Author: MartinDomm

As energy bills and the cost of living are set to increase, people increasingly look to find ways to reduce the cost.

One popular option is renewable energy. This is energy not reliant on the grid, that is environmentally friendly, and offers the ability to cut down on your carbon footprint as well as save you money. One particularly effective form of renewable energy is solar power.

Solar panels are a popular choice for many homes and offer some fantastic benefits. In this article, we’ll look at how solar panels can massively reduce your energy bills while increasing how carbon friendly your home is as well.

So how does it all work?

So how exactly does all this work? It’s important to know how the process works in order to know how it saves you money. Solar energy is energy which has been captured from the sun’s rays, and it is converted into electricity which you can use to provide your home with electricity or heating.

Solar power is generated by the surface which collects the energy, and this is usually a solar panel (which is part of a solar array). This is then converted into heat and or electricity. Typically, this is done through photovoltaic conversion (PV). This is direct conversion, and it involves solar panels. Other measures also exist, but these remain significantly less prominent.

The primary way in which solar panels will help to save energy is through reducing your dependency on the national grid.

When you normally use power, you draw it from the national grid. When you have solar panels, you instead draw power from the renewable energy the solar panels have converted. It is possible to store additional power via a solar battery as well, allowing you to collect excess energy. This provides an additional source of energy which you can use when the solar panels aren’t active – such as at night.

Are solar panels right for me?

Space is the biggest consideration. Solar panels usually need around 20m² of roof area. The ideal space for solar panels is an unshaded, south-facing roof. This produces the most electrical output. You can still use east and west facing roofs, but north facing roofs are not recommended.

If there are nearby buildings, trees, and or chimneys which could shade your roof, it may have a negative impact on the overall performance of your system. You’ll want to find an unshaded space for your solar panels.

Use an approved installer

It is important to use an approved installer. You will want an MCS approved Solar Panel Installer Scotland for any solar panels. This is the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This ensures that the panels are properly fitted and so work efficiently.

Getting the most out of solar panels

Focus use during the day

It’s best to make use of solar panels mainly during the day. This is because the solar panels are more active during the day. This reduces your reliance on the power grid further, allowing you to overall reduce your energy bills significantly. You can really reduce your overall energy bills through carefully managed use of your energy.

Battery Storage

Battery storage is by far one of the best options you can go for when it comes to solar panels. Battery storage allows you to store excess power your panels generate, which you can then use at night. This further reduces your dependency on the grid.

Avoid leaving appliances on when not in use

Remember to unplug appliances you aren’t using. Do not just turn them off but unplug them as well. This will ensure they don’t drain power unnecessarily. This is one of the best ways to save power and help to further cut down on your energy use.

Environmental benefits of Solar Panels

Solar panels popularity also lies in the fact they are environmentally friendly. They are a carbon neutral, producing no emissions. Because you are not drawing on the grid, you’ll significantly reduce your carbon output.

Cutting energy use

Solar panels will reduce the amount of energy you use from the grid, which means your carbon footprint Is reduced. This is further cut by employing a solar battery.

Renewable

Solar power is renewable energy. The energy it supplies will never run out.

No maintenance

Solar panels are not like boilers, which require constant maintenance and are subject to frequent breakdowns and often end up requiring invasive repairs. Solar panels do not necessitate this kind of maintenance. 

No emissions

Solar energy revolves purely around capturing sunlight and converting it into electricity. It produces no greenhouse gasses or harmful emissions. This can help to reduce your carbon footprint by as much as 80% in a single year.

Choosing a law firm to work for as a newly qualified lawyer is a major decision that can have significant implications on the direction of your entire career.

Whilst not impossible, switching practice areas as an established lawyer can be extremely difficult, so take your time and make sure that you are well suited to the associate positions that you are applying for.

Here are some of the most important factors when choosing a firm to apply for:

Reputation

Reputation is only part of what makes up a good Law Firm Glasgow and you should avoid applying for a position that doesn’t suit you purely for the chance to work for a ‘big name’.

However, there is no getting past the fact that having experience of working at a major firm will help to make your application for future roles stand out from the crowd.

Remember, as a newly qualified lawyer you are not necessarily looking for the law firm or specialism that you want to spend the rest of your career in.

