Test Owner
The Gas Safety Superheroes guide to boiler servicing
Drives and Controls Expo to take place between 10th and 12th April 2018
The UK's leading exhibition for Drives, Automation, Power Transmission and Motion Control Equipment will take place 10th to 12th April 2018.
For more information, you can visit their website: http://www.drives-expo.com/
This exhibition will be co-located with: Air-Tech Exhibition, Fluid Power & Systems, Plant & Asset Management, Smart Industry Expo, Mach and What's New in Electronics Live.
Experts say CO regulations need to go further
The Government's annual English Housing Survey has shed light on the serious lack of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in privately rented homes. Honeywell is calling for a change in legislation to ensure tenants have more protection.
Figures published in March 2017 revealed that from 2015 to 2016, just over a quarter of households had a CO alarm. This figure is even worse in rental properties where four in every five homes did not have a CO alarm and are not protected from the risks of CO poisoning.
Owner occupied dwellings (31%) were more likely than the private rented sector (21%) to have a CO alarm. Social rented dwellings are also more likely than private rented dwellings to have one.
In light of this research, Honeywell is calling for an overhaul of the current legislation around CO alarms in private rented accommodation.
Adrian Keats, from Honeywell's Home Safety business, commented, "We desperately need to see some improvement on the number of homes protected by CO alarms. In October 2015, the Government introduced the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations for private rental homes. However these regulations currently only require landlords to fit CO alarms in rooms containing a solid-fuel burning appliance. The issue with this is the legislation completely disregards gas-fuelled products such as boilers and cookers, therefore covering a mere 8.2% of the entire private rental sector."
This article appeared in the May 2017 edition of Installer
SER were in attendance at Drain-ex , Tip-ex and Tank-ex on Thursday 1st June in Harrogate
Rebecca Goodwin and Andrew Billington attended this year's drainage, water & wastewater event at the Harrogate International Centre, and this year the show teamed up with TIP-ex and TANK-ex to make it a much bigger show.
Andrew Billington has said of the event, "At SER we are always committed to improving our knowledge of the industries we deal in. I decided to attend the Drain-ex, Tip-ex and Tank-ex show to broaden my knowledge of the drainage, plant and weighing technology available.
I spoke to some very knowledgeable companies about new technologies and plans for the future. It was great to see so many companies demonstrating the new technologies available on their fleets, which were impressive and gave me a fuller understanding of how this technology is progressing within the industry.
I feel I came away with more of an understanding of the industry, which will be beneficial to me, my clients and my candidates moving forward.
PAS 2030 standard revised by BSI
BSI, the British Standards company has revised the PAS 2030:2017 Specification for installation of energy efficiency measures in existing buildings.
The PAS specifies requirements for the installations of energy efficiency measures in an existing building, whether the building is commercial or residential.
This revised PAS was sponsored by BEIS Home Energy and supports the Energy Company Obligation, the government energy efficiency scheme to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.
This change has been prompted by a legislation change relating to energy efficiency and to meet the requirements of suppliers and users of energy efficient measures.
The revised PAS 2030 is also recognised in the recently published Each Home Counts Review, which includes a recommendation for development of a quality mark in the domestic retrofit sector.
The revised PAS includes requirements for installation processes, process management and service provision. It also includes criteria relating to installation methods, equipment, tools, product or system and material suitability. The commissioning of installed measures and the training, skills and competence of the people undertaking such installation, is also covered by PAS 2030.
Ant Burd, BSI’s head of market development for built environment, said: “ Older buildings are typically much less energy efficient than newly constructed buildings, increasing costs for home occupiers and business alike. PAS 2030 provides a dedicated specification for anyone who wants to install energy efficiency measures into and existing building, whether that building is a Victorian warehouse or a two bedroom apartment built in the 1990’s.”
The revised PAS does not include requirements relating to the certification of PAS 2030 compliance by independent third parties, which is covered by PAS 2031.
This article originally appeared in HVP magazine in May 2017.
Training the talent of tomorrow
In the May 2017 edition of HVP magazine, the national training manager at Baxi talks about the skills shortage that is facing the construction industry and says that it is their responsibility to provide training and guidance to the heating engineers of the future.
A recent Employer Skills Survey has suggested there are not enough skilled professionals to meet demand in the UK. In fact, there is a shortage of 43% in the trade industries, with over a third of vacancies for gas engineers, plumbers, electricians and construction workers termed as 'skill shortage vacancies.'
