The Master Electrician Magazine Autumn 2009

themaster

MISSION SUCCESSSuper data centre unveiled

WOMEN IN CONTRACTINGLeading from the front line

ECONOMIC DOWNTURNThe facts about redundancy

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the master electrician : AUTUMN 09 3

The devastation caused by the Victorian bushfires and North Queensland floods has shown that compassion is well and truly alive in the community. Many were quick to offer support with donations and supplies coming in from all

over the globe. Fundraising events were held across Australia as well as worldwide locations including Papua New Guinea, New York and Los Angeles. The electrical industry was not without a heart. Master Electrician Matt Electric offered their services and financial support. You can read more about their contribution to those affected on page 10.

We follow up our last issue which featured a survival guide to the economic downturn, with a useful article on how to deal with redundancies. As many businesses face the real prospect of downsizing it is important that the decision to lay off staff is carried out correctly. Turn to page 39 to read about the facts of redundancy.

In tough economic times, business owners are encouraged to collaborate with others to share information. The ECA and Master Electricians Annual Conference will assist contractors keen to pick up useful knowledge in surviving the economic crisis. The event also includes presentations covering green opportunities, cultural safety and how to keep your business family-owned. More information can be found at www.masterelectricians.com.au

Jessie BadgerAssociAte editor

Editor’snotEWelcome to the third issue of The Master Electrician magazine.

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are offered solely in pursuance of the objects of the electrical and communications association and master electricians australia to provide an informative service to contractors in the electrical industry on legal, commercial and other issues and problems related to the industry. The electrical and communications association and master electricians australia are not aware that any person intends to act or rely upon such statements and opinions contained in this publication or the manner in which it might be possible to do so. The electrical and communications association and master electricians australia issues no invitation to any member or other persons to act or rely upon such statements or opinions or any of them and it accepts no responsibility for any of them. it intends by this provision to exclude, to the extent permitted by law, all liability for any such statements and opinions. The master electrician magazine can be viewed online at www.masterelectricians.com.au

Editorial Contacts & Contributors

General EnquiriesmAsTER ElECTRICIANs AusTRAlIA

57 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley

PO Box 2438, Fortitude Valley BC

Queensland 4006

pHONE 1300 889 198

fAx 07 3251 2400

EmAIl [email protected]

wEb www.masterelectricians.com.au

AbN 97 131 416 183

EdITOR Malcolm Richards

AssOCIATE EdITOR Jessie Badger

AdvERTIsING ENquIRIEs Jessie Badger

pHONE 1300 889 198

fAx 07 3251 2400

EmAIl [email protected]

dEsIGN ANd pRINT POMO 07 3844 3873

kEEpup-to-datE

yEarly subscriptions

(4 issuEs) just $38.50

09AU

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MASTeR eLeCTRiCiAnS

RACinGON ThE

RIGhT TRACkREAD MORE pAGe 18

MiSSiOn SuCCeSS

SUPER DATA CENTRE UNVEIlED

READ MORE pAGe 8

wOMen in COnTRACTinG

lEADING FROM ThE FRONT lINE

READ MORE pAGe 13

www.masterelectricians.com.auor call 1300 889 198

contents04 up front with the regulators

10 the master electricians helping rebuild Victoria

14 securing business finance

21 meet a master electrician

22 letter of the law

27 news from distributors

30 the buzz

32 the interview

36 technical talk

38 workplace relations

42 news from head office

44 gadget guide

46 test drive

48 events calendar

49 your best (or worst) day on the job

49 your best (or worst) photo

50 last wordCOVER PhOTO: Andre Borell


victoria

Energy Safe VictoriaThe Victorian electrical industry had an exceptional response in restoring power to bushfire ravaged communities

much of Victoria’s electricity supply network

was badly damaged in the “Black

Saturday” bushfires of 7 February 2009. Parts

of the distribution infrastructure were totally

destroyed and thousands of properties in the

bushfire ravaged areas were left without power.

“The response by Victoria’s electricity industry

to the disaster was quite exceptional and credit

must go to everyone involved – including the

linespeople who restored the damaged network

and hundreds of electricians who volunteered

their time to get people back on supply both

successfully and quickly,” said Victoria’s Director

of Energy Safety, Mr Ken Gardner.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) also responded

quickly to the situation by introducing a

number of important initiatives to facilitate the

reconnection process.

“As the electricity safety regulator, ESV

wanted to do all it could to help relieve some of

the suffering of the bushfire victims and support

the efforts of the amazing number of volunteer

electricians who came forward to restore

supplies,” Mr Gardner said.

ESV initiatives included supplying hundreds

of certificates of electrical safety free of charge

to contractors and electricians working in the

bushfire areas.

Proposed changes to the electricity safety

regime were also brought forward allowing

Licensed Electrical Inspectors holding a G class

licence to inspect the installation of generators.

Information on the safe connection of

generators to electrical installations is available

on the ESV website at www.esv.vic.gov.au

ESV also announced it would permit builders’

poles to be used to connect properties in bushfire

affected areas to the electricity supply, and

remain in place for 12 months. Poles can only

be used where there is not enough vegetation to

pose a risk of fire.

Electricians coming from interstate to help the

restoration process in the fire damaged areas

can obtain a Victorian licence for a period of six

months at no cost to them.

A large amount of electricity and gas safety

advice was provided by ESV in media releases

and also in flyers for emergency authorities to

distribute around the areas which suffered from

the bushfires.

“We wanted to help as much as we could. At

the same time safety could not be compromised

regulatorsup front with the

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5the master electrician : AUTUMN 09

– hence the need for other electrical safety

regulatory requirements to remain in place, with

the integrity of the certification system also being

maintained,” Mr Gardner said.

NEW south WalEs

Office of Fair Tradingpilot dispute resolution services for builders and tradespeople

from 1 March – 1 June 2009, the NSW Office

of Fair Trading is piloting an expanded service

which enables licensed builders and tradespeople

to be able to access its free dispute resolution

service if a dispute occurs with a consumer over a

residential building issue.

Where a consumer and trader are unable to

resolve their dispute, Fair Trading will attempt to

mediate an outcome that is suitable to all parties

concerned. Fair Trading realises there is a greater

chance of successfully resolving a dispute where

there is early intervention and building inspectors

who are trade qualified and highly experienced.

This expanded service is available across

NSW to licensed traders from all home building

licence classes. It represents a significant gain

for licensees who will have access to services

previously available only to consumers.

If a home building licensee is in dispute with

a consumer, they should contact Fair Trading

on 13 32 20 or visit a Fair Trading Centre. In

response to the trader enquiry, Fair Trading will

contact both parties to clarify the nature of

the dispute and to seek agreement, from both

parties, to participate in this intervention.

Depending on the nature of the matter, the

possible outcomes could be:n That the matter may get resolved at the

outset with a Fair Trading officer contacting

both the trader and consumer;n If the matter involves defective and/or

incomplete work, it will be referred for a

possible on-site mediation with a Fair Trading

building inspector. If it is determined that

there is defective or incomplete work, the

Building Inspector may issue an order against

the home building licensee.n If the dispute is solely in relation to the

payment of outstanding monies or a

progress payment, licensees will be advised

to lodge a claim with the Consumer, Trader

and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT).

Trader to trader home building disputes will

continue to be handled by the CTTT.

south australia

SafeWork SAnew safety standard proposed for insulation installers

a mandatory safety standard for installing

insulation has been earmarked by the Rann

Government after two house fires in SA were

blamed on incorrectly installed insulation recently.

Minister for Consumer Affairs Gail Gago says

feedback on a proposed new safety standard is

now being canvassed from installers and related

industry associations.

WhERE A cONSUMER ANd TRAdER ARE UNABlE TO

RESOlVE ThEiR diSPUTE, FAiR TRAdiNG Will ATTEMPT TO

MEdiATE AN OUTcOME ThAT iS SUiTABlE TO All PARTiES

cONcERNEd


“A safety standard is clearly warranted after

the Metropolitan Fire Service attributed two roof

space fires in Adelaide to incorrectly installed

blow-in insulation,” says Minister Gago.

“It is obvious that a voluntary standard is

not providing the level of protection that South

Australians deserve and we will work with the

bulk insulation industry to introduce a workable

arrangement that offers greater safety.

“The standard will be further supported by

a potential penalty of up to $10,000 for any

breaches of the standard.”

Working in conjunction with the Office of the

Technical Regulator, The Office of Consumer and

Business Affairs (OCBA) is developing a safety

standard that is based on the voluntary Australian

Standard ‘Thermal insulation of dwellings – bulk

insulation – Installation requirements’. OCBA

proposes to introduce this safety standard under

section 23 of the Trade Standards Act 1979

by midyear.

WEstErN australia

EnergySafety WA electrical contractor fined over unsafe electrical work

an electrical contractor has been fined

$10,000 over an incident in 2006 in which a

worker received an electric shock when a drilling

rig mast came into contact with high voltage

power lines.

Jeremy Paul Blakiston Fowler (then trading as

Electro Power Services) pleaded guilty to failing

to ensure that the workplace was safe and was

fined in the Perth Magistrates Court.

In May 2006, Western Power had contracted

Outback Power Services to perform works and

construct a voltage regulator at Eneabba. Electro

Power Services had then been contracted by

Outback Power to supervise drilling works to be

performed by a drilling contractor.

On May 17, Mr Fowler and the drilling

contractor were engaged in drilling holes with a

drilling rig underneath power lines. The position

in which the drilling contractor chose to place the

rig required him to raise the mast very close to

the power lines.

In repositioning the rig, the lefthand outrigger

was raised and the mast tilted towards the power

lines. The mast touched the power lines and the

drilling contractor received an electric shock and

was thrown backwards from the drilling rig.

The court heard that no formal prestart

meeting had been held before the work

commenced, and that the drilling contractor was

not given any directions for the work, with the

exception of where the holes were required to

be placed.

Mr Fowler had not checked whether the

power lines were live, assuming they were. He

was the person in control of the workplace, and

so responsible for the drilling contractor’s safety.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said

that the case once again illustrated the vital

importance of taking every possible precaution

when working with or near electricity.

“Over the past five years, 17 Western

Australians have died as a result of electrocution,

eight in workplaces and nine outside of

workplaces” Ms Lyhne said.

“Electricity is one of WorkSafe’s operational

priority areas, and a lot of time and resources are

directed towards lessening the toll and educating

people on how to work safely with electricity.

“The employer involved in this case was an

experienced electrical contractor who held all

the relevant qualifications to supervise the work

being performed that day.

“He really should have known better than to

allow a worker to perform tasks so close to live

power lines, but he did not advise the worker to

approach the job in any other way or discuss any

other options with him.

“The worker was extremely lucky to have

escaped any serious injury in this incident, and

the case should serve as a reminder to anyone

who has control of a workplace that they have

a duty of care to ensure that the workplace is as

safe as is practicable.”

Further information on working with electricity

can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe

on 08 9327 8777 or on the website at www.

worksafe.wa.gov.au.

OVER ThE PAST FiVE yEARS, 17 WESTERN AUSTRAliANS hAVE diEd AS A RESUlT OF ElEcTROcUTiON, EiGhT iN WORkPlAcES ANd NiNE

OUTSidE OF WORkPlAcES


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quEENslaND

Electrical Safety OfficePay your electrical worker licence renewal on-line

queensland electrical worker licence holders can now pay their licence renewals on-line

using a credit card or BPAy.

