Th e return of the Scotland

Scotland Roadshows Meet the NICEIC team

Our technical team is visiting Scotland for a series of roadshow seminars in November.

Th ese half-day events have proved popular with electrical contractors keen to fi nd out more about the industry – or how NICEIC can help boost their business. Th ey are free to attend and open to all electricians, not just NICEIC registrants.

Th e hot topic for the next series will be the upcoming 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations, due to be released in July 2018.

Host and industry expert Darren Staniforth will discuss what contractors can expect to see in the updated regulations and explain some of the reasons for the changes.

The roadshows take place on:

November 7: Edinburgh International Climbing Arena November 8: Ayr, Western House Hotel, Ayr Racecourse November 9: Glasgow, Hampden Park Stadium

For more information, and to book your place, go to www.niceic.com/events

Call for common electrical safety standard

Jenny Gilruth MSP stands up for safety Electrical Safety First has called for a common electrical safety standard in Scotland to remove disparities between standards in private and social rented housing.

In its Inequality Street campaign, Electrical Safety First called for safety checks every fi ve years in all social housing, mandatory electrical safety checks in owner-occupied properties or, as a fi rst step, in owner-occupied fl ats, and RCDs to be fi tted in all rented homes.

Th e private rented sector has seen the introduction of mandatory fi ve-yearly safety inspections, but there is no such requirement in the social-rented or owner-occupied sectors, despite these tenures accounting for more than 80 per cent of Scotland’s housing.

Th e organisation, backed by MSPs including Ruth Davidson and Jenny Gilruth, has also called for owners of fl ats to be required to meet higher safety standards than owner-occupiers.

GET THE RIGHT COVER FOR YOUR BUSINESS

NICEIC has appointed SME Insurance Services (SMEi) to ensure electrical contractors get the best deal for their business.

Under the terms of the appointment, SMEi will manage the operation of NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services.

SMEi is a specialist commercial insurance broker dedicated to arranging insurance for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. SMEi holds a gold Feefo award in recognition of consistently delivering positive customer services over the last 12 months.

Visit www.niceic-and-elecsainsurance.com to fi nd out more, and see if you can benefi t from a great deal for your business today.

ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY OFFERS RELIEF

The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) is the national charity for the electrical and energy industries.

It off ers free, confi dential services to everyone in the industry, including immediate family members.

The EIC website contains a host of useful videos and information on how to apply for funding.

To fi nd out more about how the charity could help you, please visit www.electricalcharity.org

TRAINEES TAKE SAFETY SERIOUSLY

Electrical Safety First and the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust got 555 apprentice electricians and adult trainees in Scotland off to a safe start in their careers with free lockout kits valued at £21 each.

Trainee electricians studying at 20 approved centres across Scotland – from the Shetland Isles to the Borders – received the safe isolation kits, altogether worth almost £12,000, over the summer.

“It’s vital that everyone in the industry adopts safe working practices and procedures, and it’s important that this is established right at the start of an electrician’s career,” says Phil Buckle, chief executive of Electrical Safety First.