SELECT unveils nominees for 2018 awards
Innovative and competitive electrical companies from across Scotland have been revealed to be in the running for coveted prizes in the Scottish electrotechnical industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony. Chosen by a panel of industry experts, the 2018 hopefuls have been named as nominees for awards from SELECT, the electrotechnical campaigning trade body and Scotland’s largest trade association. Entries for the awards came from electrical businesses from all parts of Scotland who operate both within their local communities and in the wider country, offering first-class service carried out by reputable, qualified electricians. This year’s awards ceremony, which is expected to be one of the best-attended ever, will be held in the Radisson Blue hotel in Glasgow on Friday, October 12, and will be hosted by radio and television personality Shereen Nanjiani. The awards come at a time when the electrical trade is moving ever closer to recognition as a profession as a consequence of a strong public safety campaign run by SELECT and currently being considered in the Scottish Parliament. A new category, Best Medium Contractor, is also being introduced to reflect the importance of diversity of range and capability within the sector. It will join major categories such as Apprentice of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement award. Darrell Matthews, who took over as Managing Director of SELECT earlier this year, said: “Once again we have a great line-up of the brightest and best individuals and companies in this high-tech sector. “SELECT is delighted to be the force behind this major awards event which recognises and rewards the resilience, professionalism and technical excellence of the people working in a challenging, science-based industry.” Mr Matthews also paid tribute to the generous support offered to the electrical sector by this year’s sponsors, who include new sponsors Whitecroft Lighting and Connect Communications, plus returning sponsors, The SJIB, Edmundson Electrical, Scolmore Group, City Electrical Factors, The Electrical Distributors’ Association, EC Insurance, Schneider Electric, Megger, Electrical Safety First and Ross Electrical. This year’s nominees are: Best Delivery of Customer Service * ATD Electrical Contractors (Newton Stewart) * Ideal Electrical Solutions (UK) Ltd (Edinburgh) * Invincible Security (Ardrossan) * L&M Electrical Contractors (Pitlochry) Best Use of Training * Stensons (Laurencekirk) Ltd (Laurencekirk) * Kenneth Ferguson Electrical Contractor (Oban) * Fife Council (Glenrothes) * Lotus Electrical Services (Dumfries) Best Electrical Safety Project * ATD Electrical Contractors (Newton Stewart) * Select Electrical & Mechanical Services Ltd (Annan) Best Small Contractor * JK Electrical (Glasgow) * L&M Electrical Contractors (Pitlochry) * ATD Electrical Contractors (Newton Stewart) * Select Electrical & Mechanical Services Ltd (Annan) Best Medium Contractor * Kenneth Ferguson Electrical Contractor (Oban) * K F Watson (Aberdeen) * Ideal Electrical Solutions (UK) Ltd (Edinburgh) * Moray Robertson Electrical Services (Stirling) Best Large Contractor * Mpact (Edinburgh) * Servest Arthur McKay (Bonnyrigg) * Maclin Electric (Musselburgh) * Lotus Electrical Services (Dumfries) Best Visual Promotion * Select Electrical & Mechanical Services Ltd (Annan) * Servest Arthur McKay (Bonnyrigg) * Ideal Electrical Solutions (UK) Ltd (Edinburgh) * Moray Robertson Electrical Services (Stirling) The Apprentice of the Year and a special Lifetime Achievement award for services to the trade will also be made at the ceremony. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Head of Membership and Communications at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. E:admin@select.org.uk W:www.select.org.uk Twitter:http://twitter.com/updates_select
The hills are alive with the sound of electricians as SELECT backs President’s Walk for Electrical Industries Charity
It was best foot forward on the rugged Pentland Hills as electricians’ body SELECT got behind the President’s Walk to raise much-needed funds for the industry’s own charity. Around 50 people took part in the challenging five and three-quarter mile hike from the Hillend Ski Slope over Caerketton and Allermuir Hills, enjoying views over Edinburgh and the attractive thatched cottages of Swanston village. All walkers made donations to the Electrical Industries Charity, which provides financial relief and practical support to people who have worked or are working in electrical-related industries. The day raised £500. Kevin Griffin, the SELECT President, said: “It was a great day out for everyone, with some of the loveliest scenery in Scotland and refreshments afterwards in the SELECT offices at the Walled Garden on the Bush Estate. “I would like to thank everyone who gave up their time to support the electrical industry’s own charity which does some marvellous work looking after people less fortunate than ourselves.” Marcella McArthur, Regional Business Development Manager for the Electrical Industries Charity, said: “We have been quite overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support for the President’s Walk which will raise very welcome funds for people in need.” The EIC helps all people working within the electrical, electronics and energy community, as well as their family members and retired colleagues, through the provision of four workplace programmes covering families, apprentices, pensioners and practical support. These programmes, which give the industry access to financial grants and a comprehensive range of free and confidential services, are provided free thanks to company donors, sponsors, volunteer committee members and fundraisers. SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. W: www.select.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/updates_select
SELECT provides industry guidance on the newly launched 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations
SELECT, the campaigning body for the electro-technical trade in Scotland, has been updating its members on key points from the newly launched 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations. SELECT’s Technical Standards Adviser, Bob Cairney, prepared the guide which is available in an on-line format to assist members to understand the changes contained in these important regulations. The guide will also feature in the next issue of SELECT’s CableTalk magazine. Bob said: “BS: 7671:2018 (The 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations) contains a number of significant changes which reflect industry best practice. We have recently been out on the road to highlight the changes during our recent very successful Scotland-wide Toolbox Talks. These were held a few weeks ago and the presentations were well received by the members who attended”. A central theme of the regulations concerns improvements to the level of safety provided in new electrical installations and in particular with regard to fire safety. The 18th Edition introduces new devices called arc fault detection devices (AFDD) and these, where installed can provide an additional level of electrical safety from faults which other protective devices cannot detect specifically arcing faults. These are expected to be widely adopted by the industry. There is also new guidance on types of RCD and arrangement of devices to achieve selectivity between protective devices. Also of interest is informative guidance on energy efficiency. Darrell Mathews, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “These regulations incorporate the latest in technological developments across our sector and, while they do not come into force until 1 January 2019, we want SELECT members, as ever, to be in pole position.” NOTES TO EDITORS SELECT, Scotland’s largest trade association, has over 1250 member companies who collective turnover is around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. Its members are responsible for over 90 per cent of electrical work carried out in Scotland. Bob Cairney, SELECT’s Technical Standards Adviser, has 40 years’ experience in the electrical industry. For more information about the IET Wiring Regulations please click here
SELECT marks another successful year
Another year of successful awareness raising, outreach and training initiatives was recorded at the AGM of SELECT, the campaigning trade body for the electrotechnical industry in Scotland. Kevin Griffin was re-elected as President of SELECT and Kenny Duncan was re-elected as Vice President at the meeting and Technical Update, which was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh in Inverkeithing, Fife. The AGM also welcomed Darrell Matthews as the organisation’s new managing director and wished outgoing MD Newell McGuiness, who has served for 29 years, every happiness in his retirement. Mr Griffin pointed out that the technical hot topic over the course of the year had been work on the 18th edition of BS 7671 on which many hundreds of hours have been spent to ensure amendments would be practical and would meet international standards. He said: “For the third successive year, SELECT delivered awareness training to all local authority verifiers. This year we travelled to eight locations around Scotland delivering updates on BS 7671 and BS 5839. “These events are an important part of maintaining our relationship with local authority building standards staff, which helps us represent members’ interests around the Certification of Construction Scheme.” SELECT’s Toolbox Talks also had a strong year. In 2017, 12 events had a record number of attendees with more than 650 members coming to hear about updates to the Scottish Building Standards and Surge Protective devices, a presentation which now features on YouTube. Training played another important role with a 5% increase in demand for SELECT training courses. Over the year SELECT trained 2871 delegates across 267 different courses. 2044 delegates were from member businesses and the rest from non-member organisations. Dave Forrester, SELECT’s Head of Technical Services, who presented on the major changes, said: “It has been another eventful, but very satisfying, year with demand on the increase yet again.” SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Head of Membership and Communications at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577
Darrell Matthews replaces Newell McGuiness as Managing Director at SELECT
Darrell, who has been working in tandem with Newell during a handover period, has a wide range of commercial experience, most recently with industry bodies such as EEF, the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Directors. He joins SELECT, which represents member companies that collectively employ in excess of 15,000 people, at a time of sustained campaigning activity. Key issues for the sector are protection of title, apprenticeships and ensuring members get paid on time. He said: “I feel very lucky to be able to join a successful organisation which is growing, and helping its members to grow too. It is a credit to its directors and its members and I want to work closely with them on key decision-making.” ”I have enjoyed working for organisations which promote their industry as well as serving members’ interests. It is important to explain, both to the UK and Scottish governments and the public, what the electro-technical sector is trying to achieve. Electricians mostly go through a long, intense apprenticeship to gain their qualifications and it is vital that we ensure the public – and politicians – understand and respect this level of commitment to the trade.” His priorities with SELECT, he said will be “to push the Excellence in Skills agenda, to support the campaign currently being addressed in the Scottish Parliament for Protection of Title and to further promote apprenticeships and training. “Protection of Title is extremely important on many grounds, but we also want the sector to be inclusive and we will focus on creating as many ‘routes to qualification’ as possible for electricians who do not have a grade card. I want to continue SELECT’s excellent offering in areas such as advice lines, which handled 1500 calls last year from electricians in the field who wanted to access the latest technical information and guidance. We will continue to work closely with our industry partners, the SJIB, SECTT and Unite the Union to promote apprentices as the future of the industry and to explain to young people how rewarding a career as an electrician can be.” Thanking outgoing Managing Director Newell McGuiness for his contribution to SELECT over his 13 years in post, he said: “Newell’s will be difficult boots to fill. I am privileged that he offered me such valuable guidance and helped me get my feet under the desk. He has done a cracking job over many years of promoting the electrotechnical industry in Scotland.” For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Head of Membership and Communications at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577, Email, Website