The on-line payment system through the Electrical Safety Office website accepts all major

credit cards including American Express and will speed up the delivery of licence renewals.

You can complete your worker renewal form and pay on-line via the website at

www.eso.qld.gov.au/eli/EWRenewalFind.jsp .

Just follow all the prompts and a tax receipt will be issued at the end of the process.

Feedback on the new system is welcome and you can call the Electrical Safety Office

on 1300 650 662.

Rewarding safe work practices

queensland businesses of all sizes can nominate for Workplace health and Safety’s 2009

Work Safe Awards from 28 April.

The awards recognise businesses, individuals, associations, partnerships and other

organisations that show a commitment to excellence in workplace health and safety.

There are six categories, including ‘best solution to an identified electrical safety issue’,

which recognises excellence in developing and implementing a solution to electrical

safety issues.

Entries for this award could include:n a product solutionn engineering innovationn a training programn an awareness raising activityn a risk control measure that reduces the risk of electrocution and electrical-related injury.

Entering is easy, and can be done by mail, or by visiting www.worksafe.qld.gov.au and

completing the online entry form. Entries close 5pm 31 July 2009 so be quick.

The website also contains more information about the awards, as well as details of

previous winners.

Working near live parts as dangerous as working live

electrical workers know the dangers of working live, but working near live parts whether

low or high voltage can be just as dangerous.

The risks associated with working near exposed live parts are the same as those associated

with live electrical work.

If you make contact, either directly or through any conducting medium, you put your

life at risk.

Even insulated parts can be hazardous for electrical workers in some circumstances, so

taking risks with exposed parts is asking for trouble.

Treat all exposed parts in switchboards, equipment control panels and similar situations as

live unless they are tested and proven otherwise.

This means doing a risk assessment and using appropriate safety controls.

Evaluating the risks and developing controls helps you develop safer work practices, and

most importantly, it means you get to go home at the end of the day.

It is vital for employers to provide adequate information and training to their workers so

they can identify hazards, assess risks in the course of their electrical work and apply a safe

system of work.

Stay safe. Use a safe system of work, turn the power off, and test before working on or

near live exposed parts.


Australia’s newest, purpose-built

data centre is complete and fully

operational with five highly-secured

floors, its own back-up power supply

and almost 7000m² of storage area.

In a joint venture with Suncorp, the Springfield

Land Corporation commissioned the $220 million

Polaris Data Centre to house the information of

large government and corporate customers.

The original plan was for a 500m² data centre

that would house the IT infrastructure of Greater

Springfield – a purpose built housing estate in

Brisbane’s west. However, booming demand

for off-site data storage soon saw Polaris

grow into a much larger commercial facility,

servicing a range of customers in the private and

government sectors.

All these clients rely on their operating systems

and the information in their databases to

function. It is mission-critical information.

Storing and protecting this information is

a costly and highly strategic operation, often

outsourced to off-site data centres such as the

Polaris Data Centre.

The Polaris Data centre is configured to be n +

2. This means, when n is the data currently being

stored, the same problem can occur three times

before any information is lost.

Springfield Land Corporation executive general

manager of commercial projects Chris Schroor

said construction was a multiparty project.

“This is an electrical and mechanical building

so during construction these components were

very important.

“We used Theiss to construct the building and

maintained a collaborative and open relationship

with them and our other suppliers including

electrical engineers Richard Flanagan and

Company,” Mr Schroor said.

ElEctrical ENgiNEEriNg

While the building has to be secured from

perpetrators, it also has to secure power supply.

The Polaris Data Centre provides sophisticated

power and cooling services that must operate at

all times – even when local distributors experience

power outages.

Richard Flanagan and Company chief executive

officer Richard Flanagan said it was an enormous

logistical and technical challenge to outfit the

building with its power back up system.

“There are two sources of power that

guarantee supply to the building at all times.

“The primary source of power is from two

11,000 Volt substations that receive separate

supplies from ENERGEX.

“The back up supply is generated by

six Uninterrupted Power Systems (UPSs)

housed on the fifth level of the building,” Mr

Flanagan said.

8

accomplishedMaster-planned mission:


feature : PO

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IS

The two sources of power, ENERGEX and UPS,

work in conjunction with one another to ensure

a complete back up of the building’s systems and

ultimately the clients’ information.

“The ENERGEX power is reticulated to two 6 x

3MVA transformers within private substations in

the ground floor of the building.

“Through a series of bus ducts the system

reticulates the power from these private

substations to six main switch boards also located

on the ground floor.

“From here the power is reticulated up to the

different data-storage floors of the building,” Mr

Flanagan said.

“The six 2.4MVA Piller UPSs on level five of the

building are always in circuit should the ENERGEX

power fail, securing the power supply to the

data centre.”

Mr Schroor said in one year the Polaris Data

Centre will have only 21 minutes of downtime.

“There is enough diesel and water stored

on-site for the data centre to run for 48 hours

independently of the power grid.

“When the data centre is operating at full

capacity it is essentially a 20 Megawatt power

station,” Mr Schroor said.

thE fiNishED proDuct

The Polaris Data Centre opened in January

when customers including the Queensland

Government, Suncorp, Ipswich City Council,

British Gas, NEC, and Citec moved in.

The Queensland Government uses the Polaris

Data Centre as a hosting platform to store

mission-critical information such as criminal

records and licensing information.

The occupancy rate of the Polaris Data Centre

climbed towards 100 per cent even before it

was complete.

Mr Schroor said the data centre was built

with a look to the future with inbuilt upgrading

systems relatively simple to initiate.

“We can add additional modules to the

system to double the capacity without disrupting

the operations of the data centre.

“We can do a full upgrade and add

new generators and chillers and no current

information will be affected in any way,” Mr

Schroor said.

The supply to the building is currently 800MW

per square meter but it can be upgraded to

1500MW per square metre with little effort,

increasing its capacity to operate storage and

cooling facilities.

“The Polaris Data Centre is built to be modular,

flexible, and scalable to take advantage of

tomorrow’s requirements,” Mr Schroor said.

9

Master Electricians Richard Flanagan and company have helped create one of Australia’s largest, most secure and technically excellent data centres.

Emily clark investigates …

Want access? There are five levels of security clearance to get onto a data floor of the Polaris Data Centre.

The building’s security system includes:n 24 hour physical presence securityn Full internal and external CCTV n Bullet-proof roomsn Swipe access to liftsn Fingerprint scannersn Weighted man-trap cylindersn And if you want to get in the front door you have to provide photo identification to prove

you’re one of the pre-authorised visitors.

Got cables?The electrical outfitting of The Polaris Data Centre required: n 2 kilometres of bus ductn 71 tonnes of fire-rated sub-main cablen 16 tonnes of high-voltage cablen 30 tonnes of TPS and XLPE cablen And numerous kilometres of cable tray and ladder.


The Master Electricians helping

rebuild Victoria

When devastating fires engulfed Victoria recently Australians quickly launched into action, donating everything from money to food and even blood.


feature : RE

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Master Electricians Matt

Electric recognised the

need of Victorian residents

and sought to assist both

financially and by providing services

where possible.

These victims must first recover from

their ordeal before they can move forward

and re-build their lives. That is why the

thousands affected by this tragedy need

members of the public to help make

the process as painless and stress-free

as possible.

Matt Electric acted immediately when

tragedy struck, contacting disaster

recovery organisations and offering their

services to assist bushfire victims.

They have also pledged one dollar

for every hour each technician from the

company works in Victoria for the rest

of 2009.

Matt Electric’s commercial manager

Scott Lyall said the company wants to assist

as much as possible to help communities

recover from the devastating bushfires.

“We estimate our ‘dollar for hour’

pledge will equate to somewhere between

$20,000 and $30,000 in total.

“We are currently talking with the

various authorities and charities about the

best way for us to provide services as and

where they are needed,” Mr Lyall said.

Because the fires were among the

worst in Australia’s history, there is little

precedent for the recovery process.

However, difficult times and events

have historically brought out the best

in Australians – both individuals and

businesses – and the Victorian fires have

proved no different.

Want to

helpa good cause?

1. To support the victims of the

Victorian bushfires or the Country Fire

Authority, please visit www.redcross.

org.au or www.cfa.vic.gov.au.

2. To support RACQ Careflight, please

visit www.careflightrescue.com.au or

phone (07) 5503 5800.

Seeking Experienced Electrical Tradespeople

Are you confident and enjoy interacting with tradespeople?

SafetyConnect is a comprehensive Safety Management System designed to help busy contractors effectively manage and meet their obligations under all state legislation.

As our numbers continue to grow we are seeking facilitators who are motivated and committed to delivering SafetyConnect services to the industry.

SafetyConnect Facilitator contracts offer flexible hours allowing you to schedule meetings around other work commitments.

For more details visit www.masterelectricians.com.au

Interested? Contact Master Electricians Australia

1300 889 [email protected] www.masterelectricians.com.au

“In these economic conditions, and with

unpredictable situations occurring like these

bushfires, it is important for individuals and

companies alike to dig deep.

“If there is any room whatsoever for you or

your company to help either in donated time or

money, these groups and causes all need our

assistance.

“Our donations are the lifeblood of these

organisations,” Mr Lyall said.

In addition to supporting the victims of the

Victorian bushfires, Matt Electric has been

involved with several community organisations

in Queensland, including the Palm Beach

Currumbin Rugby Football Club, The Palm Beach

AFL Junior Football Club, and RACQ Careflight.

Time and materials are also routinely donated to

various surf lifesaving clubs and related charities.

Matt Electric’s managing director Matthew

Hanley said the company is only too happy to

assist these groups and others in need.

“Our company is fortunate enough to be in a

position where we can help others achieve their

goals, and further assist those in need.

“We don’t think twice about committing

ourselves to a cause like the Victorian bushfire

victims. We are there to provide aid and services

where needed,” Mr Hanley said.

Mr Lyall said that even in times of crisis or

economic strain, it is important any electrical

work is conducted by a professional.

“At Matt Electric, we are about safety first.

“If members of the public aren’t sure about

anything electric, it’s important they contact a

licensed electrician.

“There are many dangers when it comes to

electrics, and doing it yourself isn’t worth the

risk,” Mr Lyall said.

To learn more about Matt Electric, its

services or charitable activities, please visit

www.mattelectric.com.au.


Administered byMalcolm V. Leeke & Co. Chartered Accountants

8 McIlwraith Street PO Box 42 Everton Park Brisbane QLD 4053

Phone 07 3506 7788 Fax 07 3506 7700 Toll Free 1300 200 123

Email [email protected] Website www.cirt.com.au

CIRT HELPS YOU TO REDUCE THE DRAIN ON YOUR COMPANY’S CASH FLOWCIRT was established in 1990 to provide redundancy benefits to the electrical industry.

CIRT allows employers to contribute money each month on behalf of their employees. That way if a redundancy occurs, the CIRT contributions form either part or all of any redundancy payment and the employer can include the money already contributed as part of the redundancy payment. CIRT provides benefits for the following situations: redundancy, retirement, leaving the industry, severe financial hardship, total and permanent disability, death. Contact CIRT now for all your industry redundancy needs.

