Connections - Autumn 2015

NICEIC and ELECSA launch apprentice challenge // page 7

connections THE MAGAZINE FOR NICEIC AND ELECSA REGISTERED CONTRACTORS

CASE STUDY P20 Illuminating the iconic Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse in Plymouth

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY P28 Contractors are winning business by helping customers cut energy costs

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES P32 Rising demand for green cars creates good opportunities for charging point installers

AUTUMN 2015 | ISSUE 195

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KNOWING NO BOUNDS Aylesbury-based Bounds Electrical Services is on a mission to expand

// page 24

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Autumn 2015 | Issue 195

Contents Finding a resolution NICEIC and ELECSA’s platinum promise offers reassurance to both customers and contractors

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4

Plugged in 20 6

New contest to find electrical apprentice of the year

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Industry legend hails apprentices

7

Sparks fly at Luton Town FC kit launch

8

New series of TechTalks

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Students targeted in latest safety campaign Renewables news Government proposes more cuts to FiT rates Consultation needed on energy plans Product news The latest products on the market

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28 12

Features

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Contractor profile 24 With a reputation for test and inspection work for managing agents and energy efficiency installations, Aylesbury-based Bounds Electrical is now looking to spread its net further

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Live wire Advice 17 Becoming more business agile is about being able to embrace change, says Belinda Waldock Opinion 18 There’s no time like the present when it comes to installing non-combustible consumer units, says Mike Cash Case study 20 Plymouth’s historic landmarks are now stunningly illuminated, thanks to Hyde Park Electrical Ltd Insight 23 Leasing a vehicle is a reliable and hassle-free way to keep your business on the road, says David Holden Current affairs Test instruments never sounded so good

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Fully charged Ask the experts 37 Answers to the technical helpline’s more frequently asked questions Technical Fire detectors in loft spaces

Spend to save 28 Electrical contractors have a key role to play in helping consumers cut energy costs One for the road 32 Electrical vehicles are now in demand and this will lead to an increase in work for charging point installers

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Protective measures for agricultural locations

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Working near overhead lines

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Installing metal consumer units

50

Minimising impact to cables in walls or partitions

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The use of IT supply systems in electrical installations

57

Snags and solutions

60

» Cover photo: Richard Lea-Hair

Illustration: Cameron Law

News Don’t miss out – book for Live North now

Connections Autumn 2015 3

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Comment EMMA CLANCY

First phase Finding a suitable resolution NICEIC and ELECSA’s platinum promise offers reassurance to customers, but also helps to protect registered contractors and prevent disputes from escalating

A

ccording to the latest DCLG figures there are roughly 46,000 registered electrical firms in the UK. Prior to 2005, and before Part P of the building regulations, that number was just 10,500 – with NICEIC and ECA the only organisations providing professional services at that time.

With the introduction of Part P, NICEIC launched its Domestic Installer Scheme and other scheme operators entered the market. Of course, registration is not just about the right to work under Part P. The registration and assessment of a business sets it aside from the competition and the NICEIC and ELECSA badge provides consumers with a brand they can trust.

At NICEIC and ELECSA all work carried out by our contractors is covered by our ‘platinum promise’. This is protection for consumers should work not meet the appropriate regulations or installation standards.

However, platinum promise is not designed just to protect the consumer – it is also there as protection for our registered contractors. As part of the platinum

Emma Clancy is chief executive officer, Certsure

promise process all complaints come into our complaints resolution system.

There can be many reasons why a complaint has arisen and it is often down to a technical misunderstanding, either from the customer or contractor’s perspective. This is where the platinum promise works on behalf of the contractor. In the first instance of dealing with any complaint we will always contact the contractor and give them the opportunity to provide us further information about the complaint.

NICEIC and ELECSA are often able to facilitate between both parties in this situation where unfortunately communication might have broken down.

We act as a mediation service and, thankfully, the small number of complaints we do get are often resolved at this first hurdle.

Client disputes can be time-consuming and costly for electrical contractors. This is where registration proves beneficial for both consumer and contractor. Customer confidence is key to growing brand awareness, which ultimately generates more work for those who choose to register.

CONTACTS // CONNECTIONS 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP EDITORIAL General 020 7880 6200 Fax 020 7324 2791 Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk Editor Nick Martindale Technical editor Timothy Benstead Sub editor Victoria Burgher Creative director Mark Parry Art editor Adrian Taylor Picture researcher Akin Falope Publishing and business development director Aaron Nicholls ADVERTISING/MARKETING Senior sales executive Darren Hale Display 020 7880 6206 Fax 020 7880 7553 Email darren.hale@redactive.co.uk Sales executive Greg Lee Email Greg.lee@redactive.co.uk Classified 0207 880 7633

4

PRODUCTION General production enquiries 020 7880 6240 Fax 020 7880 7691 Production manager Jane Easterman Production executive Rachel Young Email rachel.young@redactive.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS Should you require your own copy of Connections or multiple copies for your staff, subscriptions are available by calling 020 8950 9117 CONTRIBUTIONS Connections welcomes ideas for contributions.

Please email nick.martindale@ redactive.co.uk ISSN 2042-5732

© Redactive Publishing Ltd 2015 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Registered No. 3156216. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Redactive Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.

Printed by Southernprint.

Paper by Denmaur Papers plc The paper mill that makes the text paper for this magazine states that it uses at least 80 per cent wood pulp from sustainable sources.

WWW.NICEIC.COM WWW.ELECSA.CO.UK ENQUIRIES Certsure 01582 539000 Communications manager Paul Collins 01582 539148 paul.s.collins@certsure.com NICEIC Direct Paul Elcock 01582 539709 paul.elcock@certsure.com Twitter @officialNICEIC or @officialELECSA Technical helpline 0870 013 0391 Customer services 0870 013 0382 Sales 0870 013 0458 Training 0870 013 0389 Legal/tax 24-hour helpline 0845 602 5965

Autumn 2015 Connections

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N O RT H 2 0 1 5

2 6 N O V E M B E R

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• Technical experts on hand to answer your questions

Senior Events and Marketing Engineer, NICEIC & ELECSA

• A lively trade exhibition with demo zone Darren Staniforth • Plus much more...!

Technical Development Manager, NICEIC & ELECSA

BOOK NOW Gain discounts on top products

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Exhibition only and apprentice passes are available free of charge!

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NICEIC, ELECSA and ECA contractors

Eventia Awards ‘UK Conference of the Year’ Gold Winner 2014

Construction Marketing Awards ‘Best Use of Events and Live Marketing’

29/09/2015 14:54

News/Renewables news/Product news

Plugged in Need-to-know industry news for electrical installers

Don’t miss out – book now for Live North Tickets are selling fast for next month’s NICEIC ELECSA Live event, which will be held in the illustrious surroundings of Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse.

The event takes place on 26 November, and will be headlined by architect and TV presenter George Clarke (below), star of The Restoration Man and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.

Contractors will also be able to get up to speed with the latest changes to the 17th edition, including the implications of the third amendment.

“Over the past four years NICEIC and ELECSA Live has firmly established itself as the leading event in the electrical contracting industry,” said Mark Smith, Cersture’s marketing and communications director.

“It is a chance for electrical contractors to enjoy

a fun and informative day out that will ultimately help them with their business.”

As well as a packed seminar programme, attendees will also be able to meet a wide range of suppliers, including headline sponsors Bosch Power Tools, Elite Security Products, Scolmore and WF Senate, as well as getting their hands on the latest kit and taking advantage of various special offers and up to £250 worth of discounts.

The event costs £29 plus VAT for NICEIC, ELECSA and ECA contractors, and £49 plus VAT for non-registered contractors. Exhibition-only and apprentice passes are free.

To book your place visit www.niceicelecsalive.com or call 020 7324 2771.

CONTRACTORS URGED TO CONSIDER BAFE CERTIFICATION Did you know that NICEIC offers an additional scheme for those firms primarily involved in the fire detection and fire alarm industry?

For more than 25 years, BAFE approval schemes have set the industry standards for the fire protection industry.

NICEIC can help contractors demonstrate their competence in this market by providing a route for them to become BAFE certified contractors.

BAFE’s objective is to provide a means by which fire protection system users and regulatory authorities can recognise and be confident that the companies providing fire alarm systems have processes in place and are competent to effectively undertake fire alarm activities.

BAFE SP203-1 has been set up as a modular scheme specifically to facilitate certification for the different work activities associated with fire detection and fire alarm systems. The modules are design, installation, commissioning and handover, and maintenance.

The advantage of this approach for businesses is that you can be assessed in only the areas you wish to work.

NICEIC has updated all its material relating to BAFE registration and is running a special £50 off offer for all current Certsure registrants. For more information email join@niceic.com

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AMENDMENT 3 WEBINAR ATTRACTS HUGE AUDIENCE More than 1,500 conscientious sparks tuned into NICEIC and ELECSA’s first ever live webinar in July.

The Wire, which was hosted by the dynamic duo Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth, provided viewers with a free, informative update on the changes to the BS 7671 wiring regulations.

“The introduction of amendment 3 brought about some big changes and it is important that all contractors are aware of the changes and what they might mean to them when carrying out electrical installation work,” said Sarah King, events manager at NICEIC. “We have already spoken to more than 2,000 contractors at our regional TechTalk shows earlier this year, but we wanted to put on something else for those who could not make any of these events.

“This was the first time we’ve put on a live webinar and, with more than 1,500 people watching, we were overwhelmed by the response.

“It really goes to show how seriously NICEIC and ELECSA contractors take their work,” she added. “These were contractors who took an hour off work to update their knowledge and ensure they work to the highest of standards.

“NICEIC and ELECSA are constantly looking at new and innovative ways to reach our customers. The webinar was just the latest method of doing this.

“We are committed to ensuring all our customers have access to the latest industry information and we hope all who tuned in found the webinar useful and beneficial to their business.”

More than 2, 500 people signed up for the webinar prior to it going live.

A recording is available to anyone who signed up but was not able to make the live event.

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FREE POCKET GUIDE Inside this issue of Connections you will find Pocket Guide 34 – External influences recognised in Section 522.

A printable version of each pocket guide is available on the NICEIC website.

Additional copies can be obtained by contacting tthe customer service department on 0870 013 0382 or at enquires@certsure.com o

CERTSURE JOINS NEW SAFETY ALLIANCE Certsure has joined other industry leaders to form the Consumer Protection Alliance; a non-commercial, not-for-profit, strategic alliance to promote consumer safety and protection across the construction, gas and electrical installation sectors. The alliance is the first collaboration of this nature in the UK. Certsure, which operates the NICEIC and ELECSA brands, will be joining forces with B&Q Homefit, Gas Safe Register and the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman to better serve homeowners and use its voice collectively to influence policy decision makers to create more effective consumer legislation.

“We are delighted to be part of this alliance, which will work on behalf of the consumer to improve safety standards,” said Certsure CEO Emma Clancy.

“As a group we want to highlight the reasons for using accredited, professional tradespersons and the benefits of this.”

New contest to find the apprentice of the year Calling all trainee sparks! NICEIC and ELECSA is on the lookout for the electrical apprentice of the year.

This is the first ever NICEIC and ELECSA competition to test level 3 students. Set to launch this winter, there will be three stages to the contest. The first stage will be an online exam on electrical installations open to all students.

Entrants will then be whittled down to the top 20 per cent, who will go on to the

second stage of the contest – a practical 90-minute exam that will be held at one of seven locations across the UK. The practical sessions will be marked

by NICEIC and ELECSA’s Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth, with the top eight making it through to the grand final, which will take place next summer at partner sponsor Clik Scolmore’s headquarters in Tamworth.

The eight finalists will be expected to complete several practical tests and undergo a short interview with Cable and Staniforth, before the winner is announced at a special awards event at the Belfry Golf Resort in Warwickshire.

The winner will receive a £2,000 holiday voucher and there will be a £500 holiday voucher for the runner-up, and each finalist will also receive an iPad. Keep an eye out on future communications from NICEIC and ELECSA for more details.

Industry legend hails apprentices

GET THE EXPERT LOOK Our range of personalised stationery products will help you deliver a professional image to your customers and promote your firm alongside your registration mark. The range of stationery items available include: • ID cards • Business cards • Quotations/invoices • Notepads • Letterheads To order your ID cards and stationery now, log into the secure area of the NICEIC or ELECSA websites and select the tab marked personalised stationery.

NICEIC and ELECSA’s senior marketing and events engineer Tony Cable was on hand to present more than 60 apprentices with their certificates, after completing their four-year apprenticeships with DCET Training.

The newly qualified electricians attended an official presentation ceremony at DCET’s head office in Exeter, and were joined by family and friends.

Bernard Collins, DCET’s curriculum manager, was Master of Ceremonies.

“This really is a tremendous achievement,” he said. “The electrical apprenticeship takes three and a half years of on-site assessment, practical work and classroom lessons. It is hard going at times and there is a tough practical exam at the end. I take my hat off to the learners for sticking with it.”

Cable added: “It is great to see the new breed of young electricians coming through and I was delighted to help out.

“Apprenticeships are vital for the future of our industry, but it is also important to remember the part the employers play in this successful training.

“They have paid wages and offered support and experience throughout the apprenticeship. I hope the newly qualified electricians go on to have a long and rewarding career like mine.”

Connections Autumn 2015

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News/Renewables news/Product news

Plugged in WARNING OVER GAP IN TENANT CHANGES

Sparks fly at Luton Town FC kit launch Electrical contractors got the chance to meet the players and management of Luton Town FC recently to help launch the League Two side’s new kit for 2015-16.

The group of sparks, who are all Luton Town supporters, were invited to take part in the shoot on behalf of NICEIC and ELECSA, which have agreed to extend their sponsorship of Luton Town FC for the 2015-16 season.

NICEIC has a long association with the club, which is local to its head office in Dunstable. The NICEIC logo will appear on the home shirt of the Hatters for the seventh year in a row, while the ELECSA logo will be on the away shirt for the second season in succession.

“We are delighted to again be putting our brands behind Luton Town and continuing the partnership we have built up over the past seven years,” said Mark Smith, marketing and communications

director at Certsure, which operates the NICEIC and ELECSA brands.

“As one of the largest employers in the area it is important we show our support for our local team and the club is a great ambassador for our brands.”

Luton Town regularly get more than 8,000 fans at each home game and appear on Channel 5’s Football League show every Saturday night, ensuring plenty of coverage for the NICEIC and ELECSA brands.

The club’s website also attracts over 88,000 visitors each month and has more than 5,500 subscribers to its You Tube channel, which has now attracted more than 2.5 million viewers.

Dave Hoskins, commercial manager at Luton Town FC, added: “We have built up a real partnership with NICEIC and are delighted to have them and ELECSA on board for the new season.”

Alamy

CONSUMERS AFRAID TO ASK FOR PROOF OF REGISTRATION

8

Eighteen million people in the UK are too embarrassed to ask if an electrician is registered, according to research carried out by Electrical Safety First.

The study found that asking an electrician for proof of their professional registration was one of the top three most awkward questions, after asking a boss for a pay rise and requesting a queue jumper get to the back of the line.

The charity has since launched a major consumer campaign to raise awareness of the need to use a registered electrician.

“While most of us claim to use registered tradespeople, only one in five of us actually request proof,” explained Phil Buckle, director-general of Electrical Safety First. “It seems that British awkwardness is a real barrier when it comes to checking that an electrician is safe to work on a home.”

New regulations designed to provide additional protection for tenants in the private rented sector (PRS) have a major flaw, according to the charity Electrical Safety First.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 came into effect on 1 October, but the regulations fail to include electrical safety, despite support in Parliament.

“While we applaud any safety improvements for the PRS, we have been extremely disappointed that electrical safety has not been included in these new regulations,” said Phil Buckle, director-general of Electrical Safety First.

“It is quite extraordinary that this has been overlooked, given that electricity is responsible for almost half of all domestic fires in Great Britain, with an estimated cost of £1 billion. The human cost is, of course, incalculable, but we do know electricity kills one person a week and seriously injuries around 350,000 each year.

“Given the huge expansion in the PRS, where a third of properties fail to meet basic standards, concerns around electrical safety can only increase. So we were deeply concerned when our call for regular electrical checks in privately rented accommodation was omitted from these new regulations.”

The charity has been campaigning for improved electrical safety in the sector for some time, by calling for mandatory, five-yearly electrical checks of electrical installations in all privately rented tenancies, along with any electrical appliances supplied with it.

