Expertise and guidance on hand at FIREX International 2022: Agenda announced!
Some of the leading personalities in fire safety law and standards, fire risk assessments and building safety will provide a mix of informative individual presentations and expert panel discussions at FIREX International in May. Gill Kernick has partnered organisations in high hazard industries to develop the leadership and culture needed to prevent major accidents. A former resident of Grenfell Tower herself until 2014, she is author of the book Catastrophe and Systemic Change: Learning from the Grenfell Tower Fire and Other Disasters. She will be kicking off the programme by sharing her thoughts on systemic change and the role of trust and disruption in the fire industry on 17 May. If you’re unsure about the wide-ranging implications of the Building Safety Bill, the Deputy Director of the Building Safety Regulator – Tim Galloway – will be on hand on Tuesday 17 May to discuss the HSE’s new role in the building safety regime and its approach to compliance and enforcement. View the full Expertise & Guidance Theatre agenda here The golden thread of building safety information has been a feature of much work since Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety in 2018. On 17 May, an expert panel on the role of digitised building information will discuss the ways ahead, including the provisions of the standard BS 8644 Digital management of fire safety information. So much good practice in fire safety is underpinned by independent third-party certification of products and services. Also on Tuesday, a panel of senior representatives from third party certification organisations – such as BRE Global, BAFE and UL – will come together to discuss the steps specifiers should make to ensure they are procuring independently certificated products and services – from passive and active fire safety products and their installation, to service providers such as fire risk assessors. The headline act for Wednesday 18 May will include a presentation from BSI on the increasingly prominent role IoT is playing in fire safety, followed by a panel discussion with key members of the Fire Industry Association’s IoT Forum debating the challenges and opportunities ahead. Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the spotlight on the role of ‘stay put’ in purpose-built blocks of flats has come under scrutiny. Andy Scott, Chair of BSI’s FSH/12/5 committee on fire alarm devices, voice alarm evacuation sub-systems and emergency voice communications, examines BS 8629, the code of practice for evacuation alert systems to be used by fire and rescue services when ‘stay put’ is no longer tenable. The specific challenges of improving fire safety in the social housing sector will be examined by Andy Frankum, Chair of the National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group, while a new standard for fire alarms for those with sensory sensitivities will be exclusively launched at FIREX by Sonny White and James Jones. And, on Thursday 19 May, Erin Shoesmith, the Health and Safety Partner at solicitors Addleshaw Goddard, will be outlining how the legal landscape is changing under the Building Safety Bill – and not just for high-rise residential buildings. In other sessions we hear about how response to fire alarms can be improved using technology developed in the intruder alarm monitoring industry, and a panel session of leading lights in the industry discussing the effect of legislative changes and new and emerging standards on fire safety professionals. There will also be sessions on upskilling fire systems installers with changes to the FESS (fire, emergency and security systems) scheme, how IoT technology is being implemented to improve fire safety, and a presentation of fire tests on doors, glazing and fire stopping. The Expertise and Guidance Theatre runs alongside FIREX International, which takes place on 17-19 May 2022 at the ExCel centre in London. Alongside this, the Fire Protection Association will also be hosting its own, content-driven seminar programme, set to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Register for your free ticket, today!
