent analysis of the results that the tests would have been affected by any capacitive loads that had inadvertently remained energized.

The initial test for the first 172 devices was carried out in alternate properties at one times (30 mA) and five times (150 mA) the rated operating current. This was to determine whether or not the magnitude of the initial test current had any significant effect on the failure rate.

For the remainder of the tests, each RCD was tested at the rated operating current of the RCD (30 mA) three times during the positive and negative half cycles of the supply waveform.

The tests were then repeated at five times the rated operating current (150 mA).

Functional testing of the integral push button was carried out last.

Failure methodology For the purpose of the research, RCDs that did not disconnect the supply within the maximum permitted operating time, irrespective of the likely cause, were deemed to have failed. This included those that failed to operate at all.

This enabled the analysis to focus on the most important function of the RCDs, being the provision of additional protection against electric shock.

During the on-site testing, a number of RCDs were found to have been deliberately shorted out by the installation of additional wiring across their terminals, rendering them totally ineffective. These RCDs were also judged as a test failure but, for clarity of analysis, the results have been presented with and without the shorted RCDs included in the failure statistics.

In some cases it was found that RCDs could not be reset after a test. These RCDs were replaced but were not included in the failure statistics.

Similarly, in some cases, RCDs operated correctly when tested at 30mA and 150mA but the test buttons did not function. Again, although these RCDs were replaced, they were not included in the failure analysis because they did not present an electric shock risk.

Results and analysis Of the 607 RCDs tested, a total of 23 failures were recorded, giving an overall failure rate of: • 3.8% - including the six RCDs that had been shorted out.

• 2.8% - excluding the shorted out RCDs. From discussions with occupiers, the RCDs that had been shorted out had been tripping for no apparent reason. An electrician, or electricians, from the Housing Authority had stopped this “nuisance tripping” by shorting out the problem RCDs – a dangerous practice. These RCDs were not returned to ERA for examination.

Of the ten RCDs returned to ERA, investigation in most cases suggested a possible cause of the on-site failures, but the cause could not always be determined with a high degree of certainty.

This was because, in some cases, the RCDs operated correctly when tested at ERA, perhaps due to the mechanical effects of their removal and transportation.

Also, the action of opening the RCD enclosures to enable areas such as the main contact surfaces and the moving components to be examined could have disturbed dust or debris, potentially obscuring some of the visual evidence.

ERA concluded that the most likely causes of failure were: • • • •

Deliberate shorting out Ingress of moisture and contaminants Component misalignment Disruption of contact surfaces causing contact welding

One of the principal conclusions for this research is that the regular operation of the test button does have a positive effect on the overall reliability of an RCD when subjected to earth fault conditions.

This is because failures that had not been evident until the research was carried out would have been identified earlier had the integral test button been regularly operated by the householder. If these defective RCDs had been replaced, it is logical to expect that the overall reliability rate would have been improved.

Furthermore, from published papers and anecdotal evidence, there is a belief that RCD operation can be effected by ingress of contamination causing “sticktion” between the moving parts of an RCD. If this was the case, it would be expected that if the RCD was tested three times in succession, it would operate slowest on the first test and fastest on the last test. However, ERA’s analysis of average operating times found no evidence to suggest that repeated operation improves the operating time of RCDs. Therefore, it appears unlikely that the performance of RCDs that are correctly selected and installed are adversely affected by prolonged inactivity.

Manufacturers of those RCDs for which the cause of failure was considered most likely to be a result of design or manufacturing defects have been invited to comment on the findings of the final report.

ERA’s full report detailing the results of their research and their conclusions can be viewed on our website: www.esc.org.uk.

Our conclusions Our research confirms that, overall, RCDs in domestic installations are reliable long term, provided they have been selected and installed correctly, and that the integral test button is operated regularly to confirm whether or not the devices continue to be capable of disconnecting the circuits they are intended to protect.

However, the research also confirmed that consumers are failing to follow manufacturers’ and installers instructions to test the devices regularly. As a result, faults that occur in the devices are likely to remain undetected.

