The Master Electrician Magazine Spring 2010

Registered by Australia Post Publications No. PP424022/2346

inside MEA Board announced Airborne electrical contracting Safety switch public safety campaign set to launch THE INTERVIEW: Nathan Tinkler

SPRING 10

themaster

table ofcontents renewable energy spotlight

04 08

industry leader to head master electricians’ new board

12

up front

safety switch public safety campaign set to launch the buzz flying high: airborne electrical contracting live by price … die by price meet a master electrician 2010 annual conference wrap up mo bro of the year national licensing system news from the distributors letter of the law the interview gadget guide techno biz benefit spotlight technical talk workplace relations grid gossip test drive events calendar your best or worst story last word

14 18 22 26 28 29 34 36 37 40 41 44 45 47 48 51 53 54 56 57 58

General Enquiries

Editorial Contacts & Contributors

MASTER ELECTRICIANS AUSTRALIA 57 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley PO Box 2438, Fortitude Valley BC Queensland 4006 PHONE 1300 889 198 FAX 07 3251 2400 EMAIL magazine@masterelectricians.com.au WEB www.masterelectricians.com.au ABN 97 131 416 183

EDITOR Malcolm Richards ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kylie Roberts ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Janelle MacDonald PHONE 07 3252 4860 EMAIL magazine@masterelectricians.com.au DESIGN AND PRINT POMO 07 3844 3873

Follow us on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook www.masterelectricians.com.au or call 1300 889 198

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are offered solely in pursuance of the objects of the Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia to provide an informative service to contractors in the electrical industry on legal, commercial and other issues and problems related to the industry. The Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia are not aware that any person intends to act or rely upon such statements and opinions contained in this publication or the manner in which it might be possible to do so. The Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia issues no invitation to any member or other persons to act or rely upon such statements or opinions or any of them and it accepts no responsibility for any of them. It intends by this provision to exclude, to the extent permitted by law, all liability for any such statements and opinions. The Master Electrician Magazine can be viewed online at www.masterelectricians.com.au

Average Net Distribution 26 433 CAB Audited as of March 2010

15 Australians die in electrical related incidents every year.

Almost 20 times that number of people are hospitalised with electrical related burns and injuries. Turn to page 14 to see how Master Electricians is driving a life saving campaign to have mandatory safety switches fitted to every circuit, in every Australian home by 2016.

Solar energy is fast becoming a huge area of growth for our industry.

However there is still a lot of inconsistency regarding tariffs, regulations and installation requirements.

This edition we look at the true impact of solar.

In a bid to continue to influence and drive positive change across the industry, Master Electricians has appointed its inaugural board. Turn to page 12 for all the details.

Nathan Tinkler, the former electrician, come 440 million dollar man, talks to The Master Electrician about life, success and his need for speed.

Until next time

Kylie Roberts

Associate Editor

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 04

upfront the latest state news from regulators NSW

Fair Trading Safety of renewable energy systems

Concerns have been raised in the media about renewable energy systems, including poorly installed solar panels by inexperienced and untrained installers. These installers are working on renewable energy systems which are eligible for various state and federal incentive and rebate schemes.

The schemes provide incentives for the installation of renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic arrays, and wind generators, to assist consumers in reducing their electricity bills and carbon footprint.

The NSW Government has demonstrated its commitment to reducing carbon emissions with the introduction of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme.

Under this successful NSW scheme, administered by the Department of Industry and Investment, consumers with eligible systems are paid for the renewable energy they generate and feed into the electricity grid. More information can be obtained via www.industry.nsw.gov.au/ energy/sustainable/renewable/ solar/solar-scheme The Federal Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) provides renewable energy power stations and owners of solar water heaters and small generation unit

www.masterelectricians.com.au

installations (small-scale solar PV panels, wind and hydro electricity systems) with a financial incentive through the creation and trade of renewable energy certificates (RECs) via the REC Registry.

Details can be accessed via www.orer.gov.au/index.html Consumers who install a renewable energy system may be eligible for both schemes, regardless of whether the installation is grid-connected or standalone.

Both the Federal and NSW Governments are ensuring that NSW electrical installations are properly monitored. NSW Fair Trading legislation requires installers of renewable systems such as solar panels to hold a licence and meet strict competency requirements.

In order for a consumer to be eligible for the various state and federal incentive schemes, the installing electrical contractor must be accredited by the Clean Energy Council and install solar panels and inverters approved by the Clean Energy Council. The Clean Energy Council publishes a list of approved panels and inverters on its website www.cleanenergycouncil.org. au/cec/ In addition to installing panels and inverters approved

by the Clean Energy Council, the installation must comply with the NSW Service and Installation Rules and the Australian and New Zealand AS/NZS3000:2007 Wiring Rules.

In accordance with the provisions of the Electricity (Consumer Safety Act), the electrical contractor is required to complete a Certificate of Compliance Electrical Work (CCEW). Under the Act for both grid-connected and stand alone installations (installations not connected to the grid), the electrical contractor is required to give a copy of the CCEW to the customer.

For grid-connected installations, the second copy of the CCEW is sent to the local electrical network operator for inspections. For stand alone installations, the second copy is to be sent to NSW Fair Trading as the inspection may be audited.

The electrical contractor is required to keep the third copy of the CCEW for five years.

For grid and stand alone installations, the electrical contractor is required under the Home Building Act to warrant their work for seven years. This means that ‘flyby-nighters’ are unlikely to enter the renewable energy installation market.

Having a licence also means that if disputes arise, consumers have access to NSW Fair Trading’s building dispute resolution services and a qualified building inspector or electrical investigator can inspect the work and order rectification if necessary.

Licensed installers found to be doing dodgy work can also be subject to disciplinary action by NSW Fair Trading.

Any consumers with concerns about the quality or installation of their renewable systems should call NSW Fair Trading on 13 32 20 or access the website www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

05 ME

VICTORIA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Energy Safety

Department of Commerce

ESV’s new report on the safe installation of solar panels

ESV’s new electrical safety DVD

Reconnecting transportable structures to electricity supply

Energy Safe Victoria has published an important new report titled The Safety of Solar Panel Installations in Victoria.

Master Electricians are invited to access a copy of the report and provide feedback to ESV on its recommendations for ensuring that the public, workers and properties are not at risk from dodgy or incorrect installation of the increasingly popular solar systems. The report is available at www.esv.vic.gov.au The report sets out to: • Inform all stakeholders of the outcomes of audits that were carried out in response to reports of unsafe situations • Explain the immediate action ESV has taken, and is taking to address the risks and ensure public safety • Invite responses and feedback from stakeholders, industry, and the public on this report and ESV’s preliminary conclusions and views as to the longer-term actions that need to be taken to ensure that the public, workers, and property are kept safe from risks.

Responses should be directed to ESV Executive Manager, Electricity Installations, Licensing & Equipment Safety, Neil Fraser on email: nfraser@esv.vic.gov.au

ESV has produced a new electrical safety DVD titled Don’t Work Live. Although it has only just been released, the production has already been acclaimed by those who have seen it.

The DVD is aimed at addressing the concern of ESV and the electrical trades in general that electricians continue to work “live” on switchboards despite the risks.

It follows the experiences of a young electrician, “Damien”, as he recovers from a horrendous and life changing incident after dropping a screw driver when working on a “live” switchboard.

Damien’s own thoughts on what he went through are compulsive listening.

As Damien experienced, it does not take much for things to go horribly wrong and for horrific injuries to be received.

The DVD stresses that electricians do not have to work “live” whatever the circumstances and should refuse to do so with no ramifications for their careers. In fact they should be respected for their important stand on safety.

Copies are available free of charge from ESV on 03 9203 9700 or info@esv.vic.gov.au

Submission of Notices of Completion for notifiable work.

This Office has still been receiving a large number of the old Notices of Completion (notices) which have the reference number ESWA E001 0906. These old notices were permitted to be used where the associated Preliminary Notice was submitted up to, and including 30 June 2009.

All contractors should be using the new books of notices which have the reference numbers ESWA E001 0109, ESWA E001 1109 or ESWA E001 0510 at the bottom right corner of the form. The ESWA E001 1109 and ESWA E001 0510 notices have an amended format as they also capture the number of smoke alarms and RCDs installed at a site as per requirements of the AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules.

If notices are faxed to EnergySafety, please ensure the telephone number is transmitted automatically by your facsimile machine. This will allow us to reply to the facsimile in the event that the transmission is not legible.

Electrical contractors are also reminded that all the relevant sections of notices must be completed in legible handwriting. Notices are only to be directed to EnergySafety when the network operator cannot be identified.

If you have any queries in relation to the submission of notices, please telephone the Electrical Inspection Branch on 9422 5261.

EnergySafety approves Western Power’s ETIC System Western Power has recently sought and gained approval from the Director of Energy Safety to accept the electronic lodgement of Preliminary Notices and Notices of Completion. Western Power refers to this system as ETIC. The system allows an electrical contractor to enter and submit the details of notices to Western Power via the internet.

The electrical contractor can then save, or print, a copy of the notices for their records.

Alternatively they may retrieve a copy of the notices submitted by accessing the ETIC system.

This new system also incorporates the ability to print an Electrical Safety Certificate from the entered Notice of Completion data.

Electrical contractors are encouraged to use the new Western Power system as it offers significant processing efficiencies for Western Power and electrical contractors.

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 06

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Office of Consumer and Business Affairs National licensing system to cut red tape for tradies

A national licensing authority will be established next year to develop a new system that will enable tradies to work anywhere in Australia.

In July 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to develop a national licensing system that will remove inconsistencies across state and territory borders and allow for a more mobile workforce.

The first wave of occupations is scheduled to commence under the new National Occupational Licensing System in July 2012, and will include the following occupations: • electrical • plumbing and gas fitting • air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics • property agents other than conveyancers and valuers.

The second wave of occupations will commence in July 2013, and will include builders, conveyancers and valuers.

Under the new arrangements, licence holders will be able to work anywhere in Australia without any additional need for paperwork or cost.

The new system will see a consistent, national approach to the licensing of a range of economically important trades.

This will be a significant improvement on the current arrangements, where an array of occupational trades are licensed to varying requirements in each state and territory.

The national licensing authority will determine the policy on all licence categories, the scope of work for each licensed activity and the eligibility criteria to hold a licence.

States and territories will administer the national licences, and the licence

information will be published on a national register.

Interim Advisory Committees have already been established for each occupation in the first wave, and comprise a balanced representation of experts from the fields of regulation, industry operations and practices (including employer and union representation), safety, consumer advocacy and insurance and training.

The committees will advise on national licensing policy issues, and will have input from occupation specific Regulator Working Groups.

For more information please visit the National Occupational Licensing System website at: www.govdex.gov.au/confluence/ display/COAGNL/Home

QUEENSLAND

Electrical Safety Office Improve your knowledge of electrical equipment approvals and safety requirements

If you work in the electrical industry and you service or repair electrical equipment this free Electrical Safety Office (ESO) seminar is for you.

The seminars are an opportunity for technicians and those who service appliances to talk to electrical safety inspectors about checking electrical equipment and safety approval compliance in Queensland.

Those working in the industry can update their knowledge of obligations, Certificate of Approval for prescribed equipment and safety requirements for other electrical equipment.

Thirty-seven seminars will be held in 20 locations around Queensland from October to December. For more information about times and locations visit www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

Are your work mates going home to loved ones safe and sound?

Safe Work Australia Week 2010 encourages all Queenslanders to get involved with health and safety and aim for zero harm at work. To raise awareness of the importance of safe and healthy workplaces the Electrical Safety Office (ESO) will be hosting events around the state from 24-30 October.

This year Safe Work Australia Week will be launched by the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations, on Monday 25 October.

Queensland workplaces will be recognised for innovative workplace health and safety ideas at the Work Safe and Return to Work Awards to be held in Brisbane on 26 October.

The awards encourage workplaces to develop and share innovative safety solutions that contribute to a zero harm at work culture so that workers return home to their loved ones at the end of each day. The winner of the electrical safety category will be awarded $1,000 to contribute to health and safety initiatives in their workplace.

Visit www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au for more information about electrical safety legislation, training, safety observation and more.

ME 08

feature

Renewable Energy Spotlight Solar feed-in tariffs pushing up electricity prices

www.masterelectricians.com.au

09 ME

State government feed-in tariffs to encourage the up take of solar panels are inadvertently pushing up the cost of electricity for other users, SAID Master Electricians Chief Executive Malcolm Richards.

“If the networks are idle throughout the day when the solar panels are feeding power to the grid, it reduces the return on investment and forces generators and network operators to increase their prices ...”

Generating electricity from solar panels may reduce a household’s carbon footprint and power bills, but there is also a perverse incentive for them to use electricity from the grid at peak demand periods, he said.

“Property owners with solar panels get a maximum financial return from feed-in tariffs by selling power back to the grid throughout the day when the sun is shining and subsequently using energy from the grid at peak demand times.

“In Queensland, for example, where the feed-in tariff rate is 44 cents per kWh, it encourages solar panel owners to use as little as possible of the energy they generate during the day in offpeak periods.

“This creates a financial incentive for these households to ensure their maximum electricity use periods are actually at the peak demand times of early morning and evenings, when they can buy electricity from the grid at a standard rate of just 20 cents per kWh. “This has the perverse impact of increasing demand and pressure on the electricity grid at precisely the wrong times,” he said.

Mr Richards said the consequence of this was that increased demand at peak periods would exacerbate electricity grid capacity problems. The only solution to this will be a costly network upgrade.

