Hatchard,
Competence is a blend of training, qualifications and experience.
If the guy has no qualifications then he cannot be competent.
Just because he has been doing the job, how does one know it is being done correctly.
Depending upon the type of work being done there is a lot more to electrical systems than may seem obvious.
Is he designing and installing circuits into the fixed wiring of the building?
If he is, does he know correctly, how to calculate cable sizes and apply the correction factors required to correlate circuit protective devices with cables and loads in the installed condition?
If he does not, then he is not competent.
Does he have access to, and competence in use of the correct test equipment to verify new circuits or modifications within the building wiring in accordance with BS7671?
Is he competent in completion of BS7671 certificates for installations or modifications to the fixed wiring in the premises?
If he is working on machinery does he have a good knowledge and understanding of control principles?
Is he familiar with the low voltage & machinery directives?
Is he competent in BS EN 60204-1?
What does your insurer require?
I have a client with a fully trained and competent electrician on the payroll. He does hold 16th & 2391-10. (He trained prior to the 17th)
The client insurer has required an NICEIC or ECA Approved Contractor to undertake the PIR (EICR) on the premises.
Their risk, their rules.
An easy question, ask him about earth fault loop impedance and its importance within the fixed installation.
If he cannot answer immediately and explain what this is to you in layman's terms so that you can understand it, then he is not competent to undertake modifications to the fixed wiring, end of story.
sean,
I am going to respond to your post very carefully.
You have made a few statements there with regard to your personal situation that I feel can only be responded to by relating back to your personal situation. However, this is not a personal attack, but is a response to your statements in the post only.
In my opinion, and that of quite a few other learned colleagues in many spheres, organisations and locations:
1. You were not an engineer. How can you justify this title?
2. You were not, and are not an electrician. Again how can you justify calling yourself an electrician without having undertaken formal training?
At best you were a "wire man" or "electrical installer" installing others designs when it comes to the electrical side of things.
Do you fully understand how to test these designs and installations to ensure that they function correctly and comply with all relevant standards and legislation?
If you did why did you not undertake the qualifications?
I would bet that there are large gaps in your technical knowledge that should not be there if you were a competent electrician.
How do you "know" that you were doing this work correctly?
Who was supervising you and checking your work?
Were you self taught?
You "may" have felt that you had been competent in your own sphere, however, I cannot see how having no formal qualifications fits the definition of electrical competence as accepted in the industry, and published in many "quasi legal" documents?
Lucy D,
Yes an RA would be useful, however, this must be undertaken by a person competent to do so.
Not quite so easy as has been shown on here in the last few days.
Question to all.
IF you are sitting in your home or office, and there is no gas present in the premises, what is the biggest threat to your life?
(Discounting those working in war zones, or COMAH premises! ;)...