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What work am I legally allowed to do

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Hello,


I have been working in the electrical sector since 2013. I came into it late as a career change because I was interested in renewables, and I was too old to get an apprenticeship, so I've had to learn by doing the 2330 and 17th edition, and getting practical experience as an electrician's mate or improver on construction sites. I've gathered all the evidence for my NVQ Level 3, but I failed my AM2 last year and I am now preparing to re-take it. I have a JIB card, up to last year I was designated: "Experienced Worker", but for some reason when I had to update it, it was changed to: "Electrical Labourer".


I had a 5 month job on a site near to my home which I very much enjoyed, but I was laid off when no longer needed in early February, and I've now been out of work for five weeks. As there's no sign of a job, I'm now thinking of working for myself, but I'm being careful. I did a little bit of work for myself in 2016 to 2017, but I eventually gave up because I wasn't making enough money and I was limited to doing sockets and lights, I couldn't legally test, inspect or sign work off in accordance with Part P. I wouldn't be able to take out insurance right now.


Do any experienced members who've worked for themselves know what range of work, if any, I can legally do without insurance and with a JIB Electrical Labourer card? I'm asking because I have always found it very frustrating in the electrical trade to know exactly what you can and can't do, my college, my tutors, training websites and even the JIB always seem to tell you different things. 

  • 0
    I'm fairly sure that no one is going to give you a definitive answer to that question.........in theory - having completed the C&G 2330 - you should be able to call yourself qualified. You'd be limited only by your own self confidence and experience really.  


    Insurance is always a good idea if you're working for yourself (essential really). Registration with a governing body is a nice to have. 


    Other than that, you should have no real boundaries.


    Any notifiable work will need to be tested by someone else deemed by the council to be competent and extra charges apply. 


    Having been a "maintenance engineer" at one stage, perhaps look for work in this sector - it pays rather well what what and you don't have to work that hard.


    Its usually warm and dry too. 


    Kind Regards


    Tatty
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    AFAIK, there are no "legal" restrictions on electrical installation work - certification is the issue. (It's not like gas where you cannot even sneeze on a boiler without a ticket.)


    The other legal aspect is insurance. Some of the possible pitfalls are not obvious - e.g. another tradesman or member of the household trips over your long R2 lead and suffers an injury. Others are more obvious - e.g. a poorly designed circuit sets a house on fire. The premiums are based on turnover and introductory offers are available. I don't see why it should not be available. Just fill in a form on line and pay up!


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    Whatever you do becoming a sole trader working as an electrician is going to require a further investment of time and money.


    I suggest you ring NAPIT on Monday morning, then the NICEIC to see what they have to say about you joining a competent person scheme.


    Don’t put it off, because the scheme rules may change in August making it more difficult for you to join a scheme. Have a conversation with the scheme operators and then go from there.


    Andy Betteridge
  • 0
    You can legaly test and inspect, especially if you are competant at such. Surely you do I & T your own work even if you get someone else to say "sign it off" anyways for instance if you are working for them.


    As Sparkingchip suggests, talk to the schemes etc
  • 0

    David Sakho:

    . . . I wouldn't be able to take out insurance right now. . . 




    I think you should reconsider that. Without insurance none of the schemes will be interested. You should also note that if you have a “senior moment” either installing, or inspecting and testing, that you will have to pay for fixing whatever has gone wrong out of your own pocket. A large number of businesses will want to see your insurance details before you start, and conceivably the same for the more savvy domestic customers. Ultimately you could end up bankrupt, and that is not a very good place to start from. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

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    HI ebee


    If he's been working on construction sites - there every chance that he's never even played with or had a  look at a tester. (I'm sure that in college they'd have shown him something for a couple of minutes on a single phase DB). Maybe he's an expert tester - I don't know.


    I know many guys who'll install structure and pull cables when told what to run where. Usually someone else like a designer tells you what type and size of cables and what size of fuse protection.


    You can become a very good installer and electrician indeed and never once have had to do any testing or think about why you are doing something or consider other ways to do the job. You'll never even look at the regs book. The 18th edition course is something for designers in some circles. 


    I know most will say that if you cant test you're not an electrician, but these guys work with all sorts of stuff and  are better at ensuring isolations and assemble infrastructure that is just amazing.

     

    As long as a designer has done the design, and the electrician knows how to assemble the stated design with good terminations, cable runs etc then all is good on a big site.


    When you go on your own, it somehow gets a bit more complicated...............
  • 0

    ebee:

    You can legaly test and inspect, especially if you are competant at such.



    Don't give false hope: unfortunately, PI insurance would not be attainable, some may inspect and test without PI, but the document issued would be fraudulent. If registration was made easier, it would be an injustice to those who had to gain the necessaries.


    Jaymack
  • 0
    Jaymack and Tatty, valid points ok but I was just stating that anyone could do the I & T (hopefully someone would be competant in that if they choose to fill in a cert or report back to their QS)


    some may inspect and test without PI, but the document issued would be fraudulent " why fraudulent? A bit unwise perhaps to sign a cert but not fraudulent unless done with errors surely?


    Anyway , if he can I & T then he may do so providing he does not state that he is something he is not
  • 0

    ebee:

    some may inspect and test without PI, but the document issued would be fraudulent " why fraudulent? A bit unwise perhaps to sign a cert but not fraudulent unless done with errors surely?




    It takes more than errors to be fraudulent. In simple terms, there has to be intention to diddle somebody. If a fee was obtained by virtue of being insured or by being a member of a CPS when that was not the case, that might well be fraudulent.

  • 0
    Agreed, but all I said was that he could I & T.



    I would hope if he installs finished circuits and intends to liven up himself the he would I & T it before livening it. I didn`t mention certify, though he could do so as long as he`s not pretending to be something he isn`t

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