“If the networks are idle throughout the day when the solar panels are feeding power to the grid, it reduces the return on investment and forces generators and network operators to increase their prices,” he said.

“It will be the property owners who do not have solar panels paying for the upgrade to the network through higher electricity prices, but solar users won’t be paying because they’ll be more than off-setting the higher costs by feeding-in to the grid throughout the day.”

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the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 10 Master Electricians Australia said solar energy was a very important part of the energy management suite of options for households, but state and territory governments should consider the impact of feed-in tariffs on non-solar users.

“An Energy Management Institute study recently found that electricity costs were set to hit around $1000 per year within five years, so there is already significant pressure on household budgets from power bills.

“The best solution would be for solar users to try to ensure they take electricity from the grid at non-peak times as much as possible.

State

Current status

VIC SA ACT

Commenced 1 Nov 2009 Commenced July 2008 Commenced March 2009

NT

Two programs commenced

WA

Commenced 1 August 2010

QLD NSW

Commenced July 2008 Commenced 28 October 2010

www.masterelectricians.com.au

“But it’s hard to argue with someone who has invested thousands to install solar energy to try to get a return on their investment within the quickest possible period of time.”

Solar feed-in tariffs have been introduced by state and territory governments to financially reward homeowners for installing solar panels.

Energy companies are forced by regulation to buy solar energy at a price equal to or above market rates.

There are currently two types of feed-in tariffs schemes in operation in Australia.

One rewards you for all the energy your solar system produces, regardless of how much of that energy you use yourself. This is known as a gross feed-in tariff, which only NSW and ACT have enacted.

The other scheme rewards you for the surplus energy calculated after your usage has been taken into account. This is known as a net feed-in tariff.

The following table summarises the current status of solar feed-in tariffs across the states and territories of Australia.

Max Size

Rate Paid

Program Duration

Model

5 kW 10 kW per phase 50c to 10kW 40c, 10-30kW tbc

60c 44c+ 3.88x (60c approx)

15 years 25 years 20 years

Net Net Gross

14.38c 45c 47c

tbc

Net

10 years

Net

44c+ 20c

20 years 6 years

Net Gross

5kW in South West grid, or 10kW per phase elsewhere 10 kW per phase 10kW

VOLUNTARY ELECTRICAL SAFETY RECALL Hazard: Risk of Fire : The Type "A" Capacitor embodied in the luminaire may under certain operating conditions fail. In a small number of cases this can result in a loud bang, smoke and/or flames emanating from the Luminaire.

Date of Manufacture WW/YY

Affected Luminaires: Luminaires containing capacitors with a production date between 29/04 (July 2004) to 30/05 (July 2005) may be affected.

Corrective action: Affected products will either be exchanged or alternatively a refurbishment pack provided. This pack containing a replacement fused capacitor of suitable rating and a new lamp allows efficient and simple replacement during the recommended maintenance.

Action required: If you have an affected luminaire please call the number specified below. Please have your product part number/ description, order and supplier details ready.

Brand : Thorn Lighting Pty Ltd Luminaire Production Period Luminaires produced between July 2004 and January 2006 may be affected.

Product Description: High Bay/ Low Bay Luminaires Part Number 96037592 96039271 96040110 96037590 96039270 96039925 96038558 96038942 96016193

Model Xanda 400W Metal Halide Xanda 400W Metal Halide* Xanda 400W Metal Halide** Xanda 400W Mercury Vapour Xanda 400W Mercury Vapour* Xanda L 400W Metal Halide Xanda L 400W Metal Halide* Xanda L 400W Metal Halide*** Lopak 400W Metal Halide

* With blocking inductor ** With double jacketed lamp *** With pulse start gear

Brand : Advanced Lighting Technologies Australia, Inc Luminaire Production Period Luminaires produced between July 2004 and January 2006 may be affected.

Product Description: High Bay Luminaires Product Series/Model Z series: beginning with the following codes: Z#, ZA, ZAL, ZAR,ZC, or ZE The luminaire product series code ( ie "Z#" can commonly be identified by the label on the end of the fixture as per below image (left).

The "Z" series luminaires commonly can be identified as per the photograph below (right).

In addition to the above products some XANDA XL/R/L 250W and 400W and Lopak 150W, 250W or 400W may also be affected.

These products were sold and distributed by various electrical wholesalers in all states of Australia.

Toll free Number 1800 116672 www.thornlighting.com.au

Contact Number 03 9800 5600 www.adlt.com.au

See www.recalls.gov.au for Australian product recall information.

ME 12

feature

QLD: Mr Trevor St Baker – Chairman, ERM Power

INDUSTRY LEADER

TO HEAD MASTER ELECTRICIANS’ NEW BOARD NSW: Mr Jim Johnson,

SA: Mr Damien Cummins,

SA: Mr David Sharpe,

Executive General Manager,

Managing Director,

General Manager –

Clipsal Australia

Sharpe Electrical

Trade, HPM Legrand

ACT: Adjunct Professor

NSW: Mr Joshua Nicholls –

QLD: Mr Stephen Boorer –

John Kelly –

Managing Director,

National Manager Electrical,

Partner, Guild Lawyers

Platinum Electrical

John Holland

www.masterelectricians.com.au

13 ME

Improving electrical safety and energy efficiency in Australian homes and industry will be the focus of the newly established Master Electricians Australia Board.

At its inaugural meeting ERM Power founder, Trevor St Baker, was elected Chairman of the seven member Board.

With more than 50 years’ experience in the electricity industry, Mr St Baker said he looked forward to passing on his knowledge and experience in both energy efficiency and safety.

“Master Electricians Australia is a very worthy not-for-profit training and accreditation organisation dedicated to lifting standards of electrical safety.

“Nothing is more disruptive to a company than a serious accident involving one of its employees, and safety management starts with ensuring that any ‘near miss’ is investigated to learn from such an incident – we owe it to the employee, and to their families and loved ones.

“With a safe workplace everyone wins,” Mr St Baker said.

ECA Council President, Richard Flanagan, said he was delighted with the establishment of the new Board, comprised of Master Electricians, industry stakeholders and accredited independent experts.

“The Master Electricians Board represents a broad and influential cross section of the industry, which will provide great leadership and direction to the organisation.

“The Board will pursue opportunities to promote the electrical industry’s interests nationally and further enhance its professionalism and cooperation,” Mr Flanagan said.

Master Electricians Chief Executive, Malcolm Richards, said the organisation looked forward to working with the new Board on industry leading initiatives, such as Project Safety Switch and the Energy Management Institute.

“Electrical safety and energy efficiency are the two greatest challenges for our industry and nation to tackle.

“With the skills and experience assembled on our new Board I am absolutely confident Master Electricians will be at the forefront of efforts to provide the solutions for Australian home owners,” Mr Richards said.

Board Chairman – Mr Trevor St Baker, Chairman ERM Power Mr St Baker is a director of five companies formed by ERM Power, with different partners to construct five major power stations across the country over the next five years, in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia, and is Chairman of three of those companies.

Mr St Baker has been intimately involved in overseeing company boards’ responsibilities for delivering the highest standards of safety management in relation to some 3.2 million hours worked, in which safety reporting was the first priority.

“Nothing is more disruptive to a company than a serious accident involving one of its employees, and safety management starts with ensuring that any ‘near miss’ is investigated to learn from such an incident – we owe it to the employee, and to their families and loved ones.”

Mr Damien Cummins – Executive General Manager, Clipsal Australia Mr Cummins has been working in the electrical industry in hands on and management roles for the past 25 years.

Noted for his passion for the Australian electrical industry, Mr Cummins has extensive strategic management experience and recently instigated an Electrical Industry Leaders Group to try to combat cheap imports and copy products.

Mr Jim Johnson – General Manager – Trade, HPM Legrand Mr Johnson’s extensive knowledge and experience drives him to continue to improve the overall professionalism of the electrical industry.

After joining HPM Legrand in 2006, Mr Johnson was appointed General Manager at the start of 2008, bringing the key attributes of coach, strategist and communicator.

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR JOHN KELLY – PARTNER, GUILD LAWYERS For the last 15 years Prof. Kelly has been heavily involved in national quality and safety issues, including standard setting and accreditation processes.

Prof. Kelly has extensive experience in risk management, compliance and safety and quality initiatives.

Mr Joshua Nicholls – Managing Director, Platinum Electrical Contractors Mr Nicholls is a young business owner who has been in the electrical contracting industry for 15 years.

His company Platinum Electrical’s impressive business growth has attracted media attention and recognition in small business awards. Mr Nicholls has a passion to assist other tradesmen to become successful businessmen.

MR David Sharpe – Managing Director, Sharpe Electrical Mr Sharpe is a successful Electrical Refrigeration Services company owner in South Australia with extensive knowledge of the industry.

With over 35 years electrical industry experience, Mr Sharpe brings invaluable contracting know-how to the Board.

Mr Stephen Boorer – National Manager Electrical, John Holland Mr Boorer brings to the Board a wealth of business skills and experience acquired over his 40 year career in the industry.

More than 60 percent of his working life has been in management with organisations such as Kilpatrick Green, Transfield, Downer (Stork Electrical) and now John Holland. the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 14

feature

Safety switch public safety campaign set to launch www.masterelectricians.com.au

15 ME

After commissioning one of the most significant pieces of research into the electrical safety landscape in Australia, Master Electricians are spearheading a national campaign to call for mandatory safety switches on every circuit, in every home, by 2016.

This project will raise awareness of the alarmingly low protection of safety in Australian homes, significantly increase safety to prevent unnecessary injury and death, and drive policy makers to regulate the issue of safety switches in Australian homes.

The tragic electrocution death last year of a two-year-old child in Western Australia has highlighted the urgent need to undertake the nationwide public safety campaign about the importance of safety switches. In August, the Western Australian Auditor- General found the infant, Cassius Norman, would have been saved if a safety switch had been installed in the house where they were living.

Electrical safety is no matter to be taken lightly. Hundreds of lives will be lost and thousands more people will be injured in coming years if no action is taken to expand the use of safety switches in Australian homes.

“Electrical safety is no matter to be taken lightly.

Hundreds of lives will be lost and thousands more people will be injured in coming years if no action is taken to expand the use of safety switches in Australian homes. “

Around 93 per cent of the people killed in electrical accidents are male, and the majority of them are aged between 25 and 64.

Those aged 15 to 24 are the next most likely to be killed, followed by the over 65 group, then children.

The greatest tragedy is that these deaths could have been easily prevented – with the flick of a switch. Some of the recent electrocutions are listed below;

Port Kembla, New South Wales – March 2010 A man was electrocuted after contacting a lighting circuit while helping a friend install a skylight, Ambulance officers were unable to revive the man. No safety switch was fitted to the circuit.

Source: ABC News

Townsville, Queensland – February 2010 A man died in hospital after coming into contact with live electrical parts in a disassembled vacuum cleaner several days earlier. A safety switch would have cut the power to the appliance, and prevented the injuries that ultimately claimed the man’s life.

Source: Queensland Electrical Safety Office

East Gippsland, Victoria – November 2009 A 15 year old boy died in a shed at a property in East Gippsland on November 26, 2009. He was found by his father clutching a damaged extension lead socket. It is understood the victim was operating a power tool in the shed when he was electrocuted.

The shed had an earthen floor which was extremely wet in parts. The victim was not wearing shoes or socks. His life would

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 16 have been saved if a safety switch had been installed.

Source – Energy Safe Victoria.

Western Australia – January 2009 A 75 year old man died after accidentally touching an exposed live wire while using an electric drill at a home near Mandurah, Western Australia. The state’s Director of Energy Safety Albert Koenig said the drill was plugged into a socket which was not protected by a safety switch.

Source: ABC News

Rutherford, New South Wales – October 2008 A plumber received an electric shock when a pipe he was moving pierced the insulation of electrical cabling. An apprentice who tried to intervene to save the plumber received a fatal shock. No safety switch was fitted to the circuit.

Source: NSW Fair Trading With the support of the electrical industry, Master Electricians CEO, Malcolm Richards, will soon commission the production of a media campaign to educate the Australian public that they are not protected unless

safety switches are installed on every electrical circuit.

The campaign will follow the release in the national media of the Switch Thinking– Preventing Electrical Deaths in Australian Homes state of the nation report, which was previewed in the last edition of The Master Electrician.

The Western Australian regulator is also demonstrating its commitment to raising awareness around the importance of safety switches through an advertising campaign which is set to launch this coming Boxing Day. The campaign, targeted at all home owners, landlords and tenants will cover television, radio, press and online advertising with an aim to persuade the public to install two safety switches and to test the devices every three months.

“The Western Australian regulator should be commended for investing in this campaign to highlight the dangers of unprotected circuits.

Although we need to take the extra step of protecting all the circuits.

“In Western Australia alone, 33 out of the 38 deaths in the past 16 years would have been prevented with safety switches according to the Switch Thinking report,” Mr Richards said.

Every year 15 people are killed in Australian homes in electrical accidents that could have been prevented if a safety switch was fitted.

As many as 20 times that number are hospitalised with serious electrical injuries and burns.

The causes of these deaths may include a child inserting an implement into a toaster, a handyman drilling into a live cable inside a wall, or stormwater ingress into lights and appliances.

Around 93 per cent of the people killed in electrical accidents are male, and the majority of them are aged between 25 and 64. Those aged 15 to 24 are the next most likely to be killed, followed by the over 65 group, then children.

