OLEV Installation Auditor problems

Whilst I accept that the introduction of SPD and AFDD is not driven solely by "those with a vested interest" such as manufacturers, the manufacturers are not doing anything to promote the benefits of having these devices to the general public,  they once again seem to be relying on electricians to do the promotion for them, with electricians being left in the position of having to enforce any requirements to have them.

This leaves the electricians being accused of "up selling" and trying to create work and of trying to sell people things they "don't really need".

In reality I am very regularly telling people about the benefits of having a circuit protective conductor for their lighting circuit and RCD protection, as well as upgrading from wooden fuse box with rewirable fuses. By the end of next week i could be telling them upgrading will cost over a thousand pounds and many really do not have the means to pay and those that do are reluctant. 

Regards OZEV, they have copies of quotes, don't they reject those that don't include any required upgrades of the existing installation?

Sparkingchip said:

Whilst I accept that the introduction of SPD and AFDD is not driven solely by "those with a vested interest" such as manufacturers, the manufacturers are not doing anything to promote the benefits of having these devices to the general public,  they once again seem to be relying on electricians to do the promotion for them, with electricians being left in the position of having to enforce any requirements to have them.

I can definitely see that perspective.

I think the manufacturers may well have a job explaining the role of the SPD, at least, to the general public ... and the reason they are now necessary, whereas back in the 1970s and 1980s we would never have dreamed it would be beneficial.

Sparkingchip said:

Whilst I accept that the introduction of SPD and AFDD is not driven solely by "those with a vested interest" such as manufacturers, the manufacturers are not doing anything to promote the benefits of having these devices to the general public,  they once again seem to be relying on electricians to do the promotion for them, with electricians being left in the position of having to enforce any requirements to have them.

I can definitely see that perspective.

I think the manufacturers may well have a job explaining the role of the SPD, at least, to the general public ... and the reason they are now necessary, whereas back in the 1970s and 1980s we would never have dreamed it would be beneficial.

You only have to look at who sits on the wiring regs committee to find the answer to these questions. I suspect that those who also sit but who are not manufacturers are being rather coy about the degree of influence that manufacturers have over the introduction and drafting of any new regulations.

I rather suspect that both spds and afdds are of highly dubious value, since there would appear to be no evidence to the contrary that I am aware of. Indeed, both appear to be looking for problems to solve which do not really exist to an extent whereby their use and expense are wholly justified, especially in a domestic setting.

Back on topic. Who actually conducts these OLEV audits? And more importantly, who appoints them and on what criteria?

Or to put it another way, if I wished to become an auditor of such installations, who would I contact and what would I need to be successfully appointed?