'Ask AI to change one thing – then check what else moved'

Graham Church, developer of SafetyStack, an online document toolkit for UK trades, explains why electrical contractors should check the wider impact of AI-generated document edits An AI document assistant can make a paragraph easier to read while quietly changing something you wanted to keep. For electrical contractors evaluating software, a simple, controlled editing exercise can reveal more than an impressive demonstration. Ask for one change, then check the whole result. Use a clearly fictional job and invented names. Do not enter a real customer’s information into a trial before understanding the product’s data arrangements. The exercise below tests document editing and review; it is not an electrical procedure, risk assessment or approval of work. Imagine a draft carrying these administrative details: job reference TEST-041, site Eastgate Workshop and document version 1. The particular names do not matter. What matters is that you have a short list of information that should remain unchanged while you test the assistant. Save a copy of the starting document using the product’s normal controls. Check that you can reopen it. A version label alone is not evidence that the earlier wording can be recovered; try the recovery route before making your test change. Now choose one ordinary administrative sentence, such as: “Please use the job reference when discussing this document.” Ask the assistant to rewrite it more concisely, while preserving the reference, site label and version elsewhere. Keep the instruction narrow enough that you can judge whether the result followed it. Compare the requested sentence before and after. A shorter version might read: “Quote the job reference in document queries.” That is a fictional wording example, not a required phrasing or evidence of what any particular product will generate. Then look beyond that sentence. Search for the job reference and site label, and inspect the document title, headings and other identifying fields. Check whether information moved, disappeared or acquired an unexpected replacement. A fluent paragraph does not tell you whether the rest of the document remained intact. Include a second identifying field in your notes, such as the fictional customer's label. This helps you spot a change that leaves the main job reference apparently untouched. If the software offers a change summary or comparison view, test it against what you can see in the document. Does it identify every alteration, or only the assistant’s intended change? If no comparison is available, decide whether reviewing the full result manually is workable for your business. Test rejection as well as acceptance. Can you decline the proposed wording without losing other edits? After accepting it, can you recover the earlier version through the documented route? Record what actually happened rather than assume that an undo icon covers every kind of change. Export the edited document and reopen the file outside the app. Check that the accepted wording appears, the identifying details remain clear and long answers are readable. The version sent to another person matters just as much as the version displayed inside the editor. Repeat the exercise with a second narrow request. This time, deliberately reject the suggestion. Keep notes on the instruction, visible changes, recovery steps and exported result. Those observations can help you compare tools; they do not establish long-term reliability or measured time savings. The boundary remains important. A starting template needs competent adaptation and review for the actual work and site. Neither readable prose nor a successful editing exercise demonstrates that risks have been adequately assessed, or that a customer will accept the document. Graham Church is the developer of SafetyStack

Octopus unveils new low-cost add-on to turn heat pumps into air cons

Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, has revealed a new gadget which can turn its range of Cosy heat pumps into air-conditioning systems Available in 2027, the Cosy Cooler will come in at £500-600 when added to an existing Cosy heat pump system – a fraction of the £2,000 to £6,000 that traditional air-conditioning systems can cost to install. The launch follows another summer of extreme conditions, with temperatures reaching 38.2C in August 2026. With the El Niño weather phenomenon expected to develop, attention is turning to how families can keep their homes cool next summer. The device is designed to connect to the pipework already in place, with installation expected to take around three hours. The portable Cosy Cooler is the size of a tall kitchen bin and plugs directly into radiator pipework to circulate chilled water through the home, with no need for an outdoor hose. The unit can cool single rooms or run up to two to three units at once across different rooms, depending on the Cosy heat pump model. The outdoor Cosy heat pump takes in warm air from outside, using it to chill water and pump it through the home's central heating pipes. The unit inside also draws in warm indoor air, cools it across a built-in heat exchanger, and circulates chilled air into the room. Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy Founder and CEO, says: “Sadly, British homes need to be ready for freezing winters and increasingly hot summers. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has helped give the industry the confidence to invest, innovate and drive costs down – and Cosy Cooler is the latest result of Octopus ingenuity.” For more from Octopus Energy, click here

