Electrical Connection Autumn 2016

36 / 108

36 E L EC TR I C AL CONNEC T I ON AU T UMN 20 1 6
STANDARDS IN YOUR POCKET
Australian Standards are
often expensive, cumbersome
and heavy, and can easily
become outdated. Further, standards
are just one part of the mass of
information that electricians need
to be able to access, such as Service
and Installation Rules, the National
Construction Code and forms from
energy distributors.
In this age of information, it has been
difficult for electricians to find the
information they need – until now.
The National Electrical and
Communications Association (NECA)
has just released the Technical
Knowledge Base (TKB) app that aims
to solve the above problems. It’s
essentially an online database that’s
accessible from smart phones, tablets
and desktop computers that will
provide NECA members with access to
up-to-date standards and information
relevant to their state as part of their
membership fees.
The TKB originated in Western
Australia when the local NECA branch
setup a searchable database on its
website. With good feedback from
members there, the association decided
to expand the initiative nation-wide.
NECA Victoria senior member
services officer Rod Lovett is fervent
in his praise of the app.
“The biggest advantage of it, from
a contractor’s perspective, is that
the information is always current.
It’s every standard that most
contractors use and if there are any
amendments, it updates automatically,”
he says.
“The other big advantage is that it’s
fully searchable. If I put in ‘emergency
and exit lighting’, it will come up with all
the relevant standards and regulations
that apply to that.”
The app is designed so that each
state can upload the information that is
most relevant to its members.
“Some of the information will be
common, but we will run information
that is specific to Victoria.
As an example, the Victorian
members will have access to:
> Victorian Service and Installation
Rules.
> Electricity Safety (Installations)
Regulations 2009 V5.
> Energy Safe Victoria Alerts and FAQ.
> Relevant sections of the National
Construction Code.
> Electrical Product Recalls.
The sheer mass of information
that will be available could be
overwhelming, but the app is designed
to be easily navigated and is fully
searchable.
With the TKB app, NECA will also
have the ability to anonymously track
which queries are most common and
then provide targeted education on
those matters.
“For example, there’s a requirement
now as part of the standard testing in
Victoria to do fault loop,” Rod says.
“We know that a lot of contractors
and electricians don’t fully understand
it. So, if we found that we were starting
to get lots of people searching for
‘fault loop’, we could then run some
free information sessions on how to
calculate fault work.”
Access to TKB is simply through
the NECA website. TKB will form an
integral part of the technical support
services that NECA currently offers and
is fully supported through its Technical
Services Department.
> NECA
NECA HAS DEVELOPED AN APP
THAT PROVIDES ITS MEMBERS
WITH CURRENT, WIDE-RANGING
INFORMATION AT THE TOUCH
OF A BUTTON – AND BETTER
YET, IT’S FREE TO MEMBERS.
KATE JORDAN HAS THE STORY.
THE FOLLOWINGAUSTRALIAN
STANDARDSWILL BE INCLUDED
INTKB
> AS/NZS 2067
> AS/NZS 2293.1
> AS/NZS 2293.2
> AS/NZS 3000
> AS/NZS 3001
> AS/NZS 3003
> AS/NZS 3008.1.1
> AS/NZS 3010
> AS/NZS 3012
> AS/NZS 3013
> AS/NZS 3439.4
> AS/NZS 4509.1
> AS/NZS 4777.1
> AS/NZS 5033
RESOURCES