Installer Show Video
Register for free here > installer-2022.reg.buzz/electrical-trade-magazine
Recolight announce Circular Economy webinars for 2022
Recolight have confirmed dates for five new webinars in 2022, aimed at helping the lighting industry adopt circular economy principles. The webinars this year seek to move the focus from what needs to be done, to what’s actually being done now. Together with Ray Molony, who will chair the sessions Recolight have invited leading specialists from across the lighting industry to present. Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey said: “I am delighted that so many sustainability leaders from across our sector have agreed to present on the webinars. We hope that they will provide insights in how to become more circular, the impetus for lighting manufacturers to make the change, and the inspiration for end users to properly prioritise circularity in their specifications.” The webinars, designed for lighting industry, will look at what is being achieved to move to a more sustainable business model: • How to be a sustainable lighting manufacturer | 24 March • Innovations in sustainability: 6 lights for a circular future | 28 April • Remanufacturing: How to rebuild a light fitting | 9 June • Your guide to lighting regs 2022 | 20 September • Sustainable lighting projects: Making it happen in the real world | 20 October Ray Molony added: “Over the last two years, our Circular Economy webinar series has been attended by over 1000 individuals from the lighting industry and beyond. To create the programme for 2022 we held workshops with panellists from previous events and reviewed key threads arising from each webinar. The result is another series that will spotlight good practice in luminaire and project design, and great sustainability in lighting manufacture.” All webinars are free to join, with the opportunity to put questions to the panels. CPD registration is being sought for all five events. Visit the Recolight Event page to learn more
Tackling taboos in the trade sector: 7 in 10 parents would encourage their daughters to pursue a trade-based career
New research from Checkatrade has revealed changing attitudes to female tradespeople, finding that a career in the trade industry is now more encouraged than ever for women, with 70%* of British parents expressing that they would support their daughters to go into a trade-based career – mirroring the percentage who would encourage their sons in to the same vocation (71%). Intent to hire female trades is also growing amongst homeowners. 79% of men stated that they would hire a tradeswoman the same as a tradesman – up 13% versus 20 years ago. However, despite the evolving industry, almost one fifth (17%) of Brits have struggled to find a tradeswoman as demand for female trades is hampered by supply. · Almost 8 in 10 (79%) of men say they would hire a tradeswoman the same as a tradesman · Encouraging diversity (23%) and challenging stereotypes (20%) are seen as the biggest advantages of hiring a tradeswoman · Over three quarters of Brits (78%) said that a trade’s gender would not make a difference in their trust Charlotte Carter, Director at Checkatrade welcomes the rise of intent, stating, “We’ve seen a big shift in the industry over the past five years, with more and more empowered female businesses owners joining Checkatrade, choosing to run their own business and work for themselves. We are so proud of our brilliant female members, who are challenging outdated stereotypes and preconceptions.” Checkatrade-approved Little Miss Electricals’ team of electricians has a pioneering female-only workforce. Owner Cathy Cockin admits, “I was never given the option of a career in trade when I was at school, this always seemed to be reserved for the boys only, while everyone else was pushed towards an academic path at college and then university.” Despite this outdated stereotype, Cathy is now flying the flag for females in the electrical industry, with her business one of the highest rated on Checkatrade within North Yorkshire. “My advice for women? Just go for it! Get as much work experience as you can, get stuck in and have a go. Always ask questions, don’t take no for an answer and keep persevering.” Besides empowering females and tackling gender stereotypes, a third of parents would encourage their child to pursue a career in the trade sector as there is a lot of money to be made as a tradesperson (33%), as well as the opportunity to run their own business and work for themselves (31%).
