Electrical Sub-Contractors Aim to Raise Standards
By M.J. NEWSON, B. Sc., ACGI
Chairman
of the
Electrical
Contractors'
Association
of Hong Kong
THE greatly expanded building programme in Hong Kong has created new problems, both technical and commercial, for all concerned.
In general, participants in the planning stages of projects, such as architects, civil engineers and quantity surveyors, have succeeded in meeting this challenge since their highly specialised services require the maintenance of a staff trained to internationally recognised minimum standards.
Moreover, the professional responsibility which they accept for their recommendations iustifies calculation of their fees to cover the cost of this competance.
Unfortunately, general contractors and specialised sub-contractors are not in such a happy position. The in- creasing size and complexity of buildings has forced the adoption of new techniques and the employment of highly trained personnel, which has hitherto been un- necessary. Today, substantial financial resources are re- quired to cover the magnified costs of labour and ma- terial on these larger projects.
If it were possible for contractors to adjust their prices to cover the cost of these additional expenses the problem might be partially solved. However, Hong Kong is thronged with contractors, of varying degrees of ex- cellence, all fiercely competing for work and in any open competitive tender there is the danger that the lower quotations will be artificially deflated, either through ignorance or through a genuine need for work by a com- petent contractor who has previously failed in petition with others less well informed.
Matter for Concern
com-
The fact that these previously successful tenderers have made losses is a matter for concern rather than consolation since there is no doubt that these losses will have been minimised by reductions in the standard of workmanship and material employed.
Anxiety over the situation has been developing, in particular in the electrical sub-contracting trade, to the extent that early in 1964, despite the traditional competi- tion existing between them, a number of firms banded together to form The Electrical Contractors' Association of Hong Kong. Membership now numbers some forty companies and includes all those electrical contractors appearing on the Hong Kong Public Works Department list of approval as well as that of the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works and the two power companies.
It is the contention of the Association that the pre- vailing tendency to judge tenders solely on price will generate a situation where the smaller, though com- petent, companies will be forced out of business, with a consequent serious deterioration in the standards of the electrical installation work in the Colony.
Far East Architect & Builder July. 1965
The Association is combating this trend by nego- tiating with Government, the professional associations, the utility companies, and the labour unions and other interested parties to gain acceptance of the fact that membership of the Association guarantees a reasonable minimum excellence of performance with the ultimate ob- ject of a uniformly high standard throughout the trade. Planning consideration is also being given to the pur- chase of technical publications and special purpose tools, which will be available to members so that full advan- tage may be taken of new techniques. And close co-opera- tion is being maintained with local education establish- ments to ensure that the training courses which they offer are aligned to the practical requirements of the trade.
Already, arrangements have been made to employ the output from the Hong Kong Technical Col- lege electrical pre-apprenticeship training course and a prize has been offered for the best student of this
course.
It is very apparent that in order to achieve a signi- ficant and lasting improvement in the standard of elec- trical installation work at the practical level, the know- ledge gained by students during their formal education must be preserved by giving it useful application as soon as they commence work for a commercial company.
It is unfortunate that the commercial necessity which forces employers to extract the maximum possible amount of work from their staff, does not produce an atmosphere conducive to a balanced apprenticeship training programme.
Advisory Sub-committee
The Association wishes to rectify the situation and is considering the introduction of a grading system ac- ceptable to all Hong Kong electrical contractors, whereby workmen passing from one employer to another will be able to prove that they have reached a certain stage in their training, and thereby can expect to be paid wages falling within limits agreed by member companies.
This state of affairs cannot be achieved until clients are prepared or are in a position to assess tenders on a merit basis, not solely governed by price. It is realised that many of the smaller architectural firms are not equipped to make detailed investigations of tenders, and the association maintains a sub-committee whose services may be called upon in an advisory capacity.
The role of those companies importing electrical equipment is especially important from this consulting aspect and provision has been made in the Association's membership classification to allow such companies to be represented. Fortunately, the majority of the import companies are also engaged in the electrical contracting trade and their import range is therefore strongly in- fluenced by practical considerations.
Apart from the practical aspects of its work, the Association feels that the existing terms of contracts and other documentation affecting its members should be kept under constant review and work is in hand to draft standard conditions of tender which, after suitable con- sultation with other interests, will be incorporated into offers made by all members.
In short, the Association aims to improve the stand- ard of the electrical contracting in Hong Kong to a uniformly high level and to act as a negotiating body for the whole trade. Criticisms and suggestions are very welcome and should be addressed to the Associa- tion's Office c/o Jardine House, 4th floor, Hong Kong.
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