Power company reaches out to better connect with farmers around safety

UK Power Networks is working with the National Farmers’ Union to talk to farmers about the importance of electrical safety. The UK’s biggest electricity distributor will send safety advisors to a series of NFU-led events starting from 23 June to be held at farms across the East of England including Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire ahead of the harvest season. The company wants farmers to understand that contact with high voltage electricity cables can be fatal. The main risk is farm machinery coming into contact with overhead power lines, and advice being offered at the safety talks will include: The importance of planning ahead. Mark overhead and underground power cables on farm maps and inform all staff, contractors and visitors of where they are. Know the maximum reach of all machinery and consider how it can be used safely. Look up and check around you before loading or unloading, using tipper wagons or trailers in fields and when stacking. Stay alert and vigilant when using GPS auto steer systems. Always assume power lines are live. Know how to exit your vehicle in case of an emergency - keep at least 10m away from fallen power lines. Take special care in dark or poor light conditions especially when tired. Call 0800 3163105 or just 105 in an emergency. Download the What3Words app to help explain your location. Ros Forbes, Safety Advisor at UK Power Networks says: “We are pleased to be working closely with the NFU to be able to reach out directly to farmers and get across safety messaging which could potentially save lives. “Around a fifth of all contact with high voltage electrical equipment on our networks involves the agricultural industry - meaning farmers are at risk of injury or even death so we are determined to raise awareness of the potential dangers on their land. “Taking time to plan, informing workers and contractors where the power lines are, being prepared and focusing on the on the way you work, can help keep people safe.” Charles Hesketh, Regional Policy Manager for the NFU across East Anglia, says: “Agriculture has one of the worst track records for accidents of any industry and sadly the number of fatalities year on year is not coming down. “Initiatives such as our series of Health and Safety events are vital for raising awareness and helping to break down the stigma that can be attached to on farm safety. “We are delighted that UK Power Networks is helping to support these events across East Anglia, reaching around 700 farmers just ahead of the busy harvest period when combines, tractors and telehandlers will all be out in full force. “Sharing information and providing clarity and solutions to both prevent incidents from happening in the first place and guidance if the worst were to happen will prove to be invaluable for both keeping on the lights and keeping our farmers safe.” [embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D23yG12f10[/embed]

BGEN looking to recruit across its English and Scottish operations

BGEN is looking to recruit 20 plus engineers across its English and Scottish operations on the back of several high-profile new business wins. In recent months BGEN has been awarded long-term framework contracts with National Grid and Scottish Water, adding to its impressive blue-chip roster of clients which includes BAE Systems, GSK, ExxonMobil and Johnson Matthey. “On the back of a successful six months we have a pressing need to add to our experienced team,” says Robin Whitehead, Chief Executive at BGEN. “We are looking for a range of engineers, with mid-to-senior level experience, to join our English and Scottish operations. Our people, including their personal development, is our number one priority and we have an attractive range of benefits in place to offer to the right candidates.” Based out of its Warrington (England) office, BGEN is looking to recruit a number of roles including group, principal and senior electrical and mechanical engineers. In Grangemouth (Scotland), the company has a requirement which includes junior and senior telemetry engineers alongside field service technicians. Both business units are also on the lookout for promising apprentices and graduates. Alongside a competitive package and hybrid working, successful candidates will get the opportunity to work on a range of projects of national importance. Recent examples include the Thames Tideway Project, as well as several pharmaceutical projects designed to help the country tackle future pandemics. In addition, candidates will get the opportunity to work with a range of innovative technologies to deliver high quality work.

Ansell Lighting and Bradford College join forces to support electricians

Ansell Lighting has joined forces with Bradford College to support the building of a house for electrical installation students to practice on. The house, or Active Learning Area, has been built in the atrium of the leading West Yorkshire college and worked on by City & Guilds Level 1 and 2 students from a range of building services and construction courses, including electrical installation, plumbing, bricklaying and joinery. Ansell has sponsored the project, which has been named the Ansell Lighting Academy, and provided Prism Pro CCT Fire Rated Downlights for use in the kitchen and bathroom areas, as well as floodlighting, a mini floodbox and exterior wall lights. Electrical students will be wiring the lighting and power while the plumbing students will be piping the services and radiators. The house has also been ‘futureproofed’ so it can be re-used each year for new students to get active practice. Ansell’s products are also being used in a series of bays for student assessments and the college hopes to build a two-storey house in another part of the atrium to create one of the largest Active Learning Areas in the country. Adam Brough, Team Leader in Electrical Installation, Plumbing and Gas at Bradford College, says: “Having a real building to practice on is invaluable for our students – instead of their practical work being restricted to boards. “A member of the Ansell tech team came into college earlier in the year as part of a Sparks Magazine Meet-the-Lecturer day and was delighted to get on board with this project. Having the support of Ansell, and AICO who have also provided some smoke detection products, has allowed us to take this project to the next level, with students getting a feel for the sort of work they will be doing when they leave college.”