Furthermore, the more prestigious a law firm is, and the more successful individuals have passed through their training programme in the past, the higher the chances that the training itself will be of a high standard.

Bear in mind that even the biggest firms are more prestigious in certain areas than others and it is their reputation in the specific area of law you are working in, rather than the reputation of the firm as a whole that counts the most.

This is particularly important when working in niche practice areas such as investment, libel, human rights, and media law.

Academic history

Many newly qualified lawyers will also be qualified, or at least have some training in, academic sectors other than law itself, related to the area of law they wish to pursue.

For example, finance and accounting for corporate lawyers, criminology for criminal lawyers etc.

Examining your own academic history is a good way to narrow down the industry and identify roles that you are best suited to.

If you are intent on a career in a certain area and do not feel as though you have a suitable background in the sector, you may need to acquire some additional qualifications, or at least get some work experience under your belt in order to stand out from the competition.

Location

Deciding where you want to live, both right now, and in the future, is an important factor in helping you to choose the right law firm for you.

Some areas of law, specifically finance, are extremely city-centric, with London being the heart of the industry in the UK, but with major firms in other cities across the nation including Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

If you are a city lover, this might not be an issue, but if you hope to live in a smaller town in the future you may wish to tailor your skills so that you can one day set up your own practice in a quieter area.

If this is the case, real estate, general corporate, and general legal law are all fields where there is a universal need and can be translated to a practice pretty much anywhere in the country.

It is never too early to start thinking about the future, and the first role that you secure within the industry can play a major part in determining where you go in the future.

Personality

Just because you are qualified to enter a certain area of law, does not mean that you are well-suited to a career there.

May people love the idea of practicing criminal law or similar due to the perceived glamour and ‘sexiness’ of the role or because they believe that is where they will find the most success.

However, often their personalities are suited to a completely different area, and they find themselves discontent after a short period and looking to make a change.

Before you make any rash decisions, take time to consider what is your motive behind applying for certain roles. Are you truly passionate about it or are you doing it because it is what you think you are ‘meant’ to be doing.

Listen to your gut, there is still time to make the change and pursue the area of law that you are best suited for.

Market Conditions

There will always be demand for lawyers in certain specialisms, but other rely heavily on market conditions.

For example, when there is a strong economy, the demand for bankruptcy services is low, and vice versa.

It is easy to consider only the here and now as an excited recently qualified lawyer but looking to the future will help you build a skillset that will prove successful for many years to come.

Most people don’t deal with lawyers on a regular basis, and if you have suddenly found yourself needing legal advice or representation it can be hard to know where to turn.

It can be easy to assume that you need to look to the city to find a suitable lawyer, but all too many discount their local lawyer before they have considered the benefits that local representation can bring.

Don’t be tricked into paying thousands in travel costs and additional fees when the perfect lawyer could be right on your doorstep.

Many local lawyers are more than qualified to deal with all sorts of legal issues faced by both individuals and businesses.

Some of the areas in which a local lawyer is almost always preferable to one located further away include:

Saving money

Using a local lawyer can help you save money in a number of different ways.

Not only will the legal expenses charged by national city firms likely be much higher than that of your local firm, but they will also likely charge you for travel expenses.

In addition to this, if you need to visit them in person, as you always should before agreeing to work with a lawyer, you will be to account for hotels, travel costs, meals and living expenses whilst you are away.

Now, this isn’t to say that you should choose the cheapest option when it comes to legal representation as this can lead to spending much further down the line.

However, if you can get the same, if not better, quality of service in your local area, and avoid all of the unnecessary expenses mentioned above, surely it makes sense.

Accessibility

Travelling to meet a lawyer is expensive, but it is also inconvenient and time consuming. A local lawyer will be happy to meet you in person on short notice and it won’t take several days to do so.

This is particularly important in an emergency, but delays are never a good thing in legal proceedings, wasting valuable time that could otherwise be spent preparing your case.

Sometimes you need to talk to your lawyer not for a major decision making meeting, but simply for some advice or reassurance regarding a certain aspect of the case. This is much easier to do if your lawyer is minutes away rather than hundreds of miles.

Of course, phones do exist, but many legal matters should only be discussed in person, and you may need to go through several middlemen before you are finally able to speak to an attorney at a major city firm.

