Professional Electrican and Installer recently reported the news of a terrible flat fire in Southampton, which was connected to the presence of a plastic consumer unit. Luckily, no one from the flat was injured on this occasion, but the damage caused by the fire was truly devastating and extensive. The IET and BSI recently launched a new requirement for non-combustible consumer units, due to work with the London Fire Brigade which highlighted a rising number of house fires, which were caused by traditional consumer units. While this fire is evidence that these new requirements have yet to be fully employed in UK properties, it is further evidence for the need of steel consumer units and tighter electrical safety regulations.
While there are concerns that new building projects which began before the regulation was introduced will continue to use plastic consumer units, the IET are hopeful that increased awareness regarding the subject will eventually allow them to prevent domestic fires in the future.
Yet again, we are reminded of the importance of safe electrical installation, and what this means for UK electricians. As professional installers, electrical engineers have a responsibility to keep up to date on all the latest changes to safety regulations, and a duty to provide a safe installation for their customers.For this reason, we ensure that all of our electrician courses provide a through understanding of how to work safely and correctly, providing our candidates with all the knowledge required to become a first-class electrician. Taught by experienced teaching staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge, we ensure that each individual who completes our courses achieves the standard of training required to obtain their City and Guilds awards, and eventually start or resume their careers.
If you are looking to begin
your career as an electrical engineer, you can enrol on one of our electrician courses today, to ensure that you go on to provide a safe and secure service to your future customers. If you are an experienced installer that needs to update their knowledge or expand their skills, you can get in touch with us today and find out about the trade professional electrician courses we offer.
For more electrical safety news and updates, follow us on Twitter!
DIY is something of a sticky situation for both tradespeople and homeowners, but when it comes to electrical safety, mistakes or mistrust from either party could prove to be fatal. According to a news article published by
Electrical Times a few days ago, electricians are the trade most often called out to rescue DIY jobs gone wrong, and half of severe electrical shocks are caused by failed or misguided DIY attempts. No puns about 'shocking statistics' here, but it is worrying to see such a widespread disregard and ignorance of electrical safety. We've all heard the warnings about not sticking utensils into toasters, but it seems that on the whole, the average citizen and even some professionals are not giving electrical safety the attention it deserves.
According to
Electrical Times and the charity
Electrical Safety First, young people have become more at risk due to the growing popularity of online tutorials, which can sometimes cause inexperienced individuals to carry out work that they are unfit to complete. Hand in hand with the skills crisis we're seeing in the professional sector, people under 35 are losing the ability to perform what would have once been described as 'basic skills', and are picking up their knowledge from untrustworthy resources on the web.
Electrical Safety First has demonstrated the risks of such overly-ambitious and dangerous undertakings as part of their 'Don't Die for DIY' campaign, in a series of videos which can be viewed
here. This demonstrates the risks that come from following unregulated advice, and the threat posed by undertaking electrical work without the proper training or experience.
While it is possible to understand why homeowners would want to carry out electrical jobs themselves, with money being tight in many households and 'rouge traders' becoming a growing concern due to media exposure, the fact remains that these kind of undertakings often pose serious health and safety risks to everyone involved. In terms of the average homeowner, there needs to be an improved awareness of the knowledge and experience needed to carry out these dangerous projects, and in relation to the professional sector, there has to be a greater emphasis placed on keeping your skills up to date, and continuing to abide by the rules set out by regulatory bodies.
If You're a DIY Enthusiast:
- Don't be swayed by the financial allure of saving money by performing a DIY job! If things go wrong, which they very often do, you will eventually end up spending money on calling out an electrician to put things right. This could even cost you more than the original fee due to factors such as emergency call-out rates, and the increased attention required to rectify a botched job.
- Know the risks - Qualified electricians have spent a long time training and gaining experience in their field; something which can't simply be supplemented with 'quick fix' options. Saving some money is not worth putting yourself and others at risk of receiving a fatal injury, so keep that in mind before starting your job.
- Train Properly - If you are serious about performing DIY jobs yourself, then why not invest in your abilities and take one of our electrician courses? While our courses are intended to help people make electrical work their career, we can tailor our programmes to suit any individual's needs, making them more than suitable for someone who simply wants to undertake domestic work in their own home. Most importantly, you'll be taught by professional, accredited teaching staff with years of experience.
If You're a Professional:
- In order to build a bond of trust with your clients, it is important that you always strive to provide them with an honest and courteous service. If people feel that they are being overcharged or inconvenienced in any way, it is highly unlikely that they will choose to hire your services (or those of another professional for that matter) in the future. Make sure that you display professionalism at all times, to instil confidence in your services and those of the sector as a whole.
- Don't become overly confident, careless or take things for granted! As humans, our brains are constantly looking for ways to make things easier for ourselves, but when it comes to electrical safety and performing dangerous work at a professional level, this is a risk that simply cannot be taken. This goes for business owners and managers as well, who should always ensure that their employees are fully trained, and are following health and safety guidelines.