Woodward Group bolsters team with 10 spring hires

Woodward Group has added 10 new faces to its team this spring, including four senior hires, to meet growing demand for its services in the region. The new roles follow several project and client wins in the first half of the year for Woodward Group, a second-generation family business that provides electrical, fire, security, building and compliance services for commercial and industrial businesses nationwide. James Butler joins as Fire and Security Manager and will utilise his wealth of expertise to spearhead Woodward Group’s fire and security division and help develop the talented apprentices within the team. Engineering veteran Andrew Ramsay also joins the senior team as Mechanical Engineering Manager, where he will use his 30 years’ experience in the mechanical and electrical sector to help the company’s customers to diagnose and solve their problems with process improvements. Process specialist Mike Woolley is appointed as Projects Manager to oversee operations of the company’s larger-scale project sites, while Sudhir Sehdeva joins as Purchasing Manager to lead supply chain initiatives and ensure seamless business delivery for the team. Aden Woodward, Managing Director of Woodward Group, says: “Woodward Group has seen sustained growth in new client and project wins in the first half of 2022, particularly as our service offering continues to grow. Reflecting our commitment to organic growth – and to recruiting only top-level talent – James, Andrew, Mike and Sudhir’s appointments represent significant additions to our expanding team. It’s been a privilege to welcome ten new recruits to Woodward Group this spring and to see the team flourish.” Other recent new hires for Woodward Group include Claire Miller, who joins the team as Accounts Administrator, Michael Grey as Office Administrator, Chris Staunton as Fire and Security Engineer, Morgan Atkin as an Electrician, Marcus Harding as an Approved Electrician, and Jack Morley as an Apprentice.

Knightsbridge ups the power with 45W USB charging sockets

As the demand for USB charging points increases hugely, so does the demand for the speed and power they can deliver and Knightsbridge has jumped ahead of the game with the release of its latest charging solutions, which offer up to 45W PD (Power Delivery) over a USB-C port and 18W QC (Quick Charge) over a USB-A port. For the first-time, power-hungry gadgets (like laptops) may now be charged straight from wall outlets using a 45W USB-C port and without the need for bulky adapters. The Knightsbridge charging solution can also charge QC devices (mainly android-based smartphones) at up to 18W, allowing for a quick charge of up to 50% in under 30 minutes with compatible smartphones. Power is shared when both ports are active at the same time. The high-performance 45W USB wall charger suite comprises two 230V 13A two-gang switched sockets and three 50mm x 50mm charging modules, depending on finish. Featuring ever-more popular outboard rocker switches, the two 13A 2G switched sockets in curved edge or square edge moulded white designs are available with dual earths for high integrity earthing, angled top-down terminals for quick installation, and are designed to accommodate 25-35mm back boxes (depending on wiring conditions). The 50x50 modular inserts are available in white, grey, and black and may be paired with a variety of modular and multimedia combination plates, allowing for a bespoke creation. As it is critical that charging cables can withstand the power required, Knightsbridge has also developed 60W A-C and C-C cables, as well as a 100W certified USB-PD C-C cables, to round up the collection. Finally, all Knightsbridge 45W USB 50mm modules are warrantied for one year; while the 13A two-gang switched sockets carry a two-year warranty.

Costs down as well-paid sparkies take a well-earned break in April

The cost of hiring a self-employed electrician dropped last month as “well-paid sparkies took a well-earned break” during the Easter holidays, according to Hudson Contract. Hudson Contract said average weekly earnings for electrical subcontractors fell by 7.8% to £1,031 in April and matched the same month in 2021. Ian Anfield, Managing Director of Hudson Contract, says: “As expected, earnings for April were affected across all trades as freelancers took their families away for a long-awaited holiday with the lifting of COVID travel restrictions across many European short-haul destinations and plenty of good package deals on offer. The well-publicised queues at Manchester airport and tailbacks outside Dover will have been full of self-employed tradespeople heading off for some early season sunshine. Well-paid sparkies took a well-earned break after doing so much to keep the wider economy going over the last two years.” Weekly earnings for electrical contractors reached a post-pandemic high of £1,150 in December 21 and have averaged at £1,069 this year.