Supported by

GooGle to Help electricity customers track power usaGeGoogle said it would use its software skills to help consumers track their home energy usage and thereby lower demand and the global warming emissions that come from producing electricity.

The move is part of Google’s effort to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into renewable energy, electricity-grid upgrades and other measures that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Google PowerMeter is currently being tested by employees and is not yet available to the public.

www.foxnews.com

diFFicUlT TiMES ANd EVENTS hAVE hiSTORicAlly

BROUGhT OUT ThE BEST iN AUSTRAliANS – BOTh

iNdiVidUAlS ANd BUSiNESSES – ANd ThE VicTORiAN FiRES

hAVE PROVEd NO diFFERENT

It’s no secret – good managerial and leadership

skills are the keys to a successful business.

Talent, skill, and experience are important in

our business, but they are expected when you

work for a Master Electrician. Trudy Scott, the

Managing Director of Pulse Electrical in Brisbane,

told The Master Electrician the secret behind her

company’s continued success is determination.

“From day one, we have been determined to

create a future for our business that we ourselves

want to live in. After all, if we don’t create our

future, somebody else will just do it for us,”

she said.

Trudy and her husband Robert started out as

most electrical contracting businesses do – as a

husband and wife team. While Rob worked long

days on site, Trudy was busy raising two children,

working full-time as Queensland’s only female IT

Manager for Main Roads, and doing the business

accounts at night.

“Having a career was always important to

me, and I was empowered by the position I had

achieved at Main Roads,” Trudy said.

“But at the end of the day, it was just work – I

didn’t own it and I never would. What Rob and

I were chasing was a sense of ownership in our

jobs; something that would not only grow the

business, but help us to grow as individuals also.”

An educational seminar for entrepreneurs gave

Trudy and Rob the vision they needed to take Rob

Scott Electrical to the next level. And in 2003,

after much research and financial investment,

Rob Scott Electrical became Pulse Electrical.

“Professional and educational seminars are

crucial for our industry. Discussing new ideas

and winning business strategies with like-

minded people are the most important business

development activities a manager can undertake.

I regularly attend seminars and conferences on

behalf of Pulse, because as a woman, I enjoy

the experience of furthering my education and

business skills in a social environment,” Trudy said.

Today, Trudy and Rob have turned their vision

into reality and they are the directors of a multi-

skilled team of more than 90 people based at

four different branches across Queensland.

“Knowing I’m responsible for such a large

team inspires me to push myself, because I know

that I’m not just working for myself, I’m working

to improve our business and the jobs of more

than 90 people,” she said.

“However, we were determined to retain the

close-knit team environment we had when we

first started Pulse. Team meetings and constant

communication with each other have helped us

to sustain our personal team environment. It also

helps everyone to understand how their roles

contribute to our overall success.”

During the economic downturn Trudy insists

that it has never been more important to

know who you are and what you stand for as

a company.

“We spent a long time building our Code

of Honour, which has become the central idea

behind everything we do; it’s who we are as a

company, its why our team members are so loyal,

and it’s often the reason why customers choose

us over other contractors,” she said.

The Pulse Electrical Code of Honour lists

several rules which its team members must

follow, including: work with the game in mind,

never abandon a team mate in need, danger or

trouble, and only make agreements that they are

prepared to keep.

During her career, Trudy has learnt that there is

nothing more important than keeping a healthy

balance between work and family.

“Sometimes work does clash with family time.

But if you and your business are in good physical,

mental, and financial shape, then I’ve found that

you can get through anything,” she said.

Trudy keeps her business in shape by keeping

her team up-to-date with the latest industry

knowledge, by holding regular team-building

activities, and by getting her different teams

together to review the year and plan for the future.

“As a Managing Director of Pulse, it’s my

responsibility to keep the communication flowing

through the business and through our teams on

the front line. My front line team also helps me

to keep our business relationships strong and the

business goals in check. Naturally, the women at

Pulse do this flawlessly!” she joked.

Good managerial and leadership skills are

the keys to a successful business, but, Trudy

adds, “These skills are only useful if you have

established a mutual trust and respect with your

partner and team members. Trust and support

are essential.”

Trudy Scott is a woman who knows how to hard-wire a business for success. Gemma Ward reveals how Trudy uses her leadership skills to boost her business and employee morale.

leading from the front line


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The economic climate might have you thinking it will be difficult to access credit, but The Master Electrician

discovered banks are standing firm on their policies for business customers.

financein a tough environment

A rumour is moving around the

Australian banking industry

suggesting banks are changing their

credit policies and suspending lending

to business customers.

While it’s true that big businesses around

Australia are having difficultly securing corporate

loans in the midst of the global financial crisis,

the credit situation for small business customers

is completely different.

According to Commonwealth Bank Chief

Operating Officer for local business banking

Bernard Tanner, now is the time for contractors

to look at their finance options.

“Small business finance opportunities

still very much exist,” Mr Tanner told The

Master Electrician.

“All banks are out there, at the moment,

trying to be proactive in reaching small

business customers.

“I would encourage any business owner to

come in and talk to their bank,” Mr Tanner said.

Mr Tanner insists the million-dollar debts of

Australia’s big businesses will not affect small

business credit policies.

“Small business operators have less debt and

therefore have less risk, especially when they are

borrowing against equipment and vehicles or

have some other security,” he said.

If you are an electrical contractor considering

your finance options, Mr Tanner recommends the

best place to start is to simply meet your local

business banker.

“The first thing we do is sit down for a face-to-

face conversation about a customer’s business and

what things they are looking for from their bank.

“We don’t just meet large corporate

clients. We are interested in sole-traders and

owner-operators and we’re interested in

their businesses.”

Once you are comfortable with your business

banker and have introduced them to your

business, they will discuss the different financial

products available and which will best suit your

individual situation.

The Commonwealth Bank recommends three

financial products to electrical contractors: a

working overdraft, asset finance, or a larger loan.

Each of these products is suitable to different

situations. The reason your business needs

finance will generally determine which product

is best for you.

For example, if a business needs a new

workshop a larger loan facility would be best, but

if it needs some working capital until an invoice is

paid, a working overdraft would be most suitable.

Once you and your bank have determined the

financial facility that is most suited to your needs,

the application process will begin.

Finance applications are generally assessed

on three criteria: cash-flow, current and future

income, and any assets the business holds.

Mr Tanner said the best thing an electrical

contractor can do to help the application

process is effectively identify their income

and expenses.

n Working overdraftn Asset financen larger loan

n cash-flown current and future incomen Assets

Financial products

Application criteria

securing business


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“Banks need to be sure businesses can cover

the finance repayments.

“For employees, they provide their contract

and a copy of their pay slips but for electrical

contractors they are working to create

employment for themselves.

“We need to sit down and understand their

processes so the bank can make an informed

estimate of the future income stream,” Mr

Tanner said.

“We look at historical tax returns and for proof

that the business is up and running.”

The bank will assess the business’s assets to

determine any potential finance security.

If there is security on the loan, the risk to the

bank is lower and therefore the finance attracts a

lower interest rate.

“That is why the asset finance facility is so

relevant to electrical contractors,” Mr Tanner said.

“Contractors can keep their equipment and

vehicles up to date by borrowing for them and

they will receive a lower interest rate because the

materials they buy are security for the finance.”

Mr Tanner said even if no business assets exist,

owner-operators can use other personal assets to

secure business finance.

“Residentially secured debt is less risky than

commercial debt.

“For small business owners, the equity in their

home can be used as security against their business

finance without any day-to-day integration of the

customer’s business and personal banking.”

The application process will differ from

business to business but the most important

advantage you can give your business is to

develop a professional relationship with your

business banker.

“We want to understand our customers’

businesses so we know when their tools may

need upgrading and how important the upgrade

is to their business,” Mr Tanner said.

“Furthermore, we want to know about their

goals and aspirations for their business, where

they are at and where they want to be.”

If your bank knows what you are planning

or what struggles may arise it can support you

through the changes.

“In difficult times, we encourage businesses to

get in contact with their bank early.

“If this environment is affecting your business

get into your bank and have that conversation,”

Mr Tanner said.

“Constant communication with your

business banker will support the growth of your

business.”

Hazardous area and

HigH Voltageinstallation

audits

3 ESO Compliance Audits3Area Classifications3Risk Assessments3Pre-installation/design review

Call Steve Downey on

1300 724 744to arrange an inspection

www.jantec.com.au


Master Electricians are backing race

car driver Andre Borell in the 2009

Genuine Ford Parts Australian

Formula Ford Championship.

The future star of Australian motorsport

has graduated to one of the most competitive

series in Australia after two successful years in

the Queensland State Championship. Many

of the world’s top drivers have come through

the ranks of Formula Ford to score major

international successes, such as Formula One

driver Mark Webber.

Borell kicked off the championship series at

the chaotic Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park

in March. After engine trouble in the practice

Andre was at a disadvantage from the start. The

qualifying session saw cars crashing and bringing

out red flags on two occasions. He finished 17th

in the first race and crashed out in the second but

his hopes remain high for future rounds.

“I’m confident of scoring points and running

in the Top 10. From Tasmania onwards we’ll start

aiming for podiums”

Andre drives a Van Diemen RF06 and

although the British marque has suffered

from a lack of numbers on the grid, Borell

remains confident.

newwatts

Master Electricians take to the grid


“I know there is nothing wrong with the Van Diemen. The company

has been around for a long time, and knows what they are doing when it

comes to building Formula Fords,” Borell said.

Master Electricians Australia have partnered with Andre to invest in

the young star’s future as well as promoting the Master Electricians brand

according to Master Electricians CEO Malcolm Richards.

“The Master Electricians brand is all about raising the bar on quality

and safety. Our partnership with Andre will help to raise awareness of the

importance of electrical safety in the community,” Mr Richards said.

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in this edition’s Meet a Master Electrician, we introduce you to kieran Francis, a fellow Master Electrician and manager of Manfield colair in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory.

It’s a little known truth, but city suit-types are

jealous of electricians. And after listening to

Kieran Francis rave about his trade, you can

understand why.

“As electricians, we have freedoms that city

suits will never have. We have the freedom to

work anywhere in Australia, the freedom to

instantly see the results of our work, and the

freedom to be in a stable job and booming

industry during these tough times,” Kieran said.

Kieran has come a long way from his days

as an apprentice at ABB Australia. During his

career, he has worked all over Australia and is

currently the manager of Manfield Colair in the

Northern Territory.

“When I was first starting out in the trade, I

was constantly looking for ways to learn from

the older guys. I took every opportunity that

came my way and I believe it’s because of my

hard work that I’ve achieved the great job I have

today,” he said.

In his current position, Kieran is responsible for

leading 30 electrical tradespeople to deliver on

site electrical support to Rio Tinto’s Gove alumina

refinery and mine. During his day, Kieran is also

responsible for managing contracts and ensuring

that on site OH&S objectives are met.

“I enjoy the satisfaction of working with

my team to overcome the daily challenges we

encounter on site. Working with people who enjoy

their job just as much as I do is rewarding in itself,

and I think we deliver a higher quality of work and

service to our customers because of this,” he said.

Working on the $1.8 billion Bechtel LNG

pipeline and power station project in Darwin

was a great professional experience for Kieran.

His next goal: to help pioneer renewable energy

technologies and encourage renewable energy

projects in Australia.