Four firms secure contracts across three multimillion-pound BESS schemes

Four engineering and building firms have been appointed to support the roll-out of three new multimillion-pound battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities being built in Scotland and Surrey The schemes, which total around £50m and will begin construction over the next 18 months, will be spearheaded by Root-Power, a developer of BESS facilities to help the UK transition to a cleaner energy system, as part of the government’s Clean Power 2030 reforms. The first of Root-Power’s three BESS schemes will be built at Dounreay near Thurso in Scotland and will generate a 34-megawatt (MW) capacity. The developer has appointed Steve Morgan Associates based in South Wales to provide civil and structural engineering consultancy to deliver the design foundations, layouts, drainage and other key aspects of the site infrastructure needed to assist the main building contractors. Birmingham-based civil engineering and building contractor, Hedigan Construction, has secured the contract to support the second Root-Power BESS project in Caterham near Surrey. It will have a 12MW capacity and is expected to supply power to around 24,000 homes once operational. The final BESS scheme will be located in the Broomloan area of Glasgow, which will deliver a 50-megawatt (MW) capacity once completed. Root-Power is currently in the process of procuring a UK-based civil engineering contractor to provide hands-on delivery of the project, including site preparation, trenching, ducting and enabling works. Teesside industrial electrical power solutions provider, Engineering Power Solutions (EPS) and London-based electrical engineering company, RJ Power, have been awarded contracts across all three schemes. EPS will provide the design and technical expertise, engineering consultancy and the critical safety support needed, whilst RJ Power, which is part of the Ipsum Group, will provide the electrical infrastructure by designing and building the connections required to link all three sites to the grid. Neil Brooks, managing director at Root-Power, says: “We awarded major BESS contracts to these four building and engineering firms because of their proven experience, expertise and practical approach to delivering grid connections across BESS facilities of this size. “Having the right partners in place to oversee the design, technical and site-specific requirements across each scheme is essential to allowing them to become fully operational on the grid.” “Projects such as this represent an important step forward for us as a business as we scale our BESS portfolio and contribute to strengthening the UK’s energy infrastructure. Battery storage systems play a critical role in enabling the successful transition to a more flexible, low-carbon grid whilst safeguarding energy supply to thousands of businesses and homes.”

Olympic medallist Colin Jackson opens new APP Electrical office in Cardiff

Local electricians APP Electrical has launched its new office on North Road in Cardiff by welcoming Welsh hurdling legend Colin Jackson CBE to cut the ribbon Since 2015, APP Electrical has operated from Church Village, and the business’s growing team of eight local electricians is now expanding its services to homeowners and businesses in Cardiff following a recent brand refresh. As well as offering office space for APP’s team, the North Road premises showcase the latest in smart home technologies installed by APP. Cardiff is now one of just a handful of places in the UK where homeowners can try out the Rako Smart Lighting system. Speaking at the office launch, Colin Jackson CBE said: "It’s great to be here and experience this. I’ve been really fortunate to use APP to rewire my whole house and add a little bit of magic, really bring things up to date. You get that great customer service which is really important, you get the job done on time, and they’re also nice and tidy. "Many people may not know that I started out as an electrician. I wasn’t very good! I stuck to running in the end, so now I just leave it to the pros!” APP Electrical’s Managing Director Andrew Pearce added: “It’s been great to get everyone together – the lads, the staff, our friends and family, and Colin! Opening this office gives us greater access to Cardiff, meaning we can deliver our electrical services to more homeowners and businesses locally. "The office features a leading Rako Smart Lighting Control System, where customers can experience what the product involves, and how it’s going to work in their life, their homes and their offices. We’re one of just a few places in the whole of the UK where you can try the system out in person – a fantastic way for homeowners and businesses in Cardiff to upgrade their lighting.”

