Electricains not completing Installation Inspection & Testing??

[jmpelectromech]

Hi

This is my first post on this forum, please excuse my naivety! Ok a little background on myself, I served my time as a Maintenance Electrical Engineer in a factory, I did both a SJIB recognized 4 year apprenticeship and a HNC in Electrical Engineering, the job entailed both installation and maintenance of Building and machine control systems, I have been away from the Installation side of work for around 10 years and have concentrated on machine controls and maintenance systems.
I recently became self employed and am currently getting myself back up to speed on the regs doing my 17th 2382-10 course and now currently doing my inspection and testing 2391-10 course. I was always (back in the day) taught to inspect and test every electrical installation once completed and provide a certificate, as far as I know this is still the case. The problem I have is recently meeting a contractor who claims to be competent and a member of SELECT (I am based in Scotland), they have done many installation in the area BUT I have never once viewed them do the Inspection and Testing completion at the end of a job, also they do not come back to do it and there is no certification left in or on the DB's! I pointed this out to them and the answer was its fine!! Now call me naive but surely they are wrong! How can they be sure the installation is safe and in line with BS7671 the REGS! I also pointed out about the courses I was completing and the words I got were they are not worth while doing as it's a pain in the arse (excuse my French)!! They also pointed out that to do allot of work for local authorities you should become a member of SELECT(Scottish NICEIC) but my problem is if they are not completing Inspection & Testing how can they be a member of a so called professional body!! For information purposes the installations I have witnessed have been additions to TP+N boards within a Factory!(Another quote was the earthing through the motors will be ok)
Please can somebody clarify what should be done on the completion of an Installation? Also can you please let me know if it is just me or are these people MAD?
Yours hopefully
JMPElectroMech

 

[malcolmsanford]

Easy BS 7671-2008 Regulation 134.2.1

During erection and on completion of an installation or an Addition or alteration to an installation and before it is put into service, appropriate inspection and testing shall be carried out by competent persons to verify that the requirement of this standard have been met

Appropriate certification shall be issued in accordance with section 631

 

[jmpelectromech]

Thanks Malcolm!! I know the definition of the REGS but what should i do about it?? Ignore it? Inform the customer who is paying for it? Or inform the professional body??

 

[trev]

Grass them mate. It's people like this who get the trade a bad name. Whether Select do anything about it or not is another matter

 

[jmpelectromech]

Thanks Trev1!! Surely SELECT check what these people are doing!! Or do they just check a selection of wok selected buy the contractor?? If so maybe thats why they get accreditaion!! Anyway I'll contact SELECT and ask the question! Thanks again!!

 

[trev]

They are supposed to check their knowledge, understanding of the regs and paperwork but if they are doing drive by testing no one will probably know because as I understand it they do not do sample testing.
Watchdog, Dominic Littlewood and his ex model mate or big Clive Woodward may be interested too hehe