What electrical work can a non qualified person be asked to do in a school?

[caretakerswife]

My husband is a caretaker at a primary school.

He does all jobs they ask him to do (sometimes without the training he is supposed to have first as for instance, he argued the gutter needed unblocking and walking up a ladder is common sense) as he likes to please. They have recently asked him to look at and replace some lights and he came back saying how messed up the wiring was. I was a bit shocked as when he described the job to me I thought he was just going to be replacing the bulbs not actually replacing the whole light fittings. Is he legally allowed to do electrical work for the school (just a school, no dwellings attached) and should they even be asking him as he has zero qualifications or training for electrical work, he is just working on the same knowledge of electrics the average person has.

 

[Lister1987]

As others have said; he has the legislature to back a refusal to work. I would take them on myself because I like a good H&S scrap, especially when the legislature is clear cut.

Simplified way to get through to your husband is; if you changed something and it went wrong, how would you prove your competency in a court of law - He can be qualified (or not) all he likes but paperwork rules here; there has to be evidence of competency, one of those times where experience means nothing and paperwork means everything.

Simplest way I can put it; Babies are born with legs and vocal cords but it takes months and years before they become competent on the use of them and can walk the walk and talk the talk.

 

[Mike Johnson]

I do note that nobody has mentioned the first stage of a H&S regime, i.e. the "Hazard Analysis" this must be done before any "Risk Assessments" are carried out, if at the end of the RA a continuing process is required, then a "Method Statement" must be prepared, if the HA highlights that the process is beyond the competency of the individual/company the process stops and is handed off to those competent to carry out the works, I know this is a long diatribe, but to the OP have the school carried out a Hazard Analysis for the works they have instructed.

 

[Midwest]

I think we’ve all evidence the fact that Mr Caretaker shouldn’t be considering doing this work, perhaps he is doing this work, because he enjoys the adulation of doing such, bit like my colleague, as I previously said.

However, as Ive also said, some employers haven’t had the thought processes that we and others had. It may be Mr Caretaker is actively encouraged to do so. Mrs Cartakerswife should perhaps get him to read this thread, and find out what from his employer his positio.