- As well as new career courses, we also provide electrician courses for experienced professionals who need to refresh their skills or add additional knowledge to their portfolio. From Portable Appliance Testing to Combined Inspection and Testing, we have a range of courses to expand your professional knowledge and improve your ability to work safely.
For more information about any of our courses,
get in touch with us today!
Here at Access Training, we understand that is becoming more and more difficult to find places that offer electrician courses in London. If you have spent some time researching such places, you may have found that many training centres, academies or colleges are not situated in London but rather on the outskirts of the city, which can make them difficult to access via public transport. Access Training, on the other hand, offer a wide variety of electrician courses in our state-of-the-art training centre, located in the heart of the city of London - just a 5 minute walk from Barbican Tube Station (see map below).
We offer a range of comprehensive training courses, designed for people with no electrical experience through to electrical tradespeople of all ages and backgrounds. So if you would like to enrol on an electrical course to kick start your new career and become a fully qualified electrician, you can find a variety of suitable courses right here at our London Training Centre.
Click here to browse our full range of electrician courses in London, or contact us if you need more information.
Job loss is, sadly, a very common occurrence in the United Kingdom these days. Austerity and budget cuts have put hundreds of thousands of people out of work in recent years; a
This is Money article published in 2012 suggests that, between May 2010 and November 2012, almost 660,00 jobs were lost in the public sector alone, and this regrettable trend seems to be alive and well in 2015.
The British steel industry, for example, has been in the headlines recently, with one report from the Guardian indicating that 1 in 6 steel workers is now "facing the axe".
However, several other news reports have proved that it is possible to bounce back from job loss and find lucrative new work elsewhere. Earlier this week, the Sunderland Echo published a story about four men who recently found themselves unemployed when the SSI steelworks in Redcar closed down; the closure came as a "devastating blow" to Chris, Richard, Nicholas and Matthew, but happily, they have since succeeded in completing a 17th Edition Wiring Regulations course and are now en route to their new careers as professional electricians.
And this is just one such story. Countless people across the UK have responded to job loss by learning a new trade, gaining industry-recognised qualifications, and starting afresh in a rewarding new role; a cliché it may be, but the assertion that 'losing your job is an opportunity' is often very true!
If you have recently lost your job - or if you are simply looking for a change - Access Training Academies can help you to start a new career as an electrician. Browse our Electrician Courses now, or contact us to learn more about the training programmes we offer.
On Friday the 28th March the Electrical Safety Council was no more, relaunching with a new web site as Electrical Safety First. The rebranding is part of a new, ongoing campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of electricity, after Government survey suggested awareness was at an all-time low. According to their data, only 14% of the general public were even aware of Part P!
The new name has come after 18 months of extensive research into what was already known about electrical safety. This didn't just extend to the general public - the Government, key stakeholders and even the industry itself were also scrutinised over what they knew about the dangers and what they knew about the Electrical Safety Council itself. It seems few knew that the Council was in fact a consumer charity, with many thinking it was either a trade association or part of the Government. So as a result of this, a name change was decided to reflect its nature as a charity.
However not everyone is pleased with the change, as some electricians have criticised dropping the more authoritative 'council' in favour of the more "more meaningless" 'first'. They believe that the name now lacks the respect it previously had and would have been far more suited to a campaign change rather than a charity. However Electrical Safety First defended the change, claiming that their research pointed to them needing a simpler name, along with easier to digest language to accompany it. 
Electrical Safety First say they've already secured significant media coverage to raise the profile of electrical safety, and this has started with the revival of famous 70s/80s public information animated series Charley Says. These films were the work of Richard Taylor Cartoons, and saw a little boy named Tony and his cat Charley learn valuable lessons on all manner of things. The new film is narrated/voiced by comedian David Walliams, who was excited to revive the series. "I loved Charley Says when growing up and I think it's great that Electrical Safety First is bringing the characters back to life and creating some new storylines," he said. "We've all had a go at mimicking Charley the cat's 'meow', so I just hope my version is up to scratch and will help people stay safe in the home."
You can view the new video here at the Electrical Safety First website.
Complicated electrical installations should always be left to the trained professionals, while if you would like to have a go at simpler tasks at home its vital that you AT LEAST have the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations and Part P qualifications. Whether you wish to gain electrician qualifications for professional or personal gain, we can help you achieve them with our intensive training courses here at Access Training. If you'd like to find out more about what our courses entail and book your place, give us a call on 0800 345 7492.
While an electrician who's undergone a proper electrical training course and earned their qualifications would never make these kind of mistakes, unfortunately the industry is rife with unqualified individuals looking to make an easy bit of cash without any regard for their customer's safety (or even life). These cowboy builders commonly do poor electrical installation jobs, resulting in customers having to call out proper professionals to fix things.