Whilst it is reassuring to note that over 96% of RCDs tested were found to be fully functional and would have provided valuable protection from electric shock caused by electrical faults, it is clear that there is still considerable scope for raising the awareness of householders of the importance of testing their RCDs on a regular

basis. We are considering the most effective way this can be achieved.

Operating the test button would have picked up most, if not all, of the failed devices in our investigation, but there may be a number of reasons why householders would be unlikely to test an RCD.

condition and use of the electrical installation, and the environmental conditions in which RCDs are installed. As a consequence, the underlying causes of failure could be attributed to any one, or a combination of several, of these factors.

Our research found that, particularly for older installations, RCDs are likely to be installed out of sight in a cupboard or similar location and, consequently, many people will simply forget to test them. Indeed, they may not even be aware that they have RCD protection or that the devices should be tested regularly.

We are therefore looking to carry out further research into the installation and environmental factors that may affect the performance of RCDs. It is hoped that this research may also be able to confirm (or otherwise) the premise that certain loads connected to RCDs whilst under test have an adverse effect on test instrument readings rather than the availability of protection.

Those having responsibility for the installation of consumer units containing RCDs should ensure that they are readily accessible, and that clear instructions are provided, to encourage consumers to use the test button on a regular basis.

The revised requirements for electrical installations (BS 7671: 2008, 17th edition) coming into effect this year put significantly greater emphasis on the use of RCDs for additional protection against electric shock, a move we welcome.

Of the RCDs that failed, six had been deliberately shorted out to prevent so-called ‘nuisance tripping’; a practice strongly condemned by the Council. This is a dangerous practice as a shorted out RCD will not provide the intended protection against electric shock from direct contact.

We are pleased that, on the whole, the results of our research are very positive. We will therefore be continuing to promote the message that RCDs, appropriately installed and used, can and do save lives.

Part of our ongoing work will be to encourage homeowners experiencing unwanted tripping to seek the advice of a registered electrical contractor to investigate and deal with the underlying cause of the problem, rather than treating the symptom by shorting out the RCD.

However, we will also be looking to manufacturers to continue to improve the reliability of their RCDs. A longer term aim will be to encourage them to design out the need for regular testing by users, which experience indicates is rarely carried out in practice.

Guidance is available to electrical contractors on this issue, such as that in the BEAMA Installation RCD Handbook: Guide to the Selection and Application of Residual Current Devices. A copy of the handbook is included in the Council’s Technical Manual.

We know that the availability of RCD protection is linked to many factors, not only being related to the performance of RCDs themselves but also to the quality of the mains supply, the SwitchedOn 11

THE TECHNICAL MANUAL – STATUS REPORT Subscribing to the CD version of the Technical Manual

Online version

Network CD version

Building on the success of the CD version of our comprehensive Technical Manual that we introduced in 2004, an online version was launched last summer. It incorporates exactly the same content, search facilities and printing capability as the CD version.

Due to the very limited response to our request in 2006 for expressions of interest from businesses wishing to have a networkable version of the Technical Manual CD, we decided not to develop such a version.

Currently, the online version is available only to contractors registered with the Council’s subsidiary, NICEIC. It can be accessed via the secure area of the NICEIC website (www.niceic.com).

Non-NICEIC registered subscribers to the Manual will be advised as soon as facilities become available for them to access the online version.

The Technical Manual now comprises over 300 topics, each of which addresses a specific aspect of electrical installation work. It continues to grow, with a fresh CD containing new and updated topics being issued twice each year.

Sample topics can be viewed on the ‘Business and Communities’ section of our website (www.esc.org.uk).

Updating the Manual to the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations We are working hard to align the content of the Technical Manual with the newly published 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671: 2008).

The CD version of the Manual is available to everyone on subscription. New subscriptions can be arranged through ‘NICEIC Direct’. Details are given in the NICEIC sales catalogue, which can be downloaded from the ‘NICEIC Shop’ area of their website (www.niceic.com).

