Should EICR's be restricted to those qualified

[Gavin John Hyde]

Just read a post about a poor EICR and given the amount of reckless plastic sparks out there running around doing poor EICR's and ultimately putting people at risk I do think its time they are restricted.

The cowboys do not have a clue what they are doing or inspecting and only want the quick money or use it as a way to generate further work. To do a proper EICR takes experience, knowledge and a degree of discretion. something a lot of cowboys are severely lacking in.

I do think that much to a lot of forum memebrs annoyance it is time that EICR's became restricted. Maybe an EICR should be a sort of restricted notifiable job, that whilst not necessarily needing to be notified to BC the people who can do them should be restricted and you must show x years relevant experience and have higher testing qualifications such as 2395 or new 2391., liability insurance etc.. The EICR could even be filed on a central database like Energy Performance Certificates where anybody can access them. you can do it with MOT historys, EPC's so why not EICR's??

There are currently more restrictions on who can carry out a EPC for the house sale than there are an EICR. surely this is madness? Were it to change it would be good all round as currently any tom dick or harry can do a EICR... its only a matter of time before somebody does one of these reports and afterwards something happens or somebody gets hurt. then there will be a knee jerk policy change.

The scams could actually implement this and do something useful for once,whilst they would charge, it would ultimately bring the cost of a EICR up from the current race to the bottom as it would be worthwhile and actually worth what its written on.

Any thoughts?

 

[westward10]

20 odd years ago few people did testing but now every Tom, Dick and Harry does it. I agree with you but how would you restrict it as qualifications are not a gauge to measure by and colleges etc. are not going to stop dolling them out like sweets. It always boils down to experience and knowledge of historic installation methods and a good understanding of Regulations past and present.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I agree with you but how would you restrict it as qualifications are not a gauge to measure by .... It always boils down to experience and knowledge of historic installation methods and a good understanding of Regulations past and present.

Which is where i think the experience issue really needs to be enforced. How can a domestic installer with even just a year or twos experience justify doing a EICR? Let alone a freshly qualified electrician with NVQ.. AM2 etc... I gather the schemes don't allow a DI to do a EICR with branded stationary so they do them on their own but its still not good. It all comes down to experience!

 

[telectrix]

it don't matter a ---- what qualifications a tester may have. if he works for a company that makes him do 4 a day, he's going to skimp it, make it up. all down to money.

 

[Des 56]

I am not sure on how practically the restriction should be made but this post echos what I have believed for many years,or at least since that part P nonsense came about

I have always believed that you cannot regulate installation work and the abysmal failure of Part P has more than proved the case
Get shot of that nonsense now, leave installation work open to anyone who considers themselves capable including Diy ers

Every house sale or new build should require a satisfactory inspection,it should be carried out by those with experience and qualification,they can even be registered and monitored themselves

Poor installation work by idiots and diy ers will become an expensive exercise if it as to be remedied,the days of the idiot installing would be numbered

 

[Ian1981]

They are electricians out there who don't install to the regulations, be it through a lack of knowledge or lack of skill so to me it's no different to how the trade is at the moment, whether it be testing or installation work.
Companies can self certify and legally carry out an eicr through joining a scheme by assessment.

 

[davesparks]

I have always believed that you cannot regulate installation work and the abysmal failure of Part P has more than proved the case
Get shot of that nonsense now, leave installation work open to anyone who considers themselves capable including Diy ers

You can regulate installation work and the current system for gas installation work proves this. However it took a very long time for it to get to where it is now, and for electrical work to become regulated it would take equally as long if not longer.

 

[Octopus]

The schemes, sorry mean scams don't do much to help, sure they would say they gave introduced extra badges for those who opt to join in BUT they do nothing to educate joe public as to what is involved, and how much time a decent inspection should take to do ........

Anyone saying they can do a decent EICR in 2 hours is fibbing ....

 

[Leesparkykent]

I am not sure on how practically the restriction should be made but this post echos what I have believed for many years,or at least since that part P nonsense came about

I have always believed that you cannot regulate installation work and the abysmal failure of Part P has more than proved the case
Get shot of that nonsense now, leave installation work open to anyone who considers themselves capable including Diy ers

Every house sale or new build should require a satisfactory inspection,it should be carried out by those with experience and qualification,they can even be registered and monitored themselves

Poor installation work by idiots and diy ers will become an expensive exercise if it as to be remedied,the days of the idiot installing would be numbered

brilliant idea imo.

 

[Risteard]

Anyone saying they can do a decent EICR in 2 hours is fibbing ....