“Renewable energy is an area in our trade which

is still in its early stages of development, but it’s

the way of the future. It’d be a great professional

achievement to be involved in bringing renewable

energy projects and technologies to life and to

our local communities,” Kieran said.

As a senior electrician, Kieran encourages

Manfield Colair and other electrical contracting

businesses to continue to employ apprentices

during these tough times.

“It’s never been more important for us to

take charge of our industry and support our

apprentices; they’re the future of our industry. It’s

up to us to ensure that when the economy turns

around, there are top quality tradespeople ready

to get to work,” he said.

As for Kieran’s choice to work in the NT, “You

can’t beat it for work-life balance, and a great

fishing trip. It’s the place to be!”

Being a Master Electrician certainly has

its perks! Newtagsadvert180x81.pdf 16/04/2009 2:04:04 PM

electrician

meet a

masterNAME:

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COMPANy:manfield Colair

meet a m

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It is important to determine if your company is

insolvent because:

1. If it is, you as a director, will be personally

liable for the debts of the company… so you

could lose everything you own; and

2. It assists you as the directors, to formulate a

plan to avoid insolvency, save the business

and your employees’ jobs and to avoid issues

with creditors, lenders and the Tax Office.

As directors you need to be aware of the

company’s financial position and know whether

it has crossed the line from “Financial Distress”

to “Insolvency”.

Insolvency can be difficult to establish at any

given point in time. In essence, the question you

as the directors must ask is:

Is the company able to pay all of its debts as

and when they become due and payable?

The answer will not always be clear. So, to help

you get the right answer, McKays Solicitors have

prepared the following checklist. Depending on

your answers to these questions, you may need

to seek professional advice urgently.

The attached guide is indicative of insolvency

and is not a definitive test. One to two indicators

may not necessarily indicate insolvency but

if the indicator persists you should see your

accountant. More than two indicators or

persistent indicators means your company is

probably insolvent and you should contact your

solicitor, together with your accountant and an

insolvency practitioner, to get the best advice to

move forward.

For more information contact McKays Solicitors

on 07 3223 5900 or visit www.mckayslaw.com.

letterof the lawis my

company insolvent?

insolvency indicatorsBanks

1 Exceeding overdraft limits and unable to obtain further credit n

2 No access to alternate finance or ability to raise equity n

creditors3 increasing debt - (liabilities greater than assets) n

4 Statutory demands & legal action n

5 creditors unpaid and outside of usual terms of trade n

6 Poor cash flow n

7 issuing post dated cheques & dishonoured cheques n

Suppliers8 Suppliers demanding payment before supply n

9 Suppliers stop supply n

losses / Stock / Maintenance10 Ongoing unsustainable losses n

11 Falling Stock levels n

12 Postponement of essential maintenance n

key debtors13 Unrecoverable loans Owed to company n

14 key debtor goes broke n

ATO15 ATO demands from overdue taxes n

Financial Records16 incomplete Financial Records n

NUMBER OF TickS:

Lawrence & Hanson branches are the longest established supplier of electrical product in Australia and that means you can be confident you’re dealing with an organisation that knows its stuff.

That knowledge is applied to build our core-range of the most commonly used products in each of our branches nationwide. Our range consists of all major Australian as well as international brands to ensure you get the right product for your application, when you need it. However we don’t just rely on our experience, we work with you to fine tune our range at the local level to give you the best possible choice of quality products to keep your business powering on.

L&H Tweed Heads Shop 2B, 13 Greenway Dr Tweed Heads NSW 2485 T: 07 5523 1334 F: 07 5523 2064

expanding our commiTmenT To you THe conTracTor

wiTH THe opening of

L&H Tweed Heads

L&H fortitude Valley Cnr Commercial Rd & Leopold St Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 T: 07 3257 4263 F: 07 3854 1897

and THe re–opening of our

L&H FORTITUde VaLLeY

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www.lawrenceandhanson.com.au

1743 MasterElect advert.indd 1 12/3/09 5:56:33 PM

reliabilityquality safetyFor more details visit www.masterelectricians.com.au

Introducing an exc iting new service

Phone 1300 889 198 to take advantage of the new vehicle purchasing deal.

New Service.As an ECA member or Accredited Master Electrician, you now have access to the full range of commercial and private vehicles at special prices via our partnership with AP Group Ltd, which includes free window tinting and a customer rewards program. In addition, you can also utilise one of the most competitive finance packages available, specifically tailored to your needs for the purchase of vehicles or equipment.

Specialist Network. Let us do all the hard work for you. We will source the right vehicle at the right price utilising our network of member fleet specialists we have put in place covering almost every vehicle brand. We know the needs of an electrical contractor when it comes to buying that new (or pre-owned) vehicle and we can really save you both time and money.

Finance Packages. The other part of ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services is the great finance packages that are now available to you. While we are sourcing a fantastic price on your next vehicle, we can provide advice, options and quotes on a range of financing products. ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services remains up to date on issues such as GST, taxation changes and market movements so we can deliver the right package. We always suggest that your accountant is involved in this process and will deal directly with their office if need be, saving you more time.

One Stop Shop. The best part about all this? ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services is a “one stop shop”. Your phone or email enquiry will be handled by one person who will see it from the vehicle and finance pricing stage, right through to coordinating delivery, finance paperwork and settlement. Where possible, we can come to your home, office or even work site with any paperwork that needs signing.

from $22,650 DRIVE AWAYMitsubishi Express

* Some illustrations for display purposes only. * Pricing may be subject to change due to manufacturer bonuses.* Commercial finance over 60 months with 30% balloon payment to approved applicants.

Finance at $85 per week*

from $32,590 DRIVE AWAY

Toyota Hiace LWB


from $39,490 DRIVE AWAYFord Transit Mid Roof


from $34,420 DRIVE AWAYVW Transporter T5 SWB


GREAT FLEET PRICINGHolden Colorado

SAVE THOUSANDS!Ford Ranger

FANTASTIC DEALSMazda BT50

COMPETITIVE PACKAGESNissan Navara

GREAT PRICESToyota Hilux

ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services.

reliabilityquality safetyFor more details visit www.masterelectricians.com.au

Introducing an exc iting new service

Phone 1300 889 198 to take advantage of the new vehicle purchasing deal.

New Service.As an ECA member or Accredited Master Electrician, you now have access to the full range of commercial and private vehicles at special prices via our partnership with AP Group Ltd, which includes free window tinting and a customer rewards program. In addition, you can also utilise one of the most competitive finance packages available, specifically tailored to your needs for the purchase of vehicles or equipment.

Specialist Network. Let us do all the hard work for you. We will source the right vehicle at the right price utilising our network of member fleet specialists we have put in place covering almost every vehicle brand. We know the needs of an electrical contractor when it comes to buying that new (or pre-owned) vehicle and we can really save you both time and money.

Finance Packages. The other part of ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services is the great finance packages that are now available to you. While we are sourcing a fantastic price on your next vehicle, we can provide advice, options and quotes on a range of financing products. ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services remains up to date on issues such as GST, taxation changes and market movements so we can deliver the right package. We always suggest that your accountant is involved in this process and will deal directly with their office if need be, saving you more time.

One Stop Shop. The best part about all this? ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services is a “one stop shop”. Your phone or email enquiry will be handled by one person who will see it from the vehicle and finance pricing stage, right through to coordinating delivery, finance paperwork and settlement. Where possible, we can come to your home, office or even work site with any paperwork that needs signing.

from $22,650 DRIVE AWAYMitsubishi Express

* Some illustrations for display purposes only. * Pricing may be subject to change due to manufacturer bonuses.* Commercial finance over 60 months with 30% balloon payment to approved applicants.


from $32,590 DRIVE AWAY

Toyota Hiace LWB


from $39,490 DRIVE AWAYFord Transit Mid Roof


from $34,420 DRIVE AWAYVW Transporter T5 SWB


GREAT FLEET PRICINGHolden Colorado

SAVE THOUSANDS!Ford Ranger

FANTASTIC DEALSMazda BT50

COMPETITIVE PACKAGESNissan Navara

GREAT PRICESToyota Hilux

ECA and Master Electricians Fleet Services.

KEEP YOUR POWER ON!KEEP YOUR POWER ON!CALL US FOR ALL YOUR GENERATOR NEEDS!

RENTALS - NEW & USED SALES

WE SPECIALISE IN PROVIDING PETROL AND DIESEL GENERATOR SETS.FROM 500 WATTS TO 3,000 KVA

As the manufacturer, we are easily able to modify standard specifications

and produce a tailor-made unit if necessary.

www.genelite.com.au

And our keen prices are well-renowned.

• QLD 07-3277 8626 •• WA 08-9300 6168 •


from distributorscitipoWEr aND poWErcor

CITIPOWER AND POWERCOR WIN EMERGENCy RECOVERy AWARD

citiPower and Powercor have won a prestigious

international award for its emergency response

to the major, gale force wind storms that rocked

Victoria in April 2008.

The “Emergency Recovery Award,” presented

annually by US based Edison Electric institute

(EEi), recognises exceptional efforts in restoring

power services disrupted by severe weather or

other natural events.

Following an international nomination process,

a panel of judges chose citiPower and Powercor

as winners, acknowledging their exceptional

efforts to restore 99.9 per cent of customers

impacted by sustained power outages after just

one day.

The wind storms were among the worst the

state has ever seen, bringing hundreds of trees

down across power lines and contributing to

major impacts for rail networks, the closure of

major arterial roads and thousands of calls to the

State Emergency Service.

The 130 kilometre-per-hour winds affected

around 400,000 electricity customers across

Victoria, of which 140,000 are supplied by

citiPower and Powercor.

“citiPower and Powercor worked tirelessly

to execute the challenging effort to bring their

customers back on line,” said EEi President

Thomas R. kuhn.

“The company’s actions offered a terrific

example of our entire industry’s determination to

restore power safely and as quickly as possible.”

newsnew

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KEEP YOUR POWER ON!KEEP YOUR POWER ON!CALL US FOR ALL YOUR GENERATOR NEEDS!

RENTALS - NEW & USED SALES

WE SPECIALISE IN PROVIDING PETROL AND DIESEL GENERATOR SETS.FROM 500 WATTS TO 3,000 KVA

As the manufacturer, we are easily able to modify standard specifications

and produce a tailor-made unit if necessary.

www.genelite.com.au

And our keen prices are well-renowned.

• QLD 07-3277 8626 •• WA 08-9300 6168 •


ENErgyaustralia

APPRENTICES TO ThE FORE IN UPPER hUNTER “BACkyARD BlITz”

As many as 20 EnergyAustralia apprentices are presently involved in an electrical “backyard blitz” for residents and businesses in the Upper hunter townships of Scone and Aberdeen in New South Wales.

The apprentices are gaining hands-on experience in a $33 million project that involves development of a new regional substation at Scone and a new, high-voltage power line between Aberdeen and Scone.

The second, third and fourth-years are among 153 apprentices presently being trained as line workers, cable jointers, electrical mechanics, motor mechanics and fitter/machinists at EnergyAustralia’s Wallsend and Muswellbrook training facilities.

EnergyAustralia’s Executive General Manager Engineering, Geoff lilliss, said many of the apprentices involved in the Scone-Aberdeen upgrade would be delivering improved electricity supply to their own community’s doorsteps.