Consequently, the next issue of the CD version of the Manual will be distributed not in April as would normally have been the case, but in July. The online version of the Manual will be updated at the same time.

The current annual subscription rate is excellent value at only £50.00. This gives you two issues of the CD, plus four quarterly issues of the NICEIC magazine, ‘Connections’. The subscription rate is currently under review, so if you’re interested, don’t delay.

GRANTS FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

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s announced in previous issues of Switched On, the piloting of our Electrical Installation Safety Improvements Grants scheme continues in England and Wales. The grants are available to a particular range of people who cannot afford to restore the electrical installation in their home to a safe standard.

Following our call for registered electricians to work with us on the grants scheme, we are pleased to announce that a number of electrical installers have come forward to offer their support. One such company is CLM Ltd, based in Warrington.

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CLM has kindly agreed to support the scheme by offering to carry out a number of periodic inspections free of charge, and a further number at a significantly reduced rate. Several of these inspections have now been carried out.

Unfortunately, due to the to large number of applications received from resident home owners meeting the eligibility criteria, and the limited availability of funding, grant applications received after the end of October could not be processed. No further applications will be considered until the start of the next financial year unless funding becomes available from other sources beforehand.

We would also like to thank the following organizations for helping us with the operation of the scheme: • The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Kent and London areas • The Electrical and Electronics Industries Benevolent Association (EEIBA) If you are interested in being a sponsor for the grants initiative, and would like further information, please email grants@electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk or call us on 0870 040 0561.

BEST PRACTICE GUIDES

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The examples of common observations given in the new Guide have been arranged such that:

• Periodic Inspection Reporting: Recommendation Codes for domestic and similar electrical installations

• Recommendation Code 1 is assigned to observations indicating that real and immediate danger exists, or would exist in the event of a fault occurring in the installation (such as where accessible live parts are exposed to touch, or where there is no effective means of earthing)

ince the autumn issue of Switched On was published, we have been working in association with others on two more Best Practice Guides:

• Electrical installations and their impact on fire precautions in buildings: Part 1 – Domestic premises.

Recommendation codes The development of the guidance on the use of recommendation codes for domestic periodic inspection reports guidance has been completed, and the Guide is expected to be published on our website shortly.

The guidance, which has been produced in association with the ECA, IET, NICEIC and SELECT, embodies a new concept. This is that any observation given a Recommendation Code 1 (requires urgent attention) or a Recommendation Code 2 (requires improvement) should result in the overall assessment of the condition of the installation being recorded as unsatisfactory.

Previous guidance has been that only one or more observations given a Recommendation Code 1 should automatically result in the overall assessment being given as unsatisfactory.

However, this has commonly led to Recommendation Code 2 observations being ignored by many home owners and other persons responsible for the safety of such potentially dangerous electrical installations.

• Recommendation Code 2 is assigned to items where danger potentially exists (such as where there is no main bonding, or where there is a borrowed neutral).

Other Guides Copies of all published Best Practice Guides can be downloaded free of charge from the ‘Business and Community’ section of our website, and also from the websites of several of the other contributors. The published Guides include: • Replacing a consumer unit where lighting circuits have no circuit protective conductor • Safe isolation procedures for low voltage installations • Connecting a microgeneration system to a domestic or similar electrical installation.

Fire precautions There has been a great deal of support from organizations wishing to help us develop the fire precautions guidance, with the working group now including representatives from: • Association of Building Engineers • BEAMA Installation • British Gypsum • ECA • Institution of Engineering and Technology • Intumescent Fire Seals Association • LABC • Lighting Association • Lighting Industry Federation • NHBC • NICEIC Group Ltd • SELECT • UK Timber Homes Association Communities and Local Government, and the Scottish Building Standards Agency, are also keeping a watching brief.

It is hoped to issue this Guide in the first quarter of the year.

Further Best Practice Guides in the series may include replacing domestic consumer units, dealing with the effects of flooding, avoiding the dangers of asbestos, and the use of plug-in socket-outlet testers.

