Contactum Limited, a British manufacturer of electrical wiring accessories, circuit protection products and control equipment in the United Kingdom has launched a six-month training programme in Accra for some sixty selected electricians across the country.

The training, according to Olivier Kiese, Export Manager for Contactum follows a research conducted by the company to check safety standards observed by Ghanaian electricians.

”After the survey the company cited a mass influx of substandard electrical products into the country as one of the contributory causes to the rise in residential, commercial and industrial fires” he said.

Contactum, he said would train the selected electricians in how to install safety devices.

“We will then monitor them for some months and if we are satisfied with their performance, we will then give them our badges to make them our official installers plus we will outsource contracts for them,” he added.

Electrical wiring, according to him, is a critical component in the construction industry, therefore, any shoddy work done could endanger the lives of the people.

BACKGROUND

Contractum limited some time last year introduced into the Ghanaian market one of their flagship products, Residual Current Device Sockets (RCD) to combat house fires.

The RCD when installed into the main switches substantially reduces the growing spate of fire accidents as well as prevent electrocution.

At the launch, Olivier Kiese said, “The RCD's was a life-saving device designed to prevent a person from getting a fatal electric shock touching something live such as a bare wire and also provides protection against electrical fires.”

Products such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) Sockets, Low Voltage Distribution, 17th Edition Fuse Boards, Circuit Protection, Wiring Accessories, Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) and Residential Current Circuit Breaker with Over-current Protection (RCBO) were on display at the event.