It has also argued for the introduction of residual current devices (RCDs), which help prevent a fatal electric shock, to be installed in all PRS homes.

Electrical Safety First successfully lobbied for mandatory electrical safety checks in PRS homes to be included in the recent Scottish Housing Bill.

The charity is currently working to extend this protection to the rapidly increasing number of private tenants in England and Wales.

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New TechTalks ready to roll NICEIC and ELECSA are preparing to hit the road with another series of their award-winning TechTalk sessions.

The events start on 13 October in Southampton and continue until March.

Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth will once again be hosting, with special talks planned on fire alarm design, installation and commissioning, new consumer units, EICR coding and CDM regulations.

“TechTalks give us the opportunity to go around the country and speak to our contractors about the latest happenings within the industry and find out first-hand the issues they want us to look at,” said Sarah King, marketing events executive at NICEIC and ELECSA. “They have proved very popular in the past and we can’t wait to get going again. We will be visiting some new venues, which will give more people a chance to come along and see what they are all about.”

Attendees will also be able to access special deals, try out some of the latest products and get plenty of technical advice from some of the industry’s biggest names exhibiting at each event.

Peugeot, WF Senate, CPN Cudis, Brother and Electrium have all signed up to be headline sponsors.

The full line up of dates and locations are: 13 October: Southampton Football Club 20 October: Alexandra Palace, London 22 October: Westpoint Arena, Exeter 11 November: Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast 3 February: Cheltenham Racecourse 11 February: Norwich City Football Club 24 February: Venu Cymru, Llandudno 9 March: Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham 15 March: Leeds United Football Club 17 March: Ipro stadium, Derby Each event takes place from 9.30am-1pm. Tickets cost £25 and include a free breakfast roll with coffee or tea.

To book online visit niceic.com or elecsa.co.uk or you can email events@certsure.com

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS In an industry-first, we have created an information pack for all specifiers of work, from landlords and architects to housing associations and local authorities.

These specially designed packs are now available to download on niceic.com and elecsa.co.uk and we will be emailing them out to all specifiers over the next few months.

The first e-shot went out last month, to more than 115,000 landlords. Further emails will be sent out each month from now until April 2016.

ON THE SPOT// DAVID TURPIN NICEIC and ELECSA employ 80 engineers across the country to assess contractors’ work and provide up-to-date technical advice. To many contractors, they will be the face of NICEIC and ELECSA. Here, we turn the tables and put them in the spotlight. » David Turpin Kent and Sussex

How did you become an area engineer?

I was the PDH/QS for my previous employer and when undergoing our annual electrical assessment the area engineer suggested I apply for the role of electrical assessor, as Part P was soon to be introduced. I have worked for ELECSA/ECA for over 10 years now.

who could hardly speak any English and had an interpreter present. The assessment did not go well.

What was your background ?

I did a full JIB apprenticeship working on hospital, school, commercial, industrial and domestic installations. I also worked installing three-minute and flood warning sirens in Kent at the end of the Cold War.

What interesting jobs have some of your contractors done?

A company that specialises in hydraulic installations of lifting bridges and sluice gates on British Waterways and an electrical engineering company that specialises in motor repairs/ rewinds – some of the motors in the workshops were massive.

Tell us about your typical day?

Carrying out electrical assessments. Making sure contractors meet the relevant scheme requirements and all installation work meets the requirements of BS 7671 and other relevant standards as appropriate.

And the strangest request?

In the early days of Part P I turned up to do an assessment and the electrician was expecting me to do the testing and the certification for his installation as he had never done it before.

What about outside work?

Family, music and golf.

What superpower would you like?

Anti-ageing. I feel like a youngster, but my body says different.

What are the main issues contractors might overlook?

Correct labelling of consumer units and distribution boards, especially periodic test labels.

Also absence of circuit schedules, which are very important for rented accommodation. And sometimes BS 7671 certification is sent to the client/landlord so there is very little information about it at the property.

If you had a day off tomorrow, what would you do?

Probably play golf.

What’s the strangest thing you have come across?

A proposed qualified supervisor

What’s the best advice you have received in your career?

Turn it off first.

Favourite book, film and TV programme?

Book: Lord of the Rings.

Film: Saving Private Ryan.

I’ll substitute TV programme with favourite album: Pink Floyd’s Dark side of the moon.

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News/Renewables news/Product news

Plugged in Students targeted in latest safety campaign Electrical Safety First has used the start of the new academic year to highlight the dangers of student rental accommodation, and the need for landlords and lettings agents to use registered electricians to check electrical safety.

The campaign has attracted widespread media coverage, and led to appearances on BBC Breakfast and items in most of the national press and radio.

Electrical Safety First’s research found that a disturbing number of landlords and letting agents have ignored safety concerns, leaving student tenants vulnerable to electric shock, fires and even electrocution.

The survey found that over a third (37 per cent) of landlords and letting agents have failed to fix exposed wiring, 35 per cent have ignored damp, condensation or flooding around electrical installations, and 30 per cent left ‘danger signs’ such as scorching around sockets and fittings unresolved.

“This is completely unacceptable,” said Martyn Allen, head of the charity’s electrotechnical division. “No one should have their life put at risk because a landlord refuses to make a repair. It is essential that electrical problems are dealt with by a registered electrician.

It’s easy to make an electrical circuit work, but it’s much harder to make it work safely.

“Last year, we asked 2,000 electricians about their work and found that a third of them are spending up to a quarter of their time fixing botched DIY jobs,” he added. “We have previously found that one in four people hire an electrician without checking their credentials.

“With an estimated £1 billion a year of property damage caused by electrical fires and around 350,000 serious injuries caused by electricity, landlords and letting agents can’t afford to ignore electrical safety. And students need to know they don’t have to put up with it.”

In July, the charity’s call for regular safety checks to be carried out in the private rented sector in Wales was supported by the Communities, Equality and Local Government committee in its report on the Renting Homes (Wales) Bill.

“This is a second chance to make these fundamental safety checks a legal requirement,” said Phil Buckle, director-general of Electrical Safety First.

Alamy

INDUSTRY // DIARY

10

October 13 TechTalk St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton

November 5 ELEX Sandown Park, Surrey

14 PHEX Old Trafford, Manchester

11 TechTalk Culloden Hotel, Belfast

20 TechTalk Alexandra Palace, London

18 PHEX Chelsea Stamford Bridge, London

22 TechTalk Westpoint, Exeter

26 NICEIC ELECSA Live Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool

For more information about TechTalks or to book your place on the next series please visit www.niceic.com or www.elecsa.co.uk

CHANGE TO CERTIFICATE SUPPLY NICEIC no longer stocks pads of software compatible certificates (updated to amendment 3) for printing with various software providers.

The introduction of amendment 3 required NICEIC to conduct a huge operation to update and review all certificates, and a significant fall in the number of printer-compatible pads purchased has meant it is no longer viable for NICEIC to create this form of certificate.

We also looked to streamline the amount of certificates available to make it easier for installers who work across specialised areas.

The former domestic electrical installation and domestic electrical installation condition reports (EICR) have now been updated to include the relevant sections of our specialised areas of work certificates.

These two certificates now have a new name and incorporate the following: Electrical installation certificate for small installations not exceeding 100A This now incorporates the following certificates: domestic electrical installation; modular dwellings; leisure accommodation vehicles; highways; and transportable buildings.

Electrical installation condition report for small installations not exceeding 100A This now incorporates the following certificates: domestic; leisure accommodation vehicles; highways; and transportable buildings.

BLOG CHARTS FEMALE ELECTRICIAN’S PROGRESS Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a young woman in the traditionally male-dominated world of electricians? Well, thanks to a blog from 21-year-old trainee Ruby Mitchell, you can find out.

The Bristol-based youngster recently started an eight-week training programme with DCET Bristol Training, in partnership with Jeff Way Electrical Services, which will precede an apprenticeship.

“I completed my level 2 and level 3 training at college a few years ago, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with the rest of my life,” said Mitchell. “After a few years doing different things I decided I wanted to crack on with becoming an electrician and was over the moon when this opportunity came up.”

She contacted NICEIC after being made aware of its Jobs for the Girls campaign. “I applied for some help with funding as I had to stop my full-time job to start training and was delighted when NICEIC could help,” she added.

Follow Ruby at www.rubymitchellelectrician. blogspot.co.uk and visit www.jobsforthegirls. com for more on Jobs For The Girls.

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News/Renewables news/Product news

Plugged in Risk of huge job losses if solar FiT rates are cut

Consultation needed on energy plans

NICEIC and ELECSA fear thousands of jobs could be at risk following government plans to slash the Feed-In Tariff (FiT) rates for solar PV by up to 87 per cent.

The cuts, due to be implemented in January 2016, would see FiT payments for new solar panels drop to less than 2p per unit of electricity. This means homeowners would receive up to, on average, £190 less in subsidy payments annually compared with current rates.

NICEIC and ELECSA believe this reduction could have a significant impact on demand for solar PV technology and further consequences for those people working within the industry.

“FiT played a major part in making solar PV an attractive option for householders,” said Dani Putney, renewable sector specialist at NICEIC and ELECSA. “It has always been accepted that the tariff would need to be revised in line with falling installation costs, but at the proposed rates homeowners would have to wait decades before they would see a viable return on investment.

“To suddenly pull the plug on funding in such a drastic manner could have a dramatic, negative effect on the market and put thousands of jobs at risk.

“The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has admitted it is unable to quantify how many businesses

NICEIC and ELECSA have urged the government to consult with industry professionals before embarking on any new radical energy efficiency plans.

The call comes in the wake of the decision to scrap further funding to the Green Deal Finance Company, all but killing off the troubled Green Deal scheme.

“In theory it should have worked,” said Dani Putney, renewable sector specialist at NICEIC and ELECSA. “In reality, however, the scheme was over-engineered, difficult to market and a nightmare to access.

“It was supposed to be the biggest home improvement scheme since the end of World War II. We invested a lot of time, money and resources to make the scheme work and so did our customers.

Now it looks like it will be binned after just a few years.

“We can’t let the knowledge, skills and know-how that has built up over the past few years go to waste. We would urge the government to learn from this and to consult with those who worked hard to try and make the Green Deal work before it comes up with any new policy.”

The decision to scrap Green Deal funding came after the government also abandoned its zero-carbon homes policy and just a day after it emerged it was consulting on plans to axe small-scale solar farm subsidies.

“There is no doubt that all these measures will have a drastic effect on the renewable sector,” added Putney. “The sector has been plagued by bureaucracy and red tape in the past few years, but it has always seemed to pull through.

“The amount of solar PV installations has actually increased in recent months, which makes the latest decisions even more astounding.

“There is clearly still a public interest in using these technologies as people try to tackle rising energy costs in the home.

“The government must use that momentum to outline a clear strategy for the future and they must act quickly otherwise the hard work in educating and informing people over recent years will be lost.”

NICEIC is the UK’s leading certification body for Green Deal installers, with a register of more than 750 authorised Green Deal installers.

will be affected,” she added. “We would urge all those working in the sector to respond to the consultation and voice their concerns about the potential impact of this decision.

“We believe there are some alternatives the government could consider to safeguard the long-term future of the industry. We will be consulting with our members on the best options going forward before making our official response to government.”

DECC has said the cuts were necessary to halt a £1.5 billion overspend on renewables. It has also suggested subsidy payments could be stopped entirely in 2016 if costs could not be controlled.

The consultation is open until 23 October and can be found at https://econsultation.decc.gov.uk under ‘open consultations’.

Alamy

NEW DOMESTIC VENTILATION OFFERING

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NICEIC can now offer a new competency qualification for installers of domestic ventilation systems.

The new assessment package has been mapped against the relevant national occupational standards (NOS) and has been approved by SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the building services and engineering sector.

The aim of the training and assessment package is to assess installers against set criteria that are formed from the relevant NOS for the installation of domestic ventilation systems. The training and assessment programme runs over two days and comprises a theory and practical exam as part of the final assessment.

Paul Collins, technical services manager at NICEIC, said: “We have been working very closely with key industry stakeholders to ensure the assessment delivers a competent installer to meet the needs of the ventilation sector.”

Once installers hold the qualification then they can apply to the NICEIC competent persons scheme for ventilation so they can self-certify their work in England and Wales.

For more information, or to book your place on the course, contact NICEIC Certification on 0870 013 0389 or email traininginfo@niceic.com

Autumn 2015 Connections

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29/09/2015 14:56

DON’T DRIVE YOURSELF INTO A CORNER Do you own a van? Do you know how much your business may suffer if your van is in an accident, damaged or stolen – together with your tools?

You may lose your major assets and your work may suffer as a result. So the question you should be asking yourself now is – do you have the right cover for your van? Does it offer you a replacement vehicle you need to carry out planned jobs without any additional interruptions?

Insurance, is not only a legal requirement for any vehicles on the road, but could also save you a lot of money, time and worry once you get it. Simply make sure you have it in place as soon as you buy a van or renew your cover before your current policy runs out.

NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services is a preferred insurance provider for NICEIC and ELECSA members More security, much less hassle You may not be aware of it, but NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services, a preferred insurance provider for NICEIC and ELECSA members, offer van insurance¹ with all the essential covers you need as standard: How does the FREE Fuel Card work?

£1000 Tools Cover Breakdown Cover² Motor Legal Expenses Cover for Misfuelling 60 Days EU Cover for no additional cost Guaranteed Protected No Claims Discounts Guaranteed Courtesy Vehicle in the Event of an Insured Claim³

What’s more you could also get a FREE Fuel Card4 that will save you 4p per litre every time you fill up your van for the next 12 months. If you fill up on the motorway the saving is even bigger – 10p per litre!

All you need to do to receive it is call the NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services team on 0330 123 5240, quoting CA-VAN and have a quick, non-committal chat about your insurance needs. They will be happy to advise you on what covers will suit your requirements and how much you could save on your current van insurance. You won’t even have to accept our quote to get the card!

So why not sort out your insurance now?

Simply call us on 0330 123 5240, quoting CA-VAN and our dedicated team will be happy to assist you. We understand the subtle differences in requirements between the trades and can help you tailor our policies according to your unique needs.

Visit niceicinsurance.com or elecsainsurance.co.uk or call 0330 123 5240 to find out more.

FREE Fuel Card could save you up to 10p per litre when you fill up your van for the next 12 months

the power behind your business

¹ You will need to be NICEIC or ELECSA member and provide your enrolment number to purchase a policy. Cover subject to underwriter acceptance; excludes Northern Ireland. Excess levels depend on policy taken. Standard exclusions apply, for more information, please read your policy documents. ² Includes Home Breakdowns, Roadside Assistance and Recovery. ³ Only applicable should your vehicle be repairable. 4 The Fuel Card offer is free for 12 months to NICEIC and ELECSA members only and then charged at a discounted price of £6 per year thereafter should you choose to renew. Prices exclude VAT and fuel.

NICEIC and ELECSA Insurance Services are trading names of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No. 4043759. Registered address: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. VAT registration number: 447284724. Towergate Underwriting Group Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

p14_CON.09.15.indd 14

30/09/2015 10:17

News/Renewables news/Product news

Plugged in TESTING THE TESTERS Fluke has released a new battery-powered electronic voltage proving tool, designed to test for both AC and DC voltages.

The PRV240 can be used to test both high and < Fluke voltage low impedance proving unit digital multimeters, clamp meters and two-pole testers, and retails at £99.99.

Designed for use by contractors looking to check the accuracy of their test equipment, the device is able to perform 5,000 verification tests before needing to be charged.

Verification of a test tool is recommended by both GS38 and NFPA 70E before any live measurements are made. www.fluke.co.uk

ELECTRIC DREAMS The Electric Heating Company has unveiled its wi-fi ready Radiance electric heater, designed to allow users to control the temperature in their homes from any Apple or Android smart phone, as well as tablets and PCs. As well as giving remote control over heating, the app also allows users to limit power consumption, view temperature data and find out the weather forecast to anticipate future heating requirements.

The heater itself is also fully programmable using a digital programmer at the top of the radiator, and offers eco, comfort and frost protection settings. < Radiance The PCB is heater housed in a removable cartridge to avoid having to take the radiator off the wall in the event of repair or maintenance being required. www.electric-heatingcompany.co.uk

EASY ON THE KNEES ToughBuilt has developed a twoin-one kneepad, <Two-in-one kneepads designed to cater for those working in both indoor and outside environments, including electrical contractors working at low levels.