Supporting the community

Both you and your local lawyer live and work in the community and understandably want to help the area thrive.

Hiring locals to perform services of any kind, from landscaping to legal advice will all bring back money into the local community.

Whilst your case is understandably your number one concern, if you can support the community whilst simultaneously receiving the highest standard of legal advice, why wouldn’t you?

Home Advantage

Having a lawyer who is comfortable and experienced handling legal cases in your local area should not be underestimated. They will have extensive knowledge of local rules, etiquette, and procedures.

If your case does go to court, they will also have invaluable knowledge of both the judge and opposing counsel.

Certain judges may have shown an inclination to view certain arguments more favourably than others in the past and knowing which approach to take can be critical to ensuring a satisfactory outcome.

Local connections

If you need something during your case, from doctors’ advice to CCTV from the local shop, your lawyer likely has the connections in the local area to find it.

If they have been operating in the area for several years, in particular, they will have built a widespread selection of connections that they have consulted with in the past and may be able to do so again in the future on your behalf.

This does not always have to be for legal reasons. If you have been involved in a workplace accident, for example, your lawyer may have dealt with a local doctor or physiotherapist in the past when working for a client with similar injuries and will be able to point you in the right direction.

If you have been involved in an incident and are looking for witnesses, they are far more likely to come forward if your Local Solicitor Giffnock has a reputation for trustworthiness in the local area.

If someone knows that they will be treated with respect and honesty, they are far more likely to help when asked.

If you are looking for a local attorney with all the qualifications and experience that you could possibly need, get in touch with us today.

Fires are a serious problem for businesses. In the worst cases, they can injure or even kill employees and visitors. They can seriously damage a property, destroying equipment as well as stock. Fires in non-residential properties throughout the UK in 2013-2014 killed 17 people and injured as many as 1,083. 75% of fires in non-residential properties started accidentally; the result of faulty appliances, leads, and wiring. Indeed, most fires result from,

• Carelessness
• Lack of safety knowledge
• Faulty or damaged equipment

In a vast majority of cases, fires can be prevented.

Because of this, it’s vital that businesses implement both systems and practical safety measures to reduce the risk of a fire – as well as procedures (and safety equipment) for if real fires start.

Responsibility

It is the responsibility, per UK fire safety regular, that a business owner has a proper fire alarm system installed if their property meets any of the following,

• It is multi-storeyed, large, or close-planned
• It stores high risk or highly flammable substances
• High risk activities are undertaken there
• A fire wouldn’t be easily detected if it broke out

The owner/employee/landlord/occupier are responsible for safety.

How Fires Start

Fires require free components to begin. These are,

• Ignition: A source for the fire to begin. This includes naked flames, but also heaters, lighting, cigarettes, and electrical equipment.
• Fuel: A fire can’t burn if it has no fuel. Common fuels include paper, plastic, wood, loose packaging, waste, furniture, rubber, and foams.
• Oxygen: Fires cannot start without oxygen.

What can your business do?

1. Risk Assessment

Businesses (and more specifically, the owner, the landlord, or occupier of the property) have a responsibility to carry out regular risk and safety assessments for the premises. This must be reviewed regularly.

A risk assessment follows some very basic steps.

• Fire Hazards must be identified
• ‘At risk’ people must be identified (who are those people who, in the case of a fire, are most at risk of injury or death)
• Evaluate, remove (and if not possible reduce) risks
• Record all the findings, and prepare an important emergency plan – as well as providing training for your staff
• Review and update the assessment on a regular basis to ensure it is kept in line with any changes

Employees should be made aware of risks, and educated about safety measures, as well as kept informed about emergency plans and fire safety instructions and training.

2. Fire Warning Systems – Raising the Alarm

A fire warning system in a workplace or business premises should be comprehensive to ensure safety is guaranteed. It should include,

• Automatic heat and smoke fire detectors
• Electric sirens/bells
• One break-glass or manual call point on every floor
• A control/indicator panel

Fire Alarms Glasgow should be regularly reviewed by a responsible person. Law (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) makes clear the systems are to be tested weekly. This is for good reason; it has been found that in 13% of the 22,000 non-residential building fires from 2013-2014, the alarms failed to operate. 47% did not have any kind of automatic smoke alarms.

