Jeandré to represent SA at World Skills competition
Jeandré van der Watt (22,) a young electrical apprentice artisan from Vereeniging who works for Nampak Glass in Alberton, is brushing up on his skills in preparation for the WorldSkills competition to be held in Brazil from 11 to 16 August 2015. He is being guided by his mentor, Nick du Plessis at P&T Technology in Germiston.
Jeandré won the 'Electrical Installations' category at the SA World Skills competition that was held in January, beating eight other contestants in this category at the Cape Town International Convention Conference Centre.
The South African finalists, representing 19 skills areas, will travel to Brazil on 7 August to compete against contestants from 72 member countries in 47 skills in traditional trades such as electrical, welding and plumbing as well as multi-skilled technology careers that include IT software solutions and graphic design.
'Select' club for electricians and contractors launched
Having fun at the Schneider Electric Club SElect launch are: Antony Junius, (channel manager); Nico van der Merwe (director, retail division); Belinda Aslett (channel manager, electricians, retail division); and John Raptakis (marketing manager, partner business, retail division). Club SElect is an exclusive programme for southern African registered electricians and contractors, designed to drive benefits for its members by linking Schneider Electric's business partners, communicating valuable opportunities, and sharing industry best practices, so as to drive a standard of excellence in the region. According to Eric Leger, country president for southern Africa at Schneider Electric, Club SElect members are given access to a tailor-made, private website that offers information on products, technology and solutions, as well as customised training, configurations and support. The portal also includes a partner locator to generate business opportunities. Club SElect aims to help electricians and contractors operate their businesses "more efficiently, profitably, professionally and personally".
If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough
Alexis Barwise, the young and dynamic managing director at DEHN Africa for the past two years, is a relative newcomer to the electrical industry. In the eight years since he earned his degree in electrical and electronic engineering, his keen interest in lightning and surge protection has grown into a passion.
Although he has rapidly risen to the position of managing director of an international company, he remains modest. A dedicated team player who has a vision for the company, he delights in sharing his knowledge while motivating and inspiring his staff.
COLUMNS
Cut corners ... but heaven help you if something goes wrong
Hannes Baard's June column warns electricians that if they 'cut corners' and something goes wrong, they'll be amazed at "how the shadows come alive". He goes on to unravel Section 35 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (85 of 1993) and how to appeal against the decision of an inspector from the Department of Labour if it is believed that the inspector's action was unjustified.
Three things electricians of the future should know about
In his June column, 'Working Knowledge', Terry Mackenzie Hoy says that some technologies are rapidly improving and, in his opinion, the electrician of the future is going to have to know about three of these technologies: batteries, fuel cells and LED luminaires.
The legal requirements of 'properly used' in Certificates of Compliance
This month, Mark Palmer tackles a problematic area: that of electrical equipment being 'properly used'. These two words cannot be taken out of context, says Palmer. When electricians sign a Certificate of Compliance and deem the installation "to be reasonably safe when properly used" they must, warns Palmer, comply with legislation in the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, the Electrical Installation Regulations 2009 and SANS 10142-1.
Trade test applications – cutting the confusion about entry requirements
Nick du Plessis' June column discusses the Section 28 option for candidates to undergo a trade test that has now been replaced. In the Skills Development Act, Section 26D (c) states that a person may apply to undergo a trade test in respect of a trade if an accredited test centre has certified that the person has acquired sufficient prior learning related to that trade ... Du Plessis clarifies the entry requirements for candidates with experience who wish to apply to write a trade test – and discusses how 'relevant work experience' is defined.
Changes to labour legislation take labour relations practices to new levels of fairness
Mark Mfikoe, national director of the Electrical Contractors' Association of SA says there have been changes in labour legislation that are going to have far-reaching consequences for employers – especially those who use labour brokers, 'client contractors', and 'labour only sub-contractors'. He says that the Labour Relations Amendment Act's main objective is to look after 'vulnerable' labour. "It is important for any business using labour brokers to be aware that under certain specified circumstances, the employee of a labour broker can be deemed as the employee of the client of the labour broker." Therefore, this column is a must-read for everyone who employs staff through labour brokers.
Contractors' corner
This regular feature covers new products and industry news – and this month it's packed with information: Electrical contractors who are interested in solar systems will enjoy the comprehensive feature that discusses lightning and surge protection for rooftop photovoltaic systems with ends with examples of various applications; and to complement that article there are two editorials with examples of rooftop PV solutions – one on a wine farm in Stellenbosch and another in Menlyn, Pretoria. There's an exclusive interview with Pierre Nothard, chairman of the SAFEhouse Association that discusses unsafe electrical products and Nothard explains how electrical contractors can help SAFEhouse crack down on these potentially lethal products.
Energy measurement and supply
This month's energy measurement and supply feature covers the CBI-electric : low voltage touch-screen time switch to automatically control geysers, lights, pool pumps, etc; isolation amplifiers from Phoenix Contact; Schneider Electric's compact ring unit that enhances electrical power dependability; Fluke's 430 Series II power quality analysers; and some information about the upcoming POWERGEN Africa and DistribuTECH Africa power generation and distribution conference to be held in Cape Town later this year.
Tools of the Trade
This popular feature gives readers information on new products on the market especially for electrical contractors: a cordless LED flashlight from Makita; Megger's AVO digital multimeter; Bosch's new laser finder; portable LED lights from Garry Lumpe Imports; and Major Tech's range of industrial digital multimeters for technicians working in maintenance, installation and production equipment maintenance.
Buyer's Guide
The June buyer's guide lists manufacturers and distributors of products and services that cover the spectrum of products used in the energy measurement and supply sectors – from energy billing solutions and metering instruments to cabling and mini substations.
Lighting
The lighting feature in June features a good news story from BEKA Schréder about the upgrade of a science laboratory at a school in Soweto. Major Tech introduces a range of eco-friendly LED floodlights and Aurora shows off it's LEDs with surge protection. Legrand introduces its range of universal light dimmers; and Magnet's co-operation with Energywise to establish a state-of-the-art laboratory to test light sources and luminaires. The Africa LED Expo will take place from 22 to 24 July at the Gallagher Convention Centre and will focus on the latest developments and innovations in the LED lighting industry.
