Major Rule Change: RCDs Must be Added in Rented Sector

- Coming up on this week's news, the death of a pensioner prompts calls for better installation of prepayment metres. Scotland makes RCDs compulsory in rented properties and a spate of electrical fires across the UK ends in tragedy. Welcome to "Electrical News Weekly." In association with Solar Trade Sales, your easy one-stop shop for all things solar. Whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter, I'm Joe Robinson, and I've been through the best of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble. And this week's challenge word competition is supported by the good people at Compleo, the complete solution for EV charge point installers. If you think you've spotted the two words that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with them below for the chance to win a prize. The death of a pensioner has prompted a widespread call for the better placement of prepayment metres. 80-year-old Bernadette Faulkner died from falling off a stepladder after trying to top up a metre that was eight feet from the ground. Faulkner, who was just four foot 10 inches tall, tumbled at her rented council flat in Bloomsbury in London. She tragically died of her injuries four days later. Coroner Ian Potter has taken the unusual step of issuing a report, criticising the high placement of the metre and others like it. It comes as Ofgem unveils a new code of practise saying that prepayment metres must only be installed where it is safe and where the customer can easily use and access it. If a metre can't be reached, then customers should contact their electricity supplier to discuss alternative options, which could include their metre being replaced or relocated. In other news, Scotland is making RCDs compulsory in rented properties from the start of next month. From the 1st of March, there must be at least one such device in the consumer unit. And eFIXX viewer and friend of the show, Sergio Fernandez, who alerted us to this story, points out that a current valid EICR will no longer mean that a dwelling is compliant if there's no RCD present. Safety campaigners hoped that the RCD requirement will cut the number of so-called "Drive by" EICRs. These are where safety certificates are issued without an onsite assessment. the five-year interval for EICRs remains as it does in England and Wales. The new rules have kept electricians north of the border busy as landlords rush to update their installations. Many have discovered that the introduction of an RCD can reveal previously undetected issues with their installations requiring further remedial work. The Scottish rule change was brought in after legislators reviewed statistics showing that around 2/3 of all house fires north of the border are caused by electrical faults. Thanks for bringing that to our attention, Sergio. It's very much appreciated and we hope it's still sunny in Costa del Watford. If like Sergio, you've got any stories you think need bringing to the attention of the electrical community, then please get in touch. The best way is to send an email to admin@efixx.co.uk. In the month of March, we'll be focusing on commercial EV charging, heat pumps, and ventilation. So send us your story or even some pictures of your instals, and you could feature in a future episode of ENW. Further to RCDs in Scotland, the situation south of the border isn't much better. Fueling speculation, the RCD requirement could be introduced across the UK. In fact, in recent weeks, there has been a spate of electrical fires, including one in Stafford, in which a man in his 90s lost his life. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed that the blaze, which broke out at a terraced house in Castletown, was started by an electrical plug socket. Fire station manager, Lee Richards, who attended the incident urged householders to check sockets for hazards. Another fire in witness has been blamed on a faulty cable to an electric heater. While in Kent, a blaze that required fire crews to wear breathing apparatus was blamed on the electrical installation. Finally, in Central London, around 1,500 people were evacuated from the old Bailey Courthouse and surrounding buildings after flames were spotted in an electric substation on Warwick Lane. The incident interrupted the high profile trial of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten, who were charged with the manslaughter of their newborn daughter. Still on safety, a butcher in Doncaster has been given a meaty fine after the local council discovered a budged electrical installation. Magistrates ordered the owners of Kian Halal meat in Copley Road to pay 16,000 pounds after they admitted to a series of dangerous oversights. A visit to the shop showed that the electrical metre had been removed and the premises was receiving its power supply from the flat above. In doing so, key safety measures had been bypassed. Inspectors also found exposed electrical terminals throughout the premises and cables not in suitable containment. Butchery equipment throughout the premises was not in a safe condition. A prohibition notice was served on the owner to prevent the use of the electrical circuits until they'd been made safe by a qualified person. In addition to the 16,000 pound fine, Reza Meat Supplies Limited was ordered to pay almost 2000 pounds in costs and a further 2000 pound victim surcharge. Councillor Joe Blackham of Doncaster Council said that tampering with electrical installations by anyone who is not an authorised, qualified and competent electrician is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious injury or death. Where eFIXX would compare it to