“This work will benefit more than 6000 customers in Scone and surrounding areas such as Gundy, kayuga, Segenhoe, Parkville, Wingen and Bunnan,” Mr lilliss said.

“So for many of these young people, it represents something of a backyard blitz.

German tHief electrocuted wHile stealinG copper cablesThe charred body of a 32 year old man was found in Germany. Police say the man died and burned beyond recognition because of a 10,000 volt electric shock.

A set of cable cutters and a pile of stolen cables were found beside his body which led Police to believe that he tried to steal a live copper cable. One of his hands was severed from his body from the shock.

he was indentified because the finger prints on this hand were already on record.

www.newsrightnow.org

ENErgEX

ENERGEX AGREES TO lAND SWAP FOR FUTURE POWER SUBSTATION IN WIThCOTTENERGEX has recently purchased land in

the township of Withcott in Queensland that

will house a new substation in future years to

accommodate the on-going residential and

industrial growth in the area.

ENERGEX originally had land to construct a

new station adjacent to the existing electricity

network near the Warrego highway, however

ENERGEX has worked with the lockyer Valley

Regional council to source a more community-

friendly site.

The $1.3 million substation will now be located

500m north from the intersection of Roches Rd

and Warrego highway in an industrial area.

The substation will benefit the community by

providing improved power supply to 1500 homes

and businesses in the lockyer Valley area.

sp ausNEt

ElECTRICITy POlES CONNECTING SChOOlS TO ThE WEBin a Victorian first, SP AusNet, east Gippsland’s

local electricity provider together with VERNet,

Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board

and East Gippsland institute of TAFE (EG TAFE)

have worked together to use electricity poles to

expand fibre optic cable to east Gippsland.

This cable extension runs along the existing

electricity network and connects EG TAFE to

broadband as well as making fibre optic cable

available to the wider education sector in

the region.

SP AusNet spokesperson Natasha

Whalley said the connection was a significant

achievement, connecting the two regional towns

of Bairnsdale and lakes Entrance, providing

the education sector with critical connectivity

requirements across the region, which directly

benefits local communities.

“it’s a great win for the local communities, the

local TAFE and also the emergency services, as

this new fibre optic cable will be used to improve

and upgrade computer connections in this

region for all parties involved,” Ms Whalley said.

VERNet chief Executive Officer Roger Tanton

said collaboration had been the making of

this project.

“Fibre networks are becoming a foundation

of modern economies. This project shows

that by getting together the private and public

sectors, we can make this more affordable,”

Mr Tanton said.

aurora ENErgy

TASMANIAN INVENTION DETECTS POTENTIAlly lEThAl ElECTRICAl FAUlTSTasmania’s Aurora Energy has launched

a device invented by its employees to

detect a dangerous electrical fault that has

challenged the electricity industry worldwide

for decades.

The world-first invention – named cablePi

(as in private investigator) – detects a broken

neutral fault, a relatively common but potentially

lethal problem.

The cablePi was tested successfully by Aurora

employees with an initial roll out for residents of

South hobart and Smithton. Aurora will provide

the free devices to more than 200,000 Tasmanian

customers and many industries later in the year.

The cablePi is a small device, about the size

of a typical air freshener, which can be plugged

into a normal electrical power point to detect

broken neutrals.

“Broken neutrals are potentially life-threatening

and have the capacity to direct dangerous

voltages into household objects,’’ Aurora chief

Executive Officer dr Peter davis said at the

launch in hobart.

The device is considered so promising that

Aurora Energy, has set up a subsidiary company

Ezikey Group Pty ltd, licensed to commercialise

the international patent for the product.


news from

distrib

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AT’S h

AP

PE

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TRy

PO Box 1109Milton, Qld 4064

Ph: 1300 366 648 Web: www.specsuper.com


buzzthe

dEspITE THE pREssuRE, AGENT GETs AwAy wITH 10,000 dATA REAdINGs

Fluke recently tried their hand at video

animation, Batman style, to showcase its

latest digital Multimeter.

complete with ominous music and

chiselled characters, the impressive video is

set in a secret industrial complex and shows

our heroes dodging an armed security team.

The mission – to capture 10,000 readings

using the Fluke 289 industrial Trending

digital Multimeter.

in an effort to promote the Multimeter’s

features, the video shows how the Fluke

289 dMM can be attached to a circuit and

collect information while the operator is

busy elsewhere.

According to Fluke, in today’s environment

of decreased staffing and greater work load,

having the Fluke 289 dMM is like having

another electrician on staff. The user can later

review the saved data on the meter’s large

display to spot anomalies and identify trends.

The collected data can also be downloaded to

a Pc, where FlukeView Forms software allows

you to create custom graphs and reports.

View the video at http://assets.fluke.com/

demos/fluke_spy.asp

pROduCTIvITy plACEmENT

pROGRAm

As part of the Skilling Australia for the Future

initiative, the Australian Government aims to

provide 701,000 training places nationally

under the Productivity Places Program (PPP).

The PPP is essentially training delivered to

job seekers and existing workers to either enter

the labour market or further develop skills. The

training places are industry-driven to meet

critical skill shortages and provide training for

expected emerging skills.

The relevant State and Territory training

authorities have been working with the

Australian Government to implement the

program to determine the qualifications that

are a priority within specific geographical

regions. Many training authorities have worked

closely with their industry Skills councils and

consulted key stakeholders to determine

these qualifications.

There are hundreds of qualifications

listed for the PPP which include business,

telecommunications, training and assessment,

gas, energy supply and electrical.

The training places have been separated

to meet the needs of two specific groups that

are funded under the PPP to access training.

These groups are:

n Job seekers, and,

n Existing workers.

Of the total 701,000 training places allocated

309,000 will be delivered to job seekers and

392,000 delivered to existing workers.

There are also 10,000 Structural Adjustment

Places for those workers who receive a

separation notice in industries affected by the

slowing economy. individuals who are affected

need to approach the Office of the Minister for

Education to access these places.

Although the initiative is an Australian

Government commitment, each State/Territory

is responsible for administering the PPP. Go

to www.masterelectricians.com.au for a list of

contact information for each State/Territory.

detailed information on the Productivity

Places Program nationally is available from the

department of Education, Employment and

Workplace Relations at: www.deewr.gov.au/

Skills/ProductivityPlaces

here’s the latest news and information from the electrotechnology industry across Australia.

the buzz : IS

SU

ES

AFFE

CTIN

G y

OU

R IN

DU

STR

y

buzzthe

EcA and Master Electricians Australia have teamed up this year to hold the

ultimate event for electrical and communications contractors. Set amid the tropical

location of darwin, attendees will hear from renowned speakers on economic

survival, green opportunities, cultural safety and how to keep your business

family-owned.

held from August 28 – September 1, the event promises to be value for money

with a host of activities including:n Business and Technical Sessionsn Trade Expon Jumping crocodile cruisen Fishing charter Expeditionn Go karting championshipn Territory Wildlife Tourn And more!

For more information visit www.masterelectricians.com.au or

contact 1300 889 198.

2009 Electrotechnology Annual Conference


cHina rolls out new electric busesBattery powered buses that can cover 188 miles on one charge and recharge in 20 minutes will hit the roads in China in June.

Seventy of the 24-passenger buses, powered by lithium-ion batteries will be put to use in Jilin province in northeastern China.

The new buses cost about US$73,145 each.

www.upi.com

Erik, 52 has made a personal decision to retire

early, to spend more time with his family and

to focus on his family’s business interests.

he leaves clipsal in an outstanding market

leadership position with 75 percent of the

electrical accessories market, market leadership

in home automation and equal leadership share

of the data communications market.

Since taking over the reigns of clipsal

Australia in February 2006, Erik has delivered

excellent results for stakeholders, pioneered

new markets, achieved market leadership in

many categories, integrated key acquisitions,

and always with a complete customer focus

in mind.

“i have been fortunate to be part of a

dynamic and innovative industry. i have enjoyed

building exceptional relationships with electrical

wholesalers and contractors, and working with

many talented people within the company. As

clipsal embarks upon a new era in a new home

at Gepps cross, i wish the company every

success for the future.”

Erik has also played a crucial role in the

delicate transition of clipsal from a family

business (Gerard industries) to become part of

parent company, Schneider Electric.

“i would like to thank Erik for his many

contributions to the business in the Pacific region

and beyond,” said lionel Finidori, Managing

director, Schneider Electric Pacific Zone.

Erik Scholz is succeeded by General

Manager, Pacific iSc (installation Systems and

control), damien cummins.

Clipsal’s changing of the guardAfter 17 years with Clipsal Australia including three years at the company’s helm, executive General Manager, erik Scholz is leaving.

If you have something to submit, please email [email protected]


interviewwith Joe Hockey

in our Summer edition, The Master Electrician spoke with deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard about the Government’s response to the global financial crisis. last month we crossed the political divide to speak with Shadow Treasurer Joe hockey – a key member of the Opposition’s leadership and policy group.


the interview : W

ITh JO

E h

OC

kE

y

interviewwith Joe Hockey

hoW havE you sEttlED iNto your rolE as

shaDoW trEasurEr?

I’m really enjoying the challenge. The majority

of my professional and political career has been

within the economics and finance sphere so this

is quite a natural transition. The economy is at

the front and centre of Australian politics and

so it’s a great privilege to be appointed to this

central role.

What WoulD bE your NumbEr oNE priority if

you bEcamE thE trEasurEr?

I think the number one priority has to be to

protect Australian jobs. So far not a single

action of the Rudd Labor Government has

delivered Australians the job protection or job

security they were promised. First we had the

$10.4 billion December cash-splash that was

meant to create 75,000 new jobs. Then we

had the $15.2 billion COAG package that was

to create 133,000 jobs, the $4.7 billion Nation

Building Package to create 32,000 and finally

the $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan to

protect up to 90,000 jobs.

That’s more than $72 billion dollars of taxpayer

money committed on a promise to protect or

create Australian jobs. However, what we’ve

actually seen is that during this period is over

80,000 Australians lose their full-time jobs – a far

cry from the 330,000 jobs that the Government

promised its policies would create.

The best way to protect jobs is to create

incentives for businesses to continue to employ.

The Coalition believes that reducing the cost

of employment to employers is integral to

protecting and creating jobs for Australians, and

we’ll continue with policy initiatives that aim to

achieve this.

hoW Do you ratE thE govErNmENt’s EcoNomic

stratEgy DuriNg this global fiNaNcial

crisis?

I think the greatest challenge at the moment is

for the Government to demonstrate they actually

have a well-considered economic strategy and

not just a political one. If you look at the decisions

made by Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan since

their election you can clearly identify a number

of instances where the Government has made

the global financial crisis worse for Australians.

For example, when Kevin Rudd and Wayne

Swan talked up inflation in early 2008, interest

rates increased. This effectively put the brakes

on the Australian economy at a time when, with

the global financial crisis looming, we should

have been going for growth. Their rhetoric also

terrified thousands of Australians who, fearing

that interest rates would continue to rise, fixed

their home loans and are now stuck paying rates

of around 9 per cent.