Automated fire detectors will in most cases be the first indicator of a fire but in some cases a fire may be discovered by someone. This person must immediately raise the alarm, but also alert any nearby employees or people in the vicinity.

3. Evacuation (H3)

It is important for all workplaces or premises to have a fire evacuation plan. This is to ensure employees can safely exit the property.

Every employee should know the fire escape plan: it is the legal responsibility of the employer to ensure they have all the necessary information.

A property should have a minimum of two exits – this is in case one is blocked by the fire. This is also why it is vital that escape routes are not blocked – because these could result in other injuries (via tripping, for example). All escape routes must be clearly marked with the appropriate signs and lighting.

Escape routes should lead to a safe place where people are able to assemble and can be accounted for. People should not attempt to renter a building until all clear is given by the fire brigade.

4. Fire Fighting

Most of the fire fighting should be left to the fire brigade. Some equipment should always be on hand – specifically fire extinguishers. These can allow a fire to be handled in its early stages, and at least one person should be trained in how to use it. Based on the risk assessment and property, the appropriate type of fire extinguisher should be on hand.

Other important equipment includes fire blankets, which can be used to literally smother an early fire. They should always be close to the fire hazard. Sprinkler systems are important for larger properties.

5. Maintenance

 For these measures to be effective in keeping the property, employees, and anyone else safe, then they must be kept in working order and regularly checked on and serviced. It is the responsibility of the employer to do this.

Fire drills are a key part of maintenance: employees need to know how to respond and react to the fire alarm, and so the employer can identify any potential problems. A competent person must also be assigned as the Fire Warden, who will during the case of both drills and real fires know exactly what measures to undertake.

Installing a CCTV system is one of the most effective ways to prevent burglars and vandals from targeting your home.

Criminals thrive on stealth and aim to target properties with limited visual security where they feel they have the best possible chance of getting in and out without detection.

In a study conducted by Co-op Insurance, a CCTV camera was the Number 1 deterrent for burglars according to a panel of ex-thieves and experts who believe that two-thirds of domestic burglaries could be prevented by the installation of CCTV.

Most burglars are opportunists who will scan an area for an easy target and a CCTV system will ensure that the vast majority of potential burglars take one glance are your property and decide it’s not worth the effort of trying to break in.

Despite this, just 14% of homeowners in the UK currently have any sort of CCTV system in place.

If you want to make your home a more secure place and protect the safety of you and your family, read on to find out why CCTV could be the ideal solution for your needs.

Why is CCTV required?

Despite being classed as a ‘property crime’ burglary has a far bigger effect on victims than simply losing certain valuable possessions.

Your home should be a place of privacy where you feel safe and relaxed at all times, and having this sanctity violated can have a major psychological impact.

A study of burglary victims conducted by psychiatrist Billie Corder found that the vast majority never felt the same sense of security in their home again after the incident took place.

Research into post-burglary trauma found that a quarter of victims found it hard to sleep in their home after the incident, 13% decided to move house, and 5% developed PTSD.

For this reason, prevention is far more important than detection and identification in the case of burglaries as even if the authorities are able to track the culprits and recover your possessions, the break in will have a lasting impact on you and your family for many years to come.

Installing a security system that deters the vast majority of criminals from even attempting to target your home is, therefore, vital to creating a sense of safety and security for you and your loved ones.

How does CCTV help prevent crime?

Despite popular belief, the most effective role of a CCTV system is not catching criminals in the act but deterring them from targeting your property at all.

If a burglar spots a CCTV system, they will more often than not decide that the risk of leaving evidence behind is too high and opt to move on to a less well protected property.

Acting as a visual deterrent is just one advantage of CCTV cameras however, and there are many other benefits that make them the best method of preventing burglaries on your property.

Remote Monitoring

CCTV allows you to monitor what is going on your property at any time, particularly beneficial when your home or business premises is unoccupied.

For home monitoring purposes, CCTV offers you peace of mind when away on holiday, away on business, or simply out for the day, with smart technology allowing you to access video footage at any time via a mobile app.

For commercial purposes, CCTV ensures that professional security staff can monitor your entire site in real-time and be on the scene in a matter of minutes if an ongoing incident is detected.

If your security staff are of-site at the time they will be able to take the appropriate action, whether alerting your keyholders, or the police, that a burglary is taking place and giving you the best possible chance of the perpetrators being caught in the act.