juggling with chainsaws when not a professional lumberjack. And speaking of authorised, qualified, and competent electricians, this is your last call to get submissions in for the 30 under 30 awards supported by the Luceco Group. This Thursday, the 29th of February, is the closing date for entry. So if you know someone under the age of 30 who's making a serious positive impact on the electrical industry, then get their details in. There's a link in the show notes. In Business News, it's been announced that the number of purely electric cars in the UK has hit the one million mark. The landmark was widely welcomed by the installation trade. While it's taken 20 years to get to this number, lobby group, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, reckons we could get to two million in just two years. More cars means more charges. So if you want to get in on the action week we can recommend a free training course on installing EV plugin points. The monthly free online training is delivered by the supplier CTEK. It says it's UK skill-based team will equip you with the know-how to instal and network CTEK EV charge points. The four hour sessions blend technical information with practical walkthroughs on installation, load balancing and configuration. Installers will also be signposted to additional support and how to guides. The 2024 training sessions will run

00 PM on Thursdays. To secure a place, check out the link in the show notes. Another free online training course unveiled this week is on Retrofit. It's aimed at electrical contractors and engineers and covers the fundamentals of what domestic retrofit involves and how it can drive energy efficiency and sustainability. Again, the link is in the show notes. And finally, can I borrow a drill for a couple of days? If these words bring a chill to your very soul, then you're not alone. A new survey has revealed that electricians have pretty bad experiences when lending out their tools. Four out of 10 say they're returned late or not at all. Workmates can be unreliable, but family are worse. In fact, over a third of items loan to relations are returned late. Direct Line Business, which carried out the survey. says that the hidden cost to lending can be significant. Alison Traboulsi from the company recommends asking for kit to be returned on a set day for a specific job. If the tool doesn't turn up then, get in contact immediately. What's your policy on lending tools? Are you a generous lender or are you more likely to give them a cauliflower ear just for asking. Let us know in the comments below. And just before we get to your favourite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium partners. We couldn't make the news without you. First up, they're the people who've created the Swiss Army knife or solar inverters, along with all weather batteries, very much the Boy Scouts of the solar industry, it's Sun Synk. And testing, testing, one, two, testing. If you've got something you need to measure or a piece of test equipment to calibrate from multimeters to power quality analyzers, then it can only be Test Instrument Solutions. Now, are you a bit of a control freak, motor control that is? If so, with huge stocks and excellent service, check out Crompton Controls as they said to me in a recent conversation,"If we don't have it, then we can build it." Now, who doesn't love a freebie? With their incredibly simple and totally free EV charger management platform, they're helping installers wind jobs and save their customers thousands a year, it's Tap Electric. With a high quality and reliable EV charging equipment and industry leading customer care, you could say they're leading the evolution, it's Hydra EVC. The best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel, the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking and quality products, it's Doncaster Cables. With an incredible range of equipment from EV charge points through industrial switches and sockets to kit for explosive areas, plus they supplied gear for a Campari factory, so they'll always have a place in my heart, it's Scame. Big thanks to you all. We really appreciate your ongoing support for the news. If you think you know the words I've smuggled into today's show, pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at random to be a winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after about lunchtime on the Thursday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now let's reveal the words and winners of last week's challenge word competition supported by Compleo, the complete solution for EV charge point installers. Last week's words were unicorn, which loads have you got, but it would seem that the vast majority of you were misled by my reference to a flack jacket when discussing how I stand with the 11% who prefer ketchup on their full English breakfast. But the actual second challenge word was just seconds before it in the same sentence. It was troublemaker. Only one person across all the podcast platforms got this right and that person was once again, mark_just_mark. We might have to come up with some kind of frequent flyer/customer loyalty card for you at this rate Mark. But in the meantime, well done to you. Make sure you click the Get Involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. Thanks for listening to this episode of "Electrical News Weekly." In association with Solar Trade Sales, your easy one-stop shop for all things solar. Make sure you subscribe to receive the next update. Thanks for listening, and until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there. And remember, there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm.