school caretaker worries

[jannadog]

I have a question on electrical work in schools.

I'm a caretaker in a school with over 1500 kids in West Sussex and recently the school has employed a maintenance man that says he is a qualified electrician...

I'm not sure he is as I know using insulation tape on live wires and poking them in holes in walls still live is wrong, or above a celling nothing is ever locked off he seems to know quite a lot about electric.

I have asked if he is qualified but I'm now In fear of losing my job.

On 3 or 4 occasions in the last 6 months he has been cutting through live wires. There have been various bangs and crashes and I am frightened to work around him I just want to know if he's qualified or not or if there's anything that could be done, how can you know if he's qualified .

thank you
John Smith

 

[westward10]

Are they under your supervision.

 

[Strima]

Keep a diary of incidents and report what you see to your management. If he is indeed working in contravention of the EAWR 1989 then he needs to be stopped.

If he is working live and leaving live conductors incorrectly terminated then this needs to be stopped.

You should not be in fear of losing your job, if anything you should be encouraged to ensure that there's a safe environment for students and staff, it sounds like his practices are dangerous and need to be stopped.

 

[Pete999]

I have a question on electrical work in schools.

I'm a caretaker in a school with over 1500 kids in West Sussex and recently the school has employed a maintenance man that says he is a qualified electrician...

I'm not sure he is as I know using insulation tape on live wires and poking them in holes in walls still live is wrong, or above a celling nothing is ever locked off he seems to know quite a lot about electric.

I have asked if he is qualified but I'm now In fear of losing my job.

On 3 or 4 occasions in the last 6 months he has been cutting through live wires. There have been various bangs and crashes and I am frightened to work around him I just want to know if he's qualified or not or if there's anything that could be done, how can you know if he's qualified .

thank you
John Smith

Were you present in any way during the interview stages? who was / is responsible for employing this Person? qualified or not he shouldn't be doing what you describle.
Address tour concerns to your Line Management team, asking politely for a response from them, if you have already asked someone if he is qualified and competent, and you then get threatened with dismissal,I would love to be a fly on the wall at the Resultant Employment Tribunal for unfair dismissal, you would undoubtably bring against your Employer, put you concerns in a letter or email keeping copies for yourself.
Anyone stupid enough to sack you for that needs sacking themselves, as to your last question only the hiring Officer or your HR will have the answers. although in my experience of HR they wouldn't know if he was qualified if it bit them in the rear end. Sorry for the ramble

 

[jannadog]

I have reported it to the chief executive ( whistle blowing thing). took pictures and video . but I'm feal like I done the wrong thing as iv gone about reporting it the wrong way or something they said ... I asked if he's qualified and was told nothing . I'm just a caretaker I don't say much as I don't know the law that's why I asked you here . thank you for your reassurance I will show pictures once it's over . im not back till Monday I nope it's been made safe ..

 

[Pete999]

I have reported it to the chief executive ( whistle blowing thing). took pictures and video . but I'm feal like I done the wrong thing as iv gone about reporting it the wrong way or something they said ... I asked if he's qualified and was told nothing . I'm just a caretaker I don't say much as I don't know the law that's why I asked you here . thank you for your reassurance I will show pictures once it's over . im not back till Monday I nope it's been made safe ..

Just inform someone in Top Management, in writing or email, they have to respond, I wouldn't do any Detective work off your own back, could be construed as victimisation on your part. Write the letter and stand back. Copy the H&S Officer in as well, please tell me you have one.

 

[jannadog]

I did point out where he had worked and have put in jobs request that where not finished I kept bring told he had a lot to do and to do my job not his but we have children in the school and they poke and prod things all the time ..

it was only a few years ago the por man died in the sports field not to far from here ...

sort of wishing I kept my self to my self ...

thank you for pointing out the work regulations 1989 this I can see I was correct . my school said I should of done it sooner and by email . I just do a few odd jobs where I can clean toilets bit of painting ..

 

[Devonchris]

You can't be dismissed for whistle blowing. If you have genuine concerns for safety then you are quite right to raise them. (See below)

Did you, by any chance, apply for the maintenance job and failed to get it due to lack of qualifications?

(3) What protection does the law provide to whistleblowers?
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 if an employee “blows the whistle” they will receive protection from being dismissed or victimised (ie by being subjected to a detriment) because of their whistleblowing. This protection is a day one right. A whistleblowing dismissal is automatically unfair and an employee does not need two years’ continuity of service to bring such a claim in the employment tribunal. Compensation is also uncapped. In relation to victimisation, a tribunal can award compensation for financial loss and injury to feelings (in the same way as discrimination claims).

The whistleblower will lose any statutory protection if they commit an offence when making the disclosure.

(4) What qualifies as a disclosure?
The information must be in the public interest and serious and not merely a trivial matter. This may include: criminal activity; miscarriages of justice; danger to health and safety; damage to the environment; failure to comply with any legal obligation or regulatory requirement; bribery, financial fraud or mismanagement.

The public interest test can be satisfied even where the basis of the disclosure is wrong or there was no public interest in the disclosure being made, provided that the individual’s belief that the disclosure was made in the public interest was objectively reasonable.

 

[Pete999]

Just inform someone in Top Management, in writing or email, they have to respond, I wouldn't do any Detective work off your own back, could be construed as victimisation on your part. Write the letter and stand back. Copy the H&S Officer in as well, please tell me you have one.

Devonchris's Post is worth a look Mate. I knew there was something about Whistle blowing doing the rounds well done Chris

 

[jannadog]

no i have been here years and I'm very happy as a caretaker .

I'm not a builder or anything like that. it's just we had a qualified electrician for years doing things by the book did not even think much about it untill now . iv had such a stressful tim my wife said iv been foolish and should just do my job ...

I'm getting on now and I suppose finding a new job will be hard .
but I don't want to see people getting hurt ..