'Fleet electrification depends on fixing the grid as well as building chargers'

Tom Rowlands, Managing Director of Global EV Solutions at Corpay, on why Great British Grid must continue to boost investment in its network to help support businesses planning to transition to an electric fleet You can order the vehicles, you can install the chargers, but if the grid connection isn't there, on time and at a price that works, none of it moves. That is one of the least visible but most important parts of the EV transition and it is encouraging to see Great British Grid focused on speeding up connections and increasing investment in the electricity network. A depot upgrade for a fleet of vans or HGVs can involve lengthy and unpredictable connection timelines before a single charger goes in the ground. If Great British Grid can genuinely make that process faster and more predictable, it would address a real commercial constraint. Fleets are making vehicle and infrastructure decisions years in advance through procurement cycles and long-term investment plans, so they need confidence that the power will be available when those vehicles arrive. The ambition is welcome, but this is also a complex area and we now need to see more detail on the practicalities and timelines for delivery. Businesses will want to understand how quickly these reforms can translate into faster connections, greater capacity and more certainty over costs. Grid reform and vehicle taxation are often treated as separate conversations. For any business trying to plan a fleet transition, they are part of the same investment decision. Tom Rowlands is Managing Director of Global EV Solutions at Corpay

Awaab's Law Phase 2: what electricians need to know

Electrical contractors working in social housing in England could find that what they report from site starts a legal countdown for their clients, under changes due to take effect on 30 November Phase 2 of Awaab's Law extends the fixed response times that apply to damp and mould to seven more hazard categories: excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene. Landlords must investigate potential emergency hazards within 24 hours and complete any necessary safety work in that time. Significant hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, with safety work to follow within five working days of the investigation concluding. A hazard counts as significant if a reasonable landlord with the relevant knowledge would make it safe within 15 working days, judged against the household's actual circumstances. The clock starts when the landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard. Guidance says a report from a third party will usually count from the date the landlord is told, and that a managing agent's awareness is also likely to count. Whether a contractor's own awareness counts may depend on whether they act as the landlord's agent, and landlords are advised to take legal advice. The guidance says landlords should ensure contractors report hazards they spot beyond the job in hand, and advises them to review existing contractor agreements. It also says an electrical hazard should be investigated and remedied by a qualified and competent electrician. Exposed wiring is one of its examples of a possible emergency hazard. What it means for contractors Landlords keep legal responsibility when they use contractors, so any pressure on the supply chain is likely to come through contract terms and reporting procedures. That raises questions the industry has yet to answer: how much contractors should report, how landlords will triage a rise in reports, and where liability sits when a hazard is missed. A landlord's defence is that it used all reasonable endeavours, so records of reports, access attempts and decisions matter as much as the repair. The law does not cover fire hazards in communal areas already governed by the Fire Safety Order. It does cover those inside individual homes, such as broken smoke alarms. Why it exists Awaab's Law is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's home in Rochdale. His parents had complained to their landlord for three years. It came in through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. Phase 1 took effect on 27 October 2025, covering emergency hazards and damp and mould. Phase 3, expected in 2027, will extend it to the remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, except overcrowding. Tenants can take landlords to court for breach of contract if deadlines are missed, and can complain to the Housing Ombudsman. Thomas Hoyle, director of Waking Watch at Triton Security, says: "Phase 2 asks providers to treat fire, electrical and structural risks with the same urgency as damp and mould, and the first month of the new duty fall in the coldest part of the year, when reports tend to rise. Policies on paper rarely show where a report stalls. "The providers best placed for the changes to come on 30th November will be those who have rehearsed the process: taking a realistic case through triage, investigation, repair and rehousing against the clock, and fixing the weak points while there is still time.”

