Controlling voltage is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce electricity use and cut carbon emissions.

Nearly all organisations pay for electricity they do not use because they do not control the voltage of the electricity that flows around their site.

Tighter control means more savings. Power wastage costs can be avoided and as electricity prices rise, every 1% of power savings will have a greater impact.

Voltage regulation reduces, controls and balances your supply voltages. Typically, this will deliver site savings of 5-17%, although savings of 20% or more are possible when applied exclusively to certain types of electrical load such as direct motors and traditional lighting.

In addition, lowering and controlling incoming voltage reduces maintenance requirements and extends the life of electrical equipment.

It can also help you avoid fines from not complying with the Carbon Reduction Commitment Act.

Gary Brandwood, Commercial Business Manager Reef Energy Solutions who are leading experts reducing energy costs in the NW, said: “Commercial voltage optimisation is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce electricity use, cut carbon emissions, reduce electrical breakdowns and increase the life of electrical equipment”.

He added: “we see many firms looking for ways to reduce their energy spend and not taking advantage of Voltage Optimisation as it’s not easily understood.

By doing this they could make a significant difference to their monthly energy bill each and every month with instant results and a very fast payback period”.

If you are interested in learning how Voltage Optimisation can be of benefit to your property, please contact Reef Energy Solutions on 0845 3032921.

Property Aspects Magazine is grateful to the assistance and knowledge provided by Reef Energy in helping us to compile this article.

Taking precautions to ensure the safety of your customers and staff makes moral, legal and financial sense. A poorly maintained piece of electrical equipment can seriously injure or at the very worse even kill a user. Therefore as an employer or the owner of a business – especially in the hotel or tourist trade – to ignore the risk of faulty appliances would be unacceptable.

As well as the risk to human life, there is also the risk of a hefty fine by the Health and Safety Executive.

Steve Loofe from Manchester-based PAT testing and electrical safety testing contractors, Patman, says: “As a business you could find yourself in court facing a fine or imprisonment of you do not take your responsibilities to protect staff and customers seriously. Of course the real cost of accidents is much higher than this; the pain and suffering, loss of reputation if you are in the hotel or tourist industry, damaged equipment, replacement staff costs, increased insurance premiums and the potential victim’s own legal costs will far exceed any fine you are given. Taking precautions to avoid it happening to you makes moral, legal and financial sense.”

You only need to watch the news or read the newspapers to find daily examples of staff or customers being hurt by a faulty electrical appliance. A recent HSE court case heard how one employee sustained a 240 volt electric shock that broke both shoulders whilst attempting to a test of newly manufactured appliance that had been incorrectly wired to the mains lead. It turned out there had been exposed metal in the test area and there had been no PAT test of the mains lead prior to the live test. The employers were prosecuted under The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (No 14), The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (No 3) paragraph 1 and received a fine.

Employers are required by the Health and Safety law to ensure that all of their electrical installations and portable electrical appliances are safe. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing) basically involves the periodic testing of electrical appliances within a commercial or domestic setting to identify any possible faults which could make the equipment unsafe.

For all your PAT testing needs contact Patman on 0161 643 1424 or visit www.patman1.com

Taking precautions to ensure the safety of your Hotel guests and staff makes moral, legal and financial sense. A poorly maintained piece of electrical equipment can seriously injure or at the very worse even kill a user.

Therefore as an employer or the owner of a business – especially in the hotel or tourist trade – to ignore the risk of faulty appliances would be unacceptable.

As well as the risk to human life, there is also the risk of a hefty fine by the Health and Safety Executive.

Steve Loofe from Manchester-based PAT testing and electrical safety testing contractors, Patman, says: “As a business you could find yourself in court facing a fine or imprisonment if you do not take your responsibilities to protect staff and customers seriously”. “Of course the real cost of accidents is much higher than this; the pain and suffering, loss of reputation if you are in the hotel or tourist industry, damaged equipment, replacement staff costs, increased insurance premiums and the potential victim’s own legal costs will far exceed any fine you are given. Taking precautions to avoid it happening to you makes moral, legal and financial sense.”