News about the development and availability of these and other guides will be announced from time to time on our website, and in future issues of Switched On.

PLAIN ENGLISH CAMPAIGN

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e are pleased to report that two more of our consumer leaflets have received the Crystal Mark from the Plain English Campaign:

• Electricity in the home – a guide to fire safety • The building standards system in Scotland Both leaflets have been reviewed and updated to ensure that we are providing consumers with the most up-to-date advice and guidance.

Seven of our consumer leaflets now display the Crystal Mark to show that they meet the standard required by the Plain English Campaign, and we are working to add to that number.

In December, some of our staff attended the Plain English Campaign Awards at The Brewery, London, hosted by Lenny Henry. In addition to well-earned awards for organisations and individuals who had made a genuine effort to use clear and concise English, Lenny presented awards for categories such as The Golden Bull (for the worst examples of written tripe) and Foot in Mouth (for baffling quotes by public figures).

For further information on the Plain English Campaign and who won the awards, visit www.plainenglish.co.uk SwitchedOn 13

RoSPA CONGRESS

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e were pleased to sponsor the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) Annual National Home Injury Prevention Congress for the second successive year. The event was held over two days in Cheltenham last November.

The RoSPA Congress highlighted the fact that every fundamental White Paper in recent times relating to health or injury prevention has cited the importance of partnership working as a key element to achieving national targets and reaching those most at risk.

The theme on this occasion was ‘Hitting National Targets’. Topics ranged from exploring methods of collecting and disseminating accident and injury data, to effective methods of evaluating home injury prevention activities and maximising joint funding opportunities.

Delegates at the Congress were reminded of the need to work together in a culture in which learning and good practice is proactively promoted, and were urged to work in partnership when the opportunity arose.

The Congress looked at home injury prevention from both a national and local perspective, and

delegates were asked to consider initiatives that, through the vehicle of partnership working, have been successful in meeting their objectives.

Speaking about the Congress, Phil Buckle said “We were pleased to sponsor the RoSPA Congress again last year. It gave us the opportunity to increase awareness of the dangers of electricity and to promote electrical safety to a broad range of key professionals working with the community. It also gave members of our staff an opportunity to network with key professionals and to share their expertise and experiences in the spirit of promoting partnership working”.

SELECT AWARDS of the Wiring Regulations Committee for 20 years from 1972, and is now a member of the IET Wiring Regulations Policy Committee.

In 1990, having been a UK Delegate since 1972, David became Chairman of both the IEC and CENELEC TC 64 ‘wiring rules’ committees for a period of 12 years.

Stuart Cullen of Crown House Technologies Ltd receives the Best Health and Safety Initiative Award from Terry Pack

Best electrcal safety initiative We are pleased to have sponsored the Best Electrical Safety Initiative Award at SELECT’s Annual Awards Dinner, held in Glasgow last October. The award was presented to the winners by Terry Pack, Head of External Affairs.

The shortlist for the award category included: • Crown House Technologies Ltd, Bellshill, Glasgow • Lotus Electrical Services Ltd Dumfries • North Ayrshire Council Crown House Technologies won the award for demonstrating their commitment to health and safety and their class-leading electrical safety policies designed to actively encourage the reporting of all accidents and near misses. switchedon 1414 SwitchedOn

Chris Hutchings Lotus Electrical Services Ltd

Stuart McKelvie, North Ayrshire Council

The appointment of a full time electrical safety manager for this purpose is testament to how seriously the company takes these matters.

Lifetime achievement award We also wish to congratulate David Latimer, one of the Council’s long serving Trustees, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SELECT event in recognition of his contribution to the electrical installation industry.

David first joined the Board of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (now the Electrical Safety Council) in 1985, representing the Association of Supervisory and Executive Engineers for a period of three years.

He rejoined the Board in 1991as a representative of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, becoming Deputy Chairman in 1997 and Chairman from 1999 to 2001. He remains a Trustee to this day

David, who was educated at Cambridge and gained his practical experience at Metropolitan Vickers and Marryat & Place, first became involved with the IEE Wiring Regulations in 1963.

