- Coming up on this week's news,
the trade is warned about major changes in the rules
for installing emergency lighting.
An electrician who lost an arm
and most of his face when he was hit
by a 7,200-volt cable
is given the world's first eye transplant.
And is it ever okay for an electrician
to ask a customer for a tip?
Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association
with The Electric Heating Company.
Whether you're listening in the van, onsite
or down at the wholesale counter, I'm Joe Robinson
and I've been through the best
of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble.
And as always, if you think you've spotted the two words
that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show,
comment with them below for the chance to win a prize.
Electrical contractors are being warned this week
about major changes in the rules
for installing emergency lighting.
In the coming months, a slew of changes are set
to come into effect
that will alter best practise recommendations.
The revisions will impact any changes
to existing installations,
as well as the maintenance practises
that are required in buildings across the country.
The big change to BS EN 50172 is the introduction
of a twice yearly test of emergency lights
and external illuminated signs on escape routes.
This is in addition to the usual daily, monthly,
and annual verification tests.
This is to ensure that luminaires are undamaged
and that their function is not impaired due to the presence
of dirt, dust, or visible material degradation.
There's also some changes to BS 1838.
It continues to demand that the maintained illuminance
of the local area safety lighting
should be based on a risk assessment.
However, now it says
that on escape routes more than two metres wide,
the illumination should be at least one Lux throughout.
For floor areas greater than 60 square metres,
you'll now need 0.5 Lux throughout,
apart from the edges of the room.
The other big change is that the standards now allow
what's called adaptive escape lighting.
This is a new generation of intelligent kit,
which uses sensors and monitoring devices
to detect the location of a fire
and direct people out safely
by things like changing the direction
of the arrows on the signs in real time.
I've popped a link to an article
about the changes in the show notes.
If you're not sure about all the rules about light levels
with emergency lighting or if you need a refresher,
take a look at an explain a video I made with Lumeno.
I look at the different light levels required
for escape routes, open area and high risk task areas.
The link, as always, is in the show notes.
Still on safety standards
a major manufacturer has called for MICC cables
to be used in high-rise buildings.
Wrexham Mineral Cables says human life continues
to be put at risk by the use
of standard polymer-clad versions.
It follows a report written by the company in response
to what it calls a growing frustration at the lack
of progress made on building safety
following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
The current regime of testing means both cable types
are classed as fire resistant.
Wrexham says this creates the impression
that the two options are in some way equal,
but it argues that MICC cables are proven to perform
to higher safety standards in real fire scenarios,
I've put a link to the report in the show notes.
It makes for very engrossing reading.
In other news, British Gas is offering 8,000 miles
of free home charging to customers who order a Hive charger
and switch to British Gas for electricity.
The catch?
The customer needs to have a smart metre.
British Gas doesn't have to do the installation
and customers don't need to sign up to a specific tariff.
The charging will be provided at night
when demand on the grid is at its lowest.
In the United States, in electrician who lost an arm
and most of his face when he came into contact
with a 7,200 volt cable
has been given the world's first eye transplant.
Aaron James of Arkansas came close to dying
during the incident in 2021,
but now a hospital in New York City
has performed the world's first eye transplant on him
and the patient is said to be doing well.
He was also given a face transplant.
James says he cannot see through the eye
or blink his eyelid, and he's not yet able to move the eye.
The hope is that the optic nerve heals enough
to permit sight, but James says it feels good
to have had his eye replaced.
He hopes doctors will learn something from his operation
that can help the next person.
Now, last week we asked you if you'd made the move
into electric vans and how you were getting on.
Simon Smith of Fareham-based SA Energy got in touch
and we have to say Simon is certainly walking the walk.
He's just invested in two
of these smart Vauxhall electric vans
and he's got a personal electric car at home
in the driveway.
If you too have an EV, let us know how you're getting on
and don't forget to send a pic of yourself and your van.
We also want your stories, your recommendations,
and your ideas to share with the friendly eFIXX community.
Send us some pictures of your instals
or let us know if you've come across any new kit
that's making your job easier.
Before we go, I also want to give any
of you solar panel installers out there a heads-up
on Gordon's latest video.