Hotel safety failings can hit the headlines

You only need to watch the news or read the newspapers to find daily examples of staff or customers being hurt by a faulty electrical appliance. A recent HSE court case heard how one employee sustained a 240 volt electric shock that broke both shoulders whilst attempting to a test of newly manufactured appliance that had been incorrectly wired to the mains lead. It turned out there had been exposed metal in the test area and there had been no PAT test of the mains lead prior to the live test.

The employers were prosecuted under The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (No 14), The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (No 3) paragraph 1 and received a fine.

Employers are required by the Health and Safety law to ensure that all of their electrical installations and portable electrical appliances are safe. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing) basically involves the periodic testing of regular electrical appliances within a commercial or domestic setting such as kettles, TV’s lamps etc. to identify any possible faults which could make the equipment unsafe.

Ensure your appliances don’t end up costing you money – contact Patman on 0161 643 1424 or visit www.patman1.com

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 95% of faults and damages to portable electrical appliances can be found by a visual inspection.

It is highly advisable that these checks are carried out by a specially trained electrical contractor, especially in the hotel trade when hundreds of guests and staff may be at risk from faulty electrical equipment.

Steve Loofe from Manchester-based PAT testing and electrical safety testing contractors, Patman, explains how Health and Safety law dictates that all employers must ensure their portable electrical appliances and electrical installations are safe.

Ensuring the safety of your guests and staff is paramount for any hotel owner or employer. It is therefore critical that all hotels adhere to strict electrical testing. Health and Safety law dictates that all employers must ensure their portable electrical appliances and electrical installations are safe. Figures show up to 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable appliances.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing) basically involves the periodic testing of electrical appliances within a commercial or domestic setting to identify any possible faults which could make the equipment unsafe. A hotel contains any number of portable electrical appliances frequently used by guests including kettles, hairdryers, irons, lamps and televisions. There are also risks for staff from equipment such as desktop computers, vacuum cleaners, photocopiers, faxes and all manner of handheld kitchen equipment.

PAT testing involves a visual inspection to look for possible damage to cabling or wiring as well as specialised testing equipment to ensure they do not pose any danger to staff.

Steve Loofe from Manchester-based PAT testing and electrical safety testing contractors, Patman, who carries out work in many hotels and business premises, says: “Regular PAT testing will help minimise any accident from unsafe or faulty electrical equipment.

Pat Testing can safeguard your hotel working environment

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says around 95% of faults or damage to portable electrical appliances can be found by a simple visual inspection. This action can safeguard your working environment and also protect your insurance policy as some insurance companies will reject a claim if a fire or an accident occurred as a result of faulty electrical equipment which was not subject to a regular maintenance programme.

As a business you could also find yourself in court facing a fine or imprisonment if you do not take your responsibilities to protect staff seriously”.

Damaged equipment can cause fires or result in electric shock. When carrying out visual regular visual inspections, electrical engineers will ensure cabling is not worn or frayed, no bare wire is visible, there are no burn or scorch marks to cabling and that plug and terminal screws are tight. Formal inspection by a qualified electrical contractor will also involve opening of the plug top and checking correct fuse is fitted and terminals are tight.

The HSE advises employers to carry out a formal visual inspection of all desktop computers, photocopiers, fax machines, table lamps and fans every one to two years, while floor cleaners, vacuum cleaners and kettles etc. should be checked every six months to a year.

One North West company who can deal with all your PAT testing needs is Patman. Contact them on 0161 643 1424 or visit www.patman1.com

In today’s world where 24-7 business is commonplace, the need for power back-up should be high on the agenda for many firms, according to electrical contractors.

