The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) has launched the ‘Women in Electrical Trades Roadmap’, a national initiative supported by the Australian Federal Government aimed at increasing recruitment and retention of women in the electrical trades. This initiative was developed in consultation with employers, apprentices, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and Government Training Organisation (GTOs).

“Increasing the number of women in the trades is a complex issue, but not resolvable,” said Suresh Manickam, CEO of NECA.

“Unfortunately, parents and young women do not have a good understanding of the electrical trades. This leads to a poor perception of the electrical trades among parents – this is something that we all need to change. We need to get into schools much earlier. We need to inform young women and their parents that an electrical trade is just as rewarding as going to university and with no HECS debt. What was once considered a dirty trade is now a clean trade and well-paid.”

“This national map will play a critical role in addressing the shortage of women in trade. However, this Roadmap in itself will not solve the lack of women in trade in Australia, we seek partnerships with governments so we can tap into 50% of the population. After all, it is governments that have the access to courses, education and schools. NECA can then provide the subject matter expertise and industry pathways,” said Manickam.

Women are taking over the levers of power – at least in one company, quite literally – with 21 of the 28 new electrical apprentices and trainees at Ausgrid being female.

It is the first time the number of females has overtaken males in the apprenticeship intake. Among them is Annika Van Lierop, 25, from Kariong, who left a science job to work for the electricity distribution company

“I looked at the career prospects in the electrical field and read in the next five years they expect five percent job growth and obviously everyone needs electricity. So that’s why I thought I want a good career opportunity.”

NSW government figures show the gap between women’s and men’s apprenticeship and traineeship completions has nar-rowed significantly in 20 years.

Tahlia Keen, 18, from Mortdale, left a customer service role at Sydney Airport to become an electrical apprentice with Ausgrid.

“What drew me to [the industry] were the practical and-mathematical aspects, I love problem solving and the future is where I think electricity is at especially with renewable energy,” she said.

Ausgrid Executive General Manager of People and Transformation Hannah McCaughey said the quality of the company’s apprentices and trainees was “outstanding” this year.

“As a woman in a senior leadership role I’m delighted to see that 21 of this class of 28 are women; they will be trailblazers across our business,” she said.

Ausgrid first-year apprentices Carlin Morton, Lauren Walsh, Tahlia Keen and Annika Van Lierop. CREDIT: STEVEN SIEWERT

Excerpts from article by Anna Patty, Sydney Morning Herald

At Rexel we strive to achieve the most market competitive industry prices at all times and aim to communicate any reviews in a timely manner.

We wish to advise of recent and upcoming trade price reviews from several key suppliers.

For more information please click on the supplier names below:

• Hager (effective from 1st February 2019)
• Electra Cables (effective from 1st March 2019)
• BizLine (effective from 1st March 2019)
• Nexans Olex (effective from 1st March 2019)
• ABB (effective from 1st March 2019)
• Prysmian (effective 1st March 2019)
• Legrand (effective from 4th March 2019)
• Schneider (effective from 2nd April 2019)

Our key promise to you is to provide Service and Brands you can Trust, so our easy reference catalogue lists our most commonly used products from key suppliers of leading national brands that you can trust for quality and performance.

The BIG news is that we now have over 1000 products ranged across our branches everyday to give you confidence we can support you to get the job done.

The Everyday Essentials range of products covers the major categories you need every day, and is available in every branch across the network. They have a blue shelf tickets so you can easily see them in the branch.

You can order them from anywhere in our national network and through our Webstores, so you can Shop Anywhere, Buy Anytime. Your account pricing is all there when you log in, you can see what’s in stock and can click and collect from the branch of your choice or we will deliver – whatever suits you best.

So put us to the test and order any products highlighted with the Everyday Essentials logo, we are ready to serve you!

Do you have the license?