New research from Trade Skills 4 U has found the most common jobs electricians are called out to do after a cowboy builder or a naive DIY enthusiast has done a poor job of it. Many of these shouldn't be taken lightly, as they can easily cause electric shocks that could result in death. Potentially fatal mistakes including drilling through wiring, repairing electrical appliances while they are still switched on and even cutting through power leads.
With the most common jobs involving either light fittings (41%) and lighting circuits (29%), its no surprise that many naively believe they have the skills to complete such tasks without having done an electrical course. In fact, one fifth of the people sampled said that they will confidently attempt to install new lighting in their homes without any electrical training. One tenth said they'd do the same installing new wiring.
These might be simple jobs for an electrician to carry out, but for someone without the proper training they can be very dangerous. At the very minimum anyone attempting these sort of jobs should have the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations and Part P qualifications, both of which we offer courses for here at Access Training Academies. Shoddy electrical work could cost someone their life and it might not be yours - it could be your friends' or family members'. Ask yourself, is it really worth it?
To find out more about the electrician courses we offer at Access Training, give our advice team a call on 0800 345 7492.
Via DIY Week
ELECSA and NICEIC operators NAPIT and Certsure have come together to create a single place consumers can go to find a fully qualified electrician. This easily identifiable mark will cover all full scope Part P registered electricians and is planned to roll out this year.
The two associations both created their own individual registers last year, but have since realised the advantages of creating a single one to avoid confusion. In addition to this, both feel that the attention given to the launches has proved a distraction from key issues in the electrical industry - namely safety and quality. To overcome this, NAPIT and Certsure met back in November to discuss the way forward in terms of promoting competent, qualified electricians.
The proposal that has been put forward is anticipated to include all licensed Electrical Competent Person Scheme Operators in England and Wales who are approved by the DCLG to run an electrical certification scheme, who have been said to be "happy with the plans" in principle. The schemes will continue to operate individually in accordance with current Building Regulations, however they will now also promote the new quality mark as well as their own.
Emma Clancy, Chief Executive Officer of Certsure, said consumers will now benefit from a single point of reference, making it far easier for consumers to locate a registered electrician in their area. NAPIT Chief Executive Michael Andrews added that the new register will also "ensure that electrical installers continue to be able to take advantage of the choice and value for money that comes as part and parcel of healthy competition in the marketplace"
When becoming a fully qualified electrician, gaining your Part P qualification and joining a Competent Persons Scheme is an incredibly important step to take. It ensures consumers that you are fully qualified and able to perform electrical installations, setting you apart from the so-called "cowboy builders" that plague the industry. Not only that, but a Part P qualification allows electricians to self-certify their own work. This means you can sign off on any installations without having to inform your local building authority - saving you a considerable amount of money in inspection fees.
The Part P qualification, along with all electrical qualifications needed to become a full-time electrician, is available as an intensive course from Access Training Academies. If you would like the steps to become a fully-fledged electrician, take a look at the courses we have on offer and give us a call on 0800 345 7492 today.
Fire service data indicates that over 20% of domestic fires are caused by electrical faults, with this figure increasing during the festive season.
As the festive season fast approaches, some of you will be planning your part in the annual “Battle of the Illuminations” with your neighbours. This year you will want more lights, bigger, brighter, and more colourful for a more dynamic display that will make people stare in amazement.
All of your socket outlets will be put to use, many with multi-way extension leads attached. Will you be checking to see if your installation can safely cope with the extra load? No! Don’t be daft its Christmas, it will be ok!
Will you check the lights to make sure that they are safe to use?
- Are they the correct type of lights for use outdoors?
- Are the flex, plug and leads un-damaged?
- Are the plugs fitted correctly and do they contain the right fuse (usually 3Amp)?
- Are all the lamps the correct rating (voltage, wattage)?
Or shall we just trust to luck?
Then on one December evening your home becomes the focus of everyone in the neighbourhood. People from all over, standing wrapped in coats and scarves watching the awesome display that is before their eyes. A myriad of multicolour flashing lights illuminating jets and sprays of water as the local fire service battle to save your home!
One small spark is all it takes to start a devastating fire, do yourself (and your family) a favour this Christmas – check your lights (or get a qualified electrician to check then) before you put them up and use RCD’s to protect each ‘string’. A small price to pay to have a Merry Christmas with your family– in your own home!
Season’s Greetings,
- Mark Jenkins.
Mark Jenkins is the Electrical Course Development Manager here at Access Training. If you would like to take the steps to become a professional electrician, our electrical training courses are the fastest and most effective way to build up the skills you need and gain the necessary qualifications for a prosperous career in the industry. To find out more give us a call on 0800 345 7492.
When hiring an electrician to work in your home it's important to ensure that they've completed a suitable electrical training course and earned all of the necessary qualifications. You may think this goes without saying, but research shows a shocking quarter of UK adults do not use registered electricians, and over one third of Brits have hired an electrician based on a recommendation, without checking their credentials!
To learn how to check if your electrician is registered and why registration and qualifications are so important, keep reading...
More...