myenergi supports upcoming changes to EV charging regulations
myenergi, pioneer of the world’s first eco-smart EV charger, has thrown its full support behind the UK’s impending Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. Set to come into force from 30 June, the new rules will play a pivotal role in future-proofing our national energy system. Introduced in-line with the rapid uptake of alternatively-fuelled vehicles, the new regulations aim to establish standardisation. Alongside protecting the grid by reducing the impact of simultaneous EV charging, the regulations aim to ensure that EV chargers are interoperable, that customers don’t get locked into services from energy suppliers, that new standards of cybersecurity are adopted and that off-peak charging is delivered as standard to reduce ‘rush hour’ periods on the grid. As a global leader in EV charging technology, myenergi believes that these changes are not only essential, but will work as a steppingstone to help create the energy system of tomorrow. Dr Chris Horne, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at myenergi, explains: “With motorists quickly switching from fossil fuels to electric, there is obviously a number of knock-on implications that need to be considered. Overall demand on the National Grid has been in decline since 2002 and, even if all internal combustion engine-powered vehicles switched to electric powertrains overnight, we’d only experience an increase in national energy demand of around 10%. Having said this, the transition to electrification has impacts for network inertia and balancing. “The problem we could face in the future is that, if everyone decided to charge their EVs at the same time, the increase in demand would be too quick for the grid to handle. In result, the unnecessary pressure could result in power cuts. “Fortunately, the transition to electrification hasn’t come out of the blue and this situation is no shock to the system. However, to protect energy supply for the future, we need to adopt new regulations to protect our national energy systems – it’s an essential step towards the smart energy grid of the future.” Alongside provisions around cyber security of and management of customer data, the regulations introduce three new requirements: Default off-peak charging A random delay at the start of the charge Steps to promote customers to sign up to Demand Response Services Dr Horne adds: “From July, all new charging points will be automatically set up to charge EVs at the best time for the electricity network. The peak demand happens in the mornings and afternoons so, by default, your EV will only charge overnight or during the middle of the day. “What’s more, every new EV charger sold will be programmed to calculate a random delay of up to 10 minutes every time a charge starts. This might be unnerving the first few times it happens, but it will prevent EV chargers all over the UK from immediately turning on when the low price tariffs kick-in. “Finally, provisions have been included to better enable access to Demand Side Response services; a complex system of variable procurements that operate as a stable, competitive marketplace. This will enable aggregators to dial up and down your charge to manage and maintain grid frequency. It won’t happen continuously – it’ll just kick in when the grid is under strain, much like ramping up a generator or connecting a battery during periods of high demand.” As a pioneer of next-generation energy solutions, myenergi believes that the regulatory changes are essential to balancing the grid. Dr Horne concludes: “At myenergi, we’re committed to leading the charge when it comes to the future of energy. Our state-of-the-art range of eco-smart technologies have been designed to ensure that customers always receive the best possible experience when it comes to powering their homes and vehicles. Embracing new regulation is essential for the health of the national energy system and our products are future-proofed to make it easy for users to adapt. “Change is important. While it may result in disruptions in the short-term, the long-term benefits are countless. Indeed, these new regulations will allow the UK to transition away from fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner, greener transport network of the future. We should seize this opportunity with both hands, not shy away from progress.” For more information about myenergi, or the UK’s Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, visit https://myenergi.com/guides/smart-charge-point-regulations/.
Women Get Things Done: The Rapid Rise of Female Tradespeople
There is no hiding that, until not too long ago, a faulty sink or a toilet that wouldn’t flush would have led to three certain steps: assess the situation, phone a plumber, and welcome an experienced man with wrenches and hydraulic probes. Hands-on trades have historically been dominated by male workers. However, as the years go by, this once-unsurmountable gender gap is slowly narrowing and softening. With an increasing demand for skilled workers in the industry and an array of attractive advantages, more women than ever before are considering a plunge in the field of manual trades. Here, we take a look at the rise in popularity of hands-on roles filled by women over the years, delineating both the benefits of physical professions and the future of female tradespeople. Changing perceptions As mentioned, physical and hands-on jobs in the past were often reserved for male workers. But this doesn’t mean that women have never had a say in the industry – it’s just that they would be more unlikely to see them on a construction site or with a spanner in their hand. Over the centuries, there have been several ladies who have played a notable role in the skilled trades field. Back in 500 BC, in China, Lady Yun innovated the processes of woodworking, helping her husband develop chalk lines and furniture design principles that persist to this very day. In the 1800s, Tabitha Babbitt patented a cutting, circular blade that was the predecessor of today’s electrical saw. Whereas Emily Roebling, in the late 19th century, supervised the construction and completion of the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge. It is fair to say that, in recent times, we