He was Chairman of the Institution of Electrical Engineers’ Wiring Regulations Technical Sub-Committee and Vice Chairman

David Latimer receives his Lifetime Award from SELECT President, Dougie Geddes

LONGER TIME LIMITS FOR BUILDING REGULATIONS PROSECUTIONS As reported in the autumn issue of Switched On, Communities and Local Government (CLG) issued a consultation document last year in which they proposed to increase from six months to two years the period within which local authorities can bring prosecutions for breaches of Building Regulations in England and Wales.

In its response, the Council confirmed that it was strongly in favour of the proposal, particularly with regard to the increased enforcement of the requirements of Part P (electrical safety). This was on the basis of the evidence from the government’s own statistics that scant regard for Building Regulations is being paid by the large number of businesses undertaking electrical installation work in dwellings as an adjunct to their main activity (such as kitchen installers).

In its summary of consultation responses, CLG has reported that the key proposals put forward (to implement longer time limits for local authorities to bring prosecutions for breaches of designated provisions of building regulations relating to the conservation of fuel and power etc; and to extend these across the regulations) were strongly supported by the majority of respondents.

The full summary of responses can be viewed at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ planningandbuilding/longertime

Seventy one per cent of the respondents considered that all time limit extensions should be implemented at the same time. A majority forecast no inadvertent effects on the building control system, expected the proposals would to deliver the expected changes, and considered that they needed no further clarification.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC GIVES THE KEY TO CIRCUIT-BREAKER SAFETY

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e wish to congratulate Schneider Electric for an electrical safety initiative it launched towards the end of last year aimed at encouraging contractors to implement safe isolation procedures.

In support of our Best Practice Guide on safe isolation procedures (copies of which can be downloaded free of charge from our website), Schneider Electric is now including, free of charge, a padlocking attachment for use with circuit-breakers in all distribution boards purchased from its Merlin Gerin and Square D ranges. A padlocking attachment is also

being supplied free with panel boards containing MCCBs. This initiative reinforces the message that appropriate safety precautions must always be adopted when working on electrical equipment.

Recently publicised fatal accidents occurring as the result of people, including qualified electricians, ignoring basic safe isolation procedures have highlighted the risks even where high quality products are used.

Schneider Electric is also running a promotion whereby the first 1,000 people to email them will receive free padlocking attachments on a keyring, to further encourage their use.

To request your free keyring and padlocking attachments, please email: louise.smith@gb.schneider-electric.com putting the word ‘keyring’ in the subject line.

Please state your name, company, and postal address, and your preference for either a Square D or Merlin Gerin keyring.

SwitchedOn 15

Faulty cables - a growin aulty cables are no longer a passing issue -

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they have become a major electrical industry problem says the British

Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC). Each week, they deal with several cases as more and more end users, cablemakers and traders come across examples of faulty or non-compliant cable. Here

“

AS A RULE OF THUMB, CABLES MARKED WITH JUST A STANDARD NUMBER SHOULD BE TREATED WITH CAUTION.

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Jeremy Hodge, Chief Executive of BASEC and a member of the Council’s Technical Committee, talks about the key issues.

A manufacturer’s word may not be enough A common misunderstanding within the electrical industry is thinking that a cable is compliant with a British Standard just because a supplier says that it is. It is becoming more commonplace to find manufacturers or traders claiming that their cable complies with a British Standard but they provide no evidence to support this.

The copper shortfall In 2006, there was a noticeable rise in the number of reported cable faults following huge fluctuations in copper prices. At the time, the advice for installers and wholesalers was to be aware that some producers, and cable importers, might be tempted to cut corners and use less copper in the manufacturing process.

Copper is used widely in cables because it is a good electrical conductor. Standards for cable design, however, don’t specify dimensions of copper in cables – instead they rely upon the measure of electrical resistance, or conductance, to judge a cable’s suitability to meet the requirements of a specific Standard.