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ME 18

thebuzz Here’s the latest news from the electrotechnology industry across Australia.

World-first power station uses sun to generate electricity CIRLOCK Appoints new general manager Australian manufacturer of Lockout/ Tagout Equipment – CIRLOCK – has recently appointed Maria Burrowes as General Manager. In a generational shift Maria takes over from previous manager and company founder Erik Larsen. Erik Larsen will continue to fill the role of CEO, but will take more time out to improve his golf handicap.

Marble Bar, in the heart of the east Pilbara in WA, has officially become home to a worldfirst power station that combines renewable and traditional sources of generation.

The state-of-the-art station incorporates a single axis tracking solar farm with diesel technology and a fly wheel energy storage system.

Energy Minister, Peter Collier said the combination of technology is the first of its kind in the world and ensures a very high level of solar energy penetration and a reliable supply of power to the town.

“The station is powered by the biggest tracking solar farm in Australia.

“The 1,350 panels, an award-winning design of SunPower, move on their axis to follow the path of the sun and produce a generating capacity of 1,160 kW,” he said.

The new power station will generate 1,048 MWh of solar energy per year, provide 65 per cent of day time energy demand from solar power, save 1,119 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year and save between 35-40 per cent diesel consumption per year (about 412,000 litres of fuel annually).

Communications Industry’s NBN Pioneers Honoured

Schneider Electric launches its new electrical distribution SCADA solution Schneider Electric has just launched its PowerLogic SCADA software, which is a complete monitoring and control solution for electrical distribution networks. Having applied the insights and experience of working with major industry segments, Schneider Electric’s PowerLogic SCADA delivers a reliable, flexible and high performance solution to reduce outages and increase power efficiency.

Wendy Minne, Executive General Manager, Power Business, Schneider Electric said Powerlogic SCADA will enable us to link together our smart devices like circuit breakers, meters and protection relays, to provide customers with a complete solution across a common platform. This will not only reduce engineering time but also increase productivity, streamline operations and ultimately, create cost savings for our customers.

PowerLogic SCADA boasts accurate, 1s response time and sequence of events recording with 1ms resolution for over 2,000 devices and 200k tags.

PowerLogic SCADA’s real-time control and monitoring of electrical distribution equipment means system faults can be identified immediately. This data can be re-analysed to isolate and identify faults, significantly reducing downtime. www.masterelectricians.com.au

Communications Alliance has paid tribute to the more than 200 industry professionals who have worked to create the framework for the National Broadband Network.

At Communications Alliance events held in Sydney and Melbourne, the individuals – drawn from 72 Australian telecommunications companies – will be honoured for their contribution to the peak body’s NBN Project.

The participants, who all worked on a voluntary basis, have included telecommunications carriers and carriage service providers (including NBNCo.), equipment and cable vendors, IT systems providers, software vendors, network installers, the legal sector, consultants and other expert individuals.

The CEO of Communications Alliance, John Stanton, said the project exemplified the spirit of cooperation that Communications Alliance members applied to resolving many industry-wide challenges.

He said that the work completed to date would underpin not only the NBN, but would also assist the roll-out of any other future high speed broadband networks in Australia.

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Switched on woman becomes Clipsal’s first female engineering chief in 90 years Clipsal Australia has broken 90 years of tradition and appointed its first female engineering chief. Ivanka Chamings is Clipsal’s recently appointed Research and Development Manager for the Pacific Zone.

Ivanka took up the position in January, 2010 from her predecessor Chris Quinn.

She takes the reigns from a long and distinguished line of engineering chiefs that include one of the original founders and company directors, Ken Gerard, as well as company legend, Norm Zerner, others who held this position include, Bill Halliday and Ian Hunter.

Ivanka heads up a design team consisting of 50 engineers encompassing mechanical, electronic, firmware, hardware and software. It is the largest engineering group in the Australian electrical industry and one of the biggest R&D teams in Australia.

Clean energy research facility for UNSW The announcement of a new research facility at the University of New South Wales has been welcomed by the clean energy industry.

Construction of the $125 million Tyree Energy Technologies Building began on 28 August. The facility is expected to provide a formal learning space for 300 engineering students.

NSW Planning Minister Tony Kelly said “This building will bring together under one roof the University’s internationally recognised research and teaching in key energy areas including photovoltaics, carbon capture and storage, oil and gas reserves, nanomaterials, energy policy and market analysis.”

Mr Kelly said that the building will be a leading example of sustainable construction, with a six-star Green Star building rating, a gas-fired trigeneration plant for power, heating and cooling and a roof-mounted solar panel array utilising UNSW solar cell technology.

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the master electrician

SPRING 10

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Bucks for Burns

Julian Burton OAM, 2002 Bali bomb survivor and Australian of the Year 2010 Finalist

The Julian Burton Burns Trust and Clipsal Australia have announced a three year national partnership to save children’s lives.

Proudly promoted by electrical wholesalers Australia wide, this is a cause every electrical contractor will want to support.

For every Clipsal smoke alarm you buy over the next three years, Clipsal will contribute 50 cents per sale to the Julian Burton Burns Trust.

The partnership program is called Bucks for Burns and will feature on product packaging and point of sale material at your nearest electrical wholesaler.

There are six Clipsal smoke alarms in the range and with your support, hopefully contribute many thousands of dollars to the Trust: • 755SMA - Ionisation Surface Mount • 755PSMA - Photoelectric Surface Mount • 755FM – Ionisation Flush Mount • 755PFM – Photoelectric Flush Mount • SD100 – PDL Ionisation, Surface Mount • SD200 – PDL Photoelectric Surface Mount

Macarthur Wind Farm scales up The Macarthur Wind Farm has been given the green light, following the introduction of the enhanced Renewable Energy Target.

AGL Energy Limited and Meridian Energy have entered binding contracts to construct the 420 MW wind farm at Macarthur in Victoria’s south west, at a total capital cost of $1 billion.

The Macarthur Wind Farm will comprise 140 Vestas V112-3.0 MW wind turbine generators and be constructed by a Vestas/Leighton Contractors consortium. The wind farm will be situated near Hamilton, 260 kilometres west of Melbourne, in the Shire of Moyne.

BIOFUELS PROJECT WINS AWARD Curtin University researchers have been awarded for their innovative work in converting biomass into clean fuels.

Researchers have found that clean combustible gaseous fuels resulting from the conversion of biomass such as mallee are useful for generating a continuous source of electricity, commonly referred to as base load electricity.

The gasifier is able to convert raw solid fuels like biomass into clean gaseous fuel in a highly efficient and economical manner.

Numerous efforts have been made worldwide to clean up product gas from existing gasification processes in a costeffective way but with only limited success.

Use of gasification product gas currently has limitations in electricity generation as tar and other contaminants foul up the gas engines and turbines. Curtin’s gasification technology is able to produce clean product gas with a high energy content.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

Mainline Power Track nominated for prestigious German Design Award Australian company Power & Data Corporation has again been recognised for design excellence on a global scale, with its Mainline Power Track B Series adaptor, nominated for the prestigious German Design Award.

Representing the crème de la crème in design and innovation, nominees must have won at least one world-renowned design award in order to be considered. No other design award sets such high requirements for the participants. Previous winners have included BMW, Audi, Braun, Mercedes Benz and Coca Cola.

This nomination confirms the design innovation and quality of the Mainline Power Track B-Series Adaptor, which this year won both the Australian International Design Award and the European Red Dot Design Award.

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ME 22

feature

FLYING HIGH: airborne electrical contracting www.masterelectricians.com.au

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Working fifty metres off the ground on high tension power lines with almost half a million volts running through them is a high wire act for airborne electrical contractors.

The technicians rely on a fire retardant suit with stainless steel thread to protect them while they undertake inspections and maintenance on the lines.

The metal thread in the suits means the technicians have what is called a ‘Faraday Cage’ around them, allowing half a million volts to pass over their body without injury.

The ‘Faraday Cage’ is named after Michael Faraday, who in the late 1800s established that if you enclosed a person in a metal cage and energised that cage at whatever voltage, they would not be electrocuted – the voltage would flow around them (the cooking chamber of a microwave oven is also a Faraday Cage).

As long as the helicopter is isolated from ground, they have the ability to bring themselves to the same voltage potential as the line, like a bird on a wire. Importantly for the electricity industry and consumers, the

lines can be serviced without shutting down the electricity to maintain them.

Queensland based Aeropower has been working with power companies throughout Australia, and internationally, to provide safer, more cost-effective methods of power line patrols, inspections and maintenance.

They specialise in a full range of electrical power industry services also including construction, stringing, washing, performing live-line or de-energised maintenance repairs, and providing technical analysis

and reporting on the condition of the client’s assets.

‘Bare hand and hot stick’ live line maintenance is performed by linesmen to service power authorities’ requirements.

To perform the work, the linesman is seated on the work platform that is attached to the helicopter’s landing gear skid tubes.

Timing and teamwork is required from the highly trained pilots who must keep the helicopter steady to work in tandem with the technicians. The platform can be

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the master electrician

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ME 24

newsflash

equipped with three different power sources for a variety of work tools: compressed air, electrical generator and a hydraulic pump.

The testing of full tension joints involves detection of a current and ohms across the joint with specialised equipment. The platform work method also allows for live line reluctance testing to be conducted on the full tension joint identifying incorrect placement of the inner steel sleeve. Analysis of joints on a line can then be reported to the authority informing them of the condition of the asset.

By carrying out joint testing using Aeropower’s airborne platform method, they have found

that productivity of up to twenty joints per hour can be achieved compared with twenty joints per day using ground based methods – an improvement of up to 800 per cent.

Aeropower’s patrol method also provides a cost effective way for power companies to overview their assets. The line inspector is positioned on the platform so as to provide a 180 degree view up and down the line. Aeropower says this means airborne patrols are quicker, more accurate and more thorough than ground-based methods.

For a live demonstration, check out their YouTube video at www.youtube.com

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American teenager sues teacher An American student whose heart stopped after he deliberately electrocuted himself in a science class is suing his teacher for not telling him it was dangerous. http://failblog.org

ME 26

feature

Live By Price ‌ Die By Price

www.masterelectricians.com.au

27 ME

Why is it that the seller usually has a greater problem with price than the purchaser?

What part of the ‘value exchange’ does the seller not understand?

Is cheaper the least costly?

The easiest way to get you thinking on this subject is to change your mindset from a seller to a buyer. Do you always buy the cheapest item available? As a buyer, you understand the value of the quality, service and delivery proposition. You know that if only one of these three components of your relationship with your supplier is important to you, and your supplier can guarantee to meet your requirements, then you will pay more. You recognise that cheaper is not always the least costly.

Price is what they pay … Value is what they get When you provide your product/service, your client receives a great deal more than just a simple GPO or whatever you supply. This is where you start to realise the value you exchange and begin to get your head around charging what you are really worth.

The job you do for your client is all about providing a solution to a need or a want which they have. How well you identify and communicate your ability to provide the very best solution, will move you away from having a price focused interaction with your client.

If your prospect does not perceive the value in your offering, the only point of differentiation will be price. If you base your offer on price alone, there is a good chance that someone (someone with lower overheads!) will have lower prices than you.

You might even end up in a bidding war and this only serves to move you further away from the value of the solution.

“If profit is the key to sustainability in business, and price affects profit, why don’t businesses sell the value they bring to the transaction and profit for sustainability?”

Differentiate yourself At first, this is quite a difficult concept to grasp. Most of you will come from a similar technical background having started in the electrical industry as an apprentice – some

“One of the most powerful ways to move from price competition to value solution selling is to build relationships.“

will have worked for their fathers – some would have worked for big companies – but the way you wire a switch is the same – so how can you differentiate yourself?

A really simple answer is readily available – become a Master Electrician (ME). ME’s are being recognised as providers of quality, safety and workmanship. So as a ME, you can wear the badge with pride - and ensure every vehicle carries the badge. As a ME, you will still need to reinforce the benefits to your customer of the safety, quality and workmanship guarantee, but you are guaranteed a point of difference with a brand that consumers know and trust.

Another way to differentiate yourself and your business offerings is to ask yourself, “What business am I in?” Notice this is not, “What does my business do?” but rather a clarification of the value you add to your customers.

Build relationships One of the most powerful ways to move from price competition to value solution selling is to build relationships. This works in a number of ways. The first is that you consciously decide with whom you want to build relationships. Your first consideration should be your “A” or your “Double A” clients. These are the people you want to do more work with. This focus on your “A” clients stops you being distracted by the “C’s” and “D’s”.

Remember the old 80/20 rule? 80 per cent of your business generally comes from 20 per cent of your clients.

Once you have developed the relationship, you won’t have to continue selling the value solution you provide. Finally, people are prepared to pay more for someone they have a valued relationship with.

I recall a client who ‘lost a job’ because he was 10 per cent dearer than the other contractor. My client won back the job when the customer asked him to drop his price by 5 per cent. They were prepared to pay 5 per cent more than the lower priced contractor because there was a valued relationship.

When I ask business owners, “Who are your sales people?” the reply is often, “everyone”. In an ideal world this would

be wonderful, however in the ‘business as usual’ world in which we live, this does not exist. The primary reason it doesn’t exist is that your people did not join you to be sales people, they joined you as tradesmen.

Train them to “build relationships” between your business and your clients and you will improve your sustainability.

You make your profit when At Brightwater we tell our clients, “You make your profit when you cost your product/service”. As a contractor you are likely to have two opportunities to do this. The first is when you prepare your estimate and the second is when the job is completed. This second opportunity provides you with the perfect feedback loop to ensure every job you do has profitability built into it.

