NICEIC Bright Spark of the Month shares Electrical safety tips

AS families across the UK spend time together for the summer holidays, the time at home with children can prove popular for home improvement activity. In anticipation of this, NICEIC; the UK's leading body for certified electrical businesses is cautioning homeowners against dabbling in dangerous electrical DIY.

According to research conducted by NICEIC, 76% of British households will attempt to do their own DIY in the home as opposed to using a professional; and that is in spite of 60% of respondents ranking their DIY skills as:- 'average' at best.

The summer holidays can often see an increase in the need for skilled tradespeople. This comes as homeowners seize the opportunity of having time at home with the kids to tackle renovations or improvements. On the electrical front, whether setting up outdoor lighting, installing a hot tub or planning home renovations, employing a skilled electrical business such as 1 certified by NICEIC ensures that all work is carried out is compliant with the latest electrical safety regulations.

Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, provides his advice and top tips on safeguarding children and maintaining electrical safety throughout the summer:- "The summer holidays present an opportunity for families to spend quality time together and for some it might mean finally getting round to making those all important home improvements. However, as 53% of those surveyed admitted to:- 'having a go' at DIY in the home, we want to ensure that UK homes and families are kept safe and away from danger this summer."

Here are NICEIC's top 6 tips for staying safe around electricals this summer:-

Always hire a certified professional business: when making electrical moderations in the home, it is vital that you hire a qualified and certified electrical business to complete the work. Doing so will ensure the work is carried out safely and to required standards and regulations

Avoid DIY electrical work: even if you consider yourself handy, it's important to resist the temptation to tackle electrical work yourself. Electrical systems can be complex and potentially dangerous, therefore always leave the electrical work to the professionals

Conduct regular visual checks: before starting any home improvement project, take the time to conduct a thorough visual inspection of your electrical installations. Look out for signs of damage, such as frayed wires or exposed cables; and if you notice any issues, contact a certified business to address them.

Check if you need an electrical safety check: it is recommended that these checks are carried out at least every 10 years, or 5 if the home is privately rented. These must be carried out by a competent person such as NICEIC Certified Businesses

Educate children about electric safety: if you are having work done around the home, be sure to educate children about the potential dangers and to not play with:- electrical cords, cables, socket outlets or switches and the like.

Understand your home electrical system: if you are midway through home renovations, your builders or electricians won't be there at all times. Therefore, it's vital to familiarise yourself with location of your consumer unit and understand how to turn off the power should an emergency arise.

For further information or to search for your nearest NICEIC Certified electrical business, visit:- NICEIC.Com.

Autistic data scientists give Northern 'fuel for thought' on operation of diesel fleet

NORTHERN has enlisted the support of autistic data scientists to advise on the most fuel-efficient way to operate its fleet of 276 diesel trains.

In partnership with Chrome Angel Solutions they are developing a scenario modelling tool to advise on the optimal train speed and braking patterns for the specific topography of the North of England.

It uses real consumption data to ensure the best fuel efficiency, which will bring with it environmental benefits resulting from lower emissions, economic benefits due to lower consumption of expensive diesel fuel and better overall asset condition.

All of these elements help improve the sustainability of the railway by reducing operational costs.

Developed with support from Angel Trains and Smart Rail Services, the project is funded by the Department for Transport as part of the Local Transport Decarbonisation strand of the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme which is delivered by Connected Places Catapult.

Rob Warnes, strategic development director at Northern, said:- "Along with the rest of the UK rail industry, Northern is working towards eliminating diesel-only trains from our fleet by 2040. Until then, we want to ensure we're operating those we do use in the most fuel-efficient way – to make sure we're emitting the least amount of CO₂ and providing value for money for taxpayers. The TRIG programme is designed to support highly innovative, early stage research and development projects like this; and we're incredibly grateful to the Department for Transport for their support."

Chrome Angel Solutions has a track record of developing highly structured and flexible ways of working that accommodate neurodiverse thinking and needs; and they have now partnered with auticon; an award winning social innovation company dedicated to improving the economic and social conditions of the autistic community with careers and opportunities.

Anisa Mamaniyat, product director at Chrome Angel Solutions, said:- "Research by The Office for National Statistics shows that less than 22% of autistic people are in a meaningful form of employment that aligns with their educational achievement. By bringing their unique skills and talents into our team, we can learn and encourage diversity and inclusion within our sector. It's personally very rewarding to see people who might really struggle with traditional practices thrive with some practical adjustments to the way we work. These are changes that are beneficial for many of us."

The model will now be subject to further development to test its accuracy against a variety of variables like wind speed and direction.

It will then be validated against different train types to ensure accuracy across Northern's fleet before the project moves forward.

Northern is the 2nd largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.