Then came the bungled mess of the bank

deposit guarantee, which created huge

distortions in credit markets, catalysing a major

run on cash and mortgage funds and ultimately

left over 200,000 Australians without access to

their retirement savings. Now we have the $42

billion stimulus package which in my opinion, is

badly targeted and not money well spent. What’s

more, every cent of the package is coming

from borrowed money which will leave future

generations with billions of dollars of debt. We

were one of the best-placed countries going into

this downturn and I fear that the Government’s

actions will leave us worse off heading out of it.

hoW has your family’s small busiNEss

backgrouND hElpED to shapE your viEWs of

hoW govErNmENt shoulD opEratE?

Coming from a small business background has

solidified my belief that small business really is the

engine room of the Australian economy. I think

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that it is vitally important that this engine room

doesn’t suffer neglect. The role of Government

should ultimately be to make it easier for small

businesses to do business with appropriate but

not excessive levels of regulation. I don’t think

that the Rudd Labor Government is effectively

delivering policies to help support small business

owners ride out this economic downturn.

What aDvicE Do you givE busiNEss oWNErs,

particularly thosE struggliNg as a rEsult

of EcoNomic coNDitioNs?

Three words: Keep on trying. I think it’s important

to believe that you can ride out these tough

times. I remember as a young boy the 1974

recession when my father, who ran a small real

estate business, came home one day and said to

us: “I don’t think we’re going to make it.” But

my mother refused to have a bar of this and said

that failure was simply not an option. We would

all work together and do whatever was required

to make it through. I think it’s messages of hope

like these that are crucially important in both

good times and bad.

What arEas of thE australiaN EcoNomy

rEquirE thE most urgENt attENtioN

or rEform?

I think one of the biggest problems facing our

economy at the moment is the lack of credit

flow, particularly to small business. The problem

is that it’s difficult to get credit flowing when

there is such a complete lack of confidence

in the system. Late last year when Kevin Rudd

told Australians that things were going to get

worse before they got better, he took a cricket

bat to the confidence of Australian consumers

and business. The Government needs to start

injecting confidence back into the system with

both its actions and its words and quit scaring

Australians with its rhetoric of doom and gloom.

hoW WEll Do australiaNs kNoW thE “rEal”

JoE hockEy? is thErE aNothEr siDE to you

apart from your public pErsoNa?

I like to think it’s very much “What you see is

what you get” when it comes to my public

persona versus the ‘real’ Joe. I think Australians

like to see a real person and I like to think that’s

how I come across.

hoW Do you likE to uNWiND aWay from

public lifE?

At the moment I’m in training for a walk up Mt.

Kilimanjaro in July with the Humpty Dumpty

Foundation – a charity that raises money to

purchase equipment for children’s hospitals

across Australia. In politics it can be hard to find

time to unwind, but when I do have some down

time I like to spend it with my family, including

my wife Melissa and my two children Xavier

and Adelaide.

the interview : WITh JOE hOCkEy

i ThiNk ThE GREATEST chAllENGE AT ThE MOMENT iS FOR ThE GOVERNMENT TO

dEMONSTRATE ThEy AcTUAlly hAVE A WEll-cONSidEREd

EcONOMic STRATEGy

two brotHers killed by electrocution at foam party in turkisH HotelTwo Israeli tourists, brothers aged 18 and 14, were electrocuted to death at a foam party in the Turkish resort town of Antalya.

During the party, a foam machine short-circuited, causing the brothers’ death and injuring others.

www.haaretz.com


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Mandatory electrical testing

procedures are often the final task

completed and are vital to ensuring

our electrical obligations are met.

Electricians who install electrical equipment have

an obligation to ensure that, once the electrical

equipment is completely installed, they test to

ensure it is electrically safe.

The Earth Fault Loop Impedance test is

conducted to ensure the disconnection of supply

occurs in the required time if a fault of negligible

impedance (dead short) occurs between the

active conductor and any exposed conductive

part or the protective earthing conductor within

the installation.

For disconnection to occur, the impedance of

the earth fault loop from the supply transformer

to the fault and back to the supply transformer,

“Zs”, must be low enough to cause a current to

flow which will ensure the protective device will

operate within the required time.

To ensure disconnection takes place the

Electrical Contractor is now required to verify the

fault loop impedance at the most distant point of

the circuit under test.

Clause 8.3.9.3 of the wiring rules describes the

two basic methods of verification for Fault Loop

Impedance.

a) Isolate the circuit under test and connect

the circuit active conductor to the circuit

protective earthing conductor at the origin

of the circuit (switchboard). Then at the

most distant point on the circuit, measure

the resistance between the active and

earth conductor. The value obtained (Rphe)

should not exceed the value given in Table

8.2 for the conductor size and associated

protection device.

b) Where supply is available the Fault loop

impedance may be tested with an appropriate

test instrument and the result verified by Table

8.1. The use of a test instrument has the

advantage of including all factors, such as bad

connections and back e.m.f.s’ generated by

adjacent lines and other loads on the system.

Appendix B in the wiring rules provides a

detailed description of the principle of Automatic

Disconnection of Supply (B4.1) and the Earth

Fault Loop (B4.4), calculation (B4.5) and

measurement (B4.6). Table B1 offers a guide to

maximum circuit lengths based on conductor size

and protective device rating.

ECA members and Accredited Master

Electricians can contact the Technical Team on

1300 889 198 for any enquiries on Fault Loop

Impedance.

technicaltalkUnderstanding

Fault loop impedance

Illustration of the system from the supply source to a building


technical talk : ThE

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BrisbaneTel 07 3275 2183Fax 07 3275 2196

AdelaideTel 08 8363 5733Fax 08 8363 5799

PerthTel 08 9361 4200Fax 08 9361 4300

email [email protected] web www.emona.com.au

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how far have we progressed with the digital Television ‘revolution’?

More than a decade has passed

since the then Minister for

Communications, Richard Alston,

announced in 1998 that Australia

would adopt digital television.

in 1999 this decision was further enhanced

by the government’s decision to adopt high

definition Television (hdTV).

The present federal government, through

Minister Stephen conroy, announced in October

last year: “The digital television switchover is a

challenge on the scale of the 1966 decimal

currency change...”

it was at this time that the Government

announced the switchover timetable,

commencing in Mildura/Sunraysia in January

next year and scheduled for full completion

nationally by the end of 2013.

Now that the country has a timetable and

a government commitment, everyone in the

industry can move forward and prepare for

the change.

however, as service providers, we are currently

in the position to pick up on the knowledge and

skills needed for what should be an opportunity

for business growth.

The government recognises that more than

42 per cent of Australian homes have a digital-

ready television – including connections to pay

TV source – with many having more than one.

did you know that digital TV was officially

launched in January 2002 in metropolitan

centres, and rolled out in regional areas by 2004?

how many presently work on legacy analogue

television cabling systems for their Free-To-Air

(FTA) content?

it is very likely that digital TV Broadcasting is

already available in your area, and that customers

are not aware of what to do to make use

of it.

What’s more important is the possibility that

they will lose the analogue signals they currently

tune into due to the government’s mandate to

turn off analogue broadcasts by 2013.

The timing for the switchover is different for

each area. information can be obtained from

the Australian Government’s web site at www.

digitalready.gov.au.

hdTV heralds a new era of high quality

picture and sound content, improved information

services and more programming. however,

customer experience will be affected by the

ability of their equipment to receive the broadcast

signals properly due to the new frequencies in

use for digital TV.

it is possible that many households will have

to re-equip their TV cabling and antenna systems

to receive the digital signals successfully. This

may include upgrading the antenna, or the

whole system.

Any new system should be capable of

supporting PayTV signals, and may therefore

need PayTV supplier approved cabling

and connectors.

The free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters formed an

organisation to improve the awareness of FTA

digital TV in Australia that can be accessed at

their website: www.freeview.com.au.

At this site you will find information on

programming and you can observe the difference

between standard definition channels and high

definition channels.

high definition channels contain the higher

quality sound and video content promised by

hdTV, and require high definition-capable set top

boxes to receive them.

Ultra high definition (also called Super high

definition) is currently under development and

planned for Japan in 2015, although there are

still many very high technological hurdles to

be jumped.

Other useful links:dtB equipment

http://www.dtvforum.info/

AcMA http://www.acma.gov.au/WeB/

stANdArd/pc=Pc_91870


workplace

In December 2008, the Federal Commissioner

of Taxation announced a draft ruling to amend

the definition of ‘ordinary times earnings’

(OTE) under the Superannuation Guarantee

(Administration) Act 1992 (Cth) (the Act). The

draft ruling expected to apply from 1 July 2009,

will mean employers have to pay their employees

superannuation on regular overtime and parental

leave. The Act defines OTE as:

(a) The total of:

(i) Earnings in respect of ordinary hours of

work other than earnings consisting of a

lump sum payment of any of the following

kinds made to the employee on the

termination of his or her employment:

(A) A payment in lieu of unused sick leave;

(B) An unused annual leave payment, or

unused long service leave payment,

within the meaning of the Income Tax

Assessment Act 1997; and

(ii) Earnings consisting of over-award

payments, shift-loading or commission; or

(b) If the total ascertained in accordance with

(a) would be greater than the maximum

contribution base for the quarter, the

maximum contribution base.

This definition remains unchanged under

SGR 2009/2.

sgr 2009/2

SGR 2009/2 replaced draft ruling SGR 2008/

D2. Originally under the draft ruling ‘ordinary

hours of work’ will include the employee’s

regular and customary hours of work, even

if they are regarded as overtime. This means

that employers will now have to make

superannuation contributions for regular and

systematic overtime. However SGR 2009/2

provided that employers are not required to pay

superannuation on overtime earnings due to the

fact that overtime does not extend to ordinary

hours of work.

Under SGR 2009/2 superannuation

contributions remain similar to now, OTE is still

calculated on the employee’s ordinary hours of

work. The main changes under SGR 2009/2 are:n SGR 2009/2 extends OTE to bonuses which

do not relate to performance, i.e. Christmas

bonuses. This means that superannuation

must now be contributed for any kind

of bonus. n SGR 2009/2 states periods of paid leave

is ordinary time pay. SGR 2009/2 is yet to

deal with the status of payments made to

an employee on parental leave. The Federal

Government announced on May 12, 2009

that it intends to clarify the superannuation

guarantee in relation to these payments.

implicatioNs for EmployErs

Employers will need to consider the impact

the draft ruling will have on their business,

particularly if the employees are working large

amounts of regular or systematic overtime.

relationsProposed Super changes could cost Business Millions


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Business owners are starting to see

the effects of the global economic

downturn on their businesses, from

higher product costs to loss of work.

Many employers will be faced with decisions

regarding the viability of their businesses

and the need to downsize. Employers will

be faced with cost cutting, restructuring

and redundancy.

In April 2009 the number of people looking

for work increased to 630,000 and the

unemployment rate increased to 5.5 percent

according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

What is rEDuNDaNcy?

Redundancy is a situation when a position

within an organisation becomes unnecessary

due to downsizing, economic reasons,

technology changes, reorganisation and mergers

or takeovers.

Implementing redundancies is a stressful situation

for employers and employees which can be made

worse if the situation is handled incorrectly.

