- In breaking news,
the IET announced they're tidying up the wiring regulations.
A probe is launched into the mysterious death
of an electrician on a North Sea oil rig
and new figures reveal
that electricians earnings
are rapidly catching up on plumbers.
Welcome to Electrical News Weekly.
Whether you're listening in the van, onsite
or down at the whoelsale 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
I've been challenged to slip into this week's show,
comment with them below for the chance to win a prize.
The IET have announced that they will release a corrigendum
to the Second Amendment of the 18th edition of BS 7671.
A corrigendum is not a whole amendment
to a technical document, but simply a list
of corrections that are issued as a separate document.
Some key points that will be corrected
include a clarification to the scope of regulations
on cables and equipment in protected escape routes,
a modification to the requirements for surge protection
on safety services and examples of equipment
in different categories of over voltage equipment.
Birthing pools are no longer clusters,
baths in locations containing a bath or shower
and a brand new regulation has been added
to the section covering medical locations
to modify the requirements
for protected escape routes in healthcare facilities.
The corrigendum will be free to download
from the IET and the BSI on Monday the 15th of May
and will take immediate effect on the same day.
Regarding the corrigendum, Mark Coles of the IET states,
"The IET is the authority
for electrical installations in the UK and ensures
that the National Wiring Regulations Committee
carefully considers all necessary updates
to the regulations to ensure they best meet the needs
of the industry.
This corrigendum is intended
to correct misunderstandings, remove perceived barriers
and ensure that people's safety comes first."
Stay tuned to the channel for further updates,
including a special guest from the IET
on eFIXX TV on June the 14th
who'll discuss it further with us.
And don't worry, folks,
you won't need to buy a new big Brown book.
An investigation has been launched into the mysterious death
of a Scottish electrician on an oil rig in the North Sea.
Walter Mann was found collapsed and unresponsive
in a cabin by another member of the crew.
Attempts to resuscitate the 48-year-old were unsuccessful
and he was declared dead.
Investigators from the Health and Safety Executive
are looking into the case and preparing a report.
Meanwhile, an inquest into the circumstances
around the incident was opened
on Wednesday at Norfolk Coroner's Court.
Mann was responsible
for the electrical circuits on the floating rig,
which was drilling for gas at the time.
In other news, a government watchdog has named
and shamed a local authority over its failure
to check electrical safety
on thousands of its council homes.
The Regulator of social Housing singled
out the London Borough of Harrow saying that it failed
to meet statutory health and safety requirements
for electrical safety.
The administration has not completed
electrical safety reports for 3,500 of its council homes.
The watchdog said it launched its investigation
after a complaint from a Harrow resident.
The borough says it has now put a plan in place
to address the issues.
A comprehensive new survey of the self-employed has revealed
that when it comes to earnings,
electricians are rapidly catching up on plumbers.
The average turnover of an electrician soared last year
by 23%, whereas that of plumbers only rose by 14%.
The average for a plumber is still ahead at 87,000 pounds
while electricians bill just over 80,000 pounds a year.
So just a spindly seven grand between them.
But sparks earn far more than other trades,
such as carpenters, gas fitters, plasterers, and decorators.
Big earning towns
outside London included Cheltenham, Nottingham
Chesterfield and Wolverhampton.
Remember though, these are turnover figures
and don't include lots of expenses such as vans,
equipment and training.
Both electricians and plumbers,
as well as other trades are being urged this month
to check your tools in the name of testicular cancer.
The Oddballs Foundation is encouraging us to get hands-on
and up close and examine
that our gear is in good working order.
If you can feel a painless swelling or lump,
then it's worth getting it checked out.
It can be about the size of a pea, but may be larger.
The Oddballs people want to raise awareness
and encourage open conversation among men.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer
in men aged between 15 and 49 with 2,300 cases annually.
Despite being one of the most treatable forms
of cancer in men if caught early enough,
the illness still claims an average
of 60 lives in the UK each year.
I've popped the link
to the NHS site for symptoms in the show notes.
Electricians are also being urged this week
to check their clothing.
