Do your contracts cover your projects against every eventuality? Stephen Sidkin explains why you should check if your force majeure clauses will be legal should an event occur.

Retention attack

The BBC is searching for framework contractors to supply all of its UK construction and property needs under a £200 million, four-year deal across its estates in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ministers in Scotland have approved the NICEIC as a scheme provider for Certifiers of Construction (Electrical Installations to BS 7671), the revised electrical safety standard introduced in Scotland in May.

BSRIA has published a new manual entitled Light-Emitting Diodes: a guide to the technology and its applications. The publication will contain sections on the marketplace, technology and lighting design considerations, as well as including example applications and standard requirements. It is due out imminently, for more information please contact BSRIA on 01344 465600.

A busbar solution is claimed to save more installation time on site.

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Bright lights

Safety steel

A reduction in packaging waste from Thorn Lighting’s luminaires has saved £25 000 on a scheme in London’s Regent Street.

The selection of a self-contained plantroom for an upgrade at Kingshill Primary School in Walsall allowed the installation to be completed during term-time and faster than traditional methods.

Trox has designed and manufactured an integrated lighting and air conditioning solution for the Land Securities complex at Cardinal Place, London. 7000 of the multi-service units were produced for the two office buildings under a £750 000 contract. The firm worked with lamp manufacturer Thorn to optimise light and airflow rates, spending three months optimising the solution. Briggs and Forrester was m&e contractor.

Generator CeltPower has found a cost-effective and safe way to carry out maintenance work on its wind turbines. Nationwide Access’s Bronto Skylifts were used by Sinclair Knight Merz on a recent blade inspection on the P&L wind farm in Llandiniam, mid Wales, which has 103 turbines at 30 m high, each rated at 300 kW.

Chris Atkin says don’t fall victim to bogus training providers. You could be putting your reputation and your customers’ safety at risk.

How can disputes be avoided and managed in the m&e contracting industry? Tony Farrow says it’s all about upfront planning.

The CIBSE Electrical Services Group looks at how to protect against interruptions to the power supply in today’s demanding building environments.

New financial regulations have changed the way the ECA’s warranty and bond schemes operate. Martin Wade brings us up to speed.

I refer to the letter from John Ewen in the September issue.

The status of engineering services craftspeople has been given a welcome boost following an historic agreement struck between the ECA and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE).

The ECA and IIE have signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding that will see them work together to promote professional engineering standards within the electrical contracting industry and progress education and training.

To celebrate designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s bi-centenary in 2006, the Clifton Suspension Bridge is being re-lit using high intensity, solid-state LEDs. MJN Colston is carrying out the installation, which includes around 800 m of Mita’s Cabsys cable duct together with heavy-duty cable tray and Fibrastrut channel-type supports. The installation will be undertaken mainly beneath the bridge decking, at over 70 m above the river, and inside the bridge’s support towers.

An electrical contractor has died after falling from a steel basket that was balanced on the forks of a forklift truck.

Sustainability issues are having an increasing impact on electrical contractors.

Evidence of the positive impact of the Major Projects Agreement (MPA) has been provided by a study on the BAA Terminal 5 project.

Contractor UK Electrical Installations is using Hager’s Tebis TS bus system to provide an energy saving solution for Staples retail outlets nationwide. Covering nearly 140 stores, the programme will use Tebis to control high frequency lighting and radiant heaters.

New developments in aspirating smoke detection are now making the technology suitable for small area applications. EMC investigates.

Research by skills body City & Guilds predicts a huge lack of qualified personnel in sectors as diverse as construction, nursing, teaching and call centres until 2020.

AuditAC is a new research project that aims to improve the energy efficiency of air conditioning systems across Europe.

NG Bailey has revealed a significant increase in annual pre-tax profits, following a significant restructure of the business.

Martin Hubert, a 30-year-old apprentice with m&e contractor Bower Fuller, has been awarded the Terry Brown Memorial Trophy. He was presented with the award by his employer for being the most outstanding apprentice of the year.

A former electrician who was exposed to asbestos while carrying out his job has won £47 000 in damages from his former employer.

The European Parliament has ruled that employers are not liable for workers’ over-exposure to sunshine.

As part of its centenary celebrations, the EEIBA has delved into the archives and produced a book chronicling the charity’s history. The book covers events and their effect on the EEIBA’s work stretching from the early days when electricity was in its infancy, right through to the present day.

One Hundred Years is available for a donation of £10, but the EEIBA would be delighted to receive larger cheques from those who can afford a little more. For your copy send a cheque to Kim Fernandes, EEIBA, 8 Station Parade, Balham High Road, London SW12 9BH.

The BSRIA Briefing 2005 will be a celebration of the Association’s 50th Anniversary, while asking guests to focus on the future.

As the introduction of the new Part L of the Building Regulations looms, research into the specification of electric heating in multi-dwelling residential properties suggests that the technology does have a future.

The vast majority of the construction industry still has not got to grips with web-based technology and e-commerce, according to a survey commissioned by the Construction Products Association (CPA).

Welcome to our new, regular series of Mid Career College CPD modules, brought to you by Electrical & Mechanical Contractor. The range of topics is carefully chosen to help you broaden your knowledge while you work. This module covers light pollution and is sponsored by Abacus Lighting.

New legislation is changing the way we deal with waste discharge lamps. Bryan Neill discusses the implications of these changes and the way forward for electrical contractors.

The scale of construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 would present a headache for any health and safety team. Karen Fletcher looks at how BAA has made T5 an exemplar project.

...provides more challenges when it is a castle with listed status and road access to the mainland only in low tide. We find out how EIC overcame the issues.

The centenary year of the industry charity EEIBA is an achievement, but now is the time to concentrate on the future, says president David Dennison. He discusses the challenges ahead with Alison Luke.

A new report highlights the huge cost of poor logistics to the construction industry and sets out realistic methods of implementing change that will benefit everyone.