ECA News
THE ECA HAS SUCCESSFULLY completed its ten-year Zero Accident Policy (ZAP) safety programme, achieving a huge reduction in both major and other RIDDOR-reportable accidents since its launch in 2001. The statistics, which run to the end of 2010, show a 54 per cent reduction in the rate of RIDDOR-reportable accidents in the 10 years since 2001, and a 69.8 per cent drop in the rate of major accidents. The 2010 statistics are also the lowest accident rate ever achieved under ZAP, contributing further to a continual fall in industry accidents over the last 10 years. Group CEO Steve Bratt commented: ‘We are extremely proud of what ZAP has achieved. It
represents a major push by the ECA and its members, and the accident fi gures show continued success in reducing major and other accidents. I would like to commend all the ECA members who have helped our industry to achieve such a remarkable performance.’ Under ZAP, the ECA supports its members with extensive free information and guidance, telephone hotline advice, presentations and best practice workshops. In recent years, commercial support has included free fi rst time CHAS assessments for members, and discounted CHAS accreditation. Paul Reeve, head of Safety and Environment at the ECA, says: ‘We have seen a massive cultural
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www.eca.co.uk ZAP safety programme delivers
and performance shift among our membership, and indeed the industry itself, over the last 10 years. ZAP has played a big part in that shift, but the main effort has come from ECA members, who have achieved these improvements in challenging circumstances. What started out as an “awareness and safety targets” campaign has evolved into a management programme that helps members to develop and demonstrate their health and safety credentials through third party assessment. On the way to improving employee safety and morale, numerous ECA members have benefi tted from better productivity and profi le in their supply chain.’
GREEN TRAINING CENTRE TO OPEN
A new state-of-the-art ‘green’ training and conference centre is soon to open in Hawes, North Yorkshire. Built by ECA partner GTEC
Training, the Building Services Technology Centre will provide a unique, purpose-built setting for the young adults (16+) undertaking the new Apprenticeship+Plus+ training programme.
The Apprenticeship+Plus+ training programme is a residential course that seeks to familiarise candidates with the renewable energy sources that heat and power the centre itself. By offering supervised accommodation, the programme aims to facilitate the
apprentices’ complete personal and technical development via team building and problem solving, with a view to creating well-rounded and highly-skilled individuals for the industry.
Managing director Griff Thomas says:
‘The new Building Services Technology Centre’s innovative approach is one of the fi rst of its kind, demonstrating a number of working renewable energy technologies integrated together that will heat and power all of the building’s requirements, and act as a base for research into multi-technology integration. The renewable technologies will be combined into one of the largest central storage systems available
A state-of-the-art ‘green’ training and conference centre is coming to Hawes, North Yorkshire
ACI AND ECA LAUNCH CODE OF PRACTICE
The Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) has joined with the ECA to launch a guide for contractors to help avoid common pitfalls when ordering cable.
The guide, which is available from the ECA and downloadable from the ACI website, offers a 10-point reminder of the key requirements when placing an order for electrical cables. The code of practice prompts the contractor to include the following information when completing a purchase order: ■ Type of cable; ■ BS or other standard number; ■ Cable reference number or code; ■ Number of cores and nominal cross section;
■ Quantity and lengths of cable required;
and will be one of the few integrated installations in the UK (currently only around eight exist) helping to meet the government targets for 2020.’
ECA responds to HSE consultation
The ECA has provided a comprehensive response to the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) consultation on introducing ‘cost recovery’ for inspectors’ time where there is a ‘material breach’ of safety law. The ECA points out that it has been a strong and continual supporter of HSE and its approach to enforcing health and safety regulation, issuing practical advice to help companies comply. However, the ECA pulls no punches in advising the HSE that the proposed cost recovery regime is too wide-ranging, not clearly explained, and the proposed cost
14 ECA Today November 2011
recovery rate of £133/hour is far too high. Paul Reeve, ECA head of Safety commented: ‘We have told HSE that, as proposed, the perception and even the role of HSE in industry could be seriously compromised.’
The ECA recommends that any cost
recovery scheme should only cover ‘demonstrable’ breaches (for example, issues such as guarding and transgression of enforcement notices). This, says the ECA, would be a credible ‘line in the sand’ that companies can understand and be able to anticipate and comply with. The
ECA believes the proposed hourly rate for inspectors is far too high and is based on a misleading assumption.
Among many other points made to HSE, the ECA suggests that accident reporting rates could deteriorate further if businesses suspect that a reporting leads to ‘inspection and invoice’. Paul Reeve added: ‘We fully understand the principle behind requiring serious offenders to pay extra for HSE’s time but, as framed, the current proposal could become an additional cost for everyday contractors who are trying their level best to comply.’
■ Manufacturer’s details; ■ Traceability details; ■ Third party approval; ■ Technical options; and ■ Delivery details. Peter Smeeth of the ACI commented: ‘By developing this guide we aim to make better cable ordering practice a habit rather than an occasional activity. If contractors follow this process they will stand a greater chance of receiving a cable product that meets the required specifi cation and relevant standard and won’t let them down. ‘Responsibility remains with the contractor right the way through from order to installation and we also advocate contractors should cross check cable delivered against purchase orders. They should also commission regular tests and cable inspections to check a cable before it is installed. This needs to be rigorously carried out.’
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