Fuel costs emerge as biggest stress for self-employed electricians

Fuel and operating costs are the leading source of work-related stress for self-employed van users, according to research by Tempcover, a temporary business van insurance company. The insurance provider surveyed 500 self-employed people across the UK who rely on vans for work, including drivers, tradespeople, and mobile service providers. The research found that 91% experience some level of work-related stress, with 21% reporting high levels. More than half (59%) say they feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of managing every aspect of their work independently. Fuel and operating costs are the most commonly cited source of day-to-day stress, at 26%, followed by general financial pressure (23%) and vehicle issues or breakdowns (17%). Managing workloads and deadlines accounts for 11% of responses, whilst finding consistent work accounts for 10%. Financial pressures drive longer working hours Disruptions also contribute to stress, with 71% of respondents saying delays, cancellations, and vehicle breakdowns significantly increase their stress levels. Moreover, financial concerns affect workload decisions. More than six in 10 (62%) worry about covering basic expenses, including fuel, insurance, and vehicle maintenance, while 64% feel pressured to take on more work than is sustainable to cover costs. Meanwhile, 61% find it difficult to switch off from work-related stress. Two thirds (66%) feel overlooked by existing support structures, and around one in six say they receive inadequate financial support (16%), mental health support (15%), or operational support (14%). Friends and family are the most commonly relied-on source of support, cited by 40% of respondents, followed by online forums and driver communities (30%). Insurance providers are a source of support for 27%, whilst 24% turn to trade associations or unions. Vehicle costs top demand for practical support Affordable vehicle maintenance or repair schemes are the most commonly requested form of support, cited by 40% of respondents. Fuel cost support or discounts follow at 37%, while 29% want better access to consistent work and 28% would welcome a financial safety net or income protection. Mental health or wellbeing support is a priority for 17%, whilst 10% want access to replacement vehicles during downtime. Claire Wills-McKissick, Temporary Business Van Insurance Expert at Tempcover, says, “These results highlight the pressures many self-employed van users face as they balance rising operating costs, unpredictable workloads, and the responsibility of running their work independently. "While many are managing day to day, the data suggests a clear gap between the support people feel they need and how that support is accessed in practice. "For many, informal networks such as friends, family, or peer communities are acting as a makeshift safety net, but it’s crucial to look towards a broader package of support when dealing with ongoing financial pressure, workload demands, and unexpected disruption. “Our research shows many self-employed van users feel their specific challenges are being missed, so we urge van users to check they’re getting the full support available. "By ensuring they have access to practical guidance and resources available through trade bodies and industry networks, solo operators can ensure they have the best possible support structure in place when it is needed most.” For more from Tempcover, click here.

'Support starts with being heard': NAPIT marks World Mental Health Day

NAPIT is supporting World Mental Health Day (10 October) by calling on people across the trades to help create a space where everyone can speak openly and feel heard This year's theme is 'Support Starts with Being Heard', and the certification body and training provider says a colleague who checks in and listens without judgement can make it easier to talk, while friends and family can remind someone outside of work that they do not have to face difficulties alone. The organisation highlights the pressures many tradespeople face, including demanding workloads, time away from home, financial concerns, changing work patterns and the responsibility of keeping others safe. It adds that mental health should be a priority whether someone is employed, self-employed or running a business. NAPIT is encouraging businesses, teams and individuals to build simple habits that make supportive conversations part of the working day. To help, it shared guidance from Mental Health UK on making these conversations feel safer and more supportive: Choose the right time and place: Give the person your full attention somewhere they feel comfortable and free from distractions. Listen to understand: Let them share as much or as little as they want without judgement, and show you are listening by reflecting back what they have said. Ask open questions: Give them space to explore their thoughts and feelings, and avoid rushing in with lots of questions or solutions. Validate their experience: Avoid assumptions or comparisons. You don't need to have the answers, as simply acknowledging how someone feels can help them feel understood. Show empathy: Focus on their perspective rather than trying to make things better straight away, as sometimes feeling listened to is more powerful than advice. Help them find their own next steps: Listen first, then encourage them to consider what might help, for example by asking, "What do you think would help right now?" Stephen Melton, Managing Director at NAPIT, says: "NAPIT is proud to support World Mental Health Day. A conversation at work, with a colleague, or with friends and family can help someone feel less isolated and more able to seek support. "Speaking up can feel difficult but being there to listen and make someone feel heard can help break down stigma." For more from NAPIT, click here.