Redundancy relates to the position, not

the employee. An employer may dismiss an

employee and allocate the work he or she was

performing amongst remaining employees. This

is a legitimate redundancy because the job being

undertaken has been broken up and is no longer

being performed by one person.

rEquirEmENts bEforE makiNg aN EmployEE

rEDuNDaNt

Prior to selecting employee/s to be made

redundant, consultation must take place. The

consultation process involves discussing the

situation with the employees to ensure they

understand the direction that the company is

heading towards and possibly to establish if any

of the employees are agreeable to volunteer

The Facts about Redundancy


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for redundancy or if the employees are willing

to accept a different position (which may mean

less pay).

In addition, employers should also consider

their redundancy obligations under the

relevant industrial instrument, their contractual

obligations, potential industrial risks (i.e. union

activity) and penalties for breaches.

implEmENtiNg a rEDuNDaNcy stratEgy

Determining which position/s should be made

redundant is a difficult decision. Employers

should implement a redundancy selection

process to help alleviate any undue pressures. The

redundancy selection process should consider:n The needs of the business.n The skills, experience, knowledge, training

and ability of the individual.n Behaviour and attitudes including

n Commitment to achieving goals and

targetsn Supportiveness of fellow employeesn Action Focusn Cost Consciousnessn Ability to handle changen Positive view of the company

n When all else is equal, length of service.n Selection criteria should be objective and non-

discriminatory.

n Selection criteria should be measurable against

and directly related to work requirements.

Under the Workplace Relations Act 1996

(Cth) employers intending to terminate 15 or

more employees on the basis that their positions

become redundant, an obligation exists to

contact both Centrelink and the relevant Union(s)

and provide information on:n the reason for termination;n the numbers and categories of employees

to be terminated and employees likely to be

affected by the terminations; andn the time period over which the terminations

are going to take place.

This provision is not applicable to employers

who are sole traders and unincorporated trusts

and partnership. Sole traders and unincorporated

trusts and partnerships should see their relevant

State legislation for their obligations in relation

to redundancy.

altErNativEs to rEDuNDaNcy

There are alternatives to making employees

redundant, these include:n Pay-cuts;n Change in the nature of employment (e.g. full

time to part time or casual);n Leave without pay or n Leave on low pay.

These alternatives may only be used when

there is agreement between the employer and

employees, as employees cannot be forced to

take unpaid leave or pay cuts.

Remember, procedural fairness must be

exercised towards employees being made

redundant. To avoid possible disputes and

claims, redundancies must be based on genuine

operational reasons. Under the Workplace

Relations Act 2006 (Cth) the Australian Industrial

Relations Commission does not have jurisdiction

to hear unfair dismissal claims if the termination

of employment is a genuine operational reason.

Recently the Workplace Ombudsman fined

a New South Wales Manufacturing Company

$22,900 for failing to pay more than $80,000

in redundancy entitlements. It is imperative

that employers handle redundancies correctly

and legally.

proposED iNDustrial rElatioNs laWs

The redundancy provisions will change under

the Fair Work Act set to commence on the 1 July

2009. The Act provides that employers will have to

consider alternative employment arrangements

prior to making employees redundant. Where

employers don’t consider alternative employment

arrangements, employees will be able to bring an

unfair dismissal claim.

Why become a Master Electrician?

Consumers trust the ‘Masters’ brand, and are more likely to choose a Master Electrician over the competition. Buyers equate Master Electricians with experience, quality, reliability and integrity.

Through our extensive advertising to public and industry on the benefits of using a Master Electrician, you will be in demand from the public, builders, principle contractors and government.

When you become a Master Electrician, you get the following benefits:n Use of the Master Electrician brandingn A strong point of difference over your competitorsn Increased recognition by public and industry

Master Electricians Accreditation also provides you with unlimited access to:n A wiring rules hotlinen A large technical and standards advice teamn Industry training and educationn Employment and workplace relations advicen Expert advice on commercial and business mattersn Regular up-to-date news and informationn Networking opportunities with industry supporters, suppliers, other allied trades and associated organisations.

Master Electricians deliver the highest levels of quality, electrical safety, integrity and energy advice.

To find out how you can become a Master Electrician call 1300 889 198 or visit www.masterelectricians.com.au

quality safety reliability

Are you a Master Electrician?

08351_ECA_ME_FP.indd 1 25/2/09 9:22:17 AM


sEcoND rEport oN harmoNisED safEty laWs

rElEasED

Master Electricians Australia is actively involved in

the preparation of the new Occupational health

& Safety (OhS) harmonised laws for Australia.

The latest report from the panel responsible

for the process lists a number of key items for

our industry.

The report recommends that unions not be

given the power to prosecute for an OhS offence

or breach, with a section allowing any party to

seek review of any decision not to prosecute.

Also of interest are changes, for most states,

to the “duty of care” requirements. The panel

has strengthened personal liability provisions

putting an unequivocal obligation on officers and

the like, with the aim of achieving a reasonable

approach to the “duty of care framework”. The

recommendations call for duties of care to be

imposed on all work recipients. Each work

participant would have a clearly stated duty of

care, while those conducting a business or

undertaking will maintain their level of care as

owed in current legislation.

Occupational health and Safety matters will

permit unions the right of entry to a premises to

consult and inspect safety breaches, documents

and records. Prior notice will be mandatory with

a minimum of 24 hours notice to be given to gain

right of entry. While this right currently exists in

some states, there are some changes included

for most.

Generally all employers should be happy

with the recommendations. Employer focus

should now be on maintaining the existing

recommendations and guaranteeing a smooth

transition as the implementation process moves

forward, and Master Electricians is active in this

area. Unions will be expected to energetically

oppose this report and its recommendations

due to the loss of rights to prosecute and the

expansive approaches to right of entry.

More detailed versions of this commentary

can be obtained from the Master Electricians

website at www.masterelectricians.com.au

or by calling Master Electricians Australia on

1300 88 91 98.

NEW vEhiclE purchasiNg DEal

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Members can now take advantage of a great

new arrangement negotiated by us, to get

fantastic deals on the purchasing and financing

of new and used vehicles.

The AP Group ltd, a publicly listed company,

who has dealers across multiple states in

Australia, and represents almost every vehicle

brand, is our partner in the new EcA and Master

Electricians Fleet Service.

To make things as simple as possible, all you

have to do is call head office asking for Fleet

Services, and we will take it from there, arranging

for one point of contact to work through your

vehicle and financing requirements with you.

you will be able to take advantage of a wide

range of benefits, including ultra competitive

pricing, free window tinting, and a customer

rewards program.

don’t forget, this arrangement is only open

to Accredited Master Electricians, and EcA

Members. To see some current hot deals, turn

to page 24 for just a sample of what is available.

newsfrom head office


news : FR

OM

hE

AD

OFFIC

E

NEW act is baD for busiNEss

The recent inquiry held by the Senate committee

looking into the new Fair Works Act, has failed to

recognise the negative impact the new Act will

have on businesses both large and small.

in its submission to the inquiry, Master

Electricians Australia (MEA) raised concerns in

the following areas:n The abolition of individual agreement making,

whereby the employer has the ability to

negotiate terms and conditions directly with

individual employees,n The introduction of flexible working

arrangements as a right of employees who

care for school aged children,n The reintroduction of unfair dismissal laws,n The increased right of entry powers for union

officials,n changes to agreement making laws which

allow matters not pertaining to the employer/

employee relationship to be included in

agreements.

The concerns MEA has is not out of step with

other industry associations across the country.

The committee’s disregard for these issues

and the government’s subsequent passing of

the Fair Works Act, means that companies and

businesses will be less likely to employ new

staff at a time when the business community is

already very nervous. The new Act does nothing

to help create new jobs.

newsfrom head office

Ampere Electrical Manufacturing Co. Pty. Ltd.168-176 High St, Prahran, Vic. 3181. Tel (03) 9510 4333, 9510 2428 Fax (03) 9510 5940Toll Free 1800 AMPERE (1800 267 373)www.ampere.com.au

Who else would you trust!

CR

OF

T/A

MP

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3P

For accurate,reliable controlTime switches &Hour metersAustralia’s leading range of daily,weekly and yearly time switchesand hour run meters.

Hour Run MeterBW22.15

Hour Run MeterBW70

Hour Run MeterBW40

Daily/Weekly/YearlySC88 Time Switch

Daily Time SwitchVS20.18

Daily/Weekly/YearlyTime Switch SC98

Daily/Weekly/YearlyTime Switch SC48

oHio teacHer admits to ZappinG studentsDin D’Ettore, a science teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, admitted giving some of his students a high-voltage, static-electricity shock using a Tesla coil device to inspire them to learn about science.

D’Ettore maintains participating students agreed to take part in the demonstration and were informed beforehand of a temporary mark that is occasionally caused by the device.

www.upi.com


gadgetguide

HPM Linear Soft-toucHSmooth as suede, hPM has launched a brand new range of linea Soft-Touch colours, with a beautiful suede-feel finish. The new colours include rich earthy tones perfect for neutral interiors, as well as bright accent colours ideal for cheerful kitchens, children’s rooms and design-focused interiors. All products are available in standard mounting.

www.hpm.com.au

BenQ nScreenFollowing a highly successful launch internationally, BenQ has announced the Australian release

of the nScreen – the clever integration of a computer inside a high definition (hD) widescreen lCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Dubbed a ‘net-top’ distinguishing it from the traditional desktop PC, this ingenious new product comes in two models, the 18.5” i91 and the 21.5” i221. The nScreen consists of a slimline lCD display, keyboard and mouse and requires the user to follow three easy steps; simply plug it in and switch it on and navigate a simple installation process to get online.

www.benq.com.au

WD tV™ HD MeDia PLayerWestern Digital’s TV hD Media Player turns your USB drive, into an hD media player. Connect your USB hard drive to this device and play crisp hD movies, listen to high-quality digital music, and watch slideshows of your family photos on your TV. There’s no limit to the size of your media collection; just add more drives for more movies. Supports Full hD 1080p video playback and navigation. Also works with cameras, camcorders, and portable media players that can be recognized as mass storage devices.

www.westerndigital.com.au

cirLock uniVerSaL Lockout DeViceMade in Australia, Cirlock’s Universal lockout Device for miniature circuit breakers is handy and easy to use. Simply attach to the toggle of the circuit breaker in the off position, place padlock and tag and the breaker is locked out. The device is able to securely lock out the majority of Australian used miniature circuit breakers.

www.cirlock.com.au

Master Electricians staff sampled some of the latest gadgets and are giving you the good oil on the best stuff!

If you have something to submit, please email [email protected]


workplace relations : c

liMATE

ch

AN

GE

For more details visit www.masterelectricians.com.au

28th August to 1st September 2009 Darwin, Northern Territory

jump to successA CONFERENCE FOR SERIOUS CONTRACTORS

If you’re serious about the success of your business then don’t miss this essential conference for electrical and communications contractors

Featuring presentations on:

Visit www.masterelectricians.com.au to register

How to keep your business in the familyKen Bridges of B&R provides an insight into running a successful family business.

Buck the recessionBT Financial Group’s Chief Economist shows us how to defy the recession, while our legal and financial planning gurus will get your business boom-time ready.

Go green to keep you out of the redIndustry is looking towards alternative resources and despite the song it is that easy being green.

Electrical safety from the sourceHow to avoid safety breaches and disciplinary action – real life examples from the electrical regulator.

The BIG NAMES give you the lowdownBring your technical questions and have them answered by leading experts at the technical sessions.

Trade ExpoStay up to date with the latest products and services entering the market.

