Sacked for doing a good job?

[volta]

Got a call yesterday to quote for an office/factory PAT and went round there this morning. They had no idea on numbers of appliances and the previous test was done back 2011. Did a survey of 3 offices and a 2 factory floors, I guess around 200 items need testing. I decided the best policy was to quote my day rate of £400. I said it will take one and a half days and they agreed and I started the test there and then. It soon became clear that little in the way of professional installation or electrical maintenance had been done with 9 fails out of the first 38 tests. One of the 2 owners a lady in her 60's seemed grateful for me identifying the faults and even told the girls working the sewing machines that I was there to make sure they were safe. I had to tell her that due to the high number of fails it would now take 2 days to finish the job. By late morning my blood sugars were falling as I had not eaten anything and so I went home for lunch, a 6 minute drive. When I returned an hour later the male owner said he was concerned about the number of fails, so I showed him the photos I had taken on my phone as proof. He said he had been in contact with the PAT tester he normally used and wanted him to finish the job. I got the impression he wanted a 'sticker jokey' and not proper PAT tester. He said I will pay you for the day and we'll call it quits. Not wishing to to create a seen in front of the girls and without even asking why I had been fired, I said OK mate if that's what you want and left. I sent them my invoice via email and just hope it gets paid. I had to fail one out of three sewing machine tested as no earth return and never got a chance to test the rest so not sure if it was that or the extra cost causing a conflict of interest. Jugging by the flash cars parked out side the factory there not short of a few bob. Just wanted to know if anyone else had a similar experience, where your doing your best for the client but a safe working place is the least concern. I attached a few photos to show some of the things I found.

 

[camerabloke]

if thats what you have found then i agree that you did the right thing by failing them. i reckon he is after a lick and sticker

 

[Geordie Spark]

Maybe the HSE would be interested in seeing this and conduct an inspection of their own.

 

[Tiny Spark]

Unfortunately I had this very same experience.
Spent around 3 days (I think cant remember now) doing a site with similar faults and got sacked after I had finished the job!
Never did get paid

I feel sorry for the staff tbh as some of the faults are very dangerous so I hope you explained that to them.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Unfortunately I had this very same experience.
Spent around 3 days (I think cant remember now) doing a site with similar faults and got sacked after I had finished the job!
Never did get paid

I feel sorry for the staff tbh as some of the faults are very dangerous so I hope you explained that to them.

I don't think anybody would be interested in the danger aspect as long as the lights and machines are working. THIS is the reason why Trades Unions came into being.

 

[Tiny Spark]

I meant explained to the girls who were using the machines who were probably clueless about the whole thing.
Some bosses just dont care as long as they have their production going out.

These were some of the faults I found in the place I was sacked from for being "to thorough"


110v extension lead....


Another extension lead....


L&N Wrong way round.


Earth cut in half from haveing the lid forced on


Pretty obvious even with crap photos LOL

 

[oldtimer]

Well at least you took a professional approach to this as it could have ended in a bun fight and the guy say you had a bad attitude. Plus me thinks he wanted a quick gloss over and the previous crowd would have done that for him.

I had this last year where the new caretaker reckoned he knew more on PAT testing than my 38 years in the game so I promptly walked off the job and left him looking like a fool . The owner called to apologise but I said I will not take that nonsense so he pulled me in and told the caretaker to take a back seat

 

[ian.settle1]

Maybe the HSE would be interested in seeing this and conduct an inspection of their own.

Agree number of things breaking the law HSAW, PUWER, Managment of Health & Safety etc just to name a few

 

[volta]

I guess all I can do is wait and see what happens. It could be they will get there regular electrician to fix the place up, but if hes the same one that did some of the installations I saw then I don't have much faith in things improving. If I don't get paid then all I can do is threaten reporting them to HSE, maybe I should anyway.

 

[telectrix]

threaten by all means, but don't report till after you have been paid and the cheque has cleared

 

[ian.settle1]

threaten by all means, but don't report till after you have been paid and the cheque has cleared

My thoughts as well

 

[telectrix]

and if you can get a day rate of £400 in plymouth, i'm on the next train.

 

[Kate]

and if you can get a day rate of £400 in plymouth, i'm on the next train.

Hahahaha I just said that to my dad!!!! Got a customer querying my bill of 1 and a half days first fix and designing...materials AND labour £225.49!!! Chasing walls and wiring downlights without causing any damage to ceiling.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

£4 per item?? Just beggars belief!

 

[volta]

£4 per item?? Just beggars belief!

Well OK then, £4 p/i. :stooge_curly:

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Got a call yesterday to quote for an office/factory PAT and went round there this morning. They had no idea on numbers of appliances and the previous test was done back 2011. Did a survey of 3 offices and a 2 factory floors, I guess around 200 items need testing. I decided the best policy was to quote my day rate of £400. I said it will take one and a half days and they agreed and I started the test there and then. It soon became clear that little in the way of professional installation or electrical maintenance had been done with 9 fails out of the first 38 tests. One of the 2 owners a lady in her 60's seemed grateful for me identifying the faults and even told the girls working the sewing machines that I was there to make sure they were safe. I had to tell her that due to the high number of fails it would now take 2 days to finish the job. By late morning my blood sugars were falling as I had not eaten anything and so I went home for lunch, a 6 minute drive. When I returned an hour later the male owner said he was concerned about the number of fails, so I showed him the photos I had taken on my phone as proof. He said he had been in contact with the PAT tester he normally used and wanted him to finish the job. I got the impression he wanted a 'sticker jokey' and not proper PAT tester. He said I will pay you for the day and we'll call it quits. Not wishing to to create a seen in front of the girls and without even asking why I had been fired, I said OK mate if that's what you want and left. I sent them my invoice via email and just hope it gets paid. I had to fail one out of three sewing machine tested as no earth return and never got a chance to test the rest so not sure if it was that or the extra cost causing a conflict of interest. Jugging by the flash cars parked out side the factory there not short of a few bob. Just wanted to know if anyone else had a similar experience, where your doing your best for the client but a safe working place is the least concern. I attached a few photos to show some of the things I found.

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£400 x 2 days and 200 items = £4/item.

 

[Octopus]

Well I can imagine you won't be on their christmas card list!

Wonder why they didn't use their normal sticker jockey??

 

[Des 56]

Hahahaha I just said that to my dad!!!! Got a customer querying my bill of 1 and a half days first fix and designing...materials AND labour £225.49!!! Chasing walls and wiring downlights without causing any damage to ceiling.

I take it from that, you charge extra for damaging a ceiling then kate

 

[volta]

It all depends on the installation. With some well maintained installations 'sticker jockeys' can get away with slapping on a sticker for .50p and walk away knowing the client is happy cos' he got a certificate cheap. The jockey is happy cos' he fulfilled his urge to rip folk off and under cut the guys who do the job properly. With this installation not even the jockey could get away with overlooking such obvious dangers, unless he is a total idiot with no conscience.

 

[Des 56]

It all depends on the installation. With some well maintained installations 'sticker jockeys' can get away with slapping on a sticker for .50p and walk away knowing the client is happy cos' he got a certificate cheap. The jockey is happy cos' he fulfilled his urge to rip folk off and under cut the guys who do the job properly. With this installation not even the jockey could get away with overlooking such obvious dangers, unless he is a total idiot with no conscience.

It must be annoying but it is just another example of the farce that inspection and testing has become in our industry

They messed about trying to regulate what can't be regulated (domestic installation)when test and inspection, both pat and fixed installation, in all sectors, is and has been crying out for some sanity
Sanity with the level of experience and qualiification required of the individual and the standard of the inspections carried out by an enterprise