Lockdown Scotland New law? Essential electrical work only in private dwellings....

I read that as only work on the existing. So if the kitchen centre light fails, that is fixed but if the occupier wants it taken down when still functional and replaced by 20 recessed spot lights, that is not essential. Although the occupier might think they are a must have...........


Regards


BOD

I have completely backed out of teaching but I know that the centre where I tutor is still running courses. EV, 18th Edition and Construction all being offered. Unbelievable really. City and Guilds and others should pull the plug!

Some good answers have been given.


I`d say that only repairs etc needed to get an installation to work "safely" in order to allow people to live relatively "safely" with regards to lighting/heating etc etc. No additions or cosmetic alterations allowed. just maintain reasonable safety.

I would think that all landlords would still need to ensure the EICR is carried out if existing is about to expire, just as the gas safety checks are needed. A failed light fitting where its the only one in a room, to me would be essential or if its on a landing staircase so replacing lamp/s or fitting if totally failed. Correcting defects of a C2/C3 nature to me would also be required.


Installing extra luminaires/power outlets or changing a perfectly working fitting for an updated one to me isnt essential.


But like all these new regulations/legislation, if you introduce them, you also need a "Enforcer"!!! so how would any property owner/tenant get caught out? by having an accident and Police come along? Police start going into properties where they see a van parked outside?  A nosy neigbour alerts the authorities?


Maybe another thought is for all the tradesmen and contractors, would your professional and public liability insurer cover you for the work being carried out given COVID regulations in place at the time? Insurers like to wiggle out of any claim if they can........

I suspect it is unclear until there is a test case, so your best bet is to work in a way that ensures that test case is not you !


- distress works, like the lighting has failed or the water heater doesn't, should be no issue,  needs doing now really, but you should be working in a covid safe way, maintaining distance from customers and minimising contact time and clearing up before things you have contaminated before you go, and probably a bit on the way in as well - you may be the victim of the customers carelessness after all. (actually I hope that was the case already)

Avoid dragging the work out with extra activity.

Then you can say 'I was not reckless. I acted safely'  and your prosecution is not in public interest...


- cosmetic works - perhaps adding fancy lights when for now the existing are OK, is less justified, and probably only sensible on an empty property and or where it is a new installation - is ordinary building stopping ? 


I agree no-one will shop you unless your actions are egregious , and what of the customer breaks the existing light so you have to fit the new one

There will be others who do not want you to attend after all - my parents were happier to live without a kitchen light for some months in the 1st lock down here, but both are in the higher risk category.


... I suspect a short case by case discussion will be needed before you agree to start work.


Even that is an insurance of sorts "we discussed it and agreed it could not wait, and how it would be done in a low risk way" is likely to get far more sympathy from the powers that be than just going in without a care.


Mike.

I have just told a couple of landlords I won’t be doing PAT in HMOs at the moment, I cannot really think of a much more potentially risky workplace at the moment!

Im also involved with providing training and practical assessments for some of my clients who have all taken diffrent aproaches. In the first lockdown last March they all shutdown, no training and no practical or written/oline assessments. When things eased a little during the summer months the pure commercial training centres reopened but with reduced delegate numbers both in the training rooms and assessmnet workshops to get the social distancing and protocalls over hygene and cleaning of tools/materials were all risk assessed and controls put into place. Those clients that were a further or higher education establishement did the same but didnt open until September as they took the lead from education authorities over opening.

In this current time, the establishements that are further or higher education  clients have again shut down but pure commercial centres are still operating. Now in the area of assessments which I do for those working in flammable atmospheres the awarding body last year put into place a special extension letter for those persons where they were due a refresher course and assessment if their current certificate was about to expire and they and/or employer needed to still demonstrate competence. I believe that was the correct step to take given reduction in service provision and whenw e hopefully comeout of this virus nightmare there will be a backlog of those needing a refresher.

For those candidates requiring the course and assessments for the first time, sure you could perhaps do the training online, but the two days practical in the approved assessment workshop just cant be done anywhere else, so my own opinion was those courses perhaps didnt need to happen. The issue is "education"  was seen as being essential, but I took that as being schools, colleges and university not so much vocational training centres/providers. 

Its not clear cut and will always be open to interpretation and abuse, also commercially operating centres will not want to close and loose revenue. Again as I mentioned in an earlier thread, duty holders responsibility to ensure a safe place of work.

It's difficult to generalize. Circumstances can change over time even during a pandemic - so that sometimes "new" or "improved" can indeed be "essential".


Say you had two employees that worked in a given specialization - one old hand about to retire and a young lad/lass that's been shadowing him for a year or two now and just needs to finish their formal training and complete the exams before they can work on their own.  Would you tell the old fella to postpone his retirement, tell all your customers you can no longer provide whatever service it was (perhaps essential to some), or would you think that completing the youngster's training was "essential"?


Likewise a new socket/circuit might sound like a luxury, but if it were to supply say a new stair lift, or medical equipment, that would mean someone could be discharged from hospital - or even just work from home - then again it might not be so simple.


We can only life off our fat for so long - soon or later we're going to have to doing all the mundane things that keep life ticking over - even if the consequences of that aren't palatable.


   - Andy.