If a manufacturer draws down the diameter of the copper wire too much it has the effect of reducing conductance. Cables with insufficient conductance may overheat and cause fire or reduce the level of safety against electric shock.

When independently tested, it is becoming clear that cables produced by certain manufacturers do not comply with British Standards. The claim, therefore, of compliance is false and in some cases the faults identified have potentially lethal consequences for safety including electric shock and fire.

There have also been cases of materials other than pure copper being used in cables, such as steel wire, copper-coated aluminium or badly recycled copper. Some of these inferior products, which are often supplied from overseas sources, can be incorrectly constructed.

As a rule of thumb, cables marked with just a standard number should be treated with caution.

In this instance, it is probable that no one has independently examined that cable.

In addition some cables may have poor fire performance qualities which can have life threatening consequences especially when cables are specifically marketed on their low smoke and fume or fire performance qualities.

ng concern Counting the cost Unfortunately it is not until cables are installed, tested or used that this issue comes to light and by then it can be too late to avoid the enormous costs of rectifying the situation.

A contractor should not expect to be able to see a problem with a faulty cable – it may not be something that is visible to the eye. The problem may be linked to the polymer compounds or copper content, and may only come to light when the cable is tested or used - a £200 purchase of faulty cable could cost £10,000 to replace.

inferior protection. The reasons for choosing approved cables speak for themselves.

Testing for faults Those working within the electrical installation industry can contact BASEC if they have concerns about cable on sale in the UK. In return BASEC will independently test relevant cable samples to determine if the cable complies with British Standards and will provide feedback and advice based on the findings.

The initial information needed is:

Such additional costs can have enormous implications for small installation businesses and wholesalers. In particular, contractors need to make all the necessary practical checks of products to avoid these situations occurring. Some end users also suffer serious business problems as a result of low quality product or poor installation.

The problem has stemmed from one of the current practices in the industry, where buying on price alone has becomes a feature. It is important to think about risk and about whole life cost of ownership and specifiers, contractors, wholesalers and all those in the purchasing chain need to be extra vigilant.

It is still possible to buy cheaper cables but in doing so it is important to consider the compromise that there may be somewhere in the product’s make up – whether it is low grade PVC, less copper or

• the identity of the cable (type, size and

manufacturer) • the full marking on the cable • copies of label /reel markings • a short sample – at least two metres of the

cable in question.

If the cable is already installed on site, then BASEC will make site visits to assess the product and if a particular piece of cable has an observable fault or has failed, a visit may provide useful for diagnosis.

Should a serious fault be found, then BASEC would under normal circumstances issue a product recall instruction to the manufacturer and advise both the manufacturer and suppliers (importers, distributors and wholesalers) of their findings. It may even be necessary to make public details of the faulty cable and the parties responsible in the interest of public safety.

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ELECTRICAL SAFETY EDUCATIONAL FUN PACK FOR SCHOOLS

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o further celebrate last year’s launch of our children’s educational website, www.switchedonkids.org.uk, and to provide practical support to teachers to help them educate children about electrical safety, we have presented every primary level school in the UK with an ‘electrical safety educational fun pack’.

encourage a discussion on how they can be used safely.

The purpose of the pack is to promote electrical safety by encouraging discussion with the children about electricity and how they can keep themselves safe from its potential dangers.

The pack also contains details of our 2008 poster competition. Children aged 11 and under can enter by designing their own electrical safety poster. A regional winner will be chosen from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who will then be automatically entered into a Grand Final to find the overall UK-wide winner.

The pack includes a plan of four rooms in a house, a page of reusable electrical appliance stickers, and a set of badges.

Children can use the stickers to put the appliances into the rooms where they would normally be used, and the teacher can then

Further material included in the pack gives electrical safety tips and more information about the hazards of electricity. Once the children have successfully completed the task, they can be rewarded with a badge.

please email us at schools@esc.org.uk or visit our children’s website at www.switchedonkids.org.uk

Electrical Safety Educational Fun Kit www.switchedonkids.org.uk

If you are involved in the education sector or are a parent and would like to receive copies of the fun pack, or would like to find out more about the 2008 poster competition,

FIRE AND ACCIDENT CAMPAIGN – DATA COLLECTION Of particular concern to us is the complete lack of up-to-date data relating to electrical accidents and injuries in the home.

