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spud  
#1 Posted : 10 December 2014 15:51:33(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
spud

Obviously most of us are used to the usual NICEIC or ECA when checking out electrical competence but i am currently seeing a few NAPIT ones too. Does the NAPIT cover the same as NICEIC or what differences do people believe there are ?
chris42  
#2 Posted : 11 December 2014 09:10:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

Seems HSE are happy about them see bottom of this link http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq.htm Sorry does not answer you question is there any difference between them. Chris
Isaac J Threadbare  
#3 Posted : 11 December 2014 10:44:40(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Isaac J Threadbare

Here we go then. Being a member of the NICEIC/ECA and a few other schemes does NOT mean that the person actually doing the testing and inspection knows what they are doing, or, is qualified to do so. It is as simple as that. One only has to look at the sad case of the Late Emma Shaw and others to get an understanding of what goes on. A select committee tore them to shreds a little while back. The main difference between the schemes (we tend to call them scams by the way) is the cost to the person 'forced' to join them. I will admit that qualifications without experience is a little weak but a combination of both is the key and IMHO vital. I have been hands-on with inspection, testing (and teaching it) for the past 20 years and I can honestly tell you that a huge number of electricians 'testing' for NICEIC/ECA registered firms and the like, have no idea that they are actually testing incorrectly and with no real idea what is going on. In some cases the so-called QS is as much in the dark as the tester! Re the NICEIC/ECA, the assessors are not trained assessors to start with (D32/33/A1). I could go on for ages here but you'd get as bored as I get fed up with banging my head against the wall of indifference. NAPIT seem to insist that the person doing the testing is qualified to do so and if that is the case then NAPIT would be the one I would go for and I'm sure that Paul Skyrme would be more informed about that then myself. With the influx of 'Five-week-Wonders' registered with the scams for 'Domestic' installations you will find that most electricians with decent training and qualifications are now out of work leaving only the cheap-as-chips and just about the next level up from the full-on cowboy in full employment. We now have 5WW's left to train the next generation of 'quality' people. In truth, the scams should be written-off and a licence used. Bitter? Yes indeed I am, as I care for the trade and the safety of those in it. So the long-winded answer is this spud: It don't really matter as each one is as bad as the other (view the select committee for that :-)
paul.skyrme  
#4 Posted : 12 December 2014 22:40:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
paul.skyrme

I have again found my name mentioned! OK, NICEIC, ECA, ELECSA do not require the person undertaking the work to be fully competent in all aspects. NAPIT, however, seem to, it has not yet been clarified in my eyes, how NAPIT do this for large firms with many operatives. The NICEIC/ECA/ELECSA do this by a Qualified Supervisor system. It was a breakdown in the interpretation and implementation of this system that allowed the sad death of Emma Shaw. Now as far as NAPIT goes, they assess for domestic, commercial and industrial electrical installation works. However, it seems that they will inspect a few domestic installations, then accredit the contractor for commercial and industrial based on the domestic works. Now I for one, think this is wrong, and, I am happy to be proved wrong. However, at this point in time, this is the way I understand this to work. SO if you use the NICIEC/ECA, you might not get a competent person doing the work, (this is with larger companies, sole traders/one person ltd co. the person must be competent to be accredited), or you could go NAPIT and get someone doing commercial / industrial who has never had this work assessed by NAPIT to check that they are competent to do it. However, any of these accredited companies can use non-accredited sub-contractors and simply sign off the works. This goes for sole traders/one person ltd co, and anything up to national and multinational organisations. The risk however, for smaller companies in doing poor work is greater, as they have a smaller reputation base to "loose". Full of holes these scams. TBH the most important membership criteria for all of them is that the cheque clears.
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