He looks at how optimizers
have revealed some surprising things
about a 12-year old PV installation in the Yorkshire Dales.
Also just released this week
is our brand new free training package to help you
with your CPD.
Made in association with BG Electrical,
part of the Luceco Group,
we've taken a dive into electrical design,
mapping out the different stages one step at a time.
Whether you're just starting out in the industry
or you've been in it for a long time
and you just need to refresh your knowledge
or perhaps you're thinking
about a slight change in career direction
into the world of design, then that CPD is the one for you.
So please click the link in the show notes to check it out.
It's completely free.
It can be done at a time convenient to yourself,
and you'll get a certificate at the end of it
to prove that you've taken the course
and you can count an hour
towards your annual CPD requirement.
And speaking of CPDs, in last week's question of the week,
we asked in a marina, what is the highest current rating
of socket that requires an RCD?
The options were 32 amps, 63 amps, 125 amps
or no upper limits stated in BS 7671.
And the correct answer was no upper limit stated in BS 7671.
On YouTube, 66% of people got it right,
while over on LinkedIn,
only 38% got it right with the majority of people opting
for 32 amps.
Must try harder, LinkedIn.
I recommend you check out the free training package
this question was lifted from.
It's all about industrial socket outlets
and their applications.
You'll find a link to it in the show notes.
Big thanks to Lewden Palazzoli for helping us to create that
in the first place and then helping us to update it fully
to reflect the changes in the second amendment
of the 18th edition of BS 7671.
Very much appreciated.
Go and check out that CPD
and get yourself a certificate as well.
And finally, a debate about tipping has broken out
in the trade after an electrical contractor asked
for a gratuity from a customer.
In the land of the laughing kookaburra,
the world's largest kingfisher,
an Australian homeowner took to social media
to complain about a spark who asked for a tip
for his electrical wiring work.
The homeowner said that he laughed it off,
but went on to question whether the tipping culture
is spreading beyond America.
His post on Reddit rapidly spread to the UK and elsewhere
and was picked up by the newspapers,
including the Daily Mail.
The publicity led to tradespeople taking sides.
One wrote, "It's not a big deal if someone says no
and it's a win if they say yes."
Another said that often the company may charge a lot
of money, but the individual electrician
can be on more modest pay and would appreciate some extra.
Others are appalled by the idea.
One customer said that if an electrical contractor
wants a tip, we should tell him to move to the States.
What's your view?
Is it a welcome way for customers
to show their gratitude or does it detract
from our professionalism?
Let us know your view in the comments below.
Now, just before we get to your favourite bit of the show
where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners,
we want to thank our premium partners.
We couldn't make the news without you.
First up, they're the people
who've created the Swiss Army Knife
of solar inverters, along with all-weather batteries,
very much the Boy Scouts
of the solar industry, it's Sunsynk.
Up next for all your circuit protection needs,
they're like having an Italian star striker
in your premiership team, it's Lewden Palazzoli.
And for the ultimate experience
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The best thing to come out of Yorkshire
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it's Doncaster cables, the home of EV-Ultra
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celebrating their 100th anniversary
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Rising from the flames like some kind
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And finally, celebrating their 60th anniversary this year
with an incredible range of equipment from EV charge points
through industrial sockets
and switches to kit for explosive areas,
plus they supplied gear for a Campari factory,
so they'll always have a place in my heart, it's Scame.
Big thanks to you all.
We really appreciate your ongoing support for the news.
If you think you know the words
that I've smuggled into this week's show,
pop your guess into the comments
and we'll dig out a goodie bag prize
to the first to get the right answers.
Last week's words were grasshopper and Panama.
And the first person to get both right
was adventuresofanathan who obviously listened
and thought a man, a plan, a canal, Panama.
That's a palindrome by the way.
It reads the same forwards and backwards. Clever stuff, hey?
Anyway, well done to you, Nathan.
Click the get involved link in the show notes
to claim your prize.
Thanks for listening to this episode
of Electrical News Weekly in association
with The Electric Heating Company.
Make sure you subscribe to receive the next update.
Thanks for listening, and until next time,
have a great week.
Stay safe out there and remember, there's no such thing
as a torque-calibrated arm.