It is therefore vital for the trade community to work together to attract young people into the industry and provide adequate training to ensure there are no gaps in the future workforce.
Addressing the problem with a series of practical, hands-on opportunities is the most suitable option, as it allows students to be taught highly specific skills, thus making them invaluable to the growth of the industry as a whole.
The only way to close the skills gap is to inspire young people to join the industry.
The end goal is to not only invest in the heating engineers of tomorrow but to inspire others as well. The sooner the skills gap can be addressed and overcome, the better the prospects will be for our country as a whole.
This article first appeared in the May 2017 edition of the HVP Magazine.
A to Z of Recruitment - M is for Moving
M is for Moving
Most of the time if you are looking for a new job, you won't end up moving area or house, unless you specifically set out with the aim of relocating.
Operating on a UK wide and international level – if you find yourself in need of a new job in a new area, SER can help.
As specialists in the sectors, we have good relationships with the companies that you want to work for. We know about the opportunities they have available and we can align you to their role.
Not only can we find the perfect job, but it is inevitable that there will be an interview process – if you haven't moved yet, going to the new area could potentially disturb your day to day plans. Although you will almost definitely have to travel for the interview, we can help you arrange it for a time that suits you.
Moving to another part of the UK is a big step, however it is an even bigger step to move to a different country – SER recruit for New Zealand companies in certain sectors, as well as other areas.
We know the process of moving to New Zealand, so if decide to take the step, we can support you.
If you need to relocate or you are just looking for a new opportunity, let our recruitment consultants help.
A to Z of Recruitment - M is for Moving
M is for Moving
Most of the time if you are looking for a new job, you won't end up moving area or house, unless you specifically set out with the aim of relocating.
Operating on a UK wide and international level – if you find yourself in need of a new job in a new area, SER can help.
As specialists in the sectors, we have good relationships with the companies that you want to work for. We know about the opportunities they have available and we can align you to their role.
Not only can we find the perfect job, but it is inevitable that there will be an interview process – if you haven't moved yet, going to the new area could potentially disturb your day to day plans. Although you will almost definitely have to travel for the interview, we can help you arrange it for a time that suits you.
Moving to another part of the UK is a big step, however it is an even bigger step to move to a different country – SER recruit for New Zealand companies in certain sectors, as well as other areas.
We know the process of moving to New Zealand, so if decide to take the step, we can support you.
If you need to relocate or you are just looking for a new opportunity, let our recruitment consultants help.
A to Z of Recruitment - L is for Life
One thing in life is certain and that is change.
There are many things that can happen in your life that can impact other aspects.
Life changes may include but are not limited to:
• The arrival of children
• The need to relocate
• Progression
• Career change
• Redundancy
All of the above and many other things can lead to you needing to look for a new job, a new child may mean you need to be spending more time at home and doing less overtime, relocating will mean your current job is no longer commutable to - there are lots of things, so we won't list them all .
Life changes can impact the amount of spare time you have, and we all know that looking for a new job is time consuming so it makes it difficult to manage.
At SER, we understand that, after all we are people too and the same situations can impact us and our time, which is why when you ring us, submit your CV or email us, we will deal with your enquiry with respect and confidentially. We will try to find you a position that is suited to you, to allow you to move on to the next stage in your life.
Life is always going to change, but it is how you react to the change that is important.
The new tradeshow for the Electrical Industry
The Electrical Design and Install Expo (ED&I) will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, on 6th-7th September 2017, providing a unique opportunity for those involved in the electrical industry to come together under one roof. The event will allow visitors to talk directly to manufacturers and distributors about their products and services and will encourage the sharing of ideas across many industry sectors.
'The Electrical Design and Install Expo' (ED&I) is being backed by leading electrical and building services trade body the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), who will be the headline sponsor for the event.
Steve Bratt, CEO of the ECA, says:
"The ECA is very pleased to be working with ATM on the ED&I Expo, which presents a unique opportunity for designers, installers, suppliers and manufacturers from across the industry, as well as showcasing what the industry has to offer to important clients and specifiers. With the ED&I Expo being held at the UK's leading exhibition venue – the NEC in Birmingham – all the ingredients are in place to deliver a hugely important new industry event next Autumn."