It is important to properly assess the risks involved for each job and ensure that you have implemented the highest level of control that is reasonably practicable in the circumstances. Below is some guidance around working at heights, which is considered high risk so is likely to require a worker with the appropriate license.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Eliminate the need to work from heights where possible
• Use a suitable working platform such as scaffolding, boom lifts or scissor lift
• Provide adequate edge protection by using jump screens, scaffolding or guardrails – ensuring ALL components are in place
• Ensure scaffolds are installed and inspected by
  a competent person, and that a handover certificate is provided prior to use, and every 30 days thereafter
• Securely cover and visibly mark, or edge protect, all open penetrations in formwork or concrete slabs
• Provide workers with safe means of access and egress to work areas
• Only use fall restraint or fall arrest systems when edge protection or work platforms are not reasonably practicable
• Many falls take place when people are using ladders. You should consider whether an elevating work platform or scaffolding would be safer and more efficient.
• Make sure you have the appropriate license

Licences are required for certain types of work that are considered high risk.
In most cases, workers must be trained and assessed as competent before they are issued with a license to undertake that work.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Check your workers licenses and never let an unlicensed worker do work requiring a license
• Keep a register of when licenses are due to expire, and make sure they are renewed
• Undertake refresher training regularly
• Ensure you hold the appropriate license to do the work you are doing
• Talk to your workers about how to work safely when undertaking any type of high risk or licensed work.

Scaffolding licenses

Scaffolding work includes putting up, changing or taking down of a temporary structure that is used to support a work platform, where a person or object could fall more than four metres. They are commonly used by electrical contractors so lets have a look at what is required to work safely around scaffolding.

BASIC SCAFFOLDING – SB
To perform basic scaffolding duties you need to have a Basic Scaffolding – SB high risk work license.
Basic scaffolding work includes:

• modular or prefabricated scaffolds
• cantilevered hoist with a maximum working load of 500 kg (materials only)
• ropes
• gin wheels
• safety nets and static lines
• bracket scaffolds (tank and form work).

INTERMEDIATE SCAFFOLDING – SI
To perform intermediate scaffolding duties you need to have an Intermediate Scaffolding – SI high risk work license. To apply for an intermediate scaffolding license you must hold, or have passed assessment for, a basic scaffolding license.
Intermediate scaffolding work includes:

• scaffolding work included in the class of Basic Scaffolding
• tube and coupler scaffolds including tube and coupler covered ways and gantries
• cantilever crane loading platforms
• cantilever and spurred scaffolds
• barrow ramps and sloping platforms
• scaffolding associated with perimeter safety screens & shutters
• mast climbers.
• safety nets and static lines
• bracket scaffolds (tank and form work).

ADVANCED SCAFFOLDING – SA
To perform advanced scaffolding duties you need to have an Advanced Scaffolding – SA high risk work license. To apply for an advanced scaffolding license you must hold, or have previously passed assessment for, a basic scaffolding license and an intermediate scaffolding license.
Advanced scaffolding work includes:

• scaffolding work included in the Intermediate scaffolding class
• cantilevered hoists
• hung scaffolds, including scaffolds hanging from tubes, wire ropes or chains
• suspended scaffolds.

For more information about how to work safely at heights, or how to obtain a license, visit the SafeWork website in your state.

Set to change the way we go about our lives forever…

What is IoT?
The IoT is the network of physical objects that contain embedded technology to communicate and sense or inter-act with their internal states or the external environment. (Gartner definition)

The connection of IoT ‘things’ and usage of IoT data drives various purposes in the lives of consumers and in business, healthcare, innovation, mobility, cities and society. IoT is seen in health monitoring, asset tracking, environmental monitoring, predictive maintenance and home automation.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one phenomenon worth knowing about – it has the power to make life simpler and safer and bring opportunities for your business. Understand-ing the concept and how to sell it to your customers brings significant opportunity to upsell home installation projects while giving you the reputation delivering innovative solutions in the market.