The new pads feature a shatterproof plastic exterior for use on rough terrain, which can then be removed to expose thick moulded pads made out of non-marring foam for use on delicate surfaces such as internal floors.

The pads are designed to be worn under or over trousers and are secured using a single elastic strap that hugs the calf muscle, to avoid bunching up behind the knee.

ToughBuilt has also unveiled a range of waterproof kneepads, designed for use on dirty or wet jobs. www.toughbuilt.trade

STERLING WORK Marshall-Tufflex has updated its range of Sterling cable management systems to offer more than 15 per cent more capacity, as the cabling requirements of homes and businesses increase.

In addition to the extra space, the new range includes pre-punched knock-outs in the dividing wall, new single-piece moulded fittings for its Profile 1 product, more secure fittings due to better clipping capabilities and an improved RCD housing that clips directly to the central compartment of the base, making installation faster.

The new base is compatible with existing Sterling fittings, but the new fittings are only compatible with the new base. www.marshall-tufflex.com

< Cable management

Connections Autumn 2015

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Advice/Opinion/Insight/Events/Case study/Customer care/Training BUSINESS AGILITY

Live wire Fresh thinking Becoming more agile means regularly checking your business works for both you and your customers, as well as being able to embrace change, says Belinda Waldock

Illustration: Cameron Law

O

ver the past 15 years I have been working with small and medium-sized businesses across the UK, helping them to become more “agile”. For some, the idea of agile might conjure up images of gymnasts being easily able to wriggle their bodies into all kinds of contorted positions, but in this case agile is actually a methodology or toolkit developed by the technology sector to help companies manage projects and run their businesses efficiently.

Agile certainly isn’t just for tech businesses, and in fact I have worked with hundreds of local businesses, including toy manufacturers, marketing agencies, breweries and electrical contractors, that have used agile to springboard their growth.

What these businesses have in common is that they launched and grew in uncertain and constantly changing environments, so developing a culture of agility has been vital for their success, helping them to embrace change and turning uncertainty into opportunity.

If you want to grow your business but you are at capacity with running day-to-day operations, adopting agile could be the key to unlocking your growth potential. Agile can help you add value within your business and free up time for growth and improvement.

It might sound complicated, but agile is actually a very simple way of testing out new ideas and identifying the best way forward, whether you work on your own or manage a small team. The following practical tips will help you start to put in place the processes needed for your business to become more agile.

enough profit, it may be time to refocus your business products and services. The Pareto principle suggests generally 20 per cent of the effort put in will create 80 per cent of the value delivered.

Identify your most profitable clients and focus on these to help increase the value of your work and your overall efficiency. Also look at your least profitable or valuable clients and take action to not undertake this work again in the future unless it creates some direct or indirect value to the business.

Improve performance

Client satisfaction

Ensure you have the skills you need to do your job efficiently. Make sure you maintain your business and trade skills and, if there is a gap, take time for learning or finding someone else who already has the experience to help you instead.

If someone else can do it faster, better or more cost-efficiently, it may be worth considering letting them do it to improve your performance.

Work with an awareness of your clients’ perspectives and needs, as well as what benefits and pain relievers you provide. By taking the perspective of your clients, you can develop your services and products to better fit their needs and gain loyalty. Be efficient in providing your client with the service they require, and ensure that this is fit for purpose and satisfies them.

Cut yourself some slack

Repeat business

Take time out regularly to reflect on the business and its position.

Identify what’s going well and what could be better, and assign time to improving how you run your business.

If you would like to grow the business, time is essential to establish and implement change projects to manage capability and capacity.

The repeat customer is a welcome customer in business, as the cost of acquisition and time required to manage clients is generally lower if they’ve used you before. In contrast, the cost and time needed to win new customers can be significant. Review your business model to establish ways to create relationships with your clients that result in repeat business or recommendations.

Focus on value If the business is running at 100 per cent capacity, but not creating

Belinda Waldock is a business coach and author of Being Agile in Business

Connections Autumn 2015

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Advice/Opinion/Insight/Events/Case study/Customer care/Training CONSUMER UNITS If you have an opinion about an issue concerning the electrical industry, let us know.

Email nick.martindale@ redactive.co.uk

Live wire

No time like the present Installers should waste no time in starting to use non-combustible consumer units, as outlined in amendment 3 of the 17th edition wiring regulations, says Mike Cash

S

ince London Fire Brigade statistics showed that the number of fires caused by plastic consumer units had risen rapidly to around five incidents per week, we have seen the introduction of amendment 3 of the 17th edition wiring regulations.

It contains a requirement that directly affects consumer units in domestic household premises, namely that consumer units, and similar switchgear assemblies, must have enclosures manufactured from, or be enclosed in a cabinet manufactured from, non-combustible material.

The intention of this new regulation is to contain any fire within the consumer unit enclosure and to minimise flames from being emitted. By insisting that all new installations use consumer units made from non-combustible material, and by giving steel as an example, amendment 3 is highlighting 960° glow wire tested combustible material as unsuitable.

So in this context we understand that ‘non-combustible’ translates as steel, and that an enclosure includes base, cover, door and any hinges,

Mike Cash is channel marketing manager for the Electrium Group

screws or catches necessary to maintain its integrity and fire-containment capabilities.

As a result, Crabtree has introduced a range of ‘all-metal’ consumer units with cable entry glands grommets and other accessories to simplify compliance with this important new requirement.

A mains tails entry gland is included to cater for the IET onsite guide recommendations that, where metal consumer units are installed into TT applications, the mains tails are protected against becoming loose and making contact with the metal enclosure.

Furthermore in all cases (including TT) the mains tails should be protected at the point of entry into the metal enclosure, for example by use of a mains tails gland to protect against mechanical damage and/or disturbance that could lead to tails making contact with the metal enclosure.

The IET recently published an article that advises when installers should begin to use non-combustible consumer units. Put simply, the conclusion was that electricians should start as soon as stocks of compliant consumer units are available which, of course, is now. I agree entirely with this.

IN FOCUS// MATTHEW WHATE

» Matthew Whate Whate Electrical Services

How were the early days?

It was difficult to start with, but I had a lot of contacts and it took off from there.

I’ve never really had to do a lot of advertising. But it’s not been easy.

What work do you do?

Initially domestic, but now it’s pretty much everything, including commercial and agricultural. I have

18

a development of 15 newbuilds and an ongoing maintenance contract for some country estates.

Do you work alone?

I’m still a one-man band, but I can call on a couple of people. But I’m looking at taking on an apprentice.

Ultimately I’ll end up in a managerial role; I do like being hands-on, but I don’t want to do that for ever.

I’d like to employ three or four electricians and an apprentice eventually.

Where do you cover?

I’m based a couple of miles outside Newark and I’ll travel to Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.

What’s the hardest part of working for yourself?

Time management and meeting people’s expectations. My aim is to never let anybody down, but you don’t want to turn work down either. That’s the most difficult thing.

And your long-term plan?

I like the domestic side of it because it’s what I know.

And outside work?

My two small children take up nearly all my spare time.

Illustration: Cameron Law

How did you start out?

I was selling mobile phones, but I’d always been interested in the physics side of the building industry so I trained as an electrician in 2007.

If you are a small business or sole trader and would like to feature in In Focus, email nick.martindale@ redactive.co.uk

Autumn 2015 Connections

18 opinion.FINAL.indd Sec1:18

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Advice/Opinion/Insight/Events/Case study/Customer care/Training SMEATON’S TOWER

Live wire

Tower of strength Plymouth’s iconic Smeaton’s Tower – the former Eddystone Lighthouse – now boasts a stunning night time illumination scheme thanks to an all-LED installation from local contractor Hyde Park Electrical Ltd

> Shining a light: Charles Church

By Andrew Brister

V

isit Plymouth and you can’t miss it.

Smeaton’s Tower, the Devon city’s most famous landmark, stands majestically in the unique setting of the Hoe, a symbol of Plymouth’s historic links with the sea.

The former Eddystone Lighthouse, in use from 1759 to 1877, was largely dismantled and rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe in 1882 when it was discovered that the sea was undermining the rock it was standing on. It now stands as a fitting memorial to its designer, John Smeaton, the celebrated civil engineer, in the natural arena of the Hoe. A rightly celebrated tourist attraction and symbol of Plymouth, visitors can climb the 93 steps of the Grade I-listed, 72-feet-high structure to the lantern room and enjoy fantastic views over Plymouth Sound and the city.

Now, thanks to a recent installation by local contractor Hyde Park Electrical, tourists can also pay a visit at night to see the stunning LED architectural lighting scheme. Hyde Park Electrical has worked alongside lighting designer LITE on the project; part of Plymouth City Council’s plans to illuminate historic landmarks in the city.

20

Lighting up At the heart of the project are 12 Philips 50W LED floodlights at the base of the tower, which produce very focused beams of light up onto it. While illumination will primarily be in plain white, full RGB colour change lamps have been used so that special lighting displays can be created at festivals, the annual fireworks display and other special occasions. The lantern and walkway at the top of the structure are lit with a further 40 LED fittings, rated at around 5W each.

“While this wasn’t a particularly difficult installation, we did have one or two challenges,” explains David Isherwood, founder and director at Hyde Park Electrical Ltd. “As this is a listed structure, we weren’t allowed to drill any holes for cabling into the tower itself. And when we came to dig into the pavement to house the floodlights at the base we hit bedrock, so we had to hire a pretty big breaker to deal with that.”

Luckily for Isherwood and his team, there was already an electrical supply to the tower as a result of work to carry out interior lighting some 10 years earlier. “It was all mineral insulated, which you don’t see very often these days,” says Isherwood. “We were able to take the supply out through an existing hole in the building to feed the floodlights. Once the bedrock was removed to allow the cable to be dug down to a safe depth, the fittings could be placed around the

Autumn 2015 Connections

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If you’ve been involved in an interesting and innovative project let us know. Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk

> Landmark illuminations: Plymouth’s Smeaton’s Tower

base, taking care to allow for the necessary drainage.” He stresses the importance of providing soakaways to prevent water building up around the fittings, and ultimately flooding them.

There was sufficient supply within the building to also feed the LED fittings lighting the lantern and walkway at the top of the tower.

To comply with English Heritage’s requirements on non-invasive installation, Hyde Park Electrical ran cables up through the chimney that runs right up through the tower to the roof from a pot-bellied stove once used for heating. The public are allowed onto the walkway, so low voltage cabling has been used as a safety precaution.

The whole walkway is covered in lead panels, so the team were able to lift them to place cabling beneath. Where low-voltage cabling has been run up the structure to the lantern, it has been covered in lead work to conceal it, which will gradually blend in with the existing lead.

“Ultimately, the real challenges on this project were trying to come up with ways to disguise the cable runs as much as possible, ideally so that you can’t see them at all,” explains Isherwood. “Where you can see them, we’ve used 12V to minimise the cable size and keep the general public safe and covered in it lead – it’s turned out a treat.”

Four sets of lighting trials were carried out with different fittings and lenses to achieve the desired effect. “A wide angle lens will do one thing, while a long reach lens will achieve a narrow focus beam – we were trying to strike a balance,” says Isherwood. “These ground-mounted floodlights are fairly close to the base of the tower, but need to be a little distance out to be able to achieve a reasonable reach up the structure. We weren’t allowed to shine any light out away from the tower, as it is a lighthouse and that might confuse shipping!”

93: The number of steps up to the top of the tower

‘As it’s a listed structure, we weren’t allowed to drill any holes for cabling into the tower itself’ Electrical to light up both Mount Batten Tower and Charles Church.

Mount Batten Tower, built in 1652, is a 30-foot-high gun tower guarding the southern approach to Plymouth harbour. It is across the Mount Batten breakwater from Smeaton’s Tower and the lighting schemes have been joined by a radio link so they can be synchronised for a light show, such as for annual fireworks display.

Charles Church is the second most ancient parish church in Plymouth and was an important centre of spiritual life for the city for 300 years. The church was entirely burned out by incendiary bombs in World War II and after the war the decision was taken to turn the church into a living memorial of the 1,200 civilian deaths in the air raids. A sensitive, plain white lighting scheme has given the church a new lease of life, helping it to stand out at night from a neighbouring shopping centre, bingo hall and street lights.

“The building has been condemned as not safe, so we weren’t allowed near the tower to illuminate the steeple,” says Isherwood. “So we’ve had to put some pretty big floodlights in to do the job.” There are thirty 50W floodlights in all, with four 300W fittings with long-range focus lenses used to light the top of the steeple, some 150 feet up.

Again, Hyde Park Electrical had to work alongside English Heritage to protect the integrity of the building. “We couldn’t dig very deep to bury the cables in case we disturbed any old artefacts, so they are fairly shallow at only 300mm deep,” says Isherwood. “We’ve clearly labelled these as shallow cables in the drawings in the electrical box should any work be done in the future.”

The team also had to cope with an invasion by anti-Trident protesters and the fact that the church grounds are home to a rare native species of pear tree called the Plymouth Pear. “There are only around 20 examples left in the country, so they are very well protected,” says Isherwood. “There was absolutely no digging allowed anywhere near the roots, so we had to redesign the system a little to avoid the trees.”

The lighting schemes are not the first projects that Hyde Park Electrical has carried out for Plymouth City Council, having also worked on the installation of solar panels on a local crematorium. Today, the business Isherwood created some 10 years ago has expanded to seven staff and is now employing its third apprentice. “We’ve expanded slowly over the years in a controlled way, as we don’t want to lose our reputation for quality,” he says.

Local attractions In its plans to illuminate some of the city’s major landmarks, Plymouth City Council has also given the go-ahead for LITE and Hyde Park

» Andrew Brister is a freelance journalist, specialising in the electrical industry Connections Autumn 2015

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Advice/Opinion/Regions/Insight/Events/Case Study/Customer care/Training VEHICLE HIRE

Live wire Get your business moving Leasing a vehicle provides a reliable and hassle-free means of keeping your business on the road, says David Holden

B

illionaire oil tycoon John Paul Getty once said “if it appreciates, buy it; if it depreciates, lease it”, and while you may not be a billionaire tycoon – yet – the principle still applies.

Leasing, or contract hire, is the most popular method for businesses of funding vehicle purchases, providing fixed payments over a fixed period, peace of mind and simplicity.

One of the principal benefits of contract hire is that it reduces a firm’s financial exposure because all the running cost risks such as buying vehicles, maintenance and the used values are taken on by the leasing company, with all its expertise of the market, leaving you to concentrate on your business, while also taking a significant cost off your balance sheet.

The major strength of contract hire is that there is very little risk for the customer because the monthly rental rate is unaffected by fluctuations in the market and companies are able to budget because the cost stays the same for the duration of the contract.

Also, many firms find contract hire attractive because it offers a clear and simple benchmark of prices between competitors, and can nearly always

David Holden is marketing communications manager at Peugeot

Case study: Burncliffe Electrical NICEIC and Peugeot have come together to offer Approved Contractors and Domestic Installers reduced rates on vehicle hire.

One of the many companies to have benefited include Burncliffe Electrical, an Approved Contractor based in Hexham, Northumberland.

“We took five Peugeot Partner vans on a three-year lease two years ago, having bought our vans outright before that,” says Christine Pearson, company director. “Our fleet was getting old and costing us a lot of money in maintenance and repairs, so leasing them brought a lot of advantages.

“Because they are newer they are more economical to run, they don’t have the level of servicing costs we had before and monthly rentals mean we can release cash back into the business, rather than spending it buying vans. As an NICEIC registered member we also got a discount on the deal. I’d thoroughly recommend it as an option for any small business.”

• Visit www.peugeot-contract-hire.co.uk/niceic-elecsa or call 0845 313 3811

be done quickly and easily. With simple monthly payments, it is easy to compare like for like, rather than assessing the more complex financial arrangements of outright purchase or other funding methods.

The monthly rental is calculated by the leasing firm using a number of factors, which include the predicted future residual value of the car, the likely maintenance costs, manufacturer incentives, funding costs and a profit margin.

Contracts mostly run for between two and four years, with the benchmark generally set at three years or 60,000 miles, and there are also lower upfront payments than in other funding methods.