You might have lost a job to another contractor and you know that they have under quoted or misquoted the job. If you have taken the time to build a relationship with the customer, they are likely to consult you on the price difference and enable you the opportunity to differentiate your value solution. If they do not come back to you in this way, it is an indication that your ‘valued relationship’ needs further work.

So rather than live by price, may I suggest that you live by quality, build relationships, accurately cost every product/service you sell, and build a sustainable business.

If you want to find out how you can make this work for you and your business, call Anthony Davis at Brightwater on 1800 242 366.

This is part of a series of business development action tools created by Anthony Davis of Brightwater Partnership, guiding you to develop an even better business than you have today. Take actions recommended and watch your business thrive.

For further details regarding this article or to receive your free subscription to regular business publications, simply email your Name, Company Name and Day Time Phone number, quoting this publication to bizplan@brightwater.com.au.

Brightwater Partnership has a series of Business Development Tools to assist you in becoming a better manager of your business. the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 28

meet a masterelectrician upfront With a successful contracting business, a recent election to sit on the ECA Council and aspirations to grow their family business, Master Electrician Beltec are a shining example of a small operator doing it right.

Beltec was a founding member of the Master Electricians program being the eighth contractor to reach accreditation status. They strongly believe the program has been the catalyst for offering their customers a sense of security in knowing they are receiving a quality job.

Since the business’s conception in 2003, Barry Stanton has been the primary electrical contractor with his wife Tammy Stanton running the operations of the business. Since then the business has organically grown to employ nine staff.

Tammy Stanton has recently been nominated and successfully elected to be the first woman to ever sit on the Electrical and Communications Association Council for 2010/2011 which represents a huge milestone for the electrical industry, and for Beltec.

Astute business operators, Barry and Tammy understand the importance of maintaining a sustainable business and are extremely passionate about giving back to the industry.

“Barry works as a SafetyConnect facilitator which ensures he is constantly up-to-date with the latest safety legislation and practices, while providing a service to pass on that knowledge to SafetyConnect members across Queensland.”

Beltec operates across all industrial, commercial and domestic markets and specialises in non-flammable gas installations. Over the past year, Beltec has been expanding their market share into the supply, installation, maintenance and calibration of gas monitors which comply with the Australian Standard 5034.

“We are also committed to offering our customers energy efficient solutions and have recently undertaken nationally recognised training through the Energy Management Institute to become an accredited energy auditor.”

Barry and Tammy have run their business from a home office for the past seven years which has provided them a fantastic www.masterelectricians.com.au

Name: Barry and Tammy Stanton Company: Beltec

opportunity to manage both their family and work commitments.

“Even though it seems like we are tied to our business, it still provides us with the kind of freedom to pick up the kids and be there for school holidays.”

Beltec’s next goal is to move into a larger premises which they believe will allow them to maintain their current workload and support their new employees.

With a set of strong ethics, Barry and Tammy want their kids to see what hard work, high work ethics and determination can bring you.

“When we hear our son say ‘I want to be an electrician just like my dad when I grow up’ and ‘I’m going to be the best electrician’ it gives us the motivation to continue to build and grow our business,” Tammy said.

With a passion for the outdoors, this couple from the sunshine state enjoy travelling, camping, and activities with the kids when they’re not at work and believe a strong work/ life balance is key.

“If I could offer one piece of advice to fellow contractors it would be - you are the face of your business and only you will have the passion for it. Understand that it’s ok for others not to be as passionate as you but try to take them along for the ride.”

State: Queensland Status: Accredited

newsflash

Radio antenna electrocutes family A couple and their teen son were electrocuted in a tragic accident.

Melville Braham, 55, his wife Anna, 49, and their 15-year-old son, Anthony, were trying to put up a new amateur radio antenna when it fell onto power lines. www.wftv.com/news

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ME 30

all aboutME Master Electricians Australia is pleased to announce the opening of its new Melbourne office Located conveniently within the St Kilda Rd precinct, the office will provide services for the growing number of electrical businesses successfully qualifying for Master Electrician’s status in Victoria.

Victorian electrical contractors have been quick to realise the benefits of the trusted Master Electrician brand. The opening of the Victorian office will support the commitment of Master Electricians Australia to lift industry standards and drive opportunities for switched on electrical businesses.

The MEA Victorian team with State Manager, Darren Margerison, at front.

The new office will be managed by industry veteran Darren Margerison who holds an impressive 30-year history working across the electrical industry. He is an electrical fitter and mechanic by trade with extensive experience working for major electrical manufacturers.

Having worked for the Victorian electrical regulator in a senior capacity, Darren aims to increase interaction and flow of information between government and the electrical industry for the benefit of

contractors and consumers.

MEA will shortly be inviting accredited Master Electricians to celebrate the office opening and meet your fellow Master Electricians – stay tuned for details!

The Melbourne office is located, 1 Queens Road Melbourne. Victorian Master Electricians can phone the office direct on 03 9863 7490.

ME Online Shop MEA has recently released its ME online shop which is the one-stop convenient way to shop for all of your ‘Accredited Master Electricians’ branded work wear, corporate wear, promotional products and stationery.

Powered by Extreme Safety, the new shop will provide you an easy and hassle free solution to your business purchasing. In addition to the items being branded ‘Accredited Master Electricians’, some items will also allow you to submit your own company logo to be added to the product.

Check it out today at: meshop.extremesafety.com.au

www.masterelectricians.com.au

Job lead system The new and improved Master Electrician job lead system is fast becoming the number one way for customers to find a qualified contractor in their local area.

The system has successfully delivered over 6,000 job leads to Master Electricians across the country in the past three months alone.

This success can be attributed to the growing understanding in the marketplace of the value of using a Master Electrician through the dedicated consumer focused marketing campaigns which have been active around the country.

31 ME

Master Electricians Australia Status Master Electricians Australia Ltd, a company limited by guarantee, is a not-for-profit organisation that provides an accreditation program to electrical contractors seeking to differentiate themselves from other contractors. Master Electricians Australia is a proud partner of ECA, which has been representing electrical contractors for more than 70 years, making it one of the longest-standing industry associations of its kind.

With employees and a team of facilitators across Australia, MEA are perfectly positioned and have the experience and expertise on staff to represent the interests of electrical contractors on a national platform. And of course, MEA offers a full suite of benefits and services such as technical and workplace relations advice, ApprenticeConnect, SafetyConnect and training programs – all backed by a head office with a comprehensive roster of hard working staff.

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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MASTERELECAUST

newsflash

Public Survey Results An independent survey, with respondents from right across Australia, was undertaken for MEA in June 2010, looking at attitudes to the nationally recognised Master Electricians brand among members of the public. This research showed: • Accredited Master Electricians would be chosen first to do electrical work, by 63 per cent of respondents, compared to members of other industry associations.

Interestingly, Master Builders members were second with 13 per cent being chosen first by respondents • Over 50 per cent of respondents would prefer to hire a Master Electrician, to one who wasn’t, to perform electrical work

• 33 per cent said they would be prepared to pay more to have a Master Electrician perform electrical work The research shows the Master Electricians brand is strong and reputable in the public domain and that customers would prefer to use a quality accredited Master Electrician over a normal electrician if given the choice.

MEA will continue to strongly promote the service offerings of the program to the general public to ensure they continue to understand the benefits of using a Master Electrician.

Electric car runs over 1,000 km without recharge ATokyo civic group has succeeded in getting an electric car to run 1,003.184 kilometres without a recharge, far surpassing the world record the group achieved last year.

It said the vehicle, which was equipped with Sanyo Electric Co’s lithium-ion battery system, ran for about 27 and a half hours at a speed of about 40km per hour. A total of 17 people took turns at the wheel. www.japantoday.com

the master electrician

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Project Safety Switch report released The report into the state of safety in Australian homes will be officially launched in the coming weeks.

The report containing 16 recommendations will be used to drive the Project Safety Switch campaign encouraging state and federal governments, industry and the general public to switch thinking.

Master Electricians will be spearheading the national campaign for mandatory safety switches to be installed on every circuit, in every Australian home by 2016.

The ambitious goal will see an additional 30 million safety switches fitted in the next five years.

The report – Switch Thinking – Preventing Electrical Deaths in Australian Homes will be available on the Master Electricians website soon.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

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ME 34

generalnews COULD YOU BE THE MASTER ELECTRICIANS MO BRO OF THE YEAR? In a small bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 2003 an idea was born among a few mates that was set to change the face of men’s health forever. It was recognised that men were lacking a way to engage anD actively involve themselves in their own health. After a discussion about fashion and past trends, an idea came up to bring the moustache back for one month, and in doing so, have some fun, raise a small amount of money, and hopefully encourage men to talk about their health with each other.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

In its first year, six years ago, just 30 ‘Mo bros’ took part in Movember to raise awareness of men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression. In 2009, the annual, month long celebration of the moustache saw over 125,000 Mo Bros take part in Australia alone, raising more than $16 million for Movember’s men’s health partners – The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue – the national depression initiative.

Mo Bros, supported by their Mo Sistas, start Movember on 1 November as clean shaven faces and have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache to compete against other Mo

Bros for the ultimate title.

Today, in its sixth consecutive year, Movember takes place around the world.

Motivated by what was happening in Australia, a further five countries now embrace the Mo each November – New Zealand, US, Canada, UK and Ireland who together are helping Movember to achieve its ultimate goal – to change the face of men’s health globally.

To date, Movember has raised AUS$62 million globally for the fight against prostate cancer and depression in men. And, more importantly, as a direct result, male awareness of health issues has improved with Movember helping to spread health messages directly to

35 ME

NSW & QLD ELECTRICIANS

WARNING!

“How to LOSE $5,000 in 5 Minutes” millions of Mo Bros around the world.

We are encouraging you to start your own Movember, with your work colleagues, your friends, or your sporting team. It’s easy simply visit www.movember.com and select the links to ‘get involved’.

You will be given three options to register for Movember: 1. Start a team 2. Join a team 3. Join as an individual From there you will be given everything you need to get you started.

Email your photos to magazine@ masterelectricians.com.au for your chance to be crowned Master Electricians Mo Bro of the Year. The winner will receive a donation to support their fundraising efforts.

That’s how long it takes to Lose Money placing an order with the wrong manufacturer, totally wasting YOUR Time and Money.

Dear Electricians, Are you tired of the switchboard monopoly selling you overpriced switchboards with ridiculous designs?

1 in 8 men in Australia will experience depression in their lifetime. Depression is an illness, not a weakness and there is no shame in seeking help – just the same as you would for a physical health problem. Effective treatments are available and with the right treatment, most people recover from depression.

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the master electrician

3/09/10 1:40 PM

SPRING 10

ME 36

generalnews upfront National licensing system for electrical contractors a step closer The Victorian State government recently introduced new laws to create the national licensing system for electricians to cut the cost of working across state and territory borders.

Master Electricians Australia Chief Executive, Malcolm Richards, who has been on the committee to develop the new system, said that because licensing laws were made at a state level, Victoria had taken the lead role in introducing new laws, which will be replicated by other states and territories.

“As soon as the Victorian Parliament passes the legislation to create a national licensing system it will be picked up by other state parliaments.

“We welcome this development and hope the other parliaments follow Victoria as soon as practicable,” he said.

Mr Richards said interstate inconsistency in licensing created additional compliance

costs for contractors, including the cost of multiple fees when managing crossborder jobs.

“Back in 1992 there was some reform to ensure a level of recognition of licences between states, but contractors who wanted to operate interstate still had to apply for a new licence and pay the separate fee.

“In some cases interstate contractors even still had to meet additional requirements to get the licence if they were working in border areas particularly for a small piece of work,” he said.

The national licensing system will also be introduced for air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors, plumbers and gas-fitters.

“We would certainly hope that by next year all states and territories will have introduced the laws and a national licence will become a reality,” Mr Richards said.

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37 ME

news from thedistributors upfront SOUTH AUSTRALIA: ETSA Utilities Changes to ETSA Utilities Network Tariffs This communication is to advise industry participants and ETSA Utilities customers of changes to ETSA Utilities Network Tariffs.

The following changes are effective as of 1 July 2010: 1. All low voltage business new supplies and upgrades greater than 100amps (C/T metering) shall be assigned the VLVS demand tariff (kVA stepped demand tariff). The minimum agreed demand is 80kVA and a minimum of a Type 5 interval meter is required 2. All low voltage business new supplies and upgrades 100amps and below shall be assigned B2R tariff (Business two rate) 3. BSR (Business single rate) will become an obsolete tariff.

4. OPCL (off peak controlled load) is no longer available on a business tariff 5. Existing customers will remain on BSR and BSROPCL until an upgrade/ alteration to their supply takes place at which time they shall be assigned the B2R tariff. The electrical contractor will need to provide control for the off peak load.

The ETSA Utilities Network Tariff rates are available at www.etsautilities.com.au

QUEENSLAND: Energex Announces multi-million dollar powerline improvement scheme ENERGEX has developed a new five-year, $40 million powerline improvement scheme, in conjunction with local councils, designed to improve the look of electricity supplies in sensitive areas.

Called the Community Powerline Enhancement Program (CPEP), the project’s main focus is undergrounding or bundling existing powerlines in sensitive locations such as major street shopping precincts, sensitive environmental and heritage areas, locations with significant vegetation, high pedestrian or vehicular areas, and communities with abutting bays, rivers and coastlines.

