As far back as early cavemen, we have seen the fundamentals of quality management come into play - it just wasn't called ISO9001. Back then, the principles of quality management ensured that weapons were improved, hunting efforts evolved and eating habits were efficient. In this scenario, the family was the client and improvements in quality led to more food, warmer beds and avoiding death at the same time. [ + ]

The widespread proliferation of counterfeit and non-compliant cable in the information and communications technologies (ICT) industry is illustrated in the CCCA's latest case study detailing a New York City contractor's encounter. [ + ]

GPS systems can be incredibly useful in allowing companies to ensure their fleets are working to maximum efficiency. In the professional sense, they are more than just navigation equipment.

The capacity for employees, contractors, consigners, insurers, to name a few, to monitor the safe movement of their vehicles and goods has been achieved through telematics, also known as in-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS). Alongside the increased usage of telematics has been the emergence of 'jamming tools', which actively block the signal to/from the device. Anecdotally, this appears to be a growing issue in the United Kingdom where businesses with fleets have begun to be alerted to their use through discussions with their peers. [ + ]

Almost a year since the Home Insulation Scheme Royal Commission, questions are being asked about how long it will take for our collective governments to take action to mandate the installation of safety switches. [ + ]

Many business owners and managers are so busy working on what their customers and clients need that they forget to take time on their own business. But being efficient is the first step in business success, so it is worthwhile investing the time.

Acer has successfully rolled out the largest deployment of Windows 8 tablets in Australia to Tasmania Police, replacing a fleet of 1100 desktop computers - including 600 Windows XPs that were at end of life - and 200 in-car mobile data terminals.

Germany's largest market research institute, GfK, has released results on a survey of 5800 consumers across Brazil, Germany, Russia, the UK, the US and China. The survey asked participants to rate the appeal of different types of 'connected car' concepts.

EnergySafety has issued additional safety precautions for the type of high-voltage (HV) switches involved in the explosion at the Morley Galleria Shopping Centre in Perth. [ + ]

It's still early in the year, so still seems appropriate to make predictions for 2015. Luckily, I have a community of service leaders who offer insights into their field service plans for the year. Here are their top five focus areas for 2015. [ + ]

Deakin University researchers have found a cheaper, safer and more reliable way to operate emergency lighting and exit signs. [ + ]

New technology containing magnetic field sensors is being developed by a team of experimental physicists in Germany to be used for surveillance in fenced-in places such as airports, nuclear power stations, industrial sites or even private plots of land. [ + ]

According to a report released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE), the number of road fatalities in Australia halved between 1990 and 2014. While BITRE attributes this to a number of factors including the availability of safer vehicles, the development of safer roads and improved law enforcement, offsetting factors such as increased driver distraction suggest that technology improvements, changes to legislation and interventionist activities including random breath testing are largely responsible for the huge turnaround. [ + ]

With increased penetration of LED lighting and significant advances in technology, the demand for lighting controls is soaring. [ + ]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging the community to get a licensed electrician to check if degrading Infinity electrical cables are installed in their homes or businesses, as recent progress reports show that only 179 premises have so far been rectified and approximately 5% of the supplied cable remediated. [ + ]