Electrical work

[Rocboni]

Hi,

I am wodering what the situation is for doing electrical work as an apprentice, I have been asked to do a few jobs, one of which is a small factory extenstion, (mainly high bay lighting, 13A sockets, no large 3 phase machinery.

I am not fully qualified however I have been in and around the industry for about 5 years, I have done a NC in electrical engineering and am going into the 2nd year of my apprenticeship in September! I also won the east of Scotland apprentice of the year competition, interview for the Scottish apprentice of the year in September. I am employed by a company who do a lot of commercial installaions/grain dryer/grain handling, lots of big sub mains, chillers, and places like Thomas sheriffs and lloyd tractors ect so I do know quite a bit about how it should be done.

The guy asking me said he would get it signed off and is happy for me to do it, just wondered about the legality of it all and if I should be worried as I have no insurance.

Should I avoid this? I am sure there will be some strong options.

 

[Darkwood]

Welcome to the forum

 

[telectrix]

insurance is a must. PL and PA for starters. it'snot too expensive.

 

[Pete999]

In your shoes mate I would leave well alone if you value your apprenticeship, which it looks like you do

 

[Rocboni]

In your shoes mate I would leave well alone if you value your apprenticeship, which it looks like you do

For what reasons, should I avoid all electrical work outwith my apprenticeship? As you will know the money isn't great so obviously work on the side is appealing.

 

[ruston]

Ok, but as I am Scottish no offence was meant . It was just banter.

 

[Darkwood]

Ok, but as I am Scottish no offence was meant . It was just banter.

When its inhouse with members who know each other then fair play but with new members its not appreciated as it can be taken offensively, same with real life walking in a pub, banter between mates is good fun but walk up to a lad you never met and say the same stuff doesn't usually end well.

 

[ruston]

It wasn't aimed at the OP it was a reply to a member that knows me.
I am not the type of person that would insult anyone online.
My track record should show that.

 

[Darkwood]

It wasn't aimed at the OP it was a reply to a member that knows me.
I am not the type of person that would insult anyone online.
My track record should show that.

I know but the original deleted post was, yours and other posts were responding to a deleted post, thus your post wouldn't make sense as a stand alone or correlate to anything posted- your not in any trouble, just a tidying up exercise.
PS - Your a fine forum member ruston and never been in the staff red book so please don't read into it any other way

My reasons for deletion should have been worded better, it was aimed at the original post deleted and not the follow on posts ..my bad, now that I have looked back, doh, its late!

 

[davesparks]

For what reasons, should I avoid all electrical work outwith my apprenticeship? As you will know the money isn't great so obviously work on the side is appealing.

Work on the side is appealing yes, but be careful about what you do and who for.
Firstly you want to make sure you never tread on the toes of your full time employer or jeopardise your job there. So don't work for their customers, even if they do ask you to do a little job on the side. Most employers are happy with you doing odd jobs for friends and family but will be less impressed with doing work which they would or could have taken on, especially if you use any of their tools to do the job!

The other problem you have is the one of insurance, to take on commercial work as you have suggested you need to make sure you are properly insured, and will need to declare to the insurer that you are not fully qualified as it will affect your insurance and not declaring it could void your insurance.

 

[Pete999]

For what reasons, should I avoid all electrical work outwith my apprenticeship? As you will know the money isn't great so obviously work on the side is appealing.

It was just a thought really, although I don't know what your current employer would think if they found out you were working on the side, does yoyr employment contract mention anything about this type of thing?

You seem to be getting on well, what with the awards you have earned, a shame to chuck it all away for a few hundred quid.

 

[Rocboni]

Work on the side is appealing yes, but be careful about what you do and who for.
Firstly you want to make sure you never tread on the toes of your full time employer or jeopardise your job there. So don't work for their customers, even if they do ask you to do a little job on the side. Most employers are happy with you doing odd jobs for friends and family but will be less impressed with doing work which they would or could have taken on, especially if you use any of their tools to do the job!

The other problem you have is the one of insurance, to take on commercial work as you have suggested you need to make sure you are properly insured, and will need to declare to the insurer that you are not fully qualified as it will affect your insurance and not declaring it could void your insurance.

Thanks for your reply, I realise that I have to watch what I'm doing regarding my current employer, they wouldn't get this job anyway and I would never work for there customers, that would be a breach of my contract.

I think I will just leave it at that then, there is clearly a difference between fitting the odd extra socket for someone and wiring a commercial extension!

 

[kingeri]

If I were you, I would be upfront with your employer, if you tell them about the offer they may say yes go for it, it's better than going behind their backs, especially at your stage of your career. But don't even be tempted to do anything without insurance!!!

 

[Pete999]

If I were you, I would be upfront with your employer, if you tell them about the offer they may say yes go for it, it's better than going behind their backs, especially at your stage of your career. But don't even be tempted to do anything without insurance!!!

Or they may say, OK you have work you can do on your own, collect your cards at the end of the week.
I'm sure they wouldn't mind the OP doing the odd socket change etc, but a commercial extension, don't think I would be that happy about it if I was the OPs boss.

 

[7029 dave]

Lets all be honest, we have all done the odd PJ in our time, in the early years.?

 

[Pete999]

I'm sure we have, I know I did, but my point is/was the OP seems to be one of the keenest I have seen, he has been nominated won some awards. As I said it would be a crying shame for the O/P to get binned for trying to earn a few quid on the side, yes it's difficult to manage especially if you are an adult trainee with a family, my advice stick with your apprenticeship the rewards will come honest, mine did and all I started doing was house bashing, or to put it another way a glorified labourer/tea boy/goffer/whipping boy/etc.