There are a number of contractual understandings the customer must adhere to: ensuring the vehicle is returned in an acceptable condition for its age and mileage, and that the vehicle hasn’t gone over mileage limits set at the start of the term.

Customers can choose to include maintenance in the deal, or opt to pay for any work in the garage themselves. But leasing companies have nationwide agreements on maintenance and servicing rates due to the huge buying power they have, and adding in maintenance as part of the contract could save you hundreds of pounds over the course of the contract.

There are also numerous tax and accounting advantages to the lessee from contract hire: most small businesses can claim back a proportion of the VAT charged on the finance element of the monthly rentals, as well as all the VAT on the service and maintenance part of the rental, if you choose to include this in the monthly charge.

Connections Autumn 2015

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CONTRACTOR PROFILE // BOUNDS ELECTRICAL SERVICES COMPANY: Bounds Electrical Services BASED: Aylesbury FOUNDED: 2007 MAJOR PROJECTS: Zeppelin Building, London; Hillingdon Council STAFF NUMBERS: 17

£1.6m: The amount the business expects to turn over this year

Know no bounds Aylesbury-based Bounds Electrical Services built its reputation on test and inspection work for managing agents before moving into bigger projects and energy efficient installations. It’s now looking to extend its scope further

By Nick Martindale

L

iam Bounds, founder of Aylesbury-based Bounds Electrical, knew from early on in his career that he wanted to start up his own business. “I did my apprenticeship in the quarrying industry as an electrical contractor, starting at 16,” he says. “But I knew I wanted to work for myself and I’d had such a good apprenticeship that I knew I had the tools to go out and do it.”

Originally from the south-west, his chance came when he relocated to Aylesbury in 2007, at the age of 25, to move nearer to his wife’s family. Initially he set himself up as a sub-contractor, with the aim of working for other electrical businesses, but quickly found himself taken on by a firm he had supervised in his previous job, working on a large job for a water company. “I jumped onto that for a year while starting to do other bits and pieces,” he recalls. “It would be me plus a team of guys and we would go off and do the work. Then I added an apprentice and another one and we carried on from there.”

Things changed, however, when the downturn hit in 2007, and Liam could see that sub-contracting opportunities would dry up as companies struggled to keep their in24

house teams busy. “I made the decision to break away from sub-contracting and became a main contractor in my own right,” he says.

Initially the main focus for the fledgling firm was working with managing agents of commercial and domestic properties, mainly around test and inspection requirements.

“We would go in, test the premises and complete all the required remedial works and any electrical upgrades and that kept us busy throughout the downturn because people had to get the work done,” he says.

Over time, the business built up a solid client base, including Savills, Smiths Gore, Harrods Estates, John Mortimer Property Management and FM business First Choice Facilities. End clients include Hillingdon Council – working on vacant council properties – and the prestigious Zeppelin Building on Farringdon Road in London, which was completed in May this year.

Alongside this, the business also started taking on bigger projects, including working in data centres and industrial premises, returning Liam to his roots after he had initially had to focus on smaller projects. “The industrial sector is a hard nut to crack, and obviously your company has to be big enough to take that work on, but we’re going back into that area now,” he says. “The data centre work for Virtustream

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‘I knew I wanted to work for myself and I’d had such a good apprenticeship that I knew I had the tools to go out and do it’ was the first part of it two years ago and we’ve since started to take on a lot of industrial work through them. We can now take on those works no problem.”

The next stage is to move into other specialist areas such as schools and churches, and it has recently appointed a business development team – in the form of Erica Hill and David Crick – to help grow this side of the business. Alongside this, there’s also a round-the-clock reactive maintenance arm managed by Darren Beard, which deals with day-to-day callouts and planned maintenance. “A lot of companies will shy away from the reactive work, but we want to be able to take anything that is thrown at us, whether that’s emergency callouts, planned maintenance or the projects side,” says Liam. “If you’re able to take on all those aspects, companies are naturally going to give you more work.”

Energy boost Another element that has grown rapidly in recent years is energy efficiency, where Bounds will conduct a full energy audit and present clients with a self-funding means of financing improvements, mainly through the use of LEDs and presence detectors. “That’s big business for us now,” says Liam. “We offer a five-year warranty and an incentive plan so they can use their savings to pay us off over a 12-month period.

We’ve done it in industrial premises, warehouses, office blocks, underground and multi-storey car parks, communal areas – everywhere where there’s lighting. It’s not always the glory work that electricians like doing, but it provides your client with a massive saving.

“Even if we’re doing a domestic install we put in LED,” he adds. “If any contractor is not on that they’re being left behind. We were installing that three or four years ago, and the technology has moved so far on that you can give a five-year warranty and feel sure that you’re not going to be getting a call back every five minutes as you were in the early days.”

Today, the business employs 12 engineers and a further five office-based staff, including David as well as Dave Macleod, who was brought in a year ago as a supervisor with a view to helping the business cope with larger projects. “Our normal project size is anything from £1,000 to £100,000,” says Liam.

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Photography: Richard Lea-Hair

Liam Bounds

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CONTRACTOR PROFILE // BOUNDS ELECTRICAL SERVICES

> David Macleod, company foreman, and Erica Hill, who provides business development support

17: The total number of staff employed by Bounds “We turn over a big volume of projects worth £20-25,000, and that’s how we make our money. But we want to start moving into larger projects. We’re trying to edge our way up to the £250,000 mark. We have annual contracts that are a lot bigger than that, but in terms of a job size we’d like to get to around £250,000-£500,000.” It expects to turn over £1.6 million this current financial year – up from £1.4 million last year – and has grown each year to date, investing money back in the business to fund further growth.

Perhaps surprisingly, however, very little of this work comes from its immediate geographic area, and it’s even more surprising to hear why. “When I started out I felt it was a closed market round here, so my main focus was out of the Aylesbury area,” he says. “I’ve never got to a position where I’ve thought we are established or where I want to be. We’re still not at a level where we can be picky about the work we take on.

“Our actual coverage area is vast; we cover from Peterborough down to Southampton, and from Swindon down to Ramsgate and Folkestone.” All engineers are based in the area and come in each morning before travelling to their jobs, says Liam. Most work tends to be around the Home Counties or in central London, he adds, and the business is currently looking to expand more into Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Double vision As for the future, Liam’s stated aim is to double the size of the company over the next five years; something he believes could be done without having to add significantly to the office-based staff or move from its current premises outside Aylesbury.

Much of this will come from building up the bigger projects.

“We feel we’ve established ourselves well in the commercial managing agent sector, and we’re taking on larger works around office refits too,” he says. “Now we’re looking to build

‘Even if we’re doing a domestic install we put in LED. If any contractor is not on that they’re being left behind. We were installing that three or four years ago’ 26

more relations with building firms, which want to work with a trusted electrical contractor on bigger projects. A lot of that work is based on what you’ve done previously so you’d be foolish to think you can go into that kind of job just as an electrical contractor. You need to have a track record.”

Schools are a different case, he says, hence the focus for David. “Many schools now have a different way of resourcing electrical contractors,” he says. “Previously they would go to a builder but now you can go direct and sell your company to them. But with other larger works a lot of it goes through a main contractor.”

Further down the line, the aim is to develop the existing team – around half of whom joined as apprentices – with a view to helping them progress to running the business. “I’ve got children so I would be happy if they came into it, but I would also be OK if they didn’t,” says Liam. “But my main aim is for people in this company to take it on, so when I finish they can run it for years to come. I’d like to be able to train them to follow the same path that I did, so to start off as an electrician, and then become a manager, a business owner and a managing director. There’s a pool of people in the company at the moment who would be able to do that.”

For now, though, Liam is justifiably proud of what he has built up over the past eight years. “It’s about how hard you’re prepared to work to make something happen,” he says. “People think you have to be a magical entrepreneur – you haven’t; you’ve just got to work hard, and when the opportunities arise you have to put yourself out there to be able to get it. But the more money we turn over the luckier we become, because the harder we work.”

Now the business is more established, Liam is also hoping to get a bit more time for himself and his young family. “I was doing seven days a week until about two years ago,” he says.

“I’m down to six now. By this time next year I would like to have dropped the Saturdays. But I’m in for 6:30am every morning and I finish about 8pm, and I often have work meetings in the evenings as well. That’s what’s helped us grow and sustained the level we’ve got to, by quoting, meeting clients and getting new business. And I enjoy it; what else am I going to do?” » Nick Martindale is editor of Connections Could your business feature in Connections?

Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk

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30/09/2015 09:41

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Spend to save Reducing energy bills is likely to feature on the wish list of many businesses. Electrical contractors can play a key role in helping to make it happen, through a combination of education and installing new technology

By David Adams

Getty

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espite recent dips, energy prices in the UK have roughly doubled over the past 10 years and may increase by another 50 per cent over the next decade. In addition, the UK may well face energy supply and security issues during this time. With consumers and many different types of commercial and industrial organisations also likely to come under legislative and regulatory pressure to reduce energy use, it’s not surprising that a growing number of electrical contractors are already developing and pushing energy efficiency services to clients.

Most domestic, commercial, industrial and other customers are interested in finding ways to reduce their energy bills.

With new technologies that could help them to do so appearing all the time, and existing energy-saving technologies

such as LED lighting becoming more effective, now seems a perfect time to consider adding these types of services to your portfolio.

There are many different things customers could do to reduce electricity y use, without considering the risks and costs associated with investing in renewables. Measures include installing LED lighting, motion or daylight sensor-controlled lighting (or ventilation or heating), or voltage optimisation technologies; implementing soft-start technologies that enable industrial or office machinery to use energy more efficiently; and encouraging behavioural changes – getting people to switch things off. But it all starts with effective monitoring and metering of energy use.

“The only way you know you’re saving energy is by monitoring it,” says William Dyer, managing director of William Dyer Electrical, a contractor based near Accrington in Lancashire. “With a metering strategy in place you can look at where the high energy use is and look at how you might start to make

some savings. We carry out surveys to see where customers can save energy straightaway, maybe by putting converters in, using soft-starters on machinery and installing LED lighting.”

New lamps for old For many commercial or industrial organisations the most obvious place to start is by replacing old lighting equipment with LED systems. LED lights are getting better all the time and save customers money through reducing electricity bills and maintenance costs.

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‘Energy efficiency, monitoring and metering is now almost 70 per cent of our business. It’s the biggest growth area in the company’

But they are expensive.

“It’s still quite tough to get people to swap, because of the cost,” admits Lawrence Willetts, managing director at Box Clever Electrical Contractors, based at Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands.

“We tell customers what they can save and what the pros are. The downside is, obviously, the initial outlay, but they do get their money back quickly through the savings they make.”

One feature that Box Clever installs is the Halcyon Circadian, a wireless system that is designed to mimic natural

daylight during the day and to recreate ‘biological darkness’ at night, adapting the colour and th l d lilight ht spectrum t tto provide id light that should match natural bodily rhythms. This should make people more alert when they need to be and more comfortable if they have to work into the evening. Whether or not that is the case, it is certainly energy efficient, controlled by sensors that identify how much light is needed, dimming or turning it off to save energy – through software controlled via a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Some contractors have ended up picking up additional LED work because they have been cleaning up the mess left behind by other companies putting

in earlier generations of le less reliable LED equipment. “It went tthe same way explains Ruth as solar to some extent,” e Devine, director at Milton n Keynes-based were SJD Electrical. “There we er lots of people and putting out there selling it badly a in cheap products. We try trry to put in the customer.” right solution for the cus sto In Lancashire, energy e efficiency is a big part of William Dyer Dyer Electrical’s offering. Recent projectss have included h the refurbishment of Bolton Bolto Market, where the company installed LED insta al lighting – designed in sympathy with the sym Victorian building – along along with energy monitoring and metering g for each stallholder, controlled via a Schneider Electric software through h PC, tablet or smartphone, as well as a 50KW solar 5 PV installation.

Other clients include air a filtration equipment manufacturer manufacturer Camfill Farr, where William Dyer helped helpe ed to roll out an energy reduction programme p including metering, LED and a motion sensor-controlled lights throughout the tth factory and soft start equ equipment for ui machinery. The project reduced energy re costs by 20 per cent and generated dg overall savings of £200,000. £200,0 00 Another LED project, for ffo house and garden product manufacturer ma m Thumbs Up, in Bu Bury, ur delivered annual savings of of £14,000 on lighting costs, with the the company earning back its it investment in two years ye ea – a return enhanced enhance ed by the fact that the company was co c able to claim clla back 24 per cent ce of its costs c through the government’s enhanced en e capital a allowance tax scheme. This allows com companies to claim mp against the costs of equipment on the equiip Department of Energy and an nd Climate Change (DECC) Energy Technology Ch E T Product List (ETPL).

Overall, says Dyer, energy-efficiency services have become “massively important” to the business. “Energy efficiency, monitoring and metering is now almost 70 per cent of our business,” he says. “It’s the biggest growth area in the company. In the past seven years the LED and energy monitoring and metering side has grown and we’ve grown with it.” Indeed, the company has expanded from around 40 to 60 staff over the past four years, despite largely unhelpful economic conditions.

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY

‘We carry out surveys to see where clients can save energy straightaway, maybe by putting in converters, using soft-starters or installing LED lighting’

Clever business Energy efficiency has become an important part of Box Clever’s business too – a much smaller company with only six employees. Box Clever was founded in 2010 by Lawrence Willets and operations director Chris Henry.

Willetts says most of the company’s work comes through word of mouth, but it has worked for organisations of many different types and sizes in locations across the UK, from the Orkney Isles to south-west England.

Many of the company’s customers are small to medium-sized commercial and industrial companies, including gyms, factories, warehouses and retailers. In some cases it helps these firms save significant sums of money by making very simple changes, such as installing motion-sensor technologies that mean aisles in a warehouse are only lit when someone is actually walking along them.

Box Clever installs voltage optimisation technologies too, sometimes having to overcome reservations about the technology based on stories about older, less successful versions of it. “In the past there were companies that installed poor voltage optimisers which then blew up, or left factories without power,” says Willetts. “But we only work with the top, reliable brands.”

In Milton Keynes, SJD Electrical doesn’t really offer separate energy efficiency services, says Devine; instead it is always seeking to find ways to help its clients use energy more efficiently. Initially it will often conduct an energy survey for the customer, then recommend steps that could be taken to improve its efficiency.

Those can include suggesting things the customer’s own staff could do in the workplace to save energy.

Devine says it is often the case that a manufacturing company will have 30

> Examples of energy efficient installations include AeroTech Laboratories by SJD Electrical (above) and Bolton Market by William Dyer Electrical (left)

a greater need to improve energy efficiency, simply because it uses so much energy – but it is also often true that the biggest savings as a proportion of cost can be delivered to clients with office buildings, with less initial outlay.

“Typically in an office solution, payback is within two years,” she says. “With an industrial facility it’s more likely to be three to five years. But that’s proper payback analysis, based on full lifecycle costs, not just operational costs.”

Devine’s clients include AeroTech Laboratories, which offers laboratory

‘Typically in an office solution payback is within two years. With an industrial facility it’s more likely to be three to five years’

services to the aerospace, defence, metal finishing and automotive industries, including Formula One. The company moved into a new European headquarters two years ago: an 80,000 square feet building, three times the size of its previous headquarters, with 50 more staff working there. SJD installed energy efficient lighting that enabled the company to keep its energy costs at the same level as in the previous, much smaller building.

Some contractors have also created partnerships with energy efficiency experts outside the industry. Dorset-based Wessex Group has partnered with energy services company Anesco to create what the two companies describe as a one-stop-shop for consultancy, energy audits, supply and installation of energy efficiency and renewables for private, public and third sector organisations.

With so many potential commercial opportunities now appearing around energy efficiency, it seems only sensible that an electrical contractor should at least be considering how they might get involved in this area, even if the starting point is simply to investigate opportunities in relation to LED or smart metering. After all, energy use is the one thing that every client has in common, and it’s unlikely they’re going to turn down the chance to talk about how they can reduce their bills. » David Adams is a freelance journalist specialising in finance and technology

Autumn 2015 Connections

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29/09/2015 15:11

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

One for the road After years of battling for attention, the number of electric vehicles on the road is now rising fast.

With that comes a need for the installation and maintenance of charging points

By Rob Shepherd

35 per cent: The amount customers can currently receive off the price of a new electric car 32

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T

he past few years have seen a significant rise in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK. New registrations increased from 3,500 in 2013 to over 35,200 by the end of May 2015, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Of this, 2,800 were vans, and EVs now represent approximately one per cent of the total new car and van market.

