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Posted By Alan G
Hi everyone,
Can some please help me?
We suffered a major power cut the other day, as a result of this most of the IT circuits were tripped on the main circuit board.
I have staff now saying that they are not classed as competent to flick a switch on the main board nor are they competent to change a fuse in a plug, baring in mind they build and set computers and fix printers all day every day.
After looking into the electric regs there is nothing to state that they can not carry out this work as they will not be hard wiring.
Also could anyone tell me if a IT engineer or a maintenance personnel carry out visual inspections on electrical goods, i.e. look for damaged plugs, wiring, the correct fuse is in place etc.
All help and advice is welcome.
Thanks to everyone in advance.
Regards
Alan
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Posted By Jasonjg
Touchy and interesting one
I am sure this will open up cans of worms on here.
My honest opinion and only opinion as I am NOT COMPETENT (my caveat) with Elec regs etc.
Your staff are saying that they are not competent to do an electrical job however simple it seems.
Industry today is advised that most equipment is Pat tested and Pat testing courses are available that are supposed to officially make people competent.
Could you force or convince them to do the job even if there is no specific regs that say they should not?
Very difficult as they are officially telling you they are not competent.
Any future accident or fire happens.
Go to court and guess whom the judge is going to believe.
Now someone may well know of cases where someone has tried to opt out of what could be his expected and normal duties by using this competent clause and this is where this debate will widen.
Not much help but should get the ball rolling
Jason
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Posted By Jon Bradburn
Its that competence thing again - just search the recent posts on studty forum for definitions!
I my view they would not be competent as a rule, most IT work involves low voltage (cards, processors, changing parts etc) I do various work on analytical systems on similar lines but am noyt competent to deal with the line votage (240) or other areas.
Nor would I suggest anyone should be allowed to go flicking main boards switches - OK you knew the casue but what if something had tripped it - who's trying to track the fault.
Having said that - it is very easy to gain the required competence levels your are talking about - Our in house PAT team did a 1 day course, part of which involve checking fuses and changing plugs.
I would have thought your IT staff have at least some basic electrical safety training or should they be opening the cases of PC etc - Do they? If so it would be even easier to provide training on fuse checking. So long as the training is carried out by competent staff, properly documented AND the limitaiton of training / duties are clearly defined.
If not you need a electrcian permanently on site at £25+ per hour - I think not.
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Do you really know the cause of the initial failure (has this been confirmed by the electricity supplier).
I don't see any legal impediment to someone with reasonable competence resetting a main board isolator so long as the cause of the original 'fault' condition has been established. Certainly no impediment to reasonably competent employees changing like for like fuses.
A basic safety talk from a qualified electrician or electrical engineer and some consultation on job remits may clear the air on this one?
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