Even with a comprehensive electrical maintenance programme and regular testing of your electrical installations in place, it’s impossible to eradicate the risk of power outages altogether as businesses are often affected by external factors. Construction work, the weather and load demands on distribution networks, for example, can all result in loss of electricity and impact on business productivity.

The consequences of such a power supply failure can be dire, from lost data and failure of security systems to an inability to trade or serve customers, all of which can result in lost income. For financial institutions and other 24-7 business services, this is not an option and a safety net must be sought.

All businesses, regardless of their size, have a responsibility to protect their employees by ensuring electrical installations are safe and working correctly.

A fire alarm, for example, will be useless in an emergency if the smoke detector is defunct or the alarm isn’t audible which is why it is crucial companies plan for regular maintenance of their electrical installations in order to reduce that risk.

It is simply not enough to rely on an office/warehouse caretaker alone to take on this role because in the event of an incident your business will be liable if you cannot prove your electrical testing procedures were carried out by an experienced and qualified electrical contractor with the right paperwork…

High energy costs are crippling many British businesses but there are ways of maximising energy efficiency and saving money as well as reducing your carbon footprint if you consult the experts.

Professional electrical contractors can provide bespoke energy efficiency solutions to help drive down your energy costs in this turbulent economic climate and create a greener working environment for your employees.

There are a host of options available to businesses who want to maximise their energy efficiency. Installing state-of-the-art automatic lighting controls, for example, could save you up to 30% on your lighting costs. If you regularly light up office spaces or washrooms, even when occupants have left the room, you could benefit from occupancy sensors which automatically switch off artificial lighting when a space isn’t being used or lighting isn’t required (such as in daylight hours).

It’s that time of year again when our thoughts inevitably turn festive. Here in the UK, we spend millions of pounds decking out our homes with Christmas sparkle – and this trend seems to be expanding into our offices and work premises.

The popularity of fairy lighting and decorations has grown considerably in the last decade, with more and more businesses wanting to wish their customers – and employees – a Merry Christmas by kitting out offices, shop facades and receptions with impressive lighting or Christmas trees.

However, as with all decorative lighting there are hazards whether it’s indoor and outdoor, and to avoid a Christmas ruined by fire damage, businesses are being warned to take basic safety precautions.

Manchester-based Loss Assessors Cherry and Griffiths have some tips for you…

Geoff Williams, director of Manchester-based professional loss assessors Cherry and Griffiths, said: “We’ve all read cases where faulty wiring or overheating cables on Christmas lights have caused catastrophic damage so businesses would be wise to ensure their decorations this year are safe and are unlikely to put their premises or staff at risk.

“Business premises are exposed to an increased fire risk when it comes to Christmas decorations as by their very nature they are left empty at the end of everyday when everyone returns home and also for up to a week over the Christmas break. Accidentally leaving on lights could result in a fire which will give you more than a headache in the New Year. Instilling a culture of safety among your workforce this festive season will help you avoid becoming a victim of fire damage.”

Tips to keep your business safe this Christmas

1)    If your office or commercial premises has been using the same old lights year after year, it would be wise to consider upgrading them this year so they are less likely to fail.

2)    When purchasing Christmas lights, only purchase those which display safety marks such as the BS Kite mark

3)    Inspect any bulbs or cables for damage and dispose of them safely if this is the case.

4)    Don’t run cables under carpets where they can be damaged

5)    Do not place lights in contact or close to other decorations and flammable materials.

6)    Always switch lights off when nobody is in the building.

When electrical installations in the home fail, it’s usually regarded as minor inconvenience. In business it’s a completely different story. For every minute a production line is down or an entire office’s computer equipment is unworkable, money is going down the drain – and in some instances, reputation.

Most businesses whether commercial, industrial, retail or leisure rely heavily on electrical installations of some description. Even a small shop will find it virtually impossible to trade without lighting or working fridges.

When faults occur, it’s imperative that the problem is addressed quickly and professionally to minimise impact on production and workflow…