Celebrating 17 Years of Chaz at Doepke UK

After an incredible 17 years with Doepke UK, the residual current specialist is saying a very fond farewell to its Technical Officer, Chaz Andrews, as he heads into retirement Chaz joined the Doepke UK team in August 2009, and over the years he has become a familiar and much-valued part of the business. Although Chaz is now best known for his technical knowledge and support, his role at Doepke UK has covered quite a bit over the years. In fact, Chaz was once responsible for Doepke UK’s marketing, helping to shape how we communicated with customers and the wider electrical industry. He was also behind our very first technical article, something that feels particularly fitting given the wealth of technical knowledge he has gone on to share throughout his career. From explaining complex electrical protection topics to supporting customers with technical queries, Chaz has always had a real talent for making technical information easier to understand. Over the years, Chaz has supported countless customers, installers and colleagues, sharing his experience and knowledge whenever it was needed. His understanding of Doepke products and the electrical industry has made him an important source of advice and support for the team. And, of course, 17 years is a long time. Chaz has seen plenty of changes during his time at Doepke UK, from the products we offer and the way we communicate with customers, to the growth and development of the business itself. Simon Cranton, Managing Director of Doepke UK, says: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Chaz for the past 17 years. During that time, he has brought an incredible wealth of technical and commercial knowledge, playing a significant role in helping guide Doepke to the position of technical excellence we find ourselves in today. "Over the years, I have personally learned so much from Chaz, both professionally and personally, and I am incredibly grateful for his knowledge, support and guidance. Working alongside Chaz has genuinely been a privilege, and his contribution to Doepke has been invaluable. He leaves behind an impressive legacy and will be greatly missed by colleagues and clients alike." Doepke notes that while it will certainly miss having Chaz around, the company is incredibly grateful for everything he has contributed to Doepke UK over the past 17 years. From marketing and technical articles to customer support and technical expertise, Chaz has left his mark on the business in more ways than one. "Thank you, Chaz, for 17 fantastic years. We wish you all the very best for your retirement!" For more from Doepke UK, click here This article is sponsored by Doepke UK

Tradespeople urge van makers to bolster security as tool theft spikes

Tradespeople are urging van manufacturers to improve security as nearly two-thirds of tool theft victims claim none of their stolen goods have ever been recovered According to new data from trade broadcaster Fix Radio, nearly three-quarters of tradespeople have had professional tools stolen, with victims reporting disruption to their work and equipment that was never recovered. The survey of 500 UK tradespeople also found 73% had personally experienced tool theft with four in five of those affected saying it caused at least moderate disruption to their ability to work, while two in five reported losing more than £1,000 worth of equipment. Almost two-thirds of victims (65%) said none of their stolen tools had been recovered. The findings come after Fix Radio's September report, which found more than 80% of tradespeople wanted van makers to improve security, alongside strong support for tighter controls on second-hand tool sales and tougher penalties for convicted thieves. The survey also found that 85% of respondents felt authorities did not take tool theft seriously enough. Just one in three believed the government was doing enough to tackle it. In its March 2026 consultation response on equipment theft, the Home Office said it was working with police and industry on making tools identifiable and traceable. It also said it would consider alternative approaches to preventing power-tool theft rather than including tools in the proposed secondary legislation. Fix Radio Broadcaster Clive Holland, says: "A stolen tool can mean a cancelled job, not just a replacement bill. A tradesperson can have customers booked in and work ready to go, but still be unable to earn because the equipment they need has disappeared."