The CPEP is the first of five segments in a planned $100 million, five-year program aimed at reducing the visual impact of existing overhead powerlines. The other elements include a blackspots program targeting electricity poles and powerlines consistently damaged during traffic accidents.

ENERGEX Chief Executive, Terry Effeney, says the company has been working hard in recent years to develop its expanding electricity network in a community and customer-focused way.

“ENERGEX now has more than 31 per cent of its South East Queensland electricity supply via an expansive network of underground cables – and this network was growing rapidly.

“During the past four years for every 1km of overhead powerline added to the network, ENERGEX has been installing around 7km of underground cables,” Mr Effeney said.

“There is now enough underground electricity cable in South East Queensland that if lined up end on end it would stretch some 16,560km – the equivalent distance between Brisbane and London.”

The plan focuses on lower voltage electricity lines up to 11,000 volts. The first seven CPEP projects on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich and in Moreton Bay council areas will commence during the 2010-11 financial year with some projects continuing into the 2011-12 year.

NSW: Energy Australia Hunter and Sydney to become international smart grid showcase EnergyAustralia Managing Director George Maltabarow welcomed news that EnergyAustralia had been selected as the winning Smart Grid, Smart Cities bidder, saying it would lead to ground-breaking changes to the country’s energy industry.

Mr Maltabarow said the Federal Government funding would allow a commercial-scale smart grid to be rolled out across five sites in Sydney and the Hunter.

“Building a smart grid on such a large scale will keep Australia at the forefront of energy technology,” Mr Maltabarow said.

“This trial will showcase the future of electricity networks in Australia, including

self-healing when faults and interruptions occur and greater customer control.

“New generation smart meters will be rolled out to 50,000 homes at five sites in Newcastle, Scone, the Sydney CBD, Ku-ring-gai and Newington. Around 15,000 households will become ‘smart homes’ to trial a new breed of in-house displays and websites that track electricity and water use, costs and CO2 emissions,” he said.

“These homes will test remote control of appliances including air conditioners and innovative pricing packages to help reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Households in Scone will become virtual green power stations in battery storage trials, allowing them to help power local streets.”

The rollout of 12,000 smart sensors across EnergyAustralia’s electricity network will be fast-tracked to allow earlier fault detection and repair, including self-healing of some faults.

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Hazardous area and HigH Voltage installation audits

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Horizon Power Unsolicited calls for an energy saving device

3 ESO Compliance Audits 3 Area Classifications 3 Risk Assessments 3 Pre-installation/design review

Call Steve Downey on

1300 724 744 to arrange an inspection

www.jantec.com.au

Horizon Power has received information about a possible scam that involves an organisation with a similar name trying to sell energy-saving devices to people living in regional WA. It is understood the organisation is asking customers to pay $159 for a device that claims to reduce your electricity bill by 40%.

Horizon Power is not currently selling any such devices and is not currently affiliated with any organisation that does.

For information on Horizon Power products or partnerships we have formed

with third parties, please www.horizonpower. com.au or call 1800 267 926.

Horizon Power encourages customers to undertake their own research into an organisation and its products before paying for a product, to confirm their validity.

Customers who believe they have been exposed to a scam can contact WA ScamNet – Consumer Protection on 1300 30 40 54.

Horizon Power would like further information about the organisation selling the devices. If you have any information, please call us on 1800 267 926.

ph 3277 1333 or visit www.energyskillsqld.com.au

Get Your Workforce’s Skills & Experience Recognised Free Training and Skills Development Advice Gain access to subsidised training Skill up your workforce for future opportunities Energy Skills Solutions is a free service available for Queensland residents only. www.masterelectricians.com.au

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newsflash

VICTORIA: Citipower CITIPOWER URGES WORKERS TO DIAL BEFORE THEY DIG CitiPower is urging tradespeople to take extra care when operating near underground electrical assets. This follows two serious incidents in CitiPower’s network area in two days, where a plumber and a labourer were lucky to survive after contacting electrical cables.

Both men were using hand tools when they hit underground power supplies while working in the inner city suburbs of Fitzroy and Collingwood.

In both incidents the workers were unaware that their activities were taking place within close proximity to underground power lines. One of the men sustained a mild electric shock, but fortunately neither of them were seriously injured. CitiPower Regional Asset Manager, Joe Mravljak, said anyone undertaking any excavation work should consider the location of underground electrical assets and consult the ‘Dial Before You Dig’ service before starting work.

Aside from the obvious safety risks there can be serious financial implications for

workers who dig up underground cables.

If an individual or business is found to have negligently caused damage they can face hefty fines and penalties.

Even electrical incidents which do not cause injury can still require work to be stopped while safety procedures are followed, causing time and financial losses for business.

Dial Before You Dig is Australia’s national referral service for information on underground pipes and cables, and provides details about the location of these assets. Their objective is to ensure the protection of Australia’s underground assets, while ensuring the safety of people undertaking excavation works.

Permits to work in the vicinity of CitiPower assets can be applied for online at www.citipower.com.au via the “contractors and suppliers” icon.

Contact the Dial Before You Dig service on 1100 or log onto www.1100.com.au or phone CitiPower for general electrical safety advice on 1300 301 101.

Snake in electrical box causes NY hospital outage A snake slithered into a switch box outside a New York hospital, where it met its maker and caused a 10-hour power outage. Workers found the dead snake inside the box. www.fundoofun.com

2010 Training Programs INVESTING IN SKILLS AND TRAINING Electro Group Training is pleased to offer a wide range of quality training programs to suit the Electrotechnology Industry.

Electro Group Training are your own not for profit skills centre owned and operated by your industry and proudly supported by the Electrical and Communications Association (ECA) and The Electrical Trades Union (ETU).

All training programs are conducted on our premises at Rocklea Electro Group Training 9 Railway Terrace Rocklea PO BOX 570 Moorooka Q 4105

Our Skills Centre uses appropriately qualified industry specialists to provide training in: • Electrician Apprenticeship Programs • Optical Fibre Cabling – CPR Endorsement • CPR/Resuscitation and Switchboard Rescue • Construction Wiring (AS/NZS 3012:2003) • Open Registration (Telecommunications)

• Restricted Registration (Telecommunications) • Structured Cabling (category 6 and Coaxial) • Electrical Installation Inspection and Testing / Skills Maintenance / License Renewal • Solar PV cell installation (Clean Energy Council Accreditation)

We also offer a range of other services including competency assessments (electrotechnology).

PHONE 3274 6288

or EMAIL training@electrogroup.com.au

www.electrogroup.com.au

the master electrician

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ME 40

letter of thelaw Ten tips on making adjudications work for you Don’t make the same mistakes that others have already made.

A number of contractors using payment claims have failed to recover payment once they reach adjudication because of simple, avoidable mistakes. You can learn from their errors.

Here are ten tips which will help you successfully recover payment through the adjudication process.

Tip 1 Some applications fail because they just don’t make sense. Make sure your application for adjudication is easy to read. Someone who has no knowledge of the job should be able to easily understand what your claim is about. Support the application with copies of your payment claim and the payment schedule, together with any time sheets or other evidence which you need to prove your claim. Get a couple of other people to read the application before you lodge it to see if they can make sense of it. Remember, if the adjudicator can’t follow it, he or she can’t give you a favourable decision.

Tip 2 Make sure that the work you did, or the services you provided, are covered by the Act in your state. Electrical and communications work is covered by legislation. Remember, there are exceptions under the different state Acts, such as work completed directly for a home owner on their home and certain work in mines such as drilling and constructing underground work.

• If you have received a payment schedule, you must file your application within ten business days of receiving the payment schedule • If you have received a payment schedule admitting an amount is payable to you but it is not paid by the due date, you must file your application within twenty business days after the date on which you should have received payment • If you don’t receive a payment schedule, or it’s received out of time, you can skip adjudication and apply straight to court for a judgement without the need for a trial. Alternatively you could still choose to go to adjudication, but if you do, you have to give the other side a notice giving them five business days to deliver a “second chance” payment schedule. If you then don’t receive a payment schedule or it’s received out of time, you must file your application within ten business days of the end of the time within which they were supposed to serve you with the “second chance” payment schedule.

Make sure you are under the right Act. The application must be brought under the right state Act. For example, if the work or supply of related goods or services you are seeking payment for, was in Queensland, then you have to proceed under the Queensland Act.

Tip 4 Don’t delay in submitting your application.

If you submit your application outside the strict time limits set out under the relevant Act, your application will fail. This is a little complicated so be careful. Under the Queensland Act, for example: www.masterelectricians.com.au

Tip 9 Make sure you have a good flow chart setting out every step and follow it every time.

If you get a timeframe wrong, or you fail to meet one of the requirements, you will not succeed. There are existing flow charts relating to the different Acts. Some law firms who specialise in building and construction law can help you out with this.

Tip 10 Tip 5 Make sure you deliver a copy of your application to the right person.

This is the person who is supposed to pay you – not the project manager, engineer or architect. Usually for a subcontractor, it is the builder.

Tip 6 Tip 3

If you have any suspicions in this regard urgently contact your solicitor who can carry out some searches which should help identify if the nonpayer is in financial trouble.

For example, you may be able to find on the web how many adjudications the non-payer has been involved in. If the non-payer shows up repeatedly as having had adjudications made against him or her, then this might indicate he or she is in financial difficulties.

(This can also be a useful thing to do to work out whether you really want to work for a particular builder or whether you would just be buying yourself trouble by entering into a contract with him or her).

Don’t delay in delivering the application.

The time frame within which the adjudicator must finalise the adjudication will not start to run until you have delivered a copy of your application to the respondent.

Tip 7 Make sure you can prove that you delivered the application.

Ask the person you give the application to sign for it so you have proof they received it.

Finally – if you think you need help or have any doubts whatsoever, call a solicitor who knows and understands the payment claims legislation in your state and industry.

If you are going to the effort of an adjudication, make it worthwhile.

Payment claim legislation is now in every jurisdiction in Australia although the legislation in South Australia and the ACT has not yet started operation. It is expected shortly.

While the above tips are likely to be helpful regardless of which state or territory you are in, they are based on mistakes made under the New South Wales and Queensland systems, which are the most widely and successfully used to date.

If you want any more information about adjudication, or would like to chat about the effect of the payment claims laws generally, call McKays Solicitors now. Contact Michael Cope, or Douglas Skelton in the Brisbane office on (07) 3223 5900 or

Tip 8

Danielle Sanderson in our Mackay office on (07) 4963

If you are not paid immediately, seriously question whether the non-payer just can’t pay you.

5431. Alternatively, send us an email at mcope@ mckayslaw.com, dskelton@mckayslaw.com or dsanderson@mckayslaw.com.

41 ME

upfront theinterview

Nathan Tinkler

In 2008 Nathan Tinkler, a FORMER ELECTRICIAN, hit number one on the BRW Young Rich list, worth an estimated $440 million.

the master electrician

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ME 42

the new Watt Hour Meter Slim, efficient, accurate with easy installation!

Also Available....

THE NEW 65A SINGLE PHASE & 3 PHASE KILOWATT HOUR METERS

Advantages at a glance • Sets a totally new standard • Immediate measurement up to 32 A • Replaces the classic single phase a.c. watt hour meter • Quick, space-saving installation only 35 mm in width • An extremely compact product • Class 1 Accuracy • Suitable for verification • SO - interface for connection to energy management systems

CROFT/AMPERE/ME1/3P

Who else would you trust!

Ampere Electrical Manufacturing Co. Pty. Ltd. 168-176 High St Prahran Victoria, 3181.

Tel (03) 9510 4333, 9510 2428 Fax (03) 9510 5940 Toll Free: 1800 AMPERE (1800 267 373) www.ampere.com.au

www.masterelectricians.com.au

“Advisors are just that, advisors! No one knows what’s better for you or your business than you do. Take advice freely but input that into your own thought process and take out of it what will help you.”

The 34 year-old has built his empire from the ground up, starting off as an electrical apprentice in the Hunter Valley coal mines.

In little more than a decade he has become a Queensland coal mining magnate and leading race horse breeder.

Nathan talks to The Master Electrician about making his millions, what’s in his garage, and enduring respect for friend and mentor, the late Ken Talbot.

Beginning your apprenticeship in the Hunter Valley coal mines at 18, you undertook a certificate in electrical trade from Muswellbrook TAFE. How did working in the mines as a young sparky set up your business career?

Like any apprentice if you aren’t a selfstarter you quickly learn to be. I think in the mining industry this is amplified even further due to the high risk nature of mining and the forces at play in your everyday workplace whether you are in the workshop or out in the field. I was fortunate in my time to work with tradesmen that were solution orientated towards the problems they faced in their workplace and went about their jobs in a positive manner. I think that laid a good foundation for obtaining my future business goals by not looking to others to solve my problems for me, and approaching all aspects of my business with a positive outlook.

The first business you started at 26 grew from just you to more than 20 staff. What was your approach to building the business and dealing with established competitors?

Like all new businesses I tried to identify a point of difference in the marketplace and for me that was supplying tradesmen that had a high level of experience in the mines as opposed to those that were regularly supplied by labour hire companies. I attracted them through offering full time employment over casual but it was a tough market.

I admire all those young tradesmen that try to take that step from off the floor to being their own boss. There is no end of competition in the marketplace and attracting and retaining good staff is a key challenge in building these businesses.

Can you tell us about putting your first big deal together to buy a mine – how tough was it to get the investors on board?