National Ventilation raises money for Young Lives vs Cancer

National Ventilation held a bake sale in their office to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer. The ventilation company raised a total of £120. The bake sale marks one of a number of fundraising events that are being held by National Ventilation this year to support this organisation. Young Lives vs Cancer is the company’s charity of the year for 2022 as part of a group-wide initiative which has raised £2156 so far. The bake sale proved popular with many staff taking up the baking challenge and enjoying a range of freshly baked cakes, donating to a worthy cause. Matt Dyer from National Ventilation organised the event and also baked a delicious Victoria Sandwich Cake. Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent) is a cancer charity for children and young people that is solely funded by donations. The charity helps families find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them. Every day, 12 more children and young people hear the devastating news that they have cancer. The £120 raised will help towards the charity continuing to fight for children and young people with cancer. For example, £15 could pay towards a social worker to support a recently diagnosed young person; £38 could pay for a family to stay in one of the charity’s Homes from Home near the hospital and £100 could pay towards a financial grant to ensure families facing money worries can pay for basics like food. Speaking on behalf of Young Lives vs Cancer, Rose Bailey, Fundraising Engagement Manager, says: “We’re delighted that National Ventilation has chosen to support Young Lives vs Cancer this year and we’re so grateful to its staff for their excellent fundraising. Thanks to National Ventilation, young people facing cancer, and their families, won’t have to face cancer alone. Thank you so much to everyone at National Ventilation for your amazing support!” “We are delighted to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer to help support this amazing charity in the vital work they do to support children and young people and their families in their fight against cancer”, comments National Ventilation’s Matt Dyer. “At National Ventilation we have seen first-hand how Young Lives vs Cancer helps young people and their families. The charity has supported Alfie, the son of our Sales Manager Andy Bills, and it also provided help to myself and my family when I battled cancer as a young person, so we know just how important the work of this charity is. We’re delighted to be able to help them continue supporting families going through these tough times.” Young Lives vs Cancer gave Matt Dyer and his family significant support when he was diagnosed with a grade three brain tumour in 2012, which reoccurred again in 2014. As well as arranging the cake sale, Matt has supported Young Lives vs Cancer with his own fundraising including running a half-marathon for the charity a year after his treatment where he raised over £3,000. Meanwhile, Andy Bills’ son Alfie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at just 3 years of age. Alfie has undergone a very intense, relentless regime of chemotherapy and the charity has supported the family both emotionally and financially during this very tough time. Andy formed ‘Alfie’s Army’ to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer to give something back to the charity that has been supporting his son. As part of their fundraising efforts, Alfie’s Army successfully completed a half-ultra challenge, hiking 53km through the Peak District in 2021 and have raised over £11,000 for the charity. When a child is diagnosed with cancer life becomes full of fear, for them and their family. Fear of treatment, but also of families being torn apart, overwhelming money worries, of having nowhere to turn, no one to talk to. Young Lives vs Cancer helps families find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them. Powered by the kindness of their supporters, they face it all together.

TRILUX contributes to the BREEAM certification of DB Schenker Italia’s new facility

DB Schenker Italia has developed a new multifunctional building for its Verona facility. Located in the Interporto area, the new logistics hub covers approximately 40,000 m2, connecting more than 20 destinations, including Germany, Austria, and France. Constructed in just ten months by Engineering 2K Spa, the site consists of a 2,100 m2 office and a wooden warehouse with 61 equipped loading bays covering an area of approximately 7,500 m2. The site includes over 100 parking spaces for cars, trucks, and cabs. Its configuration allows free movement without obstacles, thus enabling and optimising cross-docking activities for import and export operations. The new logistics hub has been designed with sustainability in mind. A rainwater recovery system is functional for the toilets and the irrigation of green areas, thus avoiding the waste of precious resources. The structure is also equipped with solar panels. TRILUX designed the new facility's LED lighting system to ensure maximum energy savings. The system, which is fully managed, activates lighting in areas used by employees only when necessary. The new building has all the features to achieve a ‘VERY GOOD’ certification according to the BREEAM rating. "The construction of the new hub in Verona has been a significant project. It is exciting to see it finally completed," says Francesca Tommasini, Manager of the Verona branch. "The facility was designed with great precision and much attention to detail for both the warehouse and the offices. The idea was to provide a pleasant and environmentally friendly environment for our employees." Installed solutions As the sole supplier, TRILUX developed a lighting proposal that offered standard and custom solutions that complement each other perfectly. The 24,000-lumen dimmable JOVIE LED illuminates the outdoor areas and parking lots. Thanks to Multi Lens (MLTIQ) and Constant Light Output (CLO) technologies, it was possible to adapt JOVIE LED to the project specifications, providing a luminaire in the Smart Lighting Ready variant with Zhaga interfaces, ready to be integrated into the lighting management system. The main facade of the building has been illuminated with three 4200 lumens FACIELLA LED projectors, equipped with roto symmetrical optics specifically designed for the lighting of buildings. The perimeter area of the logistics building has been equipped with 12,000-lumen Combial LED projectors. The external covered areas for the loading bays are illuminated with 2300 lumens OLEVEON FIT LEDs. Furthermore, the same solution was used in different power ratings to light some internal logistics areas.