Forecasts show an expected Internet of Things universe with between 20 and 30 billion connected devices by 2020. The Internet of Things is the logical next step in the evolution of the Internet and is a continuation of M2M (machine-to-machine) networks and technologies, RFID and more. The IoT is an additional layer of information, interaction, transaction and action which is added to the Internet thanks to devices, equiped with data sensing, analysis and communication capabilities, using Internet technologies. The Internet of Things further bridgesdigital and physical realities and powers information-driven auto-mation and improvements on the level of business, society and people’s lives.

The usage of the Internet of Things also happens at different speeds. IoT investments in the manufacturing industry are far higher than in any other vertical industry and in the Consumer Internet of Things (CIoT) space. The manufacturing industry, along with transportation and utilities are the three main IoT investment areas and are part of what is known as the Industrial Internet of Things.

Smart Building
Building management systems are becoming centers of connectivity whereby the building owner wants a central platform for analytics and actions leading to benefits in building management areas such as:

• Smarter building security systems.
• Smarter Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).
• Cost reductions, also in a green building context and in reduction of energy and water consumption.
• Predictive maintenance and facility maintenance planning.
• Facility equipment control, configuration and regulation.
• Building management and building automation.
• Energy efficiency.
• Light and room control, comfort.
• Remote healthcare monitoring and medical/hospital asset tracking, monitoring and maintenance

Some of the players in these segments have a more mechanical background, others an electrical background and still others, such as system integrators, a background of customization and software (PLCs).
Among these providers we find:

•  Light and room control experts.
• Experts in very specific areas such as HVAC.
• Players in the broader building management field, mainly in large buildings.
• Electrical contractors who are often more involved with smaller and medium buildings where they can offer smart energy solutions or, for instance specialize in home automation.
• Experts in critical power, which you typically find in airports, hospitals and other buildings where quality and reliability of power is critical

IoT technology for a Smart Home
The smart phone is taking on the next level of capability, managing its users environment. With a few clicks we can turn on the heating, switch on indoor or outdoor lights remotely, use smart appliances, security and energy systems – to manage the home’s comfort and safety levels – and free up time too.

IoT devices within the home are directly controlled by an app on a smartphone that will access these devices wherever and whenever it is required, as long as there is a phone and an internet connection.

While the consumer may think they can pick up Google home at the local JB Hifi, the connectivity solutions that make it all work are still sold only through the electrical trade, and need to be installed by an electrician if they want a system with product quality and reliability.
There are a few different types of home automation systems on the market, but all are designed with comfort, safety and convenience in mind. These are the reasons why that you need to understand to be able to sell the concept to your customers, so let’s talk about them so you can too.

1. Making things easy at home
As creatures of habit, we all have a before bedtime routine – pull down the blinds or draw the curtains, switch off the TV, turn on the alarm, switch off all the lights, and then finally collapse under the covers – exhausted. In the morning you do the reverse, ad nauseam. Home Automa-tion systems do these things, and a few more, for you.
You can:

• Adjust lighting and temperature controls
• Activate security cameras
• Turn on (or off) audio-visual items
• Control outdoor gates and sprinkler systems
• Screen visitors and answer the door wherever you’re in the house

Some systems have customised features that take you to the next step – you can create bespoke commands to turn off everything before you go out or to bed. You can also set up some favourite ‘atmospheric scenarios,’ like a movie command to dim lights and close your blinds when watch-ing the latest flick. Or, program an outdoor entertaining command that automatically plays your party playlist, turns on your patio lights and lights up the garden.

2. Keep in contact with your home
There are systems that keep you connected to your prop-erty when you’re at work, out and about, or on holidays. The internal video unit speaks directly to an app on your phone giving you control over a myriad of functions within your home.
Use it to:

• Answer the door when you’re away
• Monitor your home inside and out
• Switch on lights and sprinklers

3. Security for your family
There are systems that provide constant connectivity and real-time data communication, bringing a whole new sense of comfort and security for your family.