Billed as a clean, low-carbon alternative to conventional petrol and diesel models, the use of EVs is a key component in achieving the government’s environmental targets. To incentivise uptake, in 2011 the plug-in car grant was launched to encourage early adopters and the plug-in van grant followed in 2012. Purchasers are able to save 35 per cent off the cost of a car, up to a maximum of £5,000, and 20 per cent off the cost of a van, up to a maximum of £8,000.

After a slow start, the scheme now appears to be working. According to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the SMMT, more than 35,000 claims were made up to May 2015.

There are now over 30 plug-in models available and the Nissan LEAF maintains its position as the most popular electric car or van in the UK, with nearly 7,000 vehicles registered by the end of 2014.

The acceleration is not just limited to the UK, as figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) showed 75,331 electric vehicle registrations during 2014 – a 37 per cent rise on the previous year. The car grant, however, is set to finish at the end of 2015, with plans for a replacement currently being drawn up, while the van grant is also likely to be reviewed in the future.

Despite this, the mood among EV evangelists is upbeat, something exemplified by Andrew Fenwick-Green, membership and marketing secretary of the Electric Vehicle Drivers Association UK (EVDA-UK). “Thankfully, car manufacturers have realised we cannot rely on fossil fuel-based vehicles and have reacted positively by launching multiple models styled in the vein of their current market offerings,” he says. “This shows that it’s a mainstream product and not just some wacky fad from futurists, as was often the perception in the early

‘It’s a mainstream product and not just some wacky fad from futurists, as was often the perception in the early days’ days. With everyone onboard, I think the future is bright for the take-up of EVs and, as long as common sense prevails, I see no reason why sales can’t double year on year.”

Charging ahead In what has been described as a chicken-and-egg situation, the initial slow take-up of EVs was blamed on an inadequate charging infrastructure.

The feeling was that unless people could quickly and easily charge their EVs, they wouldn’t buy them, while the counter-argument stated that people would need to invest in EVs to make investing in a charging infrastructure worthwhile.

This particular stalemate now appears to have been broken and the UK network of EV charging points has increased from a few hundred in 2011 to more than 8,400 in June 2015.

Sunderland-based Elm EV specialises in supplying and installing charging points to businesses and the public sector in the UK and the company’s technical director Anthony Piggott says the rollout has been a success. “The

UK now has 98 per cent coverage of rapid charging points in service stations throughout the country, making it one of Europe’s largest charging networks,” he says.

When it comes to charging technology, there is now a wide range to choose from, but they can be classified into three key groups: slow, fast and rapid. Slow charging units, typically up to 3kW, are suited for a six to eight-hour overnight charge, 7-22kW fast chargers can complete a charge in three to four hours, while 43-50kW rapid charging units are able to provide an 80 per cent charge in around half an hour.

Although the availability of charging points is helping to increase the popularity of EVs, Louis Shaffer, distributed energy management segment manager EMEA at Eaton, believes it’s not the biggest factor in achieving mass acceptance. “The more fundamental drivers for growth in EVs are the distance they can drive on each charge and the cost when compared with conventional cars,” he points out.

Manufacturers are now taking the issue seriously, says Matthew Trevaskis, director at Redruth-based ecodrive.

“Small increases of up to 25 per cent are expected on current generation vehicles over the coming months, with all new models expected by 2017 to have driving ranges in excess of 200 miles at a price comparable to a standard family hatchback.”

The average car in Britain travels around 20 miles a day and, according to government figures, the average trip length has increased from 6.4 miles in Connections Autumn 2015

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES

35,200: The number of registered electric vehicles in May 2015

1997 to 7.1 miles in 2013. This means that an EV can complete a number of journeys without needing to charge.

However, for those looking to use these vehicles for business or personal use, where longer journeys are required, battery life is still a concern.

Get in on the act There are already opportunities for electrical contractors in the installation and maintenance of charging points.

The major automotive manufacturers have pre-selected charging point manufacturers and contractors to work with their dealership chains. Kieron Alsop, managing director at Rolec Services, sees this as a potentially huge market with massive opportunities. “As more EVs are launched, the requirement for charging points in the home, workplace and in public is going to be phenomenal,” he says.

Yselkla Farmer, manager, emerging markets, at the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association (BEAMA), is similarly positive.

“Contractors have an important role to play in the market, especially given that the majority of charging will take place at home,” she says. “The IET has produced a code of practice for the installation of home chargers, which is a good point of reference for contractors.”

One company that took the plunge in the early days of the EV boom is Walsall-based NICEIC Approved Contractor Fusion Electrical. “I think that it’s important to embrace new technology and widen our areas of expertise,” says the company’s managing director Joel Fisher. “We put some of our contractors on training courses and since then we have installed more than 500 units within the domestic and commercial sectors.”

The growth of EVs is certainly heading in the right direction, but the next few years could make or break this technology’s long-term future. “There needs to be more direct experience of trying an EV, which moves drivers closer to considering buying or leasing one for their own use,” says Trevaskis.

For his part, Shaffer believes continued incentives are essential to ensuring there is sufficient take-up to achieve a critical 34

Health check Elm EV has worked alongside Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust porter services to replace its fleet of diesel vans and help improve its carbon footprint.

Nissan e-NV200s were specified to transport items between the trust’s sites, which resulted in the requirement for a reliable EV charging infrastructure.

After consultation, comprehensive site surveys were carried out at five locations, which determined that a number of quick and dual-charging posts would be needed to meet the EV charging demand.

Electrical drawings were made of the most effective approach to installing the charging points.

Elm EV then provided all the ground works, before the installation by a qualified electrical engineer to BS 7671 and IET code of practice standards.

“The EV infrastructure has allowed us to become sustainable for future demand by facilitating the use of EVs,” says Michael Taylor, trustwide hotel services officer at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. “The savings we make on fuel can then be reinvested into patient care.”

Driving test It is no surprise to learn that those organisations involved with providing the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) use them on a daily basis.

So what do they think of them?

“We have two Nissan LEAFs and a Nissan e-nv200 van, which is the perfect workhorse for local installations,” says Anthony Piggott, technical director at Elm EV. “Although we find it crucial to practise what we preach, the benefits of using EVs within our company speak for themselves. It allows us to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, and we also love driving some of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the market.”

Rolec Services has also had a positive experience.

“We have EVs on our fleet, as well as a range of electric charging points at our offices,” says Kieron Alsop, managing director. “In addition to significant fuel savings, these vehicles also attract benefit-in-kind tax advantages for the drivers, as well as having a positive environmental impact, which is important to us as a company.”

mass. “These could range from allowing special lanes or parking for EVs to taxing carbon emitting cars more,” he says.

This relatively new industry introduces a hugely exciting business opportunity to the electrical contracting sector. The market will only keep increasing with the drop in battery costs and rise in power, new EV models constantly arriving

on the market and the tax benefits for businesses from owning EVs. For those electrical contractors looking to branch into a growing area, it’s certainly well work exploring. » Rob Shepherd is a freelance business journalist specialising in the building services industry

Autumn 2015 Connections

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Ask the experts/Technical

Fully Charged From the helpline

We continue with our series of answers to some of the more frequently asked questions put to our Technical Helpline.

QUESTION

ANSWER

To minimise false alarms caused by its proximity to a kitchen, is it permissible to install a carbon monoxide fire alarm rather than a smoke alarm in the lounge of a dwelling?

False alarms can have a detrimental effect on fire safety where, for example, due to nuisance, occupiers disable the system. Where a suitable risk assessment has been undertaken, it is permitted to install a carbon monoxide fire alarm instead of a smoke alarm. Any installation of a carbon monoxide fire alarm should comply with the recommendations given in BS 5839-6, such as clause 10.2(e) (Recommendations). * BS 5839-6 (The British Standard for fire alarm systems in domestic premises)

QUESTION

ANSWER

Regarding the answer above; where a carbon monoxide fire detector/alarm is installed in a lounge, where should it be sited?

Where carbon monoxide fire detectors are installed they should be sited in accordance with the recommendations for smoke detectors (11.2(o) of BS 5839-6 refers), whilst taking account of the manufacturer’s instructions.

Clause 11.2 (i, j, m and n) of BS 5839-6 gives the following recommendations for smoke detectors (and therefore carbon monoxide fire detectors) mounted on horizontal ceilings.

• sited at least 300 mm horizontally from any wall or luminaire unless, in the case of luminaires, there is test evidence to prove that the proximity of the luminaire will not adversely affect the efficiency of the detector, and • not adjacent to, or directly above, heaters or air-conditioning vents, and • have their sensitive element between 25 mm and 600 mm below the ceiling, and • be reasonably accessible for maintenance.

If ceiling mounting is impracticable detectors may be wall mounted, providing the provisions given in clause 11.2 (l) are met.

QUESTION

ANSWER

When carrying out periodic inspection and testing should the order of tests for initial testing given in Part 6 of BS 7671 be complied with?

Not necessarily. Periodic inspection and testing differs from initial verification, in that periodic inspection and testing is used to determine whether an existing electrical installation is safe for continued use.

Experience has shown that carrying out periodic inspection and testing within existing buildings provides the inspector with a greater challenge than initial verification. For example, within an existing building the installation may be in use with machines and/or equipment in operation and there may be employees at work.

Also, there may be areas with no access and/or areas that are accessible only when accompanied by the client (or their representative).

To address items such as those expressed in the example, the inspector is permitted to use their experience and, where required, apply an order of tests applicable to the particular installation at the time of inspection and testing or apply the order of tests given in Chapter 61. Guidance is given in the NICEIC/ELECSA publication Domestic Periodic Inspection and Testing available from NICEIC Direct.

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QUESTION

ANSWER

Regarding the previous question, what happens if access is restricted and a full range of tests applicable to a particular circuit is not able to be carried out?

It should be remembered that, the greater number of tests omitted, the less the electrical safety value of an EICR. Any limitation on the number of tests to be carried out should be agreed with the client (or their representative) before commencing the periodic inspection and test, and the details of any tests omitted should be recorded in the relevant part of ‘Section D’ on the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).

The ideal is always for the full range of relevant tests to be carried out. However, there may be circumstances within a particular installation that limit the number of tests at the time of inspection. This may be the case where, for example, access to high-bay lighting fittings is restricted due to persons working underneath; meaning tests such as continuity of protective conductors and earth fault loop impedance cannot be undertaken.

QUESTION

ANSWER

Where periodic inspection and testing in a domestic premises identifies that cables in the loft space are covered by thermal insulation, what Classification code (if any) should be attributed on an Electrical Installation Condition Report?

It should be noted that Regulation 523.9 expresses a preference that cables are not installed in locations where they may be covered in thermal insulation. Where cables are installed in locations containing thermal insulation, ideally they should be fixed in a position such that they will not be covered by thermal insulation.

In many cases, loft spaces in domestic premises contain cables for one circuit only; that is, lighting for the locations below. These circuits are generally comprised of insulated and sheathed flat cables with line conductors having a cross-sectional area (csa) of either 1.0 mm2 or 1.5 mm2, and according to Table 4D5 of BS 7671, these cables can carry 10.5 A or 13 A respectively when installed above a plasterboard ceiling and covered by thermal insulation exceeding 100 mm in thickness. Such circuits are generally protected by a 6 A device and the cables’ current-carrying capacity and insulation is generally not subject to any significant detrimental effect should full load current be drawn; meaning no Classification code need be attributed.

However, loft spaces may also contain cables used to supply loads, such as an instantaneous shower, and where this is the case these cables can be subject to significant detrimental effect from thermal insulation. For example, an insulated and sheathed flat cable having a csa of 10 mm2 has a current-carrying capacity of 64 A when clipped direct, but this is reduced to 36 A when installed above a plasterboard ceiling and covered by thermal insulation exceeding 100 mm (Table 4D5 refers).

Where an inspector acknowledges that due to covering by thermal insulation a cable may have an inadequate csa for the supplied load, an appropriate Classification code should be attributed. For example, a Classification C2 would be appropriate where there is evidence of overheating to the cable or C3 where there are no signs of overheating.

QUESTION

ANSWER

Does BS 7671 require RCD protection for a sauna heater?

In general, yes, unless the manufacturer states otherwise.

It should be noted that Part 7 requirements supplement and modify the general requirements of BS 7671, and as such it may be necessary to amend methods of installation where cables are, for example, buried in walls at a depth of less than 50 mm.

The requirements for sauna heaters are given in Section 703, and Regulation 703.411.3.3 (Additional protection by RCDs) requires all circuits of the sauna to be provided with RCD protection having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1. However, this regulation also states ‘RCD protection need not be provided for the sauna heater unless such protection is recommended by the manufacturer’.

Furthermore, Regulation 703.55 requires sauna heating appliances to comply with BS EN 60335-2-53 and be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

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Fully charged 40 Fire detectors in loft spaces 42 Protective measures for agricultural locations 47 Working near overhead lines 50 Installing metal consumer units

53 57 60

Minimising impact to cables in walls or partitions The use of IT supply systems in electrical installations Snags and solutions: now updated to Amendment No 3 of BS 7671 and where appropriate BS 5266 and BS 5839

Fire detectors in loft spaces – recommendations of BS 5839-6 This article is the second of two on the fire risks associated with installing electrically powered equipment in the loft space of domestic premises.

The first article, published in issue 193 of Connections, looked at why it is becoming common for such equipment to be mounted in a loft space, the fire risks associated with their installation and some relevant guidance from BS 5839-61.

T

his article reinforces and provides further relevant guidance from BS 5839-6 (including fire risk assessment) for where electrical powered equipment is mounted in a loft space, and also highlights appropriate measures to provide life protection in the event of fire.

Fire risk assessment (The guidance given in BS 5839-6) A fire detection and fire alarm system must take into account the ability of those within a dwelling to respond to the alarm and to make use of the time that such an alarm provides to effect an escape. A fire risk assessment enables the contractor to make a judgement about the cost-benefit of a particular fire detection and alarm system.

A fire risk assessment will, therefore, take account of the probability of: • fire occurring, • death or injury to occupants, • the system operating correctly, and • early detection and warning of occupants.

It should not be assumed that one particular Grade and Category of fire detection and fire alarm system is suitable to provide safe evacuation of all premises. This is because premises have different 40

1 All references to Tables and Clauses in this article are to BS 5839-6: 2013 (Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings – Part 6: Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises).

shapes and sizes and the factors that influence fire risk may therefore be different within premises regarding, for example, the: • number of floors and/or floor area and any need for compartmentalisation, • number of ignition sources, • nature of the material used in construction, • sound transmission of the building materials used, and • the characteristics of the occupants.

These factors must be taken into account to ensure that a system is designed or selected from the recommendations given in Clause 9 (Choice of system) of BS 5839-62 which incorporate an adequate number of distributed and correctly sited detectors and sounders (where required).

Clause 4 (Fire risk assessment) comments that the final design of a system for any particular domestic premises should, where reasonably practicable, be based on a form of fire risk assessment, particularly if it is proposed to deviate from the recommendations given in Clause 9 or if there are risk factors additional to those encountered in typical examples of the types of premises defined in Clause 9.

Applying the comments of Clause 4 to where electrically powered equipment is mounted in a loft space indicates a fire detector may be required in that space, because: • there can be risk factors additional to those encountered in typical types of premises, and therefore the probability of fire occurring is increased, and • in the event of fire in the loft early detection and warning for the occupants can minimise injury or death and limit property damage.

Further guidance to fire risk assessment for dwellings is given in Annex A of BS 5839-6.

Other relevant guidance given in BS 5839-6 Clause 11.1.1 (Category LD systems) comments that where areas or rooms pose an increased fire risk they should be incorporated within the fire system. The clause also comments that where electrical equipment is mounted in loft spaces, that space might require a fire detector incorporated into a Category LD2 system, and where the system is Category LD1 the loft space

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Fig 2 Example of a fire detector mounted in a loft containing electrically powered equipment (not to scale)

Ridge tiles Fire detector*

Roof tiles Solar panels

Rafters Inverter

Felt Battens * More than one detector may be required.

Detectors should be mounted at, or not more than 600mm vertically below the apex.

should be provided with a fire detector unless the equipment is regarded not to be a significant source of ignition and no readily combustible materials are stored.