While Australia is largely a commodity based economy investors are reluctant to put their hand in their pocket for exploration and probably more so if that person only has a Muswellbrook Tafe Electrical Trade certificate and a bullish attitude. Any growth in value is capital growth rather than cashflow and finding a target, and that target being positive, just requires even further capital to put in to define your resource.

There is no doubt that exploration is the toughest activity to fund in the resources sector but I think given that I had invested so much of my own time and money I eventually attracted an investor to assist me in raising $2 million to complete drilling and a feasibility study, which ultimately attracted an end user to fund the project.

From the time we began feasibility work on the asset to attracting investment to finalise drilling it had taken over two years.

As a young entrepreneur, did you have knockers who said you wouldn’t make it?

For a while I thought that was all Australia’s business sector was made up of. There are a lot of pretenders out there and no end of people swinging off your tail. It was a hard thing to get my head around but I soon realised that the marketplace is very competitive, there is only so much capital out there for projects and it is up to you to find your own way. No one is going to call you out of the blue and hand it to you.

Success gives you the confidence to put aside the knockers that will always be there but you realise jealousy is what drives a lot of it and just try to ignore it.

How did you balance the huge hours at work with family life?

Not well. I was very committed to what I was doing to the point that not succeeding wasn’t an option. We had just had our second boy when things got really busy and I was travelling a lot but you cope, and thankfully I had a very supportive family that

43 ME understood what I was trying to achieve and supported me through that.

After making a quid, you did what all passionate punters would love to do and got into buying and breeding race horses. How have you approached this new business venture?

I always admired the Inghams for what they had created in Woodlands and it was always my plan to replicate that model. The horse industry is a $4 billion a year industry with well established players (mostly foreign) and I was driven to create Patinack by providing an Australian alternative to the major studs in Australia both in the breeding barn and on the racetrack. Nothing happens in the horse industry overnight and with the level of stock we have and our commitment to racing and breeding I think it will be another 10 years before I can say whether Patinack has achieved my goal of competing with the Darley’s and Coolmore’s of the world in Australia.

Are you still always thinking what’s the next deal or business venture, or have you got enough on the go now?

Always looking ahead. I wouldn’t do it if it was not enjoyable. I don’t do the hours I had to do originally and I employ a team to help me now but I am always researching the market.

What’s your favourite holiday destination?

I really like London and New York, I enjoy both for doing business and socialising.

Outside of them Hawaii is pretty hard to beat with the family.

Do you have a hero or someone you most admire?

The late Ken Talbot was someone that I have tremendous respect for. Ken was a pioneer in the Australian coal sector and his business model certainly laid the template for others such as myself to follow.

A self-made man that came from humble beginnings like myself and never forgot the importance of providing more opportunity to others than he himself was ever shown.

It was humbling to meet someone like that in life and I was privileged to know him the short time that I did. Unfortunately he became a classic example of the Tall Poppy syndrome in Australia.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or lesson you’ve learnt in business?

GT40 – “Fantastic car, until you want to see out of it or park it!”

Audi RS6 Wagon – “Wolf in sheep’s clothing, ultimate suprise packet courtesy of Lambo V10. Looks like a Mazda 6!”

Mercedes Benz E63 – “You will run out of road before you get to the bottom of this engine, it just keeps giving.”

Falcon GTP – “Great value car, even better supercharged!! Not one for the family.”

Aston Martin DB9 – “James Bond did not drive a car this unreliable? Gave it to my Dad.” Jaguar XKR – “Great fun and does everything well. Looks fantastic.”

Ferrari Scuderia F430 – “Should come with a kidney belt. I think they forgot to put the suspension in mine? But my god that engine! F1 on the highway!”

Advisors are just that, advisors! No one knows what’s better for you or your business than you do. Take advice freely but input that into your own thought process and take out of it what will help you. Don’t depend on anyone else to solve your problems, ever.

A confessed revhead with a few supercars in the garage – can you give us a brief run through of your favourites and a few words to describe their performance?

Ferrari California – “Practical and corners like its on rails.

Bentley Flying Spur – “No such thing as a bad Bentley, great for that long drive, by yourself.”

Porsche 911 Turbo – “Takes me 2 days to stop smiling every time I get out of it, unbelievable power.”

CIRT HELPS YOU TO REDUCE THE DRAIN ON YOUR COMPANY’S CASH FLOW CIRT was established in 1990 to provide redundancy benefits to the electrical industry.

CIRT allows employers to contribute money each month on behalf of their employees. That way if a redundancy occurs, the CIRT contributions form either part or all of any redundancy payment and the employer can include the money already contributed as part of the redundancy payment.

CIRT provides benefits for the following situations: redundancy, retirement, leaving the industry, severe financial hardship, total and permanent disability, death.

Contact CIRT now for all your industry redundancy needs.

Administered by Malcolm V. Leeke & Co. Chartered Accountants

8 McIlwraith Street PO Box 42 Everton Park Brisbane QLD 4053

Phone 07 3506 7788 Fax 07 3506 7700 Toll Free 1300 200 123

Email enquiries@cirt.com.au Website www.cirt.com.au

Supported by

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 44

gadgetguide Keeping you in the know

Fantech TD-500/150 Silent

Clipsal CFL DOWNLIGHTS

Superlux downlights

“Silence” The next generation apartment fan is here.

The TD Silent range of mixed-flow fans incorporates a number of new technologies that make them extremely quiet.

This breakthrough in noise reduction is due to a specially designed perforated internal skin. Sound waves produced inside the fan are directed through the perforations and are captured by a layer of sound-absorbent material. The result is outstanding, a fan that operates very quietly while at the same time maintaining efficiency.

The most popular model, the TD-500/150 Silent has a sound pressure of only 33dB(A) at low speed and 40dB(A) at high speed.

This makes it perfect as an extract fan in apartments, hotels, and offices where rooms are often close together and the constant sound of the ventilation system could distract the occupants.

This sleek, compact unit is 245mm high, making it ideal for installations in false ceilings or apartments where space is often restricted.

Clipsal’s new range of CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) downlights are one of the most energy efficient forms of lighting for households available on the market today as they use about one quarter the energy as traditional incandescent bulbs.

Clipsal’s downlight provides almost twice the light output when compared to the competitions similar products.

CFL’s are suitable for high traffic living areas where lighting is left on for long periods of time and with Clipsal’s new stylish CFL downlight you can play your part for the environment without impacting on your aesthetics of your home.

Fittings are available in white chrome and brushed chrome and lamps are available in warm white colour or cool white.

Eliminating safety concerns of heat generated into the roof or floor/ceiling space by downlights is a potential fire hazard which is fast becoming a serious problem.

The risk of electrical wiring and building element fires can be reduced when *Superlux Peace of Mind downlights and ‘Zero Flammability’ building insulation are installed.

Superlux downlights come with advanced safety features as standard, including a thermal cut-off protection in the event of overheating and an enclosed body to prevent air transfer.

12 Volt halogen downlights come fully assembled as a one piece design with an electronic transformer for easy and safe placement of the transformer. You also achieve maximum insulation effectiveness as the building insulation can be placed right up to the fitting.

www.fantech.com.au/silent

www.masterelectricians.com.au

www.clipsal.com

www.superlux.com.au

45 ME

technobiz Master Electricians are giving you the good-oil on the best stuff!

DISPLAX™ Multitouch

Panasonic camcorder goes 3D

DISPLAX™ Multitouch Technology has been developed for an age where just about any non-conductive material can be transferred into an interactive multitouch surface.

Based on projected capacitive technology, DISPLAX™ Multitouch Technology has been developed on a transparent thinner-thanpaper polymer film which can be applied to a variety of flat and curved surfaces including glass, plastic and wood.

Multi-touch detection: DISPLAX™ detects 16 fingers simultaneously on a 50-inch screen (which is set to increase as technology development progresses).

This technology could mean that any wall of your house could be transformed into a television, that your favourite recipes could appear on the wall in your kitchen or that you could check social media sites from any room, including the bathroom.

This light-weight technology weighs a tiny 300 grams, making it easily transportable and easy to install.

Panasonic has announced the launch of the Panasonic HDC-SDT750, the world’s first consumer 3D camcorder, which includes a 3D conversion lens that enables the camcorder to shoot powerful and trueto-life 3D video content. The Panasonic SDT750 is a user-friendly consumer 3D camcorder that makes experiencing 3D at home easy and affordable.

In addition to shooting 3D, the SDT750 can record full 1080p High Definition (HD) in AVCHD, when the 3D conversion lens is unattached, and includes powerful features such as a 3MOS system, a Leica Dicomar lens and a 12x optical zoom.

If you haven’t purchased a 3D-capable TV yet, you can always buy the Panasonic SDT750 and use it as a regular camcorder at the moment, as it does take full 1080p High Definition (HD) in AVCHD without the 3D conversion lens attached.

www.displax.com

www.panasonic.com.au

Clickfree Transformer SE backup cable The Clickfree Transformer SE cable can turn any USB-based external hard drive or iPod into a simple backup solution. The cable itself is tiny, and a dongle on the end has the Clickfree backup software built in to it. There’s no messy software installation and no need to configure anything, so it’s perfect for users who don’t know much about how to keep their data backed up.

When you plug the Clickfree Transformer SE into your computer and then attach a USB drive to the dongle, the Clickfree backup program launches automatically. It scans your computer for data files (it won’t back up your system files) and then backs them all up if there is enough space on your attached drive. It’s a very simple process that requires little to no user intervention – however, it could take a few hours to back up your data depending on how much you have. You can let it run in the background while you continue to use your computer for other tasks. www.clickfree.com

What’s hot on the iPhone: Barcode scanner With the barcode scanner app you will always find the lowest price!

The process is easy, all you have to do is scan the barcode of a product you are wishing to purchase and in seconds you will receive information back from the internet regarding best price options.

This app will scan over 1,000 merchants across Yahoo!, Google, eBay and more.

Never pay too much again. Download this app from the app store today.

the master electrician

SPRING 10

What becoming a Master Electrician has done for my business

“We’re very proud of being a Master Electrician, it gives me an advantage that gives me the edge over competitors.”

- Kurt Adler, Sea Eagle Electrical

“Everyone from our office, apprentice and trades people now feel a sense of pride having the Master Electricians logo on our uniforms. The re-organising of our procedures to become accredited as a Master Electrician really benefited our approach in the office as well as on the job.”

“Our customer’s usual reaction to our accreditation status is ‘thank god we finally got someone that gives a damn’.”

“By telling customers that we are accredited Master Electricians seems to give them an air of confidence.”

Just imagine what it could do for your business.

10100067

Master Electricians – your ultimate business partner

To find out how you could become a Master Electrician visit www.masterelectricians.com.au or call 1300 889 198 today.

47 ME

benefitspotlight upfront SAFETYCONNECT the system you can rely on Are you confident that your safety management system would pass an audit by the regulator?

Are you comfortable that the processes you have in place are strong enough to protect your staff from injury?

If not, it’s time that you employ a system that will show your commitment to running a business that takes its safety obligations seriously.

SafetyConnect is the award winning safety management system that is tailored to meet every business’ needs – regardless of the size.

The comprehensive safety management system can provide electrical contractors with complete peace of mind as this hassle free system provides: • A comprehensive safety manual • Access to an online licence database which will track and provide renewal date reminders • Business practices protection insurance cover to insure you against legal representation costs and court imposed fines (conditions apply) • Audit and investigation assistance

• Organised tool box meetings • Access to a network of safety facilitators for safety meetings In addition to these benefits, you will receive exclusive access to a highly trained team of technical officers who can provide you with advice when you need it most, as well as access to an experienced team of safety facilitators who will assist in the delivery of the program in your business.

SafetyConnect provides contractors with the tools to lead the cultural change needed to dramatically reduce accident rates and the significant risk of prosecution to your business.

In 2008, SafetyConnect won the Highly Commended Queensland award for ‘Most innovative safety management system’.

In 2009 SafetyConnect was awarded the National Safety Council of Australia highly commended prize for the ‘best implementation of a specific OHS management system’ award – an award which was highly contended among major players in the industry.

Later in 2009, Accredited Master Electrician, Matt Electric outpointed over

500 competitors when SafetyConnect assisted him to win ‘Best workplace health and safety practice in small business’.

These are just a few examples of the strength of this program.

The program has now been adopted in businesses all across the country and has been instrumental in the prevention of workrelated accidents and injuries.

With a dedicated team of industry specialists across Australia, you will have direct access to a team of experts who are in the know.

The SafetyConnect program is a fee for service program that is a value addition to your Master Electricians accreditation.

Dependent on the size and scope of your business, Master Electricians will provide you with a package that is specifically tailored to your individual needs.

Don’t risk the safety of your staff or project, call Master Electricians on 1300 889 198 to discuss how the SafetyConnect program will benefit your business.

New ProTag Optima System Australia’s Most Compact Appliance Testing and Tag Printing System.

The new ProTag Optima System tests portable appliances and RCDs, and prints test tags in a compact system weighing only around 2kg.

No interface cables between the tester, printer and scanner provide maximum mobility on construction sites, factories and workshops.

Light weight, wireless, battery powered and with logging of visual inspections and risk assessments, the Optima System guarantees greater efficiency, huge time savings and a lower cost per tag.

Call EMONA Instruments on tel: 1 800 632 953 email: testinst@emona.com.au or www.protag.com.au the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 48

technicaltalk upfront SOLAR WATER HEATERS What is a solar water heater?

Solar collector options

A solar water heater uses energy from the sun to heat water for the home. Solar panels on the roof collect the sun’s rays and heat the water, which then flows to a storage tank, ready for use.

