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Slightly hypothetical question regarding qualifications

Johno12345
I have been thinking - I know this can be dangerous!


I'm charged with maintenance in our factory, I think most people would now call it Facilities Management, Although I do have tools, I am office based but will turn my hand to the odd practical job here and there.


I also think I am reasonably knowledgable regarding the wiring regulations and I am competent enough to have electricians working for me that I can understand in reasonably good detail about what's going on, 


However, I don't have any qualifications, beyond a (ridiculous) basic electrical principles course I was sent on a few years back. GCSE physics was more thorough - I said it was a box-ticking course, so I could reset MCBs!


I would like to have the qualifications that I expect electricians to have, but still only for my desk-based job, so I can speak with more confidence about what I am expecting my electricians to do. I know most have done a four-year college course, which I can't do. 


I'm always a bit anxious about signing off isolations and supervising people testing for dead, accepting repairs and new work purely because someone has said 'aye, its alright'


I'm feeling slightly short of words to explain myself fully, but I hope you get the gist. 


Any thoughts?

Parents
  • 0
    There is a problem here though, and that is if there were an accident your employer would probably be prosecuted for failure to have qualified oversight. Certainly any work should be carried out should be signed by the electrician responsible, on the BS7671 forms, and whatever internal arrangements you have are not relevant then. Responsibility for getting the work done is yours, but it would be most unwise to sign the forms for any of the design, install, inspect and test sections. (see appendix 6, EIC). The design may be met by using a design package such as AMTEC, as you will probably have the knowledge and experience to deal with the serious difficulties, and it provides the now necessary "paper trail" for everything.


    To get the qualifications which may be considered adequate for supervision is a fairly long process, and depends on a lot of experience as well as the bits of paper from C&G, but you might enjoy the process! You could do C&G 2391, which is inspection and test, but again having the qualification is rather different to having the experience to use it properly and you still are the duty holder (responsible person) which may not suit. However many companies do not have suitable staff in some positions, and rarely causes problems until there is an accident or reportable incident, and gets the HSE looking fairly hard. In your situation you may like to talk to them, they can be helpful and provide advice (although with their usual caveat that it is still your responsibility!).


    Hope that helps
Reply
  • 0
    There is a problem here though, and that is if there were an accident your employer would probably be prosecuted for failure to have qualified oversight. Certainly any work should be carried out should be signed by the electrician responsible, on the BS7671 forms, and whatever internal arrangements you have are not relevant then. Responsibility for getting the work done is yours, but it would be most unwise to sign the forms for any of the design, install, inspect and test sections. (see appendix 6, EIC). The design may be met by using a design package such as AMTEC, as you will probably have the knowledge and experience to deal with the serious difficulties, and it provides the now necessary "paper trail" for everything.


    To get the qualifications which may be considered adequate for supervision is a fairly long process, and depends on a lot of experience as well as the bits of paper from C&G, but you might enjoy the process! You could do C&G 2391, which is inspection and test, but again having the qualification is rather different to having the experience to use it properly and you still are the duty holder (responsible person) which may not suit. However many companies do not have suitable staff in some positions, and rarely causes problems until there is an accident or reportable incident, and gets the HSE looking fairly hard. In your situation you may like to talk to them, they can be helpful and provide advice (although with their usual caveat that it is still your responsibility!).


    Hope that helps
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