Summarising Clause 11.1.1 for equipment posing a significant source of ignition mounted in the loft space, it would be prudent for installers of the equipment to incorporate a fire detector in the loft space as part of either a Category LD1 or LD2 system; remember, a lost space by its nature generally contains an adequate amount of combustible material to provide rapid fire spread.

Type, siting and general recommendations for fire detectors in a loft space Fire alarm systems in dwellings typically incorporate smoke and/or heat detectors.

Carbon monoxide fire detectors are not precluded provided the relevant recommendations of Clause 10 (Types of fire detector and their selection) are met.

No particular type of fire detector is suitable for all applications. A detector must be selected taking into account, amongst other things: • the nature of the fire hazard • the type of fire that might develop • the response time of the detector to fire • the need to minimise false alarms.

Typically, smoke detectors respond significantly faster to the effects of fire than heat detectors or

2 A Table 1 of Clause 9 gives examples of the recommended minimum Grade and Category of fire detection and fire alarm system, to minimise the risk to life from fire, in all new and materially altered single-family dwellings of a typical nature, such as an owner-occupied two storey house with no floor greater than 200 m² in area.

carbon monoxide fire detectors. However, smoke detectors are more likely to give false alarms, such as from a dust build up and insects (such as thrips) in the detection chamber.

Due to the nature of a loft, a fire can become rapidly established; meaning a fast response is required: smoke detectors are therefore the most appropriate selection.

Two types of smoke detector/alarm are manufactured: ionisation and optical.

Ionisation type detectors are preferred for dusty environments such as a loft space, to minimise false alarms (Clause 12 (Limitations of false alarms) refers).

The siting of a detector, regardless of location, should always be in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and in a position that provides accessibility to meet the routine maintenance recommendations given in Clause 11.2(n).

Clause 11.2(h) recommends that detectors incorporated in a LD1 and LD2 systems should be positioned so that no point of the room (or loft) should be further than 7.5 m from the nearest detector. This distance may be increased for sloped ceilings (Clause 11.2(j) refers). As for any room, a loft space may therefore require more than one detector.

Clause 11.2(i) expresses a preference for detectors to be mounted on ceilings, and positioned at least 300 mm horizontally from any wall or light fitting. For obvious reasons this measure does not apply to a light fitting having test evidence that the fitting will not affect the performance of a detector.

Ceiling-mounted detectors should be positioned with their sensitive elements between 25 mm and 600 mm below the ceiling. Where the ceiling is sloped, detectors should be positioned at, or not more than 600 mm vertically below the apex (Clause 11.2(j) refers).

Clause 12.2(a) recommends that all systems to BS 5839 should have accessible means of silencing alarm signals that are suitable for use by the occupants.

Where a detector forming part of a Grade D, E and F system is installed in the loft it should be interlinked, so that when fire is detected by any detector, an audible fire alarm warning signal is given by all detectors in the premises (Clause 13.2(c) refers).

For dwellings having a Grade A, B or C system, it is recommended that all fire alarm sounders in the premises give a fire alarm signal regardless of where fire is detected in the premises (Clause 13.2(d) refers).

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Fully charged Increased risk of electric shock

Protective measures for agricultural locations In this article the increased risks associated with locations housing livestock are discussed along with the protective measures contained in Section 705 to minimise such risks. Factors solely applicable to horticultural premises are not considered.

P

laces such as milking parlours, stables, piggeries and the like are recognised by BS 7671 as locations having an increased risk of electric shock and fire. Therefore, irrespective of whether fixed electrical installation work is undertaken inside or outside these agricultural buildings, the general requirements of BS 7671 should be modified or supplemented by the particular requirements of Section 705 Agricultural and Horticultural Premises.

It should be noted that the requirements covering cables, wiring systems and electrical equipment installed in agricultural locations will be discussed in a further article to follow at a later date.

Fig 1 A milking parlour

As shown in Fig 1, the environmental conditions in agricultural premises are typically damp or wet, especially as water, steam or chemical sprays are commonly used for cleaning floors, livestock and equipment. Consequently, persons and livestock in such locations typically will have a lower body resistance and be in good contact with the general mass of Earth, particularly as they are likely to be standing on wet or muddy ground or touching ‘earthy’ metalwork.

In view of such factors, and the impracticalities of applying protective bonding to all extraneous-conductive-parts contained in such locations, persons and particularly livestock (as their body resistance is much lower than that of humans) are exposed to an increased risk of fatal electric shock, under earth fault conditions.

Protective measures One role of the designer is to ensure that the protective measures employed, including any additional means of protection, are acceptable for the conditions that exist.

Therefore, owing to the environmental conditions and risks previously described, the protective measures of obstacles, placing out of reach, non-conducting location and earth-free local equipotential bonding are prohibited in agricultural locations (Regulations 705.410.3.5 and 705.410.3.6 refer).

Protective measure SELV or PELV It should be appreciated that voltages of much less than 50 V a.c. can still pose a fatal risk to animals, and still present a risk of fire. Therefore, where the protective measure SELV or PELV is employed, basic protection should still be provided to prevent livestock from making contact with live parts and to minimise the risk of arcing. Basic protection should be provided either by insulation of live parts or the use of barriers or enclosures in accordance with Section 416 of BS 7671 (Regulation 705.414.4.5 refers).

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Protective measure Automatic Disconnection of Supply (ADS)

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Typically fault protection will be met by the protective measure automatic disconnection of supply (ADS), which requires: • basic protection to be provided by basic insulation of live parts or barriers and enclosures, and • fault protection to be provided by means of protective earthing, protective equipotential Autumn 2015 Connections

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Fig 2 Disconnection of circuits

1

2

3

bonding and automatic disconnection in the case of fault (Regulation 411.1 refers).

For the protective measure ADS, Regulation 705.411.1 modifies the general requirement of Regulation

411.1 so that RCDs are required to provide automatic disconnection for all circuits, irrespective of the earthing system. The maximum rated residual operating current (IΔn) of the RCD is dependent on the purpose of the circuit as follows: 1: For final circuits supplying socket-outlets having a rated current not exceeding 32 A, an RCD with a residual operating current of 30 mA should provide disconnection in accordance with Regulation 415.1.1.

2: For final circuits supplying socket-outlets having a rated current exceeding 32 A, an RCD with a residual operating current not exceeding 100 mA should provide disconnection.

3: For all other circuits, an RCD with a residual operating current not exceeding 300 mA should provide disconnection. The use of a time-delay device is not precluded.

It should be noted that the requirements to provide RCD protection for all circuits also satisfies the requirements for protection against fire (Regulation 705.422.7 refers). Where an RCD is used to fulfil more than one of the functions listed, then the installed device must satisfy the relevant requirements of BS 7671 for each function.

The use of a TN-C system to provide automatic disconnection of supply is not permitted in installations in agricultural locations.

Fig 3 Supplementary bonding

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Fully charged Additional protection To minimise the risk of harmful potential differences arising, such as those voltage differences that may exist as a result of fault current flowing to earth, supplementary equipotential bonding should be carried out between all exposed-conductive-parts and extraneous-conductive-parts accessible to livestock (Regulation 705. 415.2.1 refers). The bonding should include any extraneous-conductive-parts on or within the floor, such as that contained in reinforced concrete; however, where the connection between constructional metallic parts is reliable, such as that between a continuous line of metal barriers, bonding individual barriers is unnecessary.

Even small potential differences, such as those that can exist between a PME earth and ‘true’ Earth (the general mass of Earth), can cause livestock to become distressed or startled. One method of reducing this risk is to install a metallic grid in the floor and, as shown in Fig 3, extend

the supplementary bonding to the grid. It should be noted that use of a PME earthing facility is not recommended for such a location unless a metallic grid is laid in the floor.

Supplementary bonding conductors For the purposes of ensuring reliability, it is recommended that at least two permanent bonding connections are made to the metallic grid, by welding, brazing or soldering. Suitable types of protective bonding conductors include galvanised steel and copper conductors (Regulation 705.554.2).

Irrespective of the type of bonding conductor used, or where the connection is made, it should be protected against mechanical stresses and corrosion and also selected so that the risk of electrolytic action is minimised (copper conductors should not be directly connected to galvanised steel for example). One method of providing such protection against electrolytic action, for example, might be to ‘tin’ the copper conductors prior to their connection.

The NICEIC and ELECSA publishing team Sue Heybourne, technical illustrator Sue joined NICEIC in 2000 and previously worked for The Electrical Safety Council before moving to Certsure in 2013. She is responsible for producing and archiving all the illustrations for publications, articles and presentations, pocket guides and books. She also helps design all certificates.

Derek Cooney, technical author Derek is a time-served electrician who spent many years electrical contracting on domestic, commercial and industrial installations, before becoming a college lecturer. He joined NICEIC as a technical operations engineer in 2009.

Chris Long, technical engineer Chris is a gas professional responsible for providing a technical overview of all gas-related articles and publications. He lives in Hampshire with his family and outside of work is a motorbike nut.

John Clark, senior engineer John started out by serving a five-year apprenticeship before spending some time installing plant in power stations. He then took a degree in electrical and electronic engineering before becoming a lecturer. He now works as senior engineer helping to develop the learning guides.

Tim Benstead, principal technical author Tim started his career as an apprentice electrician and worked in both contracting and maintenance prior to spending some 16 years as a lecturer. He began working for the Electrical Safety Council in 2006 as a senior engineer and has been part of the team responsible for the production of various NICEIC publications and certificates.

Mike Burling, senior engineer A former JIB technician, Mike had his own NICEIC-registered electrical contracting business, before taking on a role as a college tutor and NVQ assessor. He now works as a senior engineer responsible for overseeing the technical content of all technical publications and articles.

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Fully charged Working near overhead lines Overhead electricity lines are placed at specified heights above the ground so that the risk of accidental contact with persons, plant or equipment is minimised. Nevertheless, over half of fatal electrical accidents that occur each year are caused by contact with overhead lines. Such overhead lines are typically HV supplies, although there may be instances where bare conductors supply low voltage (LV) installations.

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hile the ideal safety option is that the network operator removes the risk by isolating the relevant section(s) of the overhead line prior to the work being undertaken, in most cases this is not a practical option. Therefore, this article reviews the general health and safety guidance for assessing and controlling such risks, which is contained in the HSE Guidance Note GS6 (Fourth edition) Avoiding danger from overhead power lines (2013). GS6 may be downloaded free of charge from www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/gs6.htm.

The risks need to be managed where work, including temporary or short duration work, Fig 1 Risk of contact with overhead lines – either directly or as a result of close proximity

is intended to be carried out within a distance of 10 m from an overhead line, measured at ground level horizontally from below the nearest conductor (Item 11 of GS6 refers).

Although such work should generally be restricted to daylight hours of good visibility, a site specific risk assessment should take account of the: • voltage rating and height of the line, • position and proximity of the work activity – including whether access is required underneath the line, • size and reach of machinery such as mobile lifting platforms, • safe clearance distance between the overhead conductors and any machinery, equipment or structures such as mobile platforms, ladders and scaffolding, • site conditions (risk of instability from movement of plant on undulating ground), and • competence, supervision and training of those working in the area.

Voltage rating and height of the overhead line Requirements for minimum heights of overhead lines, based on the voltage rating of the line, are specified in The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, as amended (ESQCR). For example, a line having a nominal voltage not exceeding 33 kV is required to be placed at a minimum height of 5.8 m above roads accessible to vehicles, or at 5.2 m in locations not accessible to vehicles. Exceptions to these heights are permitted under certain conditions (Regulation 17(2) ESQCR refers).

The position and proximity of the work activity – including whether access is required underneath the line Where construction work is intended to be carried out within ten metres of an overhead electricity line then it may be necessary to establish a safety zone to separate the work site from the vicinity of the overhead line.

Generally, this is achieved by using ground level barriers, such as large steel drums filled with rubble or concrete, as shown in Fig 2.

Alternatively, wire fencing earthed at either end, or banks of earth with posts inserted, may be used.

The safety zone should extend 6 m horizontally from the nearest conductor on the relevant side of the line, running parallel to the position of the line. Where both sides of the line are accessible then a safety zone should be established on each side.

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Fully charged Note: Flags or bunting should not be run along the sides of the crossing as this may contravene the safe clearance distances discussed as follows.

Fig 2 Establishing a safety zone

Safe clearance distances DANGER OVERHEAD LINES

4.2 m maximum height

9 m maximum width

DANGER OF DEATH

DANGER OF DEATH

DANGER OF DEATH

CROSSING POINT

Where movement of machinery or equipment is planned to take place underneath the overhead line a crossing point (high visibility passageway) should be erected using fences and height restriction goalposts of non-conducting materials, such as timber or plastics, to define the route (refer Fig 2).

Each crossing should be assigned a unique number and, to alert drivers and plant operators of the hazard before crossing, warning signs should be placed on all approaches. As shown, the height of the goalpost (the crossbar) should not exceed 4.2 m and the width should be kept as narrow as possible and should not exceed 9 m.

Where the width cannot be spanned by goalposts then plastic ropes or steel wire, earthed at either end, may be used with flags or bunting attached.

Fig 3 Minimum extent of exclusion zones

EXclusion zone

Where work encroaches on or has to be carried out within the safety zone, the risk assessment should verify that the safe clearance distances of the specified exclusion zone will not be breached.

An exclusion zone is the minimum space, based on the voltage rating of the overhead line, that should be maintained in all directions around the line conductors so as to prevent electrical arcing and flashover.

Line to line voltage of overhead line (kV)

Exclusion Zone (m)

1

1

11 and 33

3

132

6

275 and 400

7

Measures to ensure safe systems of working may include installing barriers to make sure a safe distance is maintained or restricting access to only vehicles, plant and equipment, including ladders that cannot breach the exclusion zone where they are at their maximum operating reach, or requiring all such access vehicles to be fitted with height restrictors.

In addition, storage areas for metallic equipment such as scaffold poles, ladders or lengths of conduit or trunking should be positioned at a safe distance from the exclusion zone.

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) Technical Specification 43-8 – overhead line clearances provides details are on safe clearance distances.

The competence, supervision and training of those working in the area All those involved in work near overhead lines should be aware of the risks and recognise their responsibilities for maintaining safe systems of work, in particular: • adhering to safe working procedures such as permit to work systems.

• ensuring plant and access vehicles such as mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) are only operated by trained persons in accordance with the particular safety operating instructions.

• reporting damaged or missing safety equipment such as warning signs, barriers, and goalposts immediately.

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Fully charged Installing metal consumer units in installations forming part of a TT earthing system Prior to Amendment 3 of BS 7671, the typical consumer units installed in domestic installations employed a plastic all-insulated enclosure. However, from 1st January 20161, to meet the requirements of Regulation 421.1.201, all consumer units in domestic premises are required to either have an enclosure manufactured from a non-combustible material or be mounted in a cabinet constructed from a non-combustible material.

A

s a result of this requirement, and because Note 1 attached to the requirement states that ferrous metal is an example of a non-combustible material, the majority of consumer units installed in domestic premises will be manufactured from steel.

Although metal clad consumer units are demonstrably non-flammable when compared with equivalent all-insulated units, metal clad units have the disadvantage that if they are installed in

1 Although Amendment 3 of BS 7671 came into effect on 1st July 2015, to allow manufacturers of consumer units to make the necessary changes in their production processes, Regulation 421.1.201 does not come into effect until 1st January 2016: this does not preclude their immediate use.

Fig 1 Effect of fault to earth between incoming tails and the metal case of a consumer unit Distributor’s meter

Class I enclosure Fault

Distributor’s cut-out

To other installation metalwork

Fuse

Main Earthing Terminal

Earthing conductor Installation earth electrode

50

RCD

Circuit protective conductors and main bonding conductors

an installation forming part of a TT system, a fault between the incoming meter tails and the metal case will result in the metal case becoming live (refer Fig 1). Such a fault will cause all other conductive parts connected to the main earthing terminal (MET) to rise to a potential approaching close to that of the single phase supply to Earth. Under such circumstances, due to the high external earth fault loop impedance of a typical TT system, the service fuse is unlikely to operate and even when it does it may not operate within the 1 s disconnection time required by BS 7671 (Regulation 411.3.2.4 refers) leading to all the earthed metalwork within the installation being at a dangerous potential.

However, by following the advice given later in this article, which reflects longstanding industry practice, metal-cased consumer units have been used safely in installations forming part of a TT system for many years.

