Employees doing electrical work for non-electrical employers?

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

It should be noted that the T`s and C`s of many Public Liability / Professional Indemnity Insurance policies specify that a minimum of 5 YEARS relevant experience is required in order that they consider paying out in the event of a claim.......................

In this particular instance Public liability & prof indemnity are not the key points.. As no contract of work is being undertaken for a third party business or member of the public!

Unless the work is being undertaken as a private contract for the business owner and you are to invoice them for your work undertaken.

Work of a DIY / HOBBY / PERSONAL INTEREST nature where no money renumeration is exchanged does NOT come within the remit or scope of most Pub Liab or Prof Indem policies...

neither does work done by an employee for an employer at the employers premises!

AND

Within business it is considered perfectly normal practice to involve employees in new skills, operations, tasks to accomplish the business interest.

e.g. a new factory computer system is installed, or new stores/materials handling routine, or new metalwork heavy pressing machine installed in a factory.. The Non-skilled or non competent staff would be trained to use and take on board these new skills even though they weren't part of the original job-spec.

BUT...

AND ITS A BIG BUT

The employer has a very major responsibility toward HEATH & SAFETY of ALL of their employees..

This would include ensuring all staff are suitable trained & skilled to carry out their tasks without risk of injury to themselves or others!

(i.e. we often hear of an office worker being trained to change a light bulb,, including use of stepladder or stool!,

and a NON-trained operative is NOT authorised to change a light bulb)

So back to MARC..

Your employer has a duty of care to ensure you are suitably trained to carry out this task he is requesting you to do.....

the question is..

What certification, documentation or other proof does he have that he has given you adequate Health & safety + risk assessment training?

If NONE?...

DON'T DO IT!

If all the boxes ticked...

do the work jobs a goodun!

 

[spinlondon]

If you are being asked to do this work as part of your employment, then it is up to your employer to ensure relevant insurance is in place.

If you are being asked to do the work outside of employment, ie. you give a quote and then do the work at the weekend, then it is your responsibility to ensure the relevant insurance is in place.

 

[professional]

The issue of 5 years minimum experience may have arisen since the insurance underwriters were under the impression that the minimum entry requirements for schemes would be set at a far higher level than they have actually been set at. They now realise that the risk posed by so many totally untrained individuals working unsupervised is far higher than they originally anticipated and may be preparing to act accordingly......................beware!

 

[maccarooni]

Not sure what his background is to be honest, it's definitely something in construction but I'm not sure what. He knows materials would come close to

 

[kme]

This was my thinking, but didn't want to upset anyone and start a tirade. I think there's competency with supervision, and competency. The fact the OP is so unsure I'd say it's a definite no, but that's not to say you are incompetent.

I`m of a similar opinion Marc (no offence intended!).

I`d also echo SpecLoc`s post. If you`re "fairly" confident, you could always do the groundworks and preparatory work, and just leave final connections, testing & cert. to a friendly (aren`t they all?) local sparky......You could be there during that time, watching, asking questions & learning; and if you HAVE dropped a clanger somewhere, the sparx`ll spot it (hopefully), and explain what you missed??

That is the way I`d approach the job, in your position.

HTH

KME

 

[Lee321]

sounds unlikely you'll have test equipment too?

 

[Marc]

sounds unlikely you'll have test equipment too?

One of the issues I raised with him.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Luckily my boss called someone for a third quote yesterday and hasn't mentioned any more about it, but it's nice to know where I stand should it the situation arise again (he has one or two other plans in the pipeline).

Finally, what's the general opinion on depth of buried SWA? Bloke who quoted

 

[revjames]

Simple answer to this:

Are you an electrician?

Yes - do it

No - leave it to the professionals

 

[Lurch]

Finally, what's the general opinion on depth of buried SWA? Bloke who quoted

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

One of the issues I raised with him.Thanks for the advice everyone. Luckily my boss called someone for a third quote yesterday and hasn't mentioned any more about it, but it's nice to know where I stand should it the situation arise again (he has one or two other plans in the pipeline).

Finally, what's the general opinion on depth of buried SWA? Bloke who quoted

 

[kme]

Concur with SpecLoc; although I ALSO agree with Lurch

450mm is the "preferred" depth, dependant on finish surface.

 

[Marc]

you will be wanting to readreg 522.8.10 page 101,

buried cables..: Sufficient depth to avoid reasonably foreseeable disturbances

I should have worded that better; I know there's no set depth to bury it, but when this bloke came along and said 12" it got me thinking. I've always been told 18", but obviously different people have differing opinions on how far down to lay it. It's a car park outside an industrial unit so the possibility of someone coming along in the future with a JCB is real.

Thanks again for all the advice everyone. Guinness

 

[Marc]

Just a quick update to this.

The lad I work with, his mate got it (

 

[Andy™]

sounds like a bad job

 

[revjames]

Just a quick update to this.Don't think the boss is too impressed.

Should have put his hand in his pocket and paid a reputable tradesman to do it then......

 

[batty]

It's true in life you get what you pay for.