Gathering Evidence

In the unlikely event that your property is still the subject of burglary despite the visual deterrent of CCTV, having camera footage of the incident will be vital in collecting evidence.

CCTV footage can be the key to helping the police identify and find the culprits of a crime, and securing a conviction once they have been detained, with many court cases being settled on the basis of CCTV footage.

Only time dated high quality video footage is omissible in a court of law, so it is essential that you have your CCTV system installed by a respected expert installer.

Contact Central FS Today

If you live in the Glasgow area and want to protect your home against burglary and other property crimes, contact Central FS today for more information on our industry leading CCTV systems.

Everyone’s security needs are different, and we understand that there is no one size fits all CCTV system.

Our expert team will use their years of experience to design a bespoke cost effective solution using the latest in CCTV technology to provide maximum security for your home.

There is no-one with more responsibility at any business, construction site, or major event than security guards.

They must ensure the safety of the property and people they are charged with protecting whilst always acting with the utmost professionalism.

Reputable security companies are putting their reputation on the line every time they provide a security guard for any job and as such will only hire the very best.

Prime Secure have been one of the UK’s leading providers of security officers for over 25 years but exactly what qualities are essential to becoming a great security guard?

Awareness

The best security guards are always alert and observing their surroundings for suspicious behaviour or potential incidents.

Losing their concentration for even a moment could cause their employees, property or staff to come to harm.

Security guards should not only be aware of the behaviour of the people in their immediate surroundings but also analyse the property itself for potential weaknesses.

When conducting their patrols, officers should always be observing their surroundings to identify and access points which are not well secured and that an intruder could target.

They will also check for any areas which are not covered by CCTV, or which require more lighting at night and make extensive and informed recommendations on how their employer can maximise their security.

As a leading provider of bespoke CCTV systems Prime Secure’s security staff are all trained to utilise CCTV to maximise the effectiveness of their protection services and to help them respond quicker to incidents.

Strong morals

Security guards must balance being a powerful figure deterring criminals with being an approachable and personable presence when in employment.

It is the fundamental duty of security guards to act in the best interests of their employers and their employers’ customers.

They must not disclose any personal or confidential information that they may handle during their time in a post and must not let personal opinions or prejudice affect their professionalism.

A security guard’s uniform should inspire confidence and trust in staff and members of the public, and as a guard you should always be working to earn that trust.

As such they should remain courteous and respectful when carrying out their duties even in face of rude behaviour or confrontation.

All Prime Secure’s SIA accredited guards are fully trained in crowd management and conflict resolution so they will stay calm at all times in high emotion situations and always look for a peaceful solution whenever possible.

Fitness

Being a security guard is a challenging and physically demanding job.

Good security staff will keep themselves in good shape at all times with regular exercise to ensure they are prepared for whatever comes their way.

If a guard is unfit, then they may not be able to perform essential duties like pursuing criminals and breaking up fights.

It is also important that a guard is strong in stature in order to act as a deterrent to criminals, so being out of shape physically is really not an option.

Just as physical health is important, a great security guard needs to be in top shape mentally to perform to a high standard.

Security guards are often the face of a business, manning the front desk, checking credentials, and being available and approachable should an emergency situation arise.

They, therefore, need to be polite and know exactly where to direct people in emergencies, as well as needing to memorise extensive security protocols so they are primed to react to any eventuality.

Communication Skills

Good communication is vital to success in any role which involves working with people.

For security guards being able to be gracious and respectful is essential when dealing with situations which could easily escalate into a violent incident.

Good written communication skills are also very important for guards who will have to provide detailed reports on any incident of note that took place whilst they were on duty.

Their employees may also request an analysis of how they can improve their security systems and any weaknesses that the guard has noticed during his patrols.

Prime Secure’s SIA accredited security guards undergo extensive training to ensure they possess these qualities and many more.

As a UK wide company, who has been providing professional security guards for over 25 years, we have a national reach backed by the local knowledge of our operatives who are always on hand to fulfil all your security needs.

Prime Secure can have SIA licensed and highly trained security guards deployed to your site rapidly. Whichever type of security guard you are looking for, Prime Secure is ready for your call on 0345 88 88 333.