To be fair it very much depends on the agreed scope of the inspection. That would make it hard to offer a one size fits all timescale to periodic inspection and testing.

 

[Toneyz]

it don't matter a **** what qualifications a tester may have. if he works for a company that makes him do 4 a day, he's going to skimp it, make it up. all down to money.

Pete does this remind you of a previous employer of mine, The tester however did not make the results up but had no chance of doing the inspection part. I think that's why the EICR came in place of the periodic to force the inspection part .How you could do a EICR of anything domestic let alone a commercial premises in two hours is not giving the customer a service they think they are getting.

 

[Toneyz]

You can regulate installation work and the current system for gas installation work proves this. However it took a very long time for it to get to where it is now, and for electrical work to become regulated it would take equally as long if not longer.

It was a opportunity lost some time ago.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I would really like to know if a rubbish and poor attempt at a EICR has ever come back to bite the person doing it and signing his or her name on the bottom... as i could easily see this day and age people suing for damages or losses after they have been told all is well and not dangerous and subsequently something happening to prove otherwise... if it hasn't yet happened its only a matter of time before something bad happens...

 

[Deleted member 26818]

No, they should be restricted to those with sufficient experience and competence.
The 2391 was introduced for existing Inspectors/Testers to show their competence, not as a gateway for Electricians to become inspectors/testers.

 

[The Ghost]

EICRs' have an intrinsic pressure to over state the potential dangers. Firstly for economic reasons, i.e. the potential work arising for the more unscrupulous. Secondly the potential liability arising from a danger missed and harm arising. Maybe it ought to be law that you cannot undertake remedial work for your own inspections? Nah I suppose people will just get their mate to do it sigh...
Without fist being walked through the process by someone experienced with installations of all kinds over many years (decade?) and getting experience over a couple of years I would guess you will be at sea on your own fresh from a course.
So people who are inexperienced will no doubt be phoning their scheme frantically and get walked through it that way, or not?
I definitely think there should be levels of competence, separating domestic from commercial and/or industrial. They are so different, a person with sole experience of domestic should not be let loose into commercial EICR without experience and an upgrade to their qualifications. Sort of grading I suppose maybe levl 1 and level 2 at least.

 

[Octopus]

To be fair it very much depends on the agreed scope of the inspection. That would make it hard to offer a one size fits all timescale to periodic inspection and testing.

I can't edit my earlier post but I was meaning an untested site where the customer needs a 50% or above test....

 

[Justmovedin]

I'm going to be having one done on my house soon, I'm just wandering does every qualified electrician has the right/knowledge and issue certification etc or is it only certain field of electrician can do this. I live I a 3 bed 2 reception room kitchen, each room has 2 plugs but the kitchen has about 10. How will I know the time taken is being done properly or cowboy?

 

[Justmovedin]

I'm going to be having one done on my house soon, I'm just wandering does every qualified electrician has the right/knowledge and issue certification etc or is it only certain field of electrician can do this. I live I a 3 bed 2 reception room kitchen, each room has 2 plugs but the kitchen has about 10. How will I know the time taken is being done properly or cowboy?

 

[Pete999]

They are electricians out there who don't install to the regulations, be it through a lack of knowledge or lack of skill so to me it's no different to how the trade is at the moment, whether it be testing or installation work.
Companies can self certify and legally carry out an eicr through joining a scheme by assessment.

So the schemes make it all right do they? no matter how much the individual knows, come on Ian you know that the assessment specimen is done by a proper Electrician who knows his stuff so the likes of NICEIC give the company CarteBlanche to to do as many EICRs as they can, the schemes are oblivious of what goes on until the next assessment.

 

[Richard Burns]

I'm going to be having one done on my house soon, I'm just wandering does every qualified electrician has the right/knowledge and issue certification etc or is it only certain field of electrician can do this. I live I a 3 bed 2 reception room kitchen, each room has 2 plugs but the kitchen has about 10. How will I know the time taken is being done properly or cowboy?

Despite the intent of this thread most established electricians should be able to do a competent EICR, though there are a lot of rubbish ones about, unfortunately.
The person inspecting and testing should be going to every point in the house and inspecting each switch, socket, light fitting, fused connection unit etc. they should also be internally inspecting a certain percentage of accessories, not just the easy to reach ones, they also need to test every circuit several times to get the required data, they may well spend a lot of time in the consumer unit with the power off and then go wandering around the house testing at various points. They will then send you an ECIR report which can be 7 pages long and it should detail any problems in plain English and also provide test and inspection results. At least half a day I would say and for you a full day based on your current description of the anomalies in your house.