But it’s not just about business. Take part in these activities:n Jumping Crocodile Cruise

n Fishing Charter Expedition

n Go Karting Championship

n Territory Wildlife Tour


test driveW

hen I returned the Mercedes-

Benz VITO 111CDI to the

dealership after my test drive,

I was running a fair bit late.

It wasn’t because of traffic, and I didn’t have

car troubles, I just didn’t want to give it back!

Without sounding like a salesman, I can honestly

say there wasn’t any aspect of this van I wasn’t

impressed with.

The ViTO’s list of standard features reads

more like a Mercedes luxury car than a work

van: Air conditioning, cruise control, Power

Steering, Speed limiter, cd player, ABS, ESP,

Electric Mirrors and Windows... the list just goes

on. Aside from all that, there are also enough

extras to allow you to customise your vehicle

to your specific needs. dual-cab, fully sealed

bulkhead, side windows, alloy wheels and

many more features are available factory-fitted.

The ViTO is also only one of two commercial

vehicles in Australia to have a 4-star ANcAP

safety rating.

So how does it drive? your first impression

when you get in the driver’s seat, is that it doesn’t

feel like you’re in a van. The seating position is

comfortable, the footwell is spacious, and the

dash and instrumentation are both functional

but stylish.

i drove the 111cdi which is the middle of the

range, 2.1l Turbo-diesel, producing 85kW and

almost 300 ‘torques’ (to use a Jeremy clarkson-

ism). The ViTO also comes in a less-powerful

109cdi, a more powerful 115cdi. The top of

the range is the super-quick 120cdi (150kW

@ 3800rpm, 440Nm @ 1600-2400rpm). All

Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles are now

diesel-engined, and in an age where a diesel

powered car can win the le Mans 24hr, this

doesn’t mean they are slow.

The handling, once again, is not van-like at

all. it rides well, absorbs bumps, but can handle

some punishment in cornering. The brakes

respond well, and the ESP (Electronic Stability

Program) will get you out of sticky situations.

So, what’s the negative? The short answer: i

didn’t find one. yes the cost is slightly more than

other vans, but the ViTO is simply in a league

of its own. With services only required every

30,000km (yes, that’s not a typo), you simply

can’t go wrong.

Vehicle supplied by Mercedes-Benz

Commercial – Rocklea

Master Electricians Racing driver Andre Borell puts the Mercedes ViTO to the test.


test drive : M

ER

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S-B

EN

z V

ITO

test drivevehicle detailsmake & model Mercedes Benz Vito 111CDI

Engine 2.1 l Diesel, 4-Cylinder In-line, Double Overhead Camshaft (Turbo Charged & Intercooled)

power 85kW @3800rpm

Torque 290Nm @1600-2600rpm

fuel Consumption 8.1l/100km

Abs / Airbag / Esp yES / yES / yES

Transmission 6spd Manual or 5spd Auto

Cost (on-road) $40,990.00

“yOUR FiRST iMPRESSiON WhEN yOU GET iN ThE dRiVER’S SEAT, iS ThAT iT dOESN’T FEEl likE yOU’RE iN A VAN.”

PICTURED BElOW: FORMUlA FORd chAMPiON ANdRE BOREll


phone 1300 EGROUP | www.electrogroup.com.au

We take the stress out of employing ApprenticesAll of the Benefits of Apprenticeswithout the usual concerns

• No recruitment concerns

• Flexible placement options (3mths to 4 yrs)

• Provision of uniforms, tools, PPE & regulatory training

• Job ready, skilled Apprentices

electrogroupapprenticeships and training

JUNE093rd June State of Origin 1 ANZ Stadium, Sydney

13th – 15th Junenational Tradesmans expo – perthBurswood dome

14th Junehawkesbury Blokes dayhawkesbury hospital Grounds, Windsor

16th – 18th JuneQueensland Safety Show & Queensland Materials handlingBrisbane convention and Exhibition centre

19th – 21st JuneGoing Green expoRNA Showgrounds, Brisbane

19th – 21st JuneV8 Supercars – SKYCiTY Triple Crownhidden Valley Raceway

23rd JuneState of Origin 2Telstra dome, Melbourne

JULY0910th – 12th JulyV8 Supercars – dunlop Townsville 400Townsville 400

15th JulyState of Origin 3Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

15th – 17th JulyCediA expoconvention and Exhibition centre, Sydney

AUGUST0931st July – 2nd AugustV8 Supercars – norton 360 Sandown ChallengeSandown

21st August – 23rd AugustV8 Supercars – Queensland RacewayQueensland Raceway

26th AugustSkillsdMC national ConferenceFour Seasons hotel Sydney

eventswhat’s on autumn

2009


best d

ay on the job : A

lES

SO

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AR

NT Th

E h

AR

D W

Ay

your best(or worst) photo

The latest wiring rules requires the addition of overcurrent protection. There has been some confusion that the distributors service fuse fulfils this requirement, but in most cases does not. The distributors service fuse generally provides short circuit protection. Overload protection must be provided at the main switchboard or in accordance with

clause 2.5.1.1 AS/NZS3000:2007. The picture shown (taken in india) is probably not the best example of compliance…

A lesson learnt the hard wayyour best (or worst) day on the job

See our website for our full range of LOCKOUT / TAGOUT equipment www.cirlock.com.auPh 07 5445 2910 Fax 07 5445 8612 Email: [email protected]

CONTRACTORS LOCKOUT KITS Available from most Electrical Wholesalers

CLK-1shown

Standard Kits include:* Universal Lockout Device for Miniature Circuit Breakers* Universal Lockout Devices for Moulded Case Circuit Breakers* Lockout Hasp* Lockout Padlock* Multifunction Cable Lockout* Danger and Warning Tags

Also available with Plug, Ball and Gate Lockout Devices

See our website for more information on Lockout / Tagout Equipment

Early in 1976 as a young tradesman not long out of my time, I was confident that I knew everything. so when asked by my Chief Engineer to investigate an electrical problem a friend of his was experiencing, I was quick to accept.

When it was explained to me that the

person involved was receiving a shock

when using his Victa motor mower in his

front yard i was devastated, and complained

bitterly that this was an incredible waste of

my time.

Go and investigate the situation i was told in

no uncertain terms. So together with an elderly

installation inspector, Greg, whom i regarded as

too old to know anything at all, i set off to the

job. As we drove i continued to complain about

being assigned such a ridiculous investigation.

Eventually Greg had heard enough and told me

“just shut up, we’ve been given the job and we’re

going to do it!”

Upon arrival at the job site Greg took the

lead and decided to do a complete test of the

installation starting with main earth continuity. he

handed me the smart end of the trailing earth

and asked that i attach it to the earth electrode.

This was located at the front of the house beside

the rain water down pipe. As i went to attach the

clamp it brushed against the down pipe, next

thing i knew the world was a very dark place and

full of sharp objects. i regained consciousness

thirty feet from the down pipe and in the middle of

a very well tended rose garden.

Our investigation found that the entire roof

of the house was alive, as a result of a flashing

slowly cutting into the mains, this meant that the

down pipe was alive, and touching the greener

and moister grass at its outlet onto the front yard.

consequently when the householder pushed the

mower across this area which was at a higher

potential than the rest of the yard, he received an

electric shock.

A classic case of Step Potential.

So i learnt three important lessons that day.

First i discovered step potential, secondly i learnt

to shut my mouth and just get on with the job, and

third, although it took me another thirty years to

absorb, i did not know everything.

Submitted by E. Horne, Brisbane.

If you have a story you’d like to share email [email protected]


Master Electricians Australia (MEA)

met with the Deputy Prime

Minister and other business

leaders in Canberra recently.

Attending the Budget reading by the

Australian Treasurer, I was privileged to sit with

the Hon Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister

for dinner to discuss important issues affecting

electrical contractors across Australia.

High on the agenda of our discussions was

the training of apprentices, and the allocation

of funding to registered training organisations

(both public and private), including for

example the amending of the Productivity

Placement Program to provide better training

to electrical and communications apprentices.

Allocation of incentives to employers taking

on apprentices was also something the

Deputy Prime Minister took an interest

in, and has sought further information

from MEA.

The Budget Dinner was also an

excellent opportunity for MEA to talk to

business leaders from all states about

the benefits of using a Master Electrician

when requiring electrical work done on

their projects.

Master Electricians

Australia speaks with

Deputy Prime Minister

last word : MAlCOlM RIChARDS

New ProTag Optima SystemAustralia’s Most Compact Appliance

Testing and Tag Printing System.

Call EMONA Instruments on tel: 1 800 632 953 email: [email protected] or www.protag.com.au

The new ProTag Optima System tests portable appliances and RCDs,

and prints test tags in a compact system weighing only around 2kg.

No interface cables between the tester, printer and scanner provide

maximum mobility on construction sites, factories and workshops.

Light weight, wireless, battery powered and with logging of visual

inspections and risk assessments, the Optima System guarantees

greater efficiency, huge time savings and a lower cost per tag.

last word

MAlCOlM RIChARDSChief Executive Officer

Benning Installation Tester

EXTREME SAFETYA Division of the SILGLEN GROUP PTY LTD

Quality Assured Supplier to ISO 9001:2000

Telephone (07) 3282 0911Email [email protected]

Web www.extremesafety.com.au

• Personal Protective Equipment

• Testing & Calibration Services

• Safety & Rescue Kits

• Insulating Mats and Gloves

• Insulated Tools 1000V

• Voltage Testers and Instruments

NEW: Testing & Calibration Service!

www.extremesafety.com.auYOUR SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS

Tested, Tagged, Approved!

Are you a Winner?simPRO Users are! 5 awards at the 2008 ECA awards presentation were won by simPRO users. Congratulations to all our winning simPRO Users!

simPRO partners with Master Electricians

to support up and coming local racer Andre Borell in his bid to win the

2009 Formula Ford Championship.

Watch out for the car on tv!

With simPRO Mobile, faster invoicing is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3:1. Complete job card with digital pen2. Tick ‘send’3. Receive the job card instantly

and invoice

Invoice Faster = Get Paid Sooner.From $60 per month - No Contracts.Now with over 200 users amongst your competitors, are you getting left behind?

Isn’t it time you talked with us about simPRO? Call us today on

1300 139 467

Master Electrician of the YearLUKE PRITCHARD – Prestige Power

President’s AwardTOM BIRT – Minelec

Excellence in Safety Management AwardMATT ELECTRIC

Women in Contracting Business Woman of the Year DEBRA HARLE – Harle’s Electrical

Business Student of the Year BRETT HUGHES – Power Safe Electrical

Quality.Safety.Reliability.

15 Minute Scheduling and Billing: simPRO now allows scheduling & billing to increments as low as 15 minutes to give you greater control Client Management Portal:

simPRO now allows your clients to have their own login access so they can view project status, approve quotes and book jobs all online.

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We’re Going Racing...

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Kit Builds: Build unlimited Kits to reduce estimating time by quickly adding predetermined Take offs, included assemblies parts and labour to quotes.

Linked Materials: Link any Material parts to an Item so you never miss one of those associated parts that often gets overlooked.

Acorn Software proudly supports the Master Electrician program and now

offers a great discount on simPRO lite for your �rst year. Call our of�ce on

1300 139 467 for details.

Documents

The Master Electrician Magazine Autumn 2009