Interview with Chris Boek, Chief Technology Officer, Metropolis Metering Services — speaker at Australian Utility Week 2015.

The term 'safety management system' gets used a lot, but do you know what one is and what it can do for you and your business?

When it comes to managing the safety of a mobile workforce, it often surprises business owners and managers just how much control and influence can be gained over the safety of staff in vehicles.

As duty of care becomes a more prominent issue within Australia, it leaves fleet managers wondering how this fits into their daily operations and whether they are potentially exposed to OHS legislation.

Australian utilities possess some of the longest feeders in the world, and long feeder lines exacerbate the issues presented with power quality and bushfire risk, but with recent developments in capabilities of automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs), it is possible to alleviate this headache.

Cabling designers and installers have various insurance policies to militate against potential risks, but what about mitigating risks from insurance companies themselves?

Faulty or non-compliant LED globes can cause TV interference. And if you're a manufacturer or importer of LED globes, you're responsible for ensuring that they don't cause interference. The Australian Communications and Media Authority suggests suppliers take some simple steps to prevent interference. [ + ]

Circuit breakers are complicated, mechanically sophisticated devices that require periodic adjustment. Sometimes a technician can see the need for these adjustments with a visual inspection and the problem can be solved without testing. However, with most circuit breaker issues, testing will be required. [ + ]

LED technology has improved rapidly in recent years and several excellent products are available in the Australian marketplace. However, tests conducted by the Australian Government on LED products indicate a wide variation in product efficiency, quality and illumination. [ + ]

One of the most common issues affecting electricians is payment disputes with customers arguing over the cost of the work once the work has already been completed. [ + ]

Corporate and organisational fleet and road safety is of strong interest to government and government agencies in Australia and New Zealand. It has been identified that there is great opportunity to engage and assist organisations and corporations in the delivery of road safety and road safety measures to achieve nationally significant road-related trauma reductions. [ + ]

When the likes of Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates warn against the development of artificial intelligence, you know we're in trouble... or are we? [ + ]

Field service automation, machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are providing more data than ever before on technician efficiency, first-time fix rates, response times, parts usage and billing. But data alone isn’t enough to act upon. [ + ]

Two of Australia's most powerful unions are looking to join forces, drawing criticism from industry and government alike. [ + ]

The Australian designed and built ACCO range of trucks has been an integral part of the Australian transport industry since its introduction in the 1960s. Engineered to meet local climatic conditions and stand up to some of the harshest driving conditions in the world, the ACCO is produced at the same manufacturing facility in Dandenong, Victoria, where it was born.