Exclusive Industry News

Senior electrical industry figures are due to meet to discuss key issues arising from the Electrical Safety Council's (ESC) Product Safety Conference that was held in May 2013.
Round Table Follow Up
 
A round table follow-up to the Electrical Safety Council’s (ESC) highly successful Product Safety Conference will take place on 5th March in Church House, Westminster. The ESC is hoping to raise the profile of product recalls and traceability. Millions of people every year are risking fire and electrical injury whilst unknowingly using recalled products.

Do you think you're a savvy business owner? A recent survey carried out by Volkswagen Caddy highlights the main mistakes small business owners like electricians and plumbers have made and then later regretted.
Business mistakes are not heard about very often, after all no ones wants to be reminded how easy it can be to make mistakes so therefore we only hear about the bigger success stories. It is little wonder then that many also try to follow the 'spotlight' and end up disappointed. Running a business is by no means a simple task.

Design and Technology? Remember it? The vast majority of us have fond memories of constructing wooden cars and making them move, of producing graphical '3D' drawings and trying out the levers of a drilling machine. Fun times for many and quite possibly, Design Technology lead to an interest in pursuing a career in the construction industry for many people.
However, the end of such fun could well be on the horizon if proposed changes to the National Curriculum in England for Design and Technology go ahead.

Despite guarantees made on materials, electricians are finding themselves out of pocket should they have to replace faulty products.
Anxious to ensure good customer relations and reputation, electricians are finding they may only be breaking even or worse still making a loss if they have to return to the job through no fault of their own in order to replace a faulty fitting.

Addressing the current skills and workforce shortages in Engineering and Technology, and addressing the need to recruit the right candidates into the industry, students who achieve 3 Grade 'A's at A level and start an IET Accredited Engineering or Technology degree this Autumn will receive a scholarship of £1000 annually for up to 4 years.
 

A house fire in a loft in Colchester this last week has again sparked a warning about the dangers of electrical fires in the home.
 
Luckily the occupants of the house were safely outside when the fire crews arrived, but the fire itself could have been easily prevented.
 

To meet the requirements in the Domestic Ventilation Compliance Guide 2010, ventilation systems should be installed by a BPEC approved contractor.
 
Where better to undertake your BPEC training than with Vent-Axia, the leaders of low-carbon technology? Vent-Axia is delighted to offer an amazing 'once only' price as a Christmas present for anyone who needs to undertake the BPEC course.
 

My Local Electrician would like to congratulate the winners of the online electrician of the year awards after a nail biting few weeks of waiting for intrepid electricians.
 
This year saw record entries all of which showed a high standard as well as a growing awareness of the importance of on line marketing and promotion of electrical safety and services.
 

There is an estimated £180 million in unclaimed tax refunds.
 
If you are the holder of an ECS card and work for a firm, you might not realise that you can claim tax relief from using your own vehicle to get to temporary work sites. If you use public transport you may still be able to claim.
 
What is an ECS card?
 
This is a card used throughout the electrical industry whereby your competence is proven through the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme. The card enables the holder to be able to gain work legally on sites.
 

Electricians have heard it all before – when chasing up quotations, it is very common to hear that that someone else is going to do it cheaper or they're going to do the job themselves to save money. But how can you convince your customer to spend their hard earned cash with you – the Part P registered electrician who can certify their work, guarantee it and carry out the job in accordance to all rules and regulations and safety standards.
 
This is just the problem, as a home owner do you understand why they should be a Part P registered electrician?