To alleviate the danger described in the previous paragraph, Regulation 531.4.1 requires that for an installation which is part of a TT system and is protected by a single RCD then either: 1. the RCD is placed at the origin of the installation, or 2. the part of the installation between the origin and the device (RCD in the consumer unit) complies with the requirements for the protection by the use of class II equipment or equivalent insulation.

Whilst it is not possible to place a double-pole RCD at a position that will eliminate all risk associated with protecting meter tails from earth fault, it is possible to reduce the risk of a fault to earth by positioning the consumer unit in close proximity to the energy meter.

The most cost effective method, and the approach generally adopted, is to house the RCD within the consumer unit and to use thermoplastic or thermosetting insulated and sheathed cable for the meter tails and fit an insulated bush, located where the meter tails enter the metallic consumer unit or protective cabinet. Details of typical insulated bushes are shown in Fig 2.

It should be noted that in order to avoid eddy currents being induced in the metallic enclosure and causing overheating, all the meter tails should enter the consumer unit through the same entry point (that is through one knock-out hole).

It is important that, so far as reasonably practicable, the entry points of all the cables (including the meter tails) into the metal consumer unit do not unduly diminish the fire protection provided by the consumer unit. It is generally accepted that this can be achieved by ensuring that the cable entries into the consumer unit maintain a degree of protection of at least IPXXD or IP4X for the top surface (Regulation 416.2.2 refers) and IPXXD or IP2X elsewhere (Regulation 416.2.1 refers).

Even though the meter tails are double insulated and enter the consumer unit via an insulated

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Fig 2 Typical insulated bushes for entries to Class I enclosures

Meet the helpline If you have ever telephoned our technical helpline you may wonder who the voices are on the other end of the line.

Paul Collins, technical services manager Industry experience: More than 25 years’ experience in the electrical industry, covering gas, heating, plumbing and renewable technologies. Worked with CORGI before joining NICEIC in 2005.

bush, there is still a very small possibility that the connection between the meter tails and device acting as the multi-pole main switch could become loose, resulting in a live conductor coming into contact with the metal consumer unit. In this situation, the consumer unit and all conductive parts connected to the main earthing terminal will be live. To prevent such an eventuality, the installer should ensure that the conductors are correctly installed with no appreciable mechanical strain on the connections (Regulation 526.6 refers) and the connections are tightened to a value recommended by the manufacturer. Where a clamp of the type shown in Fig 3 is provided to secure the incoming meter tails the likelihood of vibration causing the meter tails to work loose is greatly reduced and the use of such a clamp is considered sensible.

However, the installer should be aware that the use of such a clamp is no substitute for the correct connection of the conductors.

Fig 3 A clamp designed to secure the incoming tails within the consumer unit

John O’Neill, technical engineering manager Industry experience: Owned and operated a large electrical systems integrator, electrical design consultant and lecturer in electrical engineering. More recently an NICEIC area engineer, supporting contractors through the assessment process.

Clinton Thompson, standards engineer Industry experience: Electrician (domestic and industrial), electrical engineer (food industry, high-volume production and heavy press industry), college tutor, training centre tutor.

Stuart McHugh, technical helpline engineer Industry experience: More than 48 years in the electrical industry, including a six-year apprenticeship, industrial commercial domestic and street-lighting work.

Duncan McFarlane, technical helpline engineer Industry experience: Time-served electrician, working on domestic, commercial, industrial and petrochemical installations. Electrical clerk of works, electrical surveyor, lecturer and NVQ assessor.

Norman Bradshaw, technical helpline engineer Industry experience: Electrician for 23 years, working as an Approved Contractor, assisting new electricians in gaining Part P registration and working in partnership with local building control departments.

Cable clamp secures and holds cables

Mark Cooper, technical helpline engineer Industry experience: Approved electrician with over 30 years’ experience, mainly in heavy industrial and commercial installations. Also a qualified NVQ assessor.

Steve Hoult, technical helpline engineer Industry experience: Experienced in design and installation of systems to 11kV working in the coal-mining industry and then on industrial and construction electrical supply installations.

Call the technical helpline on 0870 013 0391. Got a legal query? Call our legal helpline free on 0845 602 5965

Connections Autumn 2015

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SLD

Signs & Labels Direct Ltd

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Cable marking on smooth Cards • Very durable UV-resistant ABS plastic • Halogen free • Many sizes and colours to choose from • Incredible value

In total there are often more than 10,000 signs and everything is produced and mailed the same day.

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THE POWER TO CERTIFY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE Certifying your work has just got even easier with our Online Certification App. You can now complete your certificates online or offline and sync all data to our Online Certification System.

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To make it even easier, existing users of the Online Certification system will have all their data automatically available to use on the App. ANDROID APP AVAILABLE AUTUMN 2015 iOS APP AVAILABLE NOW

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT NICEICONLINE.COM OR CALL 0843 290 3447

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Ask the experts/Technical

Fully charged Minimising impact to cables in walls or partitions

Walls or partitions constructed having an internal metallic framework are not discussed. The requirements for cables in these types of wall or partition are given in Regulation 522.6.203.

Requirements for minimising impact

To minimise the likelihood of impact damage to cables installed in walls or partitions at a depth of less than 50 mm from the surface of the wall or partition Regulations 522.6.202 and 522.6.204 of BS 7671 recognise three distinct installation methods: install the cable in a zone, use a cable having suitable mechanical protection (or be provided with such protection) and use a cable operating at extra-low voltage provided by SELV or PELV.

T

his article serves as a general reminder to electrical contractors of the three aforementioned installation methods; however, the article is specifically focused on where cables operating at low-voltage are installed at a depth of less than 50 mm from the surface of a wall or partition to supply a point, accessory or item of switchgear mounted on the reverse side of the wall or partition.

Fig 1 Example of the zones given in Regulation 522.6.202 Conditions applying to cables embedded in a wall or partition at a depth of less than 50 mm from surfaces CN0025

Wall

Wall Point or accessory etc

Zone within 150 mm of the top of the wall - Regulation 522.6.202 (i) a) Zone within 150 mm of an angle formed by adjoining walls or partitions - Regulation 522.6.202 (i) b) Zone either horizontally or vertically, to the point, accessory or switchgear on the surface of the wall or partition, to which the cable is connected - Regulation 522.6.202 (i) c)

Wall

To minimise impact Regulation 522.6.202 requires cables installed at a depth of less than 50 mm from the surface of the wall or partition to be installed (see Fig 1) in the following zones: • within 150 mm from the top of the wall or partition, or • within 150 mm of an angle formed by two adjoining walls or partitions, or • either horizontally or vertically to a point, accessory or item of switchgear mounted in/ on the wall or partition.

If the position of a mounted point, accessory or item of switchgear can be determined from the reverse side of the wall or partition, Regulation 522.6.202 requires that where a wall or partition has a thickness no greater than 100 mm, a zone formed on one side extends to the reverse side.

If a cable is not installed in a zone, the cable should comply with Regulation 522.6.204 as follows: • have an earthed metallic covering, such as steel wire armour to BS 8436, or • be installed in an earthed metallic enclosure, such as conduit, or • be given sufficient protection to resist damage, such as a metallic plate sufficient to prevent penetration by nails, screws and the like.

Note: neither metal or plastic capping meets this requirement, or • operate at extra-low voltage provided by SELV or PELV. A cable installed in a zone in accordance with Regulation 522.6.202, and not complying with Regulation 522.6.204 is required to be provided with additional protection by a residual current device (RCD) having a rated residual operating current (IΔn) not exceeding 30 mA and an operating time not exceeding 40 ms at a residual current of 5 IΔn.

It should be noted that an RCD cannot provide a cable installed in a wall or partition with protection against impact; however, such a device in the event of impact, can minimise the risk of injury or fire by providing rapid disconnection of supply.

Installation of cables in walls or partitions Where cables are installed in a wall or partition, Connections Autumn 2015

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Ask the experts/Technical

Fully charged Fig 2a 2b Examples of cables installed in traditional walls at a depth of 50 mm or less EITHER

OR Cable to BS 8436 installed

Cable to BS 8436 installed

Cable installation MUST COMPLY with 522.6.204

Share the ZONE of another outlet Socket-outlet

Greater than 100 mm thick

Greater than 100 mm thick

(a)

it is crucial that the designer (who may also be the installer) selects an appropriate installation method from Regulations 522.6.202 or 522.6.204 to minimise damage to cables and danger to person(s) from electric shock or burns.

Typically, cables and their associated points, accessories or items of switchgear are installed in/on the same side of a wall or partition.

However, sometimes this typical method is not applied, for example, where points for lighting fittings or socket-outlets are mounted on external facing brickwork; meaning that due to aesthetics, the cables (generally thermoplastic and sheathed flat cable) are installed in the plaster finished reverse side.

Fig 2 (a) shows an example of a situation where a cable is installed in a plaster finished reverse side of a wall, and it should be recognised that the cable is not installed in a zone in accordance with the previously mentioned requirements of Regulation 522.6.202. This situation may arise where, for example, the functional switch for the luminaire is mounted in another location (rather than on the reverse side of the wall to create a zone for the cable). In order to comply with Regulation 522.6.204 a cable to BS 8436 1 has been installed.

54

(b)

1 BS 8436: This standard is for multicore cables incorporating a metallic screen, typically aluminium.

These cables, for use in low-voltage systems, are generally constructed in circular format with a white sheath, giving them an appearance of flexible cables for use with electrical appliances. However, they are more robust than flexible cables and have a bare circuit protective conductor.

For the situation illustrated, either cables complying with Regulation 522.6.204 must be installed (as shown) or the cable should be positioned to share a zone of a different point, accessory or item of switchgear, as shown in Fig 2 (b). The latter method will provide a ‘sign-post’ for the cable supplying the equipment (luminaire) mounted on the reverse side.

It is a misconception that where cables in walls or partitions are provided with additional protection by RCD they can be routed anywhere.

Installing cables not complying with Regulation 522.6.204 outside of a zone is a failure to comply with the general requirements of Regulation 522.6.1, where wiring systems, such as pvc-insulated and sheathed cables (twin and earth), are to be selected and erected so as to minimise the damage arising from mechanical stress, such as impact, abrasion, penetration, tension or compression during installation, use or maintenance. Such installation practices may lead to the situation where the user of the premises may make impact with an installed cable, say, when hanging a picture, resulting in personal injury and/or damage to decorations and remedial work.

Autumn 2015 Connections

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THE POWER TO HELP OUR APPROVED CONTRACTORS COMPLETE 1.5M INSTALLATIONS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS

the power behind your business Becoming an Approved Contractor can open all sorts of doors for your business. Upgrading your enrolment is straightforward and quick and the benefits are huge. To find out how far you could go with NICEIC, just call 0843 290 3465 or visit niceic.com

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Ask the experts/Technical

Fully charged The use of IT supply systems in electrical installations Part 2 of BS 7671 defines an IT system as ‘A system having no direct connection between live parts and Earth, the exposed-conductive-parts of the electrical installation being earthed’.

I

n an IT system the star point of the secondary winding of the transformer supplying the system is not directly connected to Earth. This arrangement, therefore, contravenes Regulation 8(3) of the Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity Regulations and hence, IT systems in the UK are not permitted to be used in low voltage electrical distribution networks.

The purpose of an IT system is to maintain a supply whilst a single fault exists and has particular benefits in certain medical locations and where the connection to Earth is difficult. The IT system is unique among the supply systems included in BS 7671 in that the star point of the secondary winding of the transformer supplying the system is not directly connected to Earth. In an IT system the star point of the source may be either: • not connected to Earth, or • connected to Earth via an earthing impedance.

Furthermore, the exposed-conductive-parts

Fig 1 Overview of an IT system connected to earth via an earthing impedance Intake

Metal case

Circuit protective conductor

Earthing impedance Source earth

Installation earth electrode

of the electrical equipment being supplied are connected to Earth, in the case of the system shown in Fig 1 an earth electrode.

Typically, the IT system is either supplied by a generating set, by an isolating transformer or by a transformer providing electrical separation. These arrangements ensure there is no direct electrical connection between the live conductors of the IT system and general electrical installation. This arrangement is distinct from the protective measure electrical separation (refer Regulation Group 418.3).

To appreciate why IT systems are used, one needs to compare what happens when a single fault to earth occurs in a TN system with what happens in an IT system. A single fault to earth is often referred to as a ‘first fault’ and Fig 2 shows a first fault occurring in a TN-S earthing system. In the event of a first fault in a TN or TT system, the protective measure automatic disconnection of supply requires the co-ordination of the protective device operating characteristics and earth fault loop impedance so to ensure that the fault current is sufficiently large to cause the protective device to operate and disconnect the supply within a specified time (Regulation Group 411.3.2 refers).

As permitted by Regulation 411.6.1, rather than relying upon automatic disconnection to ensure safety in the event of a first fault an IT system is designed so that the voltage appearing on exposedconductive-parts will not exceed the limiting values of 50 V for an a.c. system and 120 V for a d.c. system (Regulation 411.6.2 refers). The distinguishing feature of an IT system is that unlike TN and TT systems, under first fault conditions the supply to the load is maintained. It is the ability of IT systems to maintain the electrical supply even after a first fault that results in IT systems being used in applications, such as railway signalling systems, where a high reliability of supply is required.

Considering the IT earthing system shown in Fig 3, under fault conditions the presence of the earthing impedance reduces the value of the fault current to a value that can normally be measured in mA, and the touch voltage appearing on the exposed-conductive-parts being the product of fault current Id and combined resistance of the earth electrode and protective conductor (RA) (Regulation 411.6.2 refers). IT systems can be designed so that the fault currents and touch voltages occurring under first fault conditions are less than that which would occur in a TN system under similar fault conditions and there are applications, such as in medical locations, where these reduced fault currents and touch voltages are necessary.

To meet the operating requirements of the electrical equipment and/or circuits being supplied, some of the illustrations in Section Connections Autumn 2015

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Fully charged Fig 2 The effect of a first fault on a TN earthing system

Fig 3 The effect of a first fault on an IT earthing system Metal case

Intake

Metal case

Intake

Fuse

Fuse Fault

Fault

Circuit protective conductor

Earthing impedance

The high fault current flows in line and protective conductor and should blow the fuse

The effect of the earthing impedance is to reduce the magnitude of the fault current to a value that is insufficient to blow the fuse and the equipment will continue to function

717 (Mobile and Transportable Units) show the electrical installations within the units incorporating IT systems. Section 710 of BS 7671 (Medical Locations) includes the use of Medical IT systems such as that shown in Fig 4 (see Regulation Group 710.411.6).

In the medical IT system shown in Fig 4 there is no electrical connection between the star point of Fig 4 Typical medical IT system incorporating insulation monitoring Typical medical IT system with insulation monitoring Monitoring system including insulation monitor

L N

Alarm panel Load CT

Medical gases and boom

PE Protective earth bar Equipotential reference bonding bar

Taps & pipes

Antistatic grids (if installed) If needed

58

Circuit protective conductor

the secondary winding of the supply transformer and earth. However, in the event of a fault to Earth, stray capacitance between the live parts of the system and earth will provide a high impedance path for fault current between star point and earth. In IT systems such as these, it should be noted that the outputs from the transformer are both line conductors.

In the event of a first fault on an IT system, as the overcurrent protective device will not operate, personnel using the system are unlikely to realise that a fault has occurred and Regulation 411.6.3 lists a range of devices that can be used to detect the occurrence of a fault. Where an IT system is being used to provide continuity of supply, such a monitoring device should provide an audible and/ or visual indication of a fault (Regulations 411.6.3.1 and 411.6.3.2 refer). Fig 4 shows the use of such a monitoring system.

One of the characteristics of an IT earthing system is that if after the occurrence of the first fault a second fault should occur on a different live conductor, a high fault current will result.

Regulation 411.6.4 contains requirements for designing IT systems, so that in the event of a second fault: • the fault current causes the protective device to operate and disconnect the supply within a specified disconnection time; and • during the time taken for the protective device to operate the voltage appearing on exposedconductive-parts will be within specified limits.

Autumn 2015 Connections

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Wagobox-Capsule

Versatility & Performance Encapsulated

The New Wagobox IP68 Waterproof Enclosure

It’s a hard life being exposed to the British weather. Snow covered winters, wet autumns and hot summers! In outside spaces across the UK electrical enclosures are constantly tested by the elements, it’s no exaggeration to say life outdoors is tough.