CLF skills portal opens the door to the built environment

A detailed guide to courses and training for individuals and companies focused on Scotland’s construction industry has been launched by the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF). Officially known as the Built Environment Workforce Development Portal, the new guide will provide a breakdown of re-skilling and up-skilling courses by theme, occupation and region to allow users to search for training in emerging built environment approaches within Scotland. The directory (which is accessible on the Scottish Enterprise website) will allow users seeking enhanced career opportunities to search college, university, and training providers via five key themes – digital, offsite, heat energy/decarbonisation, sustainability and circular across Scotland. Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee says: “The portal is funded by the Scottish Government to help people and businesses identify more training opportunities and address challenges obtaining skilled construction workers. “As part of our national strategy to transform the economy, the Scottish Government is working towards a more sustainable, productive, innovative and diverse industry. Upskilling and reskilling, particularly for net zero, will play a vital role in workforce transformation across the range and scale of design, manufacture, construction, and maintenance activities in the sector.” Kirsty Duncan, Associate Impact Manager at Built Environment, Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), formerly Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, comments: “If people want jobs in these areas, the portal will show them where they can reskill or upskill and learn how to get into a particular sector. “This resource is for everyone, not just those in the construction sector, but the courses will be focused very much on the built environment. “The portal has mapped Scotland’s skills training environment as thoroughly as possible and uploaded all training opportunities within the five designated themes on offer from university, colleges and other training providers. If providers want to submit courses, then they can email details which can be uploaded.” Emma Dickson, Technical Director at Arcadis, says: “There are many courses and qualifications available, and it can be difficult to make sense of the skills landscape to find the appropriate training opportunity. The Skills Directory will allow employers and anyone who needs information to quickly locate appropriate training and upskilling opportunities, an especially important factor in the construction sector when upskilling in digital and net zero carbon issues.”

Willowdene Rehabilitation and Aico win award at the Business Charity Awards

Willowdene Rehabilitation and Aico have won the Community Impact Award at the Business Charity Awards 2022, in recognition of how their partnership has delivered social value within their community. Taking place at the London Marriot Grosvenor Square Hotel, the Business Charity Awards recognise and reward the partnerships between corporate and not-for-profit organisations. The Community Impact Award focuses on the vital support an organisation provides to a charitable project within their local community that delivers social change. Dr Matt Home, Director of Willowdene, comments, “Willowdene Rehabilitation and Aico have been working together for four years now and it was great that the combined work was nationally recognised, and it was an honour to receive the Community Impact Award. Aico’s continued support enables Willowdene to offer life changing opportunities for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.” Willowdene Rehabilitation is a pioneering rehabilitation facility in West Mercia, which works with males and females facing complex issues and challenges. Aico partnered with Willowdene Rehabilitation in 2019, and offer support in a variety of ways, including volunteering opportunities for colleagues, marketing support, and sponsoring Willowdene’s Family Assessment Centre; these initiatives have enabled Willowdene to extend their support to more individuals and families. Through the partnership, Aico and Willowdene have established a meaningful relationship, identifying what support is most needed to assist Willowdene in providing its essential services. Jane Pritchard, Community Liaison of Aico adds “It was a lovely evening with Matt Home and his team from Willowdene, at the Business Charity Awards. We are so proud to win the Community Impact Award, recognising the amazing work Willowdene do and celebrating our partnership. It is an honour to work alongside such a great organisation.”