Working in partnership, the Electrical Safety Council, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and Intertek have committed funding and other resources to lead the way in finding a long term sustainable solution to this problem.

The Council calls for a UK-wide coordinated approach to home and leisure accident surveillance systems As reported in previous editions of Switched On, there is currently no coordinated approach to the collection of home and leisure accident data in the UK. We are committed to changing this wholly unacceptable situation, because accurate statistical data is a vital tool for monitoring the causes of accidents, targeting research and directing resources towards accident prevention.

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Towards the end of last year, the partners appointed a project team on a one year contract to look into the viability of reestablishing a UK-wide accident and injury database which would be made available to policy makers, healthcare practitioners, accident prevention bodies and other appropriate organisations.

The project began with a stakeholder meeting last October, to gauge the extent and depth of the issues surrounding the lack of accident data, and to enlist support for the project.

The stakeholders included a number of key organisations with a substantial interest in accident data intelligence, including NHS critical care and burns units, the Fire and

Rescue Service, and the Trading Standards Institute.

Concern was expressed by the professionals attending the meeting that their work was being hampered by the lack of meaningful injury data analysis. There was consensus among them that an injury data collection system is a vital tool in their work for monitoring accident trends, conducting research and developing accident prevention strategies.

This would enable the burden on scarce NHS resources to be reduced by preventing accidents that could well be avoided.

The project team has much to do over the coming months to investigate the pockets of good practice in parts of the UK where surveillance and data systems are currently being used, to identify potential users and their needs, and to define the criteria and processes for establishing a UK-wide accident and injury surveillance system.

At the same time, the partners and project team will concentrate on seeking to raise the funding needed to deliver and manage such a nationwide system.

PRODUCT SAFETY MPs LISTEN TO THE COUNCIL’S CONCERNS

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t a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards (APPG-CATS) last October, the Council was invited to speak on a range of product safety issues and to promote its current campaigning activities.

APPG-CATS was established in 1995, in partnership with the Trading Standards Institute, to promote the charter of consumer rights and raise the level of debate in both Houses of Parliament and in Government Departments on issues relating to consumer affairs.

The meeting presented an ideal opportunity for speakers representing regulatory, consumer and business interests to inform MPs and Peers about the current key product safety issues affecting consumers and the Trading Standards profession, and to encourage them to raise the issues during relevant parliamentary sessions.

In light of the recommendations of the Rogers Review of Local Authority Regulatory Priorities published last year, concerns were raised over the apparent lack of commitment by

Government to enforcement by Trading Standards in the field of product safety.

• Is the recall system effective and should more work be on proactive measures?

However, following the high profile product recalls instigated last year by Mattel toys, the European Commission issued a stark warning to manufacturers that there will be no compromise on consumer safety and that producers have a clear legal responsibility to put only safe products on the market.

• Should there be a centralised testing regime as in other countries?

The Commission has also confirmed its intention to engage in a two month stocktaking exercise, using the case of the toy recalls last summer, to review the strengths and weaknesses of the consumer product safety mechanisms currently in place in Europe.

• Is product safety a sufficient priority for regulators?

Further areas of debate at the meeting included:

• Is the purpose of the CE Mark really understood by consumers?

• Does the UK have a robust regime for protecting consumers from unsafe products? How does the UK (and EC) compare with other regimes, such as the US Consumer Products Safety Commission?

The Council will be attending future meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group to establish electrical product safety matters as a high priority on the political agenda, and to raise awareness of our profile and current activities within Government and industry.

• With the discontinuation of the home and leisure accidents (HASS and LASS) databases, how do we know whether product standards have fallen?

• Is the CE Mark and self-declaration of conformity by manufacturers still adequate for products such as toys and electrical goods?

