ACRS NEWS – JULY 2021
Your responsibility as a registered cabler
All cabling work must comply with the Wiring Rules – industry standard AS/CA S009:2020 Installation requirements for customer cabling .
Telecommunications cabling must be separated from electrical cabling.
Cablers must install equipment only if it complies with the labelling notice.
Cablers must notify ACRS of any change of contact details within 21 days.
Make sure your registration card is current
If you haven’t renewed your registration due to extenuating circumstances, you may email a written request to ACRS seeking re instatement or re application.
In your correspondence, you will need to provide details of your expired cabling registration and explain why the registration was not renewed when it was due.
You will also need to explain how long you have been cabling and what type of cabling work you have performed.
ACRS will assess each request on an individual case-by-case basis and notify you in writing of the outcome.
If re-instatement or re application is granted, you will be permitted to re-register without the need for further training or assessment of your qualifications.
Completion of TCA1 form
You must provide your customer with a signed Telecommunications cabling advice form, at the end of the job. This is a mandatory form that shows what work was performed and states that it meets all the relevant standards. This can be incorporated into your cabler’s invoice or as a separate signed form (a TCA1 ).
Keep copies of completed forms for 12 months, in case the ACMA audits them.
Leadership Scholarships available for women in the construction and electrical sector
Scholarships of $1000-$5000 per person are available for women in the construction and electrical sector.
Women & Leadership Australia provides world-class leadership development programs for emerging, middle, and senior women leaders.
Their programs bring together the latest in leadership theory and practice with a focus on applied learning and are designed to foster excellence and equity in leadership across Australia.
Apply by Friday 10 September 2021
Company fined $10K for unsupervised apprentice
A first-year electrical apprentice with only two months’ experience was left to work unsupervised with live equipment, resulting in his employer being convicted and fined $10,000. The company pleaded guilty to the charge of ‘failing to provide the supervision necessary for employees to perform their work safely and without risk to health’ in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week.
WorkSafe Victoria reported that the apprentice was working unsupervised installing electrical cables into a live switchboards and installing solar panels with no edge protection on a double-storey property.
The Court heard that the company’s director, who held a valid electrical licence, had not been on site since earlier that day.
The apprentice had no formal training in the work that he was directed to perform. The equipment he was handling at the time was energised.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Julie Nielsen said it was never acceptable for apprentice electricians to undertake work without being effectively supervised by qualified electricians.
“This incident could have easily ended in tragedy,” she said.
“It is vital that inexperienced workers are properly supervised, trained to perform their tasks safely, and encouraged to speak up or ask questions if they are unsure or feel unsafe.”
Tips from Work Safe Victoria to undertake work safely:
· Always de-energise and lock out the switchboard or circuit to be worked on.
· Always test for live to ensure all parts are de-energised before starting or restarting work.
· If working on or near an energised installation, ensure a safe work method statement is developed and adhered to.
- Ensure apprentices are effectively supervised.
· If the power cannot be turned off, reschedule the work to a time when the power can be isolated.
Article published by ECD magazine June 2021
COVID 19 CONTACT TRACING
Contact tracing and information collection
We are reminding businesses and consumers that any data collected for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes (including via scanning a QR code) cannot be used to send marketing material. If you think a business has sent you marketing material without consent, you can make a complaint .
NECA is pleased to support the Australian Cable Initiative (ACI) to advocate for improved safety standards relating to electrical cable sold in Australia.
It should be the objective of every electrician and contractor to make sure they install only equipment that is compliant with the relevant Australian Standards and safe to use to avoid another costly mistake like the Infinity Cables example.
Why is it so important that Electrical Cables comply with Australian Standards?
Defective cable can look very similar to good cable but without testing it is near impossible to be sure. It was estimated that the Infinity cable could degrade in 7 years in a typical roof space.
ACI Members and their commitment
Members of the ACI go the distance to make sure the electrical cables they sell in the market are compliant and safe to use. They commit to continuous factory testing as well as random testing programmes to provide electricians and contractors with the confidence that the cable they install will not be subject to a recall notice.
Look for the ACI logo when you next look to buy cable and if you see cable that looks suspect, contact the ACI, provide a short sample and we can test it out for you.
Further information
- Australian Cable Initiative – Why it matters
- Australian Cable Initiative – What is ACI
- Australian Cable Initiative – Report defective cables
Protect your staff from the COVID virus ??
If your work is continuing, you should be taking steps to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and protect your staff. This includes promoting good hygiene habits. NECA Trade Services has a range of sanitisers and face masks to suit all conditions. On sale now from the NECA Trade Services online store are:
- Liquid hand sanitiser 20 Litre – $264 each incl gst;
- Anti-bacterial hand sanitiser Gel 500ml (24 pk) @ $90 p/pack;
- Surgical disposal face masks 3-ply (50pk) @ $27.50 p/pack;
- Reusable face masks 3-ply (25pk) @ $80 p/pk; and
- Face shield splash protection (10pk) @ $16.50 p/pk
Visit safetyspecialists.com Trade Thursday specials for more information and to order 02 9002 7426
17-19 NOV 2021
ICC SYDNEY, DARLING HARBOUR
INTEGRATE 2021 POSTPONED
Integrate July event has been rescheduled to now run November 17-19 2021, at ICC Sydney.
The situation in New South Wales and Greater Sydney in particular in regards to COVID-19 has been unfolding rapidly.
Integrate have been closely monitoring the situation and implications for the upcoming event, scheduled to take place next month (21-23 July) at ICC Sydney. In response to the recent developments and ongoing uncertainty, the difficult decision has been made to postpone, Integrate will now be held on the new dates 17-19 November 2021 at ICC Sydney.
The duty of care to visitors, exhibitors, partners and staff is taken very seriously and this is the most appropriate action to ensure the best and safest show experience for everyone when the AV industry can come together later in the year.
Although this is not the first time Integrate has been postponed, the team are confident that the event can return with the same strength and resilience shared by the manufacturing community.
Integrate continues to be grateful for all the support and look forward to reuniting the industry in November 2021!
- Register for Integrate 2021 Now!