are finally witnessing a rise in the number of women in hands-on professions. In fact, the number of women taking on construction and engineering apprenticeships in the UK has skyrocketed by 366% in the last five years. From 2009 to 2019, the estimated number of women working as builders, plumbers, and electricians jumped from 15,000 to 33,000. In line with the increase of tradeswomen in the industry, people’s perception of having a female builder knocking at their door has changed significantly. According to a 2019 poll conducted by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), 38% of London homeowners would feel more positive about hiring a tradeswoman than a male builder. The reasons for this enlightening outcome are numerous. Respondents said they believed that female tradespeople can be more respectful of their home, more trustworthy, more careful to detail, and possibly friendlier, customers are happy to rely on female builders to complete skilful tasks in their house. That said, builders are not yet the most popular trade jobs for women to have. As of 2021, 33% of females in the British skilled trade industry were painters or decorators, followed closely by plumbers and heating-related fixers (28.38%). Interestingly, when a separate survey asked which trade women would be most interested in learning, the most frequent answer was an electrician. Appealing benefits of hands-on jobs Apart from acquiring a new set of useful skills, hands-on roles have a wide range of benefits. With the current skills shortage in the UK, the demand for tradespeople is incredibly high. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who is in search of a career path to clinch a profession that can guarantee both certainty and a secure income. One of the beauties of trade roles, which make them particularly appealing to women, is the possibility to have a better work-life balance. In fact, it has been found that 80% of female tradespeople in Britain are their own boss, and employ on average a couple of helpers. This allows women to have more flexibility to juggle their work and family commitments by planning and delegating tasks according to their schedules. What’s more, tradespeople can enjoy great payslips. There is even a good chance that skilled tradespeople, from electricians to scaffolders, can receive a higher salary than university graduates. Not to mention the opportunity for significant career progression, which is an aspect that will drive and motivate a truly ambitious woman. The future of tradeswomen The future seems bright for women hoping to enter the world of hands-on jobs, and female interest in the sector is growing exponentially. Once a predominantly male academic route, engineering courses are now seeing a rise in female students. In fact, 10% of engineering students are now female. With women’s increasing desire for physical roles and manual jobs, it is no surprise that there has also been a rise in aspiring tradeswomen looking for appropriate vehicles. In fact, for all van quotes last year, one in ten were females. Van leasing, in this respect, could offer budding traders a great opportunity to start their career with the right vehicle and at a reasonable cost. Jonathan Beadle, Commercial Manager at Van Ninja, says that “it is great to see more and more women dedicating themselves to skilled trades. “It is an extremely rewarding career,” he adds, “and one that opens the doors to a large range of exciting opportunities. “Whether you are aiming to become an experienced plumber, electrician, or builder, leasing a van grants you the possibility to pick a small, big, or medium-sized van that will safely store your tools and drive you to your next mission.” Ultimately, as the demand for trade continues to grow at a fast rate, women are finally embracing the opportunity to have a go at hands-on jobs. As things stand, there is a wide pay gap difference between men and women in the trade industry. With an increasing number of the tradeswomen in the sector, the next step is to achieve equal salaries. How many skilful tradeswomen will be knocking at the door in the near future? We hope as many as possible! Sources https://www.gocompare.com/van-insurance/women-in-trade-report/ https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/marianne-stenger/women-manual-trades_b_11384554.html https://www.thelandsite.co.uk/articles/why-more-women-should-consider-working-in-skilled-trades http://www.infrastructure-intelligence.com/article/mar-2018/construction-apprentices-will-earn-more-university-graduates-says-fmb https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/for-traders/articles/we-can-do-it-women-working-in-skilled-trades https://www.pressreleasepoint.com/more-third-londons-home-owners-would-prefer-female-tradesperson https://siteyard.co/blog/3-30-womens-history-in-skilled-trades
Schneider Electric is giving away five prizes of £1,000 each for electrician business support
Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is giving away five sets of £1,000 to randomly selected winners who log into mySchneider before 30th April 2022. New and existing users from the UK and Ireland are eligible to enter the giveaway, which is designed to assist electricians with growing their business – whether that’s through a new website, van wrapping, workwear or other marketing materials. Winners are free to choose how they would like to spend the prize money, as long as it is used towards business support. The first winner was announced at the end of February, the next at the end of March, and the remaining three at the end of April. mySchneider provides the electrical community with one-stop-shop access to product information, tools, business advice and chat support to help set up, promote and grow an electrical business – as well as exclusive discounts and promotions. Nico Van Der Merwe, VP of Home and Distribution for UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric, said “We are delighted to continue our support of the electrical community here in the UK. mySchneider electricians are the backbone of the electrical industry and we are constantly thinking of new ways we can champion them throughout their journey. I really hope this prize money makes a difference.” To sign up or log into mySchneider, click here.