That's because in a work area
with a risk of electric arcing,
what you wear can help to protect you from injury.
There are three categories of risk.
The highest, category three,
covers exposure to serious harm,
which includes things like electric arcs
and burns from molten metal splashes and liquid chemicals.
The passive shielding that clothes provide is vital
and it's measured in calories per square centimeter.
You can also increase your protection with layers.
The more layers you have, the better
as those air gaps are key.
Each air gap adds an extra five calories.
Industrial clothing manufacturers,
such as Snickers recommend that in high-risk zones,
you should never wear garments that offer total protection
of less than 11 calories per centimeter squared.
Another group of people
who definitely need personal protection
is the team at Lewden.
In an act of quintessential English eccentricity,
they have just barreled down a steep hillside
in homemade go-karts.
It was all for charity, of course.
The company took part
in the famous Great Dunmow Soapbox Race.
It's a high speed competition featuring vehicles
of bonkers shapes and sizes.
Lewden says the event was an opportunity
for its team to showcase its creativity,
teamwork and innovation.
Well done to Lewden for surviving the event.
In product news, Luceco has come up with an alternative
to boring recessed lights in office ceilings.
The Octa range is a linear low glare LED fitting,
which you suspend in the space.
As well as providing downward light,
it also illuminates the ceiling to give a diffused effect.
I had to play around with one recently
and you can check out my video on the Octa
in the show notes.
Megger has unveiled a fuse locator to help you identify
which device is protecting which circuit.
It consists of two parts: a transmitter,
and a handheld receiver.
To use it, all you do is connect the transmitter
to the 240-volt circuit you're working on,
using the crocodile clip supplied.
You can also plug it into a socket
with the relevant adapter.
You then sweep the receiver
over the fuses or breakers in the distribution board.
The receiver will beep and light up
when it identifies your circuit.
Simple.
The sensitivity is automatically adjusted
to give you the best results.
Meanwhile, Martindale has unveiled the latest version
of its phase sequence checker.
This clever bit of kit verifies the phase sequence
or rotation of three-phase circuits.
Getting the sequence wrong can have devastating consequences
for plant and machinery
with serious implications for machine safety
from motors running backwards
through to cooling systems underperforming.
One wrong connection can lead
to a major maintenance headache.
Martindale says it's PSI 4,000
non-contact phase sequence indicator can quickly
and accurately identify three phase sequences
for motor installations and other systems.
The brand has also introduced a new socket tester.
The BZ701 detects 28 different socket wiring
fault conditions and checks the mains voltage level.
It can also identify if live
and neutral are reversed, a function that's rarer
on these types of testers.
The polarity swap test detects fault conditions
on PME TNCS systems that cannot be identified
by normal socket testers says Martindale.
And finally, there's a new entry in the annual list
of annoying customer habits.
This is what homeowners do or don't do
that really gets the goat of electricians.
Number one for 2023, as always,
is not being home when I turn up.
This is followed by constantly asking for progress reports.
Third is adding in sneaky extras, and that's followed
by not being offered a cup of tea or coffee.
What is the world coming into?
But a new entry for this year is being harassed
by an attention-seeking pet.
Pandemic pooches are a particular problem.
Respondents report that it's no fun getting licked
and sniffed while performing an earth leakage test.
And many dogs appear to think
that barking at sparks is a right lark.
And I'm going to park this here
before I go barking mad myself.
Top work from our scriptwriter there.
So just before we get to your favorite 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, for all your circuit protection needs,
they're like having an Italian star striker
and your Premiership team, it's Lewden Palazzoli.
And the best thing to come out of Yorkshire
since stainless steel, it's Doncaster Cables,
the home of EV-Ultra
and other groundbreaking and quality cables.
And one of the biggest lighting companies
in the world because their capital is always Dublin,
it's Irish lighting manufacturer ROBUS,
home of great quality and innovative lighting products.
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 dastardly and humongous.
And the first person to get both right was Cole Foster.
So very well done to you, Cole.
Please click the link
in the description below to claim your prize.
Thanks for listening
to this episode of Electrical News Weekly.
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.