A solar water heater is an effective way to make use of Australia’s abundant sunshine. Depending on the location, the direction the solar panels face, and the amount of water used, a solar water heater can provide between 50 and 90 per cent of a family’s hot water needs. Solar water heaters come with electric or gas boosters to provide the rest of your hot water needs.

There are many different types of solar water heaters available.

It is important to select the type that is most suitable to your customer’s family size, climate, house type, roof characteristics, water quality, available space and aesthetic preferences.

The two main types of solar collectors are flat plate panels and evacuated tube systems. Flat plate panels have been used for around 40 years and are commonly installed in Australia. They operate at maximum efficiency when the sun is directly overhead at midday but are less efficient at other times of the day when the sun’s rays hit the panels at different angles.

Evacuated tube collectors use an array of glass tubes that insulate in a similar way to a thermos flask where the heat energy is retained in the tube. Evacuated tubes can be more efficient than flat plate panels in some conditions, such as cold climates.

The technology was invented in Australia in the late 1980s and the collectors have been fully commercialised in the last decade.

How does it work?

Solar water heaters use a tank to store water that has been heated by the sun.

Cold water flows from the tank to the solar collector, usually positioned on your roof. In a split system, the cold water is pumped up to the collector. In a thermosiphon system, the tank is above the collectors on the roof, cold water flows naturally into the collector because it is heavier than hot water.

The solar collector is made of materials that absorb the sun’s heat very efficiently. The cold water travels through the collector and the heat in the collector heats up the water, which returns to the tank. Hot water floats to the top of the tank and colder water is taken from the bottom and returned to the solar collector. When you need hot water, it is taken from the top of the tank where2:04:04 the water is hottest.

Newtagsadvert180x81.pdf 16/04/2009 PM

www.masterelectricians.com.au

Flat plate panels: • May require a special anti-freeze fluid for very low temperatures • Are generally less expensive than evacuated tube systems • Require cleaning to remove any dust, salt spray or sludge Evacuated tube systems: • Make more efficient use of the sun’s energy • Are lightweight and can be easily installed on the roof • Are low maintenance and cleaned by falling rainwater • Can withstand very low temperatures without the need for an antifreeze fluid • Are generally more expensive than flat plate panels • Individual tubes can be replaced if damaged

49 ME

Flat plate panels

Evacuated tube systems

Storage tank options

The choice to select the right energy source for the booster system is dependant on many factors: • The availability of an existing gas or electrical supply • The additional cost of the installation of this service • Another alternative is using an electrical booster system on a low tariff metering agreement with the supply authority The industry will need to have these costed options available to the customer to effectively provide a total energy saving package.

Storage tanks are made of different materials such as vitreous enamel (also called mild steel), stainless steel or copper. Your choice of tank material for your customer will be dependent on their water quality and whether they are connected to mains water supply or on tank water.

Vitreous enamel or mild steel tanks: • Require a sacrificial anode that needs replacing to avoid corrosion, particularly in areas with hard water • Have a glass-like coating inside which protects the steel from corrosion • May corrode from the outside Stainless steel tanks: • Are less prone to corrosion • Do not require a sacrificial anode • Are low maintenance • Are not recommended in areas with poor water quality Copper tanks: • Are very long lasting and resistant to corrosion • Are typically used in homes where water is supplied from a gravity feed system in the roof rather than mains water.

Gas or electric boosting A solar water heater can meet most of your customer’s household hot water needs. However, on days where hot water usage is higher than usual, or on cloudy or rainy days, water stored in their tank may need an additional boost to maintain their preferred water temperature.

The booster heating unit will only activate when the water temperature is below the thermostat setting, and will automatically turn off when the temperature of the water reaches the setting. For further control, a manual on/off booster switch can be installed in a convenient location, such as in the kitchen or laundry. Boosters use an alternative source of energy, such as electricity or gas, to heat the water.

Consider the option of a manual on/off booster switch so that your customer can control the level of boosting to their system. This provides the option of switching off the booster in summer or when they are away.

Timers can also be used to ensure that the booster is used as little as possible and the maximum solar contribution is achieved.

Gas-boosting A gas-boosted solar water heater generates the least greenhouse gas emissions of any low emission water heater. A gas-booster can be installed inside a hot water tank or between the hot water tank and the home. The second option delivers the lowest greenhouse gas emissions, as water is only heated to the desired temperature at the time of use, which reduces heat losses.

A gas-booster between the tank and the home also ensures it will never run out of hot water, so is a great option for large families. Of course, gas-boosted solar hot water heaters can only be used in areas with a gas supply (including LPG).

If you do not have access to gas, electric-boosted solar is also an option.

Electric-boosting Electric-boosted solar water heaters use an electric element located in the bottom of the tank, much like a kettle. Electric-boosted heaters generate more greenhouse gas emissions than gasboosted heaters, unless the electricity used is from a low intensity source (i.e., from a renewable source).

IS IT DEPENDENT ON CLIMATE? Solar water heaters are suitable for all climates, including colder climates prone to frost and snow. Evacuated tube systems can be used in areas prone to frost and areas where temperatures reach below zero. Some flat plate systems work with a special anti-freeze fluid which guards collectors against freezing or cracking. In some cases, solar water heaters may be more suitable than heat pumps, which work less efficiently at low temperatures.

Where to place solar collectors?

It is important that solar collectors receive full sunshine during the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky and at its strongest. A solar hot water system will be suitable as long as the collectors won’t be shaded by trees or by an adjoining property.

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 50

Heat transfer within the solar collector

‘When sighting the solar collectors on the roof space, plan for the future possibility of solar voltaic panels.

This will save installation costs when additional roof space is needed. Both of these systems require identical positions so planning now is important.’

Ideally you will have an area for the collectors that faces north. If you have an east, west or south facing roof, you will need to install a frame to angle the collector toward the north for maximum exposure to the sun as it moves from east to west.

Systems can still provide acceptable performance when not facing north, however performance diminishes as the panels face further south.

It is advisable to check your local council regulations for any restrictions or special requirements for the installation of solar water heaters.

What sized system is the best option?

No matter what the size of the household is or level of water use, a solar water heater can be matched to the requirements by selecting an appropriate tank capacity and number of collectors.

Behavioral changes such as showering in the morning instead of at night will help in avoiding the use of the system booster, therefore lowering the hot water costs. Fitting low flow fittings to showers and taps will also minimise the amount of hot water used.

Below is a table that provides a general indication when recommending the right size tank for your customers: Number of householders

Capacity (litres)

Collector area (m2)

1-2 3-4 5-6

160-200 300-370 440

2 4 6

Solar heated water returns to tank

Hot water outlet to home Cold water pumped to solar collector Hot water storage tank Cold water inlet Solar water flow process

You can also place a tank in a space inside the house such as in a spare cupboard. However, for inside tank installations, you will need to ensure there is adequate drainage and an overflow pipe is fitted to avoid flooding. A new Australian standard has been introduced to address the overflow problem for new systems.

‘When sighting the solar collectors on the roof space, plan for the future possibility of solar voltaic panels. This will save installation costs when additional roof space is needed. Both of these systems require identical positions so planning now is important.’

Applications The solar water heaters described here are appropriate for residential water heating in the home. Not all solar hot water heaters are suitable for pool heating. There are specially designed solar water heaters available for use with swimming pools.

Health and safety The thermostat on the booster should be set to at least 60°C to kill any pathogens and avoid the growth of legionella bacteria. The maximum safe temperature for tap water in order to avoid burns is 50°C. A temperature valve will ensure that water is delivered at a safe temperature.

Where can you position a hot water tank?

You have the option of positioning a tank either on the roof, on the ground, or in a roof cavity.

Thermosiphon solar water heater Roof mounted tanks are placed horizontally above the collectors.

This type of arrangement is called a thermosiphon system. It does not require pumps or controllers and leaves the ground level space free. As roof mounted tanks can be quite heavy (between 300 to 700 kg) you will need to make sure your roof is strong enough to support this added weight.

Roof reinforcing may only be needed for older buildings, and is not usually an issue for new housing. If in doubt contact a structural engineer for an assessment.

Further information CHOICE publishes information on hot water options, manufacturers and government rebates. In particular see their Buying Guide: Hot Water Options and follow links to Solar Hot Water Systems.

For more information on hot water systems see the Your Home website, in particular their information on hot water services.

Contact your state/territory government or local council for local information on hot water systems including rebates.

The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator publishes the number of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that each model of heat pump and solar water heater can earn in different climate zones.

Acknowledgements Split system solar water heater

This fact sheet drew on the following references:

Placing a tank at ground level or in the roof cavity, called a split system, will require a pump for circulating the water to the collectors. The pump will need electricity to power it and will require maintenance. For this type of arrangement, it is best to locate your tank close to where hot water is used the most, such as near your bathroom or kitchen, to maximise efficiency.

• Your Home Technical Manual (viewed May 2009). Hot Water Service fact sheet

www.masterelectricians.com.au

• Resource Smart (viewed Feb 2010). Solar Hot Water fact sheet • Mr Lewis Hiley of Sunplus CPC for information and advice.

51 ME

workplacerelations PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Performance management is an integral part of any business, HOWEVER, IT can prove costly if IT’S not managed correctly. IT is a means of increasing productivity levels and providing motivation to ensure a high quality and quantity of work is maintained.

Performance appraisals To manage performance successfully, performance appraisals must be conducted on a regular periodic basis – generally monthly, quarterly or six-monthly and in some cases annually.

The appraisal process provides an opportunity for the employer, and the employee to discuss and evaluate an employee’s current performance and implement a strategy to manage any issues.

If there is an identified issue, an appraisal meeting should happen immediately, for example a low standard of work, because if an issue is left unaddressed it can reduce your business’s ability to effectively manage the situation in the future.

IMPORTANT: If you specify in your employment contract that performance appraisals are conducted on a periodic basis, you will need to comply with this. If you dismiss an employee for poor performance without an appraisal, you can be legally challenged as you would not have complied with the terms of the employment contract.

Simplified steps for dealing with poor performance Step 1 – Identify and explain the work performance issue with the employee and give the employee enough time to rectify the issue. The expected improvements and agreed time frame for this improvement to occur must be clear. This should be documented.

Step 2 – Provide a written warning to the employee if the issue re-occurs. Remember to include the ways an employee can rectify their behaviour and a time frame for the employee to improve.

Step 3 – Provide a second and third (final) written warning if the employee still continues with the poor performance. Ensure that you explain to the employee that if their performance does not improve the next step will be to terminate their employment.

Step 4 – After taking all these steps and showing procedural fairness, if the employee’s performance still has not improved you need to inform the employee they will be dismissed. The correct dismissal procedures must also be adhered to eg, termination notice etc.

Importance of performance management

Employers need to:

Performance management will identify and resolve poor performance among your employees and provide a more productive work environment. Dealing with poor performance issues and using correct procedures will minimize the exposure to unfair dismissal and adverse action claims against your business.

It is important to ensure each manager understands and implements correct performance management procedures to comply with current legislation.

• Make sure they provide all employees with a position description and employment contract or agreement prior to commencement of employment (which stipulates the actual duties and responsibilities of the role which performance can be evaluated against) • Put all new employees on an probationary period • Implement a performance review policy • Comply with the terms written in an employment contract or relevant Award/Enterprise Agreement • Conduct regular performance appraisals • When counselling employees ensure you offer them an opportunity to have a support person in the meeting. the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 52

THE IMPORTANCE OF DISPLAYING CONSIDERATION TO EMPLOYEES WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION In a recent case, the need for employers to show diligence to any employee who may be suffering from a medical condition – work related or not – has been highlighted.

Legal solutions for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Advice on contracts Contractual and payment disputes Business structures Asset protection

The decision in this case provides a stern reminder that unfair dismissal is an area that requires specialist advice. The employee who was terminated by his employer for his inability to fulfill the inherent requirements of his position, was reinstated as the dismissal was deemed to be unfair.

Buying and selling businesses

Background

Wills and Estates

Mr. Button was born with a congenital defect bladder which resulted in him having his bladder surgically removed. He had a drain inserted called an ileal conduit which he has to use for the rest of his life.

Mr. Button was employed by his employer as a brewery technician in June 2005.

In March 2008, Mr. Button was diagnosed with a hernia on the site of the drain, Mr. Button’s urology registrar advised no heavy lifting with weight over 5kg while working.

Mr. Button was placed on light duties by his employer.

His employer appointed an occupational therapist and instructed Mr. Button to perform his restricted duties and visit his medical practitioners regularly.

Mr. Button’s treating surgeon was contacted by the brewery and he stated the following: “Mr. Button has a ileal conduit urinary stoma and has developed a hernia, I would regard this as an indefinite restriction” His employer ordered another occupational therapist to evaluate Mr. Button based on his treating doctor’s assessment.

After a medical evaluation and employment analysis, Mr. Button’s employment was terminated.

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Evidence Management had a meeting to discuss the options for Mr. Button, It was considered with Mr. Button’s restricted duties and the assistance which would be required from his fellow employees, continuing his employment would not be a viable option.

Redeployment was also deemed not a viable option as no positions were available which would suit Mr. Button’s skill set which did not require lifting.

The report from the second occupational therapist concluded Mr. Button could not continue to safely perform his current

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6/09/10 5:00 PM

duties, and that his restrictions are likely to be permanent.

Recommendations were provided to Mr. Button to further his skills and undertake a vocational assessment, or to enroll into a course that would expand his skills.