IFSEC Global Influencers in Security & Fire: Get your nominations in!
With nominations set to close on 22nd March, there is less than a month to go to make sure your nomination is in for this year’s IFSEC Global Influencers in Security & Fire awards! You can make your nomination, here. The awards continue to go from strength to strength, as they recognise the talent and efforts of some of the leading individuals in the security and fire safety sectors. Nominations will remain open until 22nd March 2022 and will be compiled alongside the judge nominations after this date. The judging panel is once again made up of highly respected security and fire safety professionals, spanning several regions from the UK and Europe, to Africa, Asia and North and South America. Categories for the 2021 IFSEC Global influencers are: Security executives (the senior most official in an enterprise, whose primary duties encompass leading and managing security for the enterprise) Security – end users (e.g. heads of security, managers of security teams) Security – manufacturers/vendors/installers/integrators (those displaying exemplary work in the field of installation or specific projects, as well as technological innovation) Security – thought leadership (e.g. association figures, academics) Security – One to watch (Specifically for championing the sector’s rising stars, nominees should have worked in the industry for no longer than five years) Cyber security professionals and thought leaders Fire – all disciplines (UK only) Fire – One to Watch (Nominees should have worked in the industry for no longer than five years) How do we define influential? This could be anyone: Who has played a key role in driving technological innovation Who has been a driving force in changing regulation, standards/guidance or best practice in their location/market Someone whose insights/opinions are widely respected and which are influential in shaping debate around industry issues Someone who has been instrumental in the success of the organisation or business they lead or are employed by Someone who has helped to raise the industry’s profile or been an influential voice in the national media Nominations are welcomed from throughout the industry supply chain. When making a nomination, it is important to highlight why you believe the nominee to be influential by describing some of the recent work they have carried out in the sector. The competition is fierce! Find out more about the awards and check out this year’s judging panel, here. Make a nomination, here.
Schneider Electric partner with Which? to support electricians
Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has partnered with Which? to support electricians across the UK. The partnership will enable electrical professionals to become a Which? Trusted Trader more cheaply and quickly, helping them to generate more business. Which? Trusted Traders is an endorsement scheme that recognises trustworthy traders. The company has been helping consumers for over 60 years, assessing and endorsing traders who meet its high standards. The Trusted Traders accolade provides customers with the confidence that they are dealing with experienced and qualified professionals. mySchneider members will be able to join Which? Trusted Traders for a discounted rate. As well as being able to display the icon, endorsed professionals are given a profile on the Which? website, access to industry news and a dedicated account manager to help with customers. Members of mySchneider will now be able to become a Which? Trusted Trader with a discount of 50% off the first six months. “We are constantly striving to support the electrical industry and provide electricians with the tools for success,” said Nico van der Merwe, Vice President of Home and Distribution, Schneider Electric UK & Ireland. “The parternship with Which? is another element of that commitment and we will continue to roll out new promotions. We want to offer a full spectrum of support, and alongside mySchneider, the podcast series and our competitions, we understand the need to open up new sales channels – and working with Which? does just that.”
