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Latest news
ESV hits the road for 2018 Field Days
By Rob Oldfield , Work Practices Advisor
— The silent killer ’, our barbecue safety initiative ‘ Look Before You Cook ’, as well as our safety program for kids − Powersafe Buddies .
The events allow us to meet communities across the state and hand out materials including tradie pencils , sunscreen , gas leak detector bottles , warning stickers and t-shirts .
ESV ’ s regular field day partners , Dial Before You Dig ( DBYD ) also joined us early May in Mildura for their two-day exhibition discussing the due diligence required before excavating and reinforcing the DBYD ’ s four P ’ s :
»» Plan
»» Pothole
»» Protect
»»
Proceed . Up next , we are heading to Hamilton for
Sheepvention . If you ’ re around the area 6-7 August — make sure you drop by and say g ’ day !
Energy Safe Victoria is back on the road visiting rural towns across the state to help spread the energy safety message .
To date , this year ’ s field days have taken us to Allansford , Ballarat , Longerenong and most recently , Mildura .
ESV Regulatory Assurance representatives are speaking with local farmers , heavy machine operators and families on safety tips and advice on using electricity and gas around their properties and business .
ESV safety awareness campaigns discussed include ‘ Look up and Live ’, ‘ Carbon monoxide
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NECA : The way we were
By Brian Seymour , NECA Historian
It is very difficult to precis a 100-year history in an article ; however , the Association began in 1916 with a group of five major electrical contractors deciding to form a group of like-minded people to discuss issues of mutual interest .
This group of contractors had been meeting and discussing industry concerns in an informal manner for some time and only two of the original group , John March and Nilsen , are still in business today .
During this period of World War I , there were no regular meetings of the Association but rather it met on a ‘ when required ’ basis , and with a membership of five this was easily achievable . Bill Cumming of W Cumming & Co ( Registered Electrical Contractor No . 1 ) was elected as the first Chairman , 1917 – 1918 and 1923 – 1924 .
History records show that much valuable work was carried out by the chairman .
There have been five changes in the name and structure of the organisation and it wasn ’ t until 1992 that the Association adopted the name ‘ National Electrical & Communications Association .’
Despite the changes , there has been a continuous strong membership of electrical contractors . The Association did not retain a professional manager until Bill Merritt in the late 1950s .
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s , the prime electrical industry publication Australiasian Electrical Times featured the following article : “ Why aren ’ t Electrical Contractors making more money
In the first place men go into the contracting business on a shoestring budget and without
Frontline education : ESV ’ s field day veteran , Rob Oldfield , at Mildura Field Days and Sungold Field Days .
knowing the proper costs and demoralise the market … Each one of these men stays in there until he loses the little capital he had accumulated , but when he leaves another one starts . The principal remedial measures seem to be : 1 . Organisation of the whole industry to protect the contractor from unfair competition and the public from cheap materials and bad workmanship 2 . Educate the contractor to the necessity for knowing all the facts about his business , so that he knows what it costs to do business and what profit .” In 1923 , Bill Cumming became the first contractor representative on the Approvals Board . The industry has managed to maintain a presence ever since .
Following the Depression , the industry gradually began to recover in 1932 – 33 , but the real improvement came in 1934 – the year of Victoria ’ s Centenary where the value of building permits climbed to £ 3.4 million ( today $ 127M ).
The centenary provided impetus , with many building works commissioned and to the ordinary observer , the most obvious change to the city of Melbourne was the emphasis on light and colour on building exteriors .
On Bourke Street , modern department stores for retailers such as Myer , Buckley & Nunn , and Foy and Gibson replaced a series of 19th century theatres .
In addition to the rapid changes in technology year after year , social changes within the Association were also significant , including the Annual Smoke Night , Annual Dinner Dance and the Lawn Bowls Competition .
Today , we have the industry Excellence Awards and Roadshows to keep members up
to date with technology , regulations and industry issues .
One of the biggest injections of residential work came directly after World War II when the housing market ballooned and the electrical contracting industry could barely keep pace with demand .
Some of the more up-market homes had up to 15 power outlets and were wired in Tough Rubber Sheathed Cable ( TRS ) instead of conduit .
Major events like the Queen ’ s Visit and the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 , injected huge labour-intensive projects to a stage where building trades could just about name their own prices .
Apart from major works in refurbishment of many existing buildings throughout the city , a host of new buildings and sporting complexes put immense strain on the labour market .
This included a new Olympic Stand and total refurbishment at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ( MCG ), Olympic Pool , and the Athletes Village in Heidelberg West .
The Association has been responsible for , and contributed to , many of the improvements within the industry including New Apprenticeships , Apprentice Assistance Scheme , Employment of Women in Trades , just to name a few .
It has stood by its members for more than a century and survived through two World Wars and the Depression when many other organisations fell by the wayside .
Brian Seymour MBE , industry consultant , author of ‘ Electrical Estimator ’ s Labour Unit Manual ’, ‘ Starting Out ’ and ‘ Electrical Contracting in Australia ’, ‘ 100 Years Electrical Contracting in Australia ’. Brian conducts regular industry training programs throughout Australia on behalf of the Electrical & Air-conditioning industries .