Mr. Button’s employment was terminated and he was provided with a formal termination letter.

Decision No valid reason was found for Mr. Button’s dismissal and his dismissal was deemed harsh, unjust and unreasonable.

The employer had altered Mr. Button’s role to suit the requirements of his condition which makes it evident that Mr. Button can perform the inherent requirements of his job.

It was found that Mr. Button’s incapacity had no adverse impact on the safety and welfare of his team members.

Mr. Button was reinstated to his former position.

Appeal The employer applied for an appeal on the decision which was granted and the prior decision was quashed.

The outcome of the appeal is still to be decided.

The lesson to employers The above case makes it evident that employers must show diligence when terminating an employee who has a medical condition, even if it is not directly related to their work.

Employers need to accommodate an employee’s medical condition as genuinely as possible, and also ensure the employee is still able to fulfill the inherent requirements of their position.

External assistance from a qualified workplace assessor, such as an occupational therapist, should be sought to support the business in making the correct decision when managing an employee with an illness or injury which may affect their capacity to perform the inherent duties of the role.

53 ME

gridgossip

Round 6 – Surfers Paradise At the time of print, Master Electricians/SIMPRO racing driver Andre Borell was preparing for the next round of the Formula Ford Championship to be held on the Gold Coast on 22-24 October.

This is his sneak peek of what a lap in the fast seat feels like.

Sun, sand, girls and parties – that’s what most people think of when you mention Indy, or SuperGP, or Gold Coast 600, or whatever the event is called at the moment. Point is – that’s not what I think when you mention the sixth round of our championship. I think long straights, heavy braking zones, big curbs and concrete walls. In other words – a real ball tearer of a circuit.

We raced at Surfers Paradise last year, but there were a couple of differences.

It was the eighth and final round of our championship, and it was of course the old, longer, circuit. This year, the track has been shortened, roughly in half, and it will be a whole new challenge.

This is what it feels like to be in the driver’s seat.

You start the lap rocketing along the main straight. The title of ‘main straight’ is a bit misleading, as the ‘straight’ curves fairly aggressively to the right the whole way. It is however 100 per cent throttle the whole time, so we call it a straight. It’s narrow, and feels like a tunnel with the grandstands and palm trees looming above. You hit about 225kph before hitting the brakes for turn 1 at the 100m board.

You wash off speed stupidly fast, with the car weighing only around 500kg in race trim.

And somehow you manage to get it down to 100kph with tyres locked and brakes squealing by the apex of the tight chicane of turn 1. It’s a left-right-left complex, but is referred to as one corner. You have to be really careful not to catch your left rear wheel on the tyre bundle on the exit.

Turn 2 is new this year. You now turn left towards the beachside esplanade, where the track used to continue straight down towards the Holiday Inn hotel. I don’t really like the new layout as it removes the two best passing opportunities on the lap.

Anyway, this new corner looks tricky as the exit is off-camber and it will be impossible to get the power down for a good exit. Look out for some people hitting the outside wall here.

You thunder along the beach after turn 2, and head towards the turn 3 complex – the XXXX Gold Chicane. This is a dizzying experience as you go left-right-left-right-left while launching as much of the car as you dare across the curbs. The V8 Supercars have tyre bundles here so they can’t cut it.

Formula Ford don’t, so don’t be surprised to see all four wheels off the deck as cars well and truly smash the curbs.

After you’ve got the heart-rate back down after that experience, get ready as you need to stop the car again for turn 4. Not such a big stop this time, just a leisurely 180kph down to 70kph in 60 metres or so. There is a big crown in the road here so the car is difficult, constantly misbehaving, and on top of that there is a huge bump on the exit

which unsettles the rear as you try and get the power to the road.

Turn 5 and 6 is a nice little section which you can link together and get into quite a nice rhythm. It’s two fairly simple 90 degree stop-go corners. There are a lot of shadows here from the apartment buildings and the overhanging trees. This makes distances rather hard to judge, and the track stays wet for longer here if it has rained – very tricky!

A short burst on the throttle and you’re already at turn 7, the slowest and final corner on the track. It feels like you’re driving right through middle of the crowd here, as the spectator hill on the left and the grandstand on the right seem to tower above you. This the trickiest corner on the track, as you have a curved braking zone, and a curved corner exit. Because the long main straight is up next, your exit is absolutely crucial and I mean crucial! Your exit determines your speed the whole way down to Turn 1. Get the exit right, and you might just better that 225kph top speed mentioned earlier by a ‘k’ or two. Get it wrong and you’re 10kph slower and a sitting duck for passing moves. That’s bad news.

So that’s a lap of Surfers Paradise. Come race day – we’ll do that 15 times in a race with an average heart rate of 180bpm.

Not only will I have to think about what I’m doing, but there will be 25 other young, driven and aggressive drivers doing it too, all fighting for every inch of road in a 200kph game of chicken. Let’s see who comes out on top, and let’s hope it’s the bright green car!

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 54

testdrive

Subaru Liberty GT It appears that cars are becoming more simplistic to operate with every new model. Soon, you will hop in, hold your hands in the air so the automatic seatbelt can be fastened across you, then sit back and relax as youR car drives you to your meeting – all while you read your copy of The Master Electrician.

BY ANDRE BORELL

Car Supplied by Llewellyn Subaru (Subaru Retailer of the Year 2009 & 2010)

www.masterelectricians.com.au

55 ME The Subaru Liberty GT continues on this path, and marks the first car I have ever driven with an electronic handbrake. Yep – no lever to be seen, just a push button.

Now this isn’t a big deal in itself, but it subconsciously does two things. Firstly, it sets the tone for what to expect from the car. Secondly, it makes the car feel a little less like a car. By removing one of the ‘normal’ parts that each and every car you’ve driven before has you expect it to be automated and numb.

The exterior of the Liberty GT is nice, very nice. Pictures do not do it justice, you have to see it in the flesh. This is the car version of a mullet, but in reverse. It’s a party at the front and business at the back. It’s WRC car meets executive sedan. It’s muscle meets refinement. It’s a very well balanced blend of sporty looks and class. The lights, grille and bonnet scoop all allude to the power that lurks underneath the hood, while the A-pillar back is all business. If you rock up to a meeting, park nose first. If you’re going to a party, do the opposite.

Move to the interior, and the Liberty GT is also extremely easy on the eyes. The beautiful mix of leather, polished metal and carbon fibre suggests that this car is no run-of-themill sedan. Like the outside, it’s corporate cleanliness and sporty performance thrown into your blender to produce some sort of very refined piece of art.

I drove the 2.5L model, and it has more than enough get-up-and-go for your normal driving. The power isn’t an almighty kick in the bum, but it moves. It’s got 196kW and 350Nm of torque to push you along.

You can give it a sportier feel by changing the driving mode. There are three modes to choose from, ‘S’ for Sport, ‘S#’ which apparently is called Sport Sharp, and ‘I’ for Intelligent. The car always starts in ‘S’ mode, and won’t change until it is warm. To be honest then, this should thus be called ‘D’ for Default, or ‘N’ for Normal, not Sport.

Anyway, Sport Sharp changed the power from average to good. The throttle is more responsive and there appears to be more power on tap. ‘I’ mode is the most fuel efficient, and predictably the most dull.

Handling is best summed up in one word – firm. The ride is still very good and it means the Liberty GT holds the road very well indeed. This, coupled with the intelligent 4WD, means unless you have driven a supercar or a racecar, it will be the best handling car you have driven. The tyre and wheel package also helps the car to feel very steady on it’s feet, with no ‘squirmy’ feel when you really lean on them. Impressive.

As was alluded to in the introduction, this car is rather big on the electronics front, as the electric handbrake suggests. All the usual suspects are there – power windows, automatic lights and wipers, electric seats and so on. Paddle shift is a lovely and unexpectedly good feature, with gear shifts being quick and precise. The centre console however sports the main gizmo – a massive LCD screen, which controls your satnav, phone, iPod and probably some of Cuba’s nuclear weapons. Sounds complicated right? Well luckily it’s not, so you won’t need to ask a cranky teenager for assistance. The menu is large and clear,

and simple to navigate, although the touch screen feature seems to need some work.

Another very cool feature is the reversing camera which displays on the afore mentioned screen once you select reverse.

If you’re over the age of 25, safety will probably be important to you and your family too. If you are not at that age yet, skip this paragraph, because you’re still bulletproof and it is of no value to you yet.

The Liberty GT has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and no less than seven airbags.

It also has VDC (Vehicle Driving Control) software, which includes ABS, TCS, EBD and a bunch of other acronyms. From what I can understand, that’s Anti-lock Brake System, Traction Control System and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution.

Basically that means you can drive without the faintest idea of car control and still probably manage not to harm yourself. I said probably.

Overall, the Liberty GT is a solid, safe, and smart evolution of the previous model. It is more modern looking, has more gizmos and is ‘greener’. To my surprise, despite there being more electronics than an Airbus A380, the car still felt fun, exciting and real. It’s a good progression of the previous model, and is a nice, medium price point, corporate vehicle – with a lot of bang for your buck.

newsflash

Subaru Liberty GT Engine

Boxer 4-cyl, 2457cc, Turbo Charged, SOHC with i-AVLS

Power

195kW @ 56000rpm

Torque

350Nm @ 2400-5200rpm

Economy (L/100km) Emissions RRP

7.5L/100km (Highway) 228 $57,243

Figures based on Automatic model

Fire caused by electrical cord

PICTURED BELOW: FORMULA FORD DRIVER ANDRE BORELL Firefighters rushed to a Queensland home after an electrical cord caught fire.

Upon entry to the premises and carrying out their investigations they believe the fire was started by a faulty electrical cord. Acting S.O. Andrews said it was a timely reminder to all residents to have their electrical appliances checked. www.thechronicle.com.au

the master electrician

SPRING 10

ME 56

eventscalendar what’s on NOVEMBER 3 – 5 November 2010 DesignBuild Perth www.designbuildexpo.com.au 5 November 2010 Annual Excellence Awards Brisbane www.masterelectricians.com.au

10 November 2010 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Computers and Communications Sydney www.sciencealert.com 10 – 12 November 2010 Traders 500 / Podium 2010 Brisbane www.connectionsoz.com.au

Perth: 8 & 9 November 2010 Melbourne: 11 & 12 November 2010 Sydney: 15 & 16 November 2010 Practical Electrical Wiring Standards – AS 3000:2007 www.idc-online.com

Stronger.

Safer.

Smarter.

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DECEMBER 1 – 4 December 2010 Traders 500 / Podium 2010 Sydney www.connectionsoz.com.au Melbourne: 2 & 3 December 2010 Sydney: 6 & 7 December 2010 Brisbane: 9 & 10 December 2010 Practical Process Control www.idc-online.com 6 – 10 December 2010 Australian Conference on Optical Fibre Technology Melbourne www.aip2010.org.au

57 ME

your best or worststory It’s easy, send us your favourite funny story or picture and if we publish it, we’ll send you $50.

This image is a Pad-mount H.V. Transformer at a beautiful Island “resort” in the kingdom of Tonga – and yes, it is energised and operational! The trail up from the beach uses the H.V. supply cable itself as both a guide and support “rope” to access the walking trail that goes past it. When I suggested a better enclosure and perhaps

a bit of signage wouldn’t be amiss I was told that there was a vertical drop behind it so no fence was necessary there, and people should realise how dangerous it is and their pigs can’t read anyway!

Eric Kotz, recently retired electrician, Port Lincoln SA Eric has a cheque for $50 on its way as this edition’s winner.

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SPRING 10

ME 58

lastword Social media and what it can do for your business I thought social media was only for Generation Y to share with their friends a running commentary of their every activity, no matter how mundane. Most of us have steered clear of it because we don’t understand it. But are social media tools just a way for young people to make fools of themselves or can it be used as a business tool?

We all know the Internet is here to stay.

Australia ranks sixth in the world in terms of the total number of Internet users, despite its relatively small population. The internet is also increasingly used by customers to gather intelligence before engaging directly with a business who can deliver their needs. So how does social media fit into this landscape?

According to market research company comScore more than 70 per cent of Australians visited a social networking site in June of 2009 and this figure is on the rise. Companies are recognising the benefit of getting involved in social networks to generate leads, keep up with their industry, and monitor online conversations about their business.

There are many examples of social media success stories with companies making valuable connections with customers.

International computer manufacturer Dell has achieved millions in sales by using Twitter to offer special deals on refurbished stock to its followers. McDonald’s was able to increase foot traffic to its stores by 33 percent in one day with a campaign using location-based social networking website Foursquare.

Social media is not just for big companies. Smaller businesses are tapping into social media with relative success.

Sydney-based Fletcher Tax Accountants regularly engage with potential and existing clients by using Facebook, Twitter and a company blog. With frequent leads coming through the door the company considers social media as a key tool in the growth of their business.

But is social media a threat or opportunity? Social media allows businesses to foster a culture of transparency and trust not found elsewhere with conversations with customers happening in real time. While this provides

the opportunity to engage with customers on a more personal level, it also means negative conversations can spread more quickly. However, if you are actively participating in social media you can also help to shape the outcome.

Getting started in social media is a low cost way to reach and engage audiences.

While it won’t solve all of your marketing woes, when used innovatively social media is a powerful tool that can deliver results.

I believe the key to social media business success it to have a strategy in place and the resources to maintain it.

Follow Master Electricians Australia on Twitter: @MasterElecAust Facebook: www.facebook.com/ masterelectricians

MALCOLM RICHARDS Chief Executive Officer

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