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Electrical Safety Feature


your tenants. It's great to see that organisations are now starting to train frontline staff in electrical safety, as well as gas safety and compliance. They are often the future of the business and it means that a safety culture is developed across the board from the outset.” Organisation-wide training means that people or departments aren’t working


in silos, which can so often be the case. For individuals who interact with residents, or visit properties, having a basic understanding of electrical safety should be a core part of team training. Understanding the principles of electrical safety, common hazards, landlord responsibilities and the need to work with residents to achieve compliance should be viewed as a must-have, not a nice-to- have. Ultimately, understanding these basic teachings can often prevent something minor developing into a major risk exposure.


THE VALUE OF SAFETY The roundtable event also highlighted another ‘hot’ topic – the value placed on safety and how the “drive for cheapest price” is becoming increasingly common. One attendee noted that EICRs are being undertaken for as little as £40 – effectively pricing out operatives trying to uphold standards of quality and safety. This focus on cost, at the expense of quality, raises broader concerns regarding the safety of residents. Pricing practices across the entire supply chain need to be carefully mapped


and understood. The same concept applies to electrical training and competence – a migration to the cheapest options is unlikely to deliver competent electricians and potentially puts the safety of residents at risk in the long term. As mentioned previously, basic electrical safety principles should be viewed


as a must for frontline team members. Gaining a nationally recognised qualification in electrical management, such as the CORGI Level 4 VRQ Certificate in Electrical Safety Management in Social Housing, is imperative when you’re in a position of safety management. Qualifications such as these have been designed for managers in social housing, who have responsibility for the safety of electrical appliances and


Safety & Regulation


installations in their tenants’ properties. They build an understanding of electrical dangers, landlord responsibilities and legislation, in particular the Electricity at Work Regulations, IET Wiring Regulations and the Health & Safety at Work Act, underpinning what the organisation stands for and the policies they have in place. The point of effective training extends to electricians themselves. One


attendee at the roundtable observed: “if electricians do a bad job, there is a risk to life. But for some reason, we are not regulating them… anyone can call themselves an electrician.” These are just a few examples of challenges in our sector, and illustrate just


why CORGI and the AESM are keen to continue raising the profile of electrical safety at all levels, shining a light on key industry issues and promoting the importance of peer and group mentoring to develop and support electrical safety standards.


INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT It’s important to use all tools available to the sector when you’re looking to drive forward significant change in electrical safety management, and technology is beginning to play a key role in effective compliance management. Traditionally, the process of checking and analysing EICRs has been carried out manually on a representative sample. Now it is possible to check 100 per cent of certificates in a matter of minutes and report back on the level of compliance, giving you full visibility of any issues that require attention. Local authorities and organisations have quoted savings of over 50 per cent in


compliance management costs, releasing valuable human resources to focus on the remedial process and delivering efficiencies in property management, including electrical checks. It’s only by adopting innovative approaches such as these that the electrical


sector can move forward, equipping individuals working within electrical safety with the tools they need to make a significant step change.


Chris Edwards is CORGI technical services’ electrical technical safety manager


Fire sprinkler systems – Cover your investment R


esidential fire safety, particularly in multi-storey buildings and tower blocks is a key focus for housing associations


and local authorities as the retro-fitting of fire sprinkler systems now an essential part of a multi-million pound investment in fire protection upgrades. With many HAs and LAs making significant


contributions to the cost of this package of improvements, questions regarding ‘best value’ and ‘cost effectiveness’ must be considered while ensuring that quality and safety are not compromised. As sprinkler system pipework usually needs


to be surface mounted when retro-fitting in flats and communal areas within existing residential blocks, it is important that pipework and sprinkler heads are concealed to provide a more aesthetic finish and conceal the system’s components while acting as a visible barrier to potential tampering. Versa fire sprinkler boxing is manufactured


from preformed 5mm thick, FSC® ‘Chain of Custody’ certified material and are available in a range of sizes to meet specific project requirements and pipework configurations. An 8mm thick FSC® option is also available and


the range also includes dedicated accessories, such as internal and external corners to help create an integrated finish to the sprinkler installation. From our experience of working with


contractors on countless social housing projects,


Versa can typically be fitted in less than half the time of site made alternatives. Potentially the most important advantage is that costs can be reduced, by cutting the time spent during the installation without compromising the quality or integrity of the installation. The focus is rightfully on improving fire safety in high-rise residential buildings, and


Versa can make a contribution to that process in terms of effectiveness, ease of installation and economics by helping conceal sprinkler pipework and ‘covering’ the significant investment in sprinkler systems.


01733 266 889 www.encasement.co.uk


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM October/November 2019 | 47


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