HOME INFORMATION PACKS

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t’s now about six months since Home Information Packs (HIPs) were first introduced in England and Wales. The HIPs requirements came into force last year (1 August for homes with four or more bedrooms, and 10 September for those with three or more bedrooms).

Energy Performance Certificates and Home Condition Reports are now available from central registers. These registers provide an independent means for potential buyers and sellers (and those acting on their behalf) to check that a certificate or report is authentic.

Last November, Communities and Local Government announced the roll out of the final phase of the HIPs programme for all other properties put on the market. The requirement for HIPs and Energy Performance Certificates for all other homes came into effect on 14 December.

Access to the information is available through two public websites: www.epcregister.com for Energy Performance Certificates and www.hcrregister.com for Home Condition Reports.

For the first time, all properties being marketed for sale will receive A-G energy ratings, which the government believes will help cut fuel bills and carbon emissions.

The announcement also stated that buyers whose homes score poor energy ratings of F or G (currently around a fifth of all homes) will

receive an offer of a discount or free help with energy efficiency measures from the Green Homes Service which is to be established, helping to reduce fuel bills by hundreds of pounds.

The Government has also announced that, from April this year, it will begin to roll out Energy Performance Certificates for newly built homes, as well as for commercial property for sale, rent or construction.

We are continuing our campaign to have electrical safety information included in HIPs, though there has yet to be any progress to report.

For the latest news about the Home Information Pack, visit: www.homeinformationpack.gov.uk

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ASBESTOS PROSECUTION HSE urges employers to be aware of safety of non-employees following prosecution of building contractor The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers to ensure the safety of nonemployees who may be affected by risks arising from their work activity. This follows HSE’s recent prosecution of a Preston building contractor who exposed two workers from another company to asbestos.

The contractor was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000 after pleading guilty at Preston Magistrates Court to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 3(1), after he allowed work on a construction site to continue before an asbestos survey was completed.

During a visit, HSE Inspectors became concerned that asbestos was present in a building that the company was working on.

This was later confirmed.

An HSE Inspector said: “All contractors have a duty to ensure people’s health and safety. In this instance the building contractor had been made aware of the possible presence of asbestos but failed to take the proper precautions necessary to deal with this danger”.

“Asbestos is the greatest single cause of work-related death in this country. Asbestos is only dangerous when disturbed so if possible it should be managed and contained.”

“The HSE has produced straightforward advice to building occupiers, contractors and workers

on how to avoid the dangers of asbestos.

Any substantial renovation work should only be started after a full asbestos survey has been carried out.”

Information on managing asbestos can be found on HSE’s website at: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

UPKEEP and how to look after them. Visitors can see full-sized displays of sections of buildings and building services, as well as information about home maintenance and environmental sustainability.

Upkeep delivers a busy programme of training courses to about 2,000 people each year, using the exhibition as a learning resource. Course participants can use the exhibits to learn how buildings work.

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he charity Upkeep is showing visitors to its exhibition how home safety and environmental sustainability start with good maintenance.

Upkeep is an educational charity based at the Building Centre in central London. It has a permanent exhibition there about buildings

BACK ISSUES OF SWITCHED ON All the previous issues of Switched On are available to read or download from the ‘business and community’ section of our website, www.esc.org.uk

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Industry bodies know that providing consumer advice is an important part of their role. Last year, the Electrical Contractors’ Association helped Upkeep to build a display showing a complete domestic electrical installation. We are now also working with Upkeep to add important safety information to that display.

Upkeep’s Director, Annette McGill, says giving people independent information on how to look after their homes is an important task.

She says: “We believe that good, timely, building maintenance is a key way to ensure that homes are safe - and sustainable for the future. Upkeep aims to make as many people as possible aware that buildings of all ages and types need looking after to make sure they remain safe and are environmentally sound.

The charity would like to see mortgage lenders offer workshops at Upkeep to their customers.

A visit to the Upkeep exhibition should be required for every first-time buyer!”

Upkeep’s website: www.upkeep.org.uk Contact Annette: info@upkeep.org.uk