Electrician fined for EICR.

Tomgunn: 
 

Sparkingchip: 
 

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/electricians-guilty-plea-over-report-signing-off-unsatisfactory-electrics

 

STROMA? ok!

INTERESTING that this comes under the ‘CONSUMER’ section!

The thing is, I have done many inspections', over the years so, WHAT were the faults this sparky missed???? 

Old PVC cables? Doubtful!

Poorly installed JB's, perhaps? I'd be interested in knowing what was wrong, with the circuits'?? 

regards…

Me too. I would find it very difficult to do a thorough inspection and test in an hour. But for a small two up two down I suppose that most testing could have been done at the consumer unit with a quick visual inspection..

The sparks is a one man band working from home. He is not VAT registered. Perhaps he did just what the client was prepared to pay for, as he advertises being very keen on prices.

But if he really did miss some very obvious safety issues then that is just plain wrong.

We need to be told the details. The news reports are not complete.

Z.

Tomgunn: 
 

Er, Chris… what would my 43 year old, (times two Wylex CCUs, ((! x 4 way & 1 x 6 way)), installations, without any such RCD protection PLUS, hahaha, the majority are 3036's!! NEVER had a problem PLUS the metal CCUs' are as strong as a tank?

Regards… 

But an electrician preparing an EICR must raise a list of concerns and list the non-compliances with the current requirements of the Wiring Regulations.

There would almost certainly be at least one continuation sheet attached to the EICR for the observations, possibly two.

We should charge extra for EICRs on installations like that to cover the extra time taken to write the report, it adds an hour onto the time taken to write the report compared with a genuinely issue free installation, then almost invariably the person receiving the report wants a “free“ quote for remedial work.

I would quite happily pass on the opportunity to do an EICR for your installation, there’s quite possibly an extra hour or two typing up the report and the quote for remedial work as well as the time taken discussing it all with the customer over and above one that has been updated.

It’s far easier to pass an installation and move onto the next job that it is to do all the paperwork that’s involved with doing an EICR on a forty year old installation.

My home electrics are older than 40 years and present no immediate  danger.

Er, Chris… what would my 43 year old, (times two Wylex CCUs, ((! x 4 way & 1 x 6 way)), installations, without any such RCD protection PLUS, hahaha, the majority are 3036's!! NEVER had a problem PLUS the metal CCUs' are as strong as a tank?

If someone were to put a nail into the cable just under the surface, would that be safe or dangerous?

Regards

BOD

Like Zoom said we don’t know what was actually wrong but it looks to me as the EICR was probably used for the house sale. New owner finds out it actually was unsatisfactory rather than the safe installation the report suggested. 

perspicacious: 
If someone were to put a nail into the cable just under the surface, would that be safe or dangerous?

So, BOD, are you saying that any non-RCD protected circuit with cables in walls is a C2?

The newspapers are not exactly full of stories of people who have succumbed whilst putting nails in walls. Perhaps that is more by luck than judgement?

I suspect that most 40 - 50 year old houses would have had wooden floors and that cables would approach sockets from below so no risk from picture hooks there. Light switches are invariably in corners so you couldn't put anything but a very small picture there. And then if you tried to hit the line conductor, which is less than 2 mm across, with a nail of a similar size you would probably fail.

Yet it’s surprising how many people do manage to hit the 1.0 mm or 2.5 mm live conductor in cables with nails and screws, I have found live curtain tie back hooks and picture hooks over the years as well as severed conductors in walls that are several metres wide and it’s obvious that they are immediately above an electrical fitting.

Chris Pearson: 
 

perspicacious: 
If someone were to put a nail into the cable just under the surface, would that be safe or dangerous?

So, BOD, are you saying that any non-RCD protected circuit with cables in walls is a C2?

The newspapers are not exactly full of stories of people who have succumbed whilst putting nails in walls. Perhaps that is more by luck than judgement?

I suspect that most 40 - 50 year old houses would have had wooden floors and that cables would approach sockets from below so no risk from picture hooks there. Light switches are invariably in corners so you couldn't put anything but a very small picture there. And then if you tried to hit the line conductor, which is less than 2 mm across, with a nail of a similar size you would probably fail.

C3 with recommendation for RCD protection. Most houses had solid floors downstairs from the 60s. Kitchen fitters are highly skilled in hitting cables!

But an electrician preparing an EICR must raise a list of concerns and list the non-compliances with the current requirements of the Wiring Regulations.

Don't forget that according to BS7671 definitions;  a “non-compliance” is a “non-conformity that may give rise to danger".

“The relevance being that when you go into do an EICR you cannot be complacent and make assumptions that it will be okay based on first impressions, you need to get a general feeling about the quality and condition of the existing installation, then home in on alterations such as for a loft conversion and kitchen replacement. ”

Well said Sparkingchip

geoffsd: 
 

But an electrician preparing an EICR must raise a list of concerns and list the non-compliances with the current requirements of the Wiring Regulations.

 

Don't forget that according to BS7671 definitions;  a “non-compliance” is a “non-conformity that may give rise to danger".

Geoff. I would have thought that a non compliance is something which does not comply. 

One example wrong colour coding