The Wagobox-Capsule is designed for use with both armoured or non-armoured cables. Optional Steel plates make bonding brass armoured glands a breeze whilst the slide on mounting bracket provides an easy method for mounting onto Àat surfaces.

For the Wagobox-Capsule to protect your electrical connections year in year out nothing has been left to chance! We provide an enhanced UV resistant polycarbonate body to optimise durability, double ‘o’ ring lid seals for the ultimate in water resistance, and a unique hexagonal design for added strength.

So whether you require protection against dust or water the Wagobox-capsule’s ground breaking design will give you superior levels of performance.

As with all our Wagobox enclosures, simplicity is at the heart of the Wagobox-Capsule design. The unique shape of the capsule offers lid or side entry options whilst a range of optional extras ensure it will meet your needs.

For further information call 01353666011 or email: sales@wagobox.com. To purchase, order online at www.wagobox.com or from your local Wagobox wholesaler.

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Ask the experts/Technical

Fully charged +

Snags & Solutions A practical guide to everyday electrical problems Now updated to Amendment No 3 of BS 7671 and where appropriate BS 5266 and BS 5839 ‘Snags & Solutions’, NICEIC’s problem solving book, is now available in five parts, which cover many commonly-encountered electrical installation problems. All parts have been updated, where appropriate, to take account of the requirements of Amendment No 3 to BS 7671: 2008 (17th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations), which was published on 1st January 2015 and, apart from Regulation 421.1.201, came into effect on 1st July 2015.

Part 1 of Snags & Solutions addresses 53 problems relating to earthing and bonding. Part 2 covers 55 problems relating to wiring systems. Part 3 covers 52 problems relating to inspection and testing.

Parts 4 and 5, which have recently been introduced, cover 50 problems relating emergency lighting and 48 problems relating to domestic fire detection and alarm systems, respectively.

The books are available from NICEIC Direct.

To give an indication of the value of these books, a snag and solution is being covered in each issue of Connections. This issue addresses a snag from Part 4 – Emergency Lighting, relating to the siting of emergency luminaires. snags and solutions

snags and solutions

snags and solutions

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

Part 1

earthing and bonding 5th Edition

Amd 3: 2015

Siting of emergency luminaires All points of emphasis should be adequately illuminated when the supply to the normal lighting fails.

Snag 14 Where designers fail to provide a sufficient level of illumination at all points of emphasis (‘critical points’), which may not be limited to emergency escape routes, occupants may struggle to find their way to a place of safety when the supply to the normal lighting fails. snags and solutions A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

snags and solutions A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

Part 2

wiring systems

Part 4

3rd Edition

4th Edition

Emergency Lighting

BS 5266-1:

Amd 3: 2015 Amd 3: 2015

Part 5

to BS 5266 series 2nd Edition

Amd 3: 2015

2011

2nd Edition Amd 3: 2015

60

Autumn 2015 Connections

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Solution The main purpose of emergency escape lighting is to guide people to a place of safety by illuminating the way and, where appropriate, to highlight any potential hazards that would be encountered along the way. Emergency lighting is also used to increase the likelihood of fire fighting and safety equipment being found and/or used.

Therefore, where sufficient levels of illumination are not provided at certain locations, referred to as points of emphasis, within a building, occupants could be faced with an increased risk to their safety when the supply to the normal lighting fails. For example, wherever there are inadequate levels of illumination on stairways and/or where changes to floor levels

occur along an escape route, there is a greater risk of tripping. In addition, persons can also become confused and/or disorientated, which can lead to collisions, at directional changes such as at corridor intersections.

As a result, the design of an emergency escape lighting system should identify all points of emphasis along the emergency escape route and provide sufficient illumination, as recommended

by BS 5266-1: 2011, to allow the safe movement of occupants in an emergency.

In accordance with Clause 6.6.1 of BS 5266-1: 2011 and Clause 4.1 of BS EN 1838: 2013, an emergency luminaire complying with BS EN 60598-2-22 should be sited at each point of emphasis along the escape route, including:

Standard applied BS 5266-1 BS EN 1838: 2013 BS EN 60598-2-22 Recommendations/Regulations referred to Clause 6.6.1 Clause 4.1

Connections Autumn 2015

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THE POWER OF A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE ON EVERY JOB Our range of personalised stationery products will help you to deliver a professional image to your customers and promote your brand alongside your registration mark.

Range of stationery items available include: ID Cards Business cards Quotations/ Invoices Note pads Letterheads

TO ORDER YOUR ID CARDS AND STATIONERY NOW, LOG IN TO THE SECURE AREA OF THE NICEIC OR ELECSA WEBSITES AND SELECT PERSONALISED STATIONERY.

the power behind your business

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Product Focus Snickers Workwear Check out the best gear for working on site in the new Snickers Workwear catalogue. The latest full colour brochure is now available free in print or as a digital edition. It features the world’s leading range of working clothes, the only one that will work hard on site all year round, whatever the working environment or weather condition. Whatever trade you’re in, there’s something for you in the Snickers range – work trousers, work jackets, tool vests, shirts, underwear, accessories and tool carriers.

B.E.G Lighting controls specialist B.E.G. has introduced a new energy-saving night orientation light with built-in occupancy sensor. The B.E.G. Luxomat Indoor 140-L can be used as either a night light or guide light by simply selecting the desired brightness via a pushbutton and is ideal for the illumination of corridors.

Designed with two powerful and dimmable LEDs as a downlight, the occupancy sensor automatically switches on the light when presence is detected or there is ambient light, saving on electricity.

01484 854788 www.snickersworkwear.co.uk www.luxomat.com 0870 850 5412

Prime Alarms

Fluke

Install a TRUE HD 1.3MP 720p CCTV system.

You can get a four-channel, four-camera, 500GB TRUE HD CCTV kit, with the choice of bullet or dome cameras. The kit comes with 20 meters of video cable, a five-way power supply and access to live remote monitoring through the smart phone app. Visit us for more information, more kit options and pricing.

Fluke has introduced a new battery powered electronic voltage source that sources both AC and DC voltages for test tool verification. The new Fluke PRV240 Voltage Proving Unit, with a recommended retail price of £99.99, can be used to test both high and low impedance digital multimeters, clamp meters and two pole testers. It provides a stable, fixed output voltage to properly assess correct operation of many types of electrical tester, clamp meters and multimeters. Verification of a test tool is recommended by both GS38 and NFPA 70E before any live measurements are made.

01942 677729 sales@cctvkits.info www.cctvkits.info

www.fluke.co.uk 0207 942 0700

ESP

Scolmore

It may offer the very latest analogue high definition technology and deliver superior image quality, but the most talked about features of ESP’s new HDView CCTV collection is the simplicity of setting up the system and the ability to access and view the information on a mobile phone. It takes just a few simple steps. Step 1: connect the DVR to your broadband using a network cable or via wi-fi and then turn on. Step 2: scan the QR code on the start-up screen and then download and open the app and register your details. Step 3: add a device by scanning the serial number QR code shown on your monitor.

Scolmore Group announces the launch of an innovative new socket that is targeted at the growing assisted living sector. The new Mode Locating Plug Socket has been designed to assist people with impaired vision or poor hand-to-eye coordination to more easily insert a plug into a socket. The contoured shape of the front plate guides the earth pin into position, and it is this plug guide that gives the product a greater focus on usability and means its use can be extended to situations where a socket isn’t easily accessible.

01527 515150 info@espuk.com www.espuk.com

01827 63454 sales@scolmore.com www.scolmore.com

Danlers

Hultafors

ControlZAPP – much more than a standalone energy saving control.

• PIR occupancy switching and adjustable photocell for daylight control • Real time scheduling for switching, lux control or function changes • Switching/dimming functions can be controlled by sunset and sunrise prediction • Automatic time adjustment for BST • Innovative twin-level time lag function with short visit mode for even greater energy savings • Versions for switching only, DALI Dimming and 1-10V Dimming • Programmable by Android phone or tablet

Hultafors Tools’ new range of clamps are easy to use professional clamps with force that can be relied on day in, day out. They are durable and deliver a reliable clamping force quickly and efficiently. They’re made from sturdy glass-reinforced nylon and have a die-cast steel rail that enables them to withstand tough conditions and maintain a consistent clamping force over a long period of time. Hultafors has prioritised compact and ergonomic design and durable materials combined with maximum clamping force in a handy tool that will work effectively even in tight spaces.

01249 443377 sales@danlers.co.uk www.danlers.co.uk

www.hultafors.co.uk on 01484 854788

Connections Autumn 2015

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For great deals on products and services visit www.niceicdirect.com

Snickers Workwear Snickers Workwear is launching a completely new generation of work trousers for professional tradesmen. While fabric, functionality and fit are the hallmarks of this ‘next generation’, it’s the innovation and technology in the design of the garments that really sets Snickers work trousers apart from the rest. The new RUFFWork trousers are based on an uncompromising design for tough work.

These are modern heavy-duty work trousers combining amazing comfort and fit with reinforced functionality. They’re designed for professionals who rely on their gear in demanding environments.

Hamilton Litestat Hamilton Litestat is taking LED dimming to the next level with the introduction of its new Intelligent LED Grid module.

The GRID100LED Grid module monitors and programs itself for best dimming performance when used with the same or mixed branded LEDs. Hence it’s designed to be compatible with an extensive range of mains dimmable lamps and luminaires, and can be used with a wide range of grid plate designs, making it ideal for retrofit applications.

01484 854788 www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

www.hamilton-litestat.com 01747 860088

Fluke

Scolmore

Until 31 December 2015 or while stocks last, Fluke (UK) is offering a free current clamp to end users purchasing a multifunction installation tester, plus free data management software with the higher end testers. The Fluke 1650 series of multifunction installation testers are designed for high productivity testing and verification of domestic, commercial and industrial electrical installations. The offers can be viewed by clicking on Fluke Specials on the www.fluke.co.uk home page.

The latest addition to Scolmore Group’s Mode wiring accessories collection is the new range of Wide Rocker Switches , which has ease of use as it main benefit. The easily visible wide rockers make them the ideal choice for assisted living installations and to aid with Part M compliance. There are three versions available – 1-gang, 2-gang and 3-gang – all offering concealed screws for improved aesthetics, and all benefiting from the standard features inherent with the Mode range - anti-microbial properties and a 20-year guarantee.

www.fluke.co.uk 0207 942 0700

ESP Building on the success of the original CanCam external surveillance system launched in 2014, ESP introduces its latest model – a vandal-resistant version, which is ideal for use in vulnerable applications. The new CanCam VR houses the standard CanCam within a steel, vandal-resistant casing to provide added protection and security and ultimately to prevent theft of the system or the removal of the SD storage card. The metal casing that retains the CanCam is locked in place using security screws that are operated using the special tool that is supplied with the product.

64

Scan QR code with your smart phone to visit our site

01827 63454 sales@scolmore.com www.scolmore.com

Lucion Environmental Specialist training packages have been developed to meet the needs of electricians and electrical installers who may disturb any asbestos containing building materials during their normal working practices.

Lucion Training has developed the tailored training courses for workers and tradesmen so that they can recognise asbestos containing materials and know what to do if they come across them.

In particular, the courses are designed to ensure that employees have sufficient knowledge, experience and ability to carry out their work without risk to themselves or others.

01527 515150 info@espuk.com www.espuk.com

www.Lucion.co.uk 0191 461 8999

Ideal

Snickers Workwear

Ideal Networks has launched a new mobile app, Ideal AnyWARE, that allows installers and network technicians to share their test reports with colleagues and clients anywhere in the world. The app connects to the new SignalTEK CT and SignalTEK NT cable and network testers from Ideal using wi-fi and transfers test reports to a mobile device. Once data is transferred, users can view the PDF reports and send them using their preferred file sharing method, including email or file sharing app.

What to wear this autumn – the Snickers way of staying hot and looking cool. This new ‘next generation’ workclothes brochure celebrates 40 years of workwear innovation and focuses on what to wear if you want to stay warm and keep cool this winter. Snickers’ mission has always been to lead the workwear industry with technically advanced garments designed and developed for craftsmen’s specific on-the-job needs, providing a superior level of working comfort, protection and functionality – wherever you are on site.

www.idealindustries.co.uk

01484 854788 www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

Autumn 2015 Connections

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OUR NEW CATALOGUE GIVES YOU THE POWER TO GET THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS The Direct Shop now offers our biggest ever range from leading brands. All certificates and publications have now been updated to Amendment 3.

Order your catalogue via email:

catalogue@niceic.com Or by calling:

0843 290 3485 Or start buying now at:

www.niceicdirect.com

the power behind your business

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Current affairs

Don’t forget to send Current Affairs any pictures that have made you smile and let us know about any hidden talents or charity initiatives.

Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Wire, but not as we know it Clive Maddison is a successful NICEIC Domestic Installer, based in Brixham, Devon. But there’s a twist, literally. In his spare time he has found a different purpose for unused wire, turning it into tree sculptures, which he exhibits in galleries across the country.

“I’ve always been a practical person and liked making things and I started making them out of the unused offcuts that every electrician has in the garage,” he explained. “It’s more of a hobby than anything else, but there’s only so many I can make for home so I do sell them now.

“I’ve just stripped out a building that I rewired 12 years ago and took the 1mm cable out, and now it’s a sculpture in somebody’s house,” he adds. “It’s the ultimate in recycling.”

For more information see www.wirewood.co.uk

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This issue’s round-up of sub-standard discoveries and comical finds includes (1-3): a live and exposed fuse box in a domestic property; a 13A switch socket and conduit left hanging at a farm; and an amateur attempt to replace a suspected blown fuse using copper wire and solder. It continues with (4-6): dubious light wiring found during a house rewire after a fire; an inaccessible meter and cabling down the side of a boiler; and a beautifully wallpapered interior of a meter cupboard.

1

2

4 3

5

6

Thanks to: Sunil Galvin of KS Electrical in Essex /// Derek Horsburgh of Kelso-based John Rae Ltd /// Nick Norwood of Fox Electrical Contractors in Eastbourne /// Mark Robinson from Stuart Services in Birmingham /// Ian Campbell of I.R. Campbell in Sheffield /// and David Dallas of Dallas Electrical Services in Bangor, County Down.

Keep those shots coming in!

The youth of today…

Going back in time

We all know there are some talented young electricians out there, but it seems that knowledge is not shared by the rest of their age group.

According to a survey by constructaquote.com, almost half of people aged between 16 and 35 have no idea what traditional jobs such as those of welders, glaziers and masons involve.

And it seems this ignorance is even more acute when it comes to the electrical industry, with 20 per cent believing electricians work in the entertainment sector, specialising in electronic music.

Presumably using a test instrument.

Now we get down to the business end of the battle to find the oldest enrolment certificate. First, Keith Adkinson, director of Essex firm Evans & Shea Ltd, produced one from 7 January 1957, shaving a full three years off the previous leader.

Then Mark Ralton, director of Rotherham-based Lilleker Bros, came in with an entry from 1 January 1957.

Given NICEIC was only set up in 1956, the bar has been raised even higher, but we think there are still more out there. Can you do better?

• Email nick.martindale@redactive.co.uk with a scanned copy

Autumn 2015 Connections

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Testers’ testers

The MFT1730 multifunction tester is the full-time testers’ tester of choice. Why?

Dual display - measuring earth loop and PFC simultaneously to speed up testing

Dual non-trip loop testing – 3-wire and 2-wire, for where there’s no neutral, with no lead null required

Dual convenience of on-board results storage and rechargeable batteries

Adapted to any task, domestic or industrial even has a built-in earth stake tester

See why MFT1730 is the testers’ tester today by scanning the QR code with your smart phone Call 01304 502 101 or go to www.megger.com for full details.

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Real Bosch!

Flexible versatility +Extra!

Download the FREE Bosch Toolbox App for Bonus Bang cash back offers

Simply more.

GSR 18 V-EC Professional drill / driver with FlexiClick 5-in-1 System* With its bit holder, drill chuck, angle, off-set angle and rotary hammer adapters, the Bosch FlexiClick System offers the optimum solution for every work application. Get more from your cordless screwdriver.

Blue Power Tools: for trade and industry www.bosch-professional.co.uk *Part of the Bosch Professional 18 Volt Cordless System; see on line or at your stockist for details of full range

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