Cabling Fused Spurs for CCTV Engineers

[o0oSparkyo0o]

Hello all and thank you for your help in advance.

I have been charged with finding the following information out for work and as I'm sure you are aware sometimes finding info on the internet can be quick and simple or long and painful, so I thought I would ask the pros.

We are a CCTV installation company and as part of our business we have to install fused spurs from time to time, although never trained I have 20 odds years of electrical work. The majority of our work is in commercial premises and I have argued the point that as we are not certified or qualified electricians that we should not be doing this work as our insurance may not hold up in the case of a problem arising.

Getting to the point - What training / qualifications would be required by our engineers to carry out the installation of Fused spurs (on existing ring mains) in commercial premises and where / who should I approach for this Training.

Regards

Mark

 

[Cirrus]

Mark,
I may be wrong but whilst at college a couple of years ago we had a couple of alarm & cctv engineers on my course of evening classes. They had to attend and do 3 years of the c&g 2330 level 2 & 3 to be considered 'competent' professionally to conduct the required electrical work associated with their job. Now this may have been their employers going overboard as why do you need to be a 'qualified' spark to simply connect / test fused spurs? Fact is, both dropped out in the end as they found the going too tough and not particularly useful as 99.9% was irrelevant to them. Sorry I can't give you a definitive textbook answer.

 

[LukeScotty]

hiya,
Me neither Could I give you a text book answer, But I can tell you someone on here will answer it for you, hang on in there................

 

[TonyM58]

Bottom line is that the fused spur must comply with BS7671 (now BS7671:2008), and must be inspected, tested and certified. If its just a fused spur then you would need to complete a minor works certificate, so would need to measure continuity, insulation, polarity and EFLI (Zs) as with any installation.

As with any alteration, you will have to verify that the exisitng circuit (including earthing) is suitable or the changes.

the bottom line is you dont HAVE to have any qualifications to do this, as long as ALL of the work fully complies with BS7671 and is tested as such.

In reality you need your wiring regs (3 day course). whilst your work will generally not fall under Part P or be in domestic premises, You would learn all of the neccessary skills, including how to test and certify the circuit on the EAL Domestic Electrical Installer course.

I teach a two week package including the wiring regs for £1490

If you connect the fuse spur and it doesnt comply with BS7671 (or isnt tested) and the circuit was to catch fire, then you (the firm) would most certainly be liable. For example, suppose the CPC was open circuit and someone had a shock or the protection on the circuit was inadequate/missing

You are quite right to be cautious!

regards

Tony

 

[Saq1971]

Hi TonyM58. I have exactly the same question to which you provided a very detailed and knowledgeable reply back in 2008. Does the same still apply or given the passage of time and most probably the updating of regulations, does your answer need updating? I consider myself to be a competent person with 18 years of experience of installing fused spurs as a CCTV engineer. I am happy to pay for and attend a short course which certifies me as competent, teaches me what testing and documentation needs to be done and allows me to issue a minor works certificate. I have no desire to become an electrician but worry about not conforming to the 18th edition and liability in the event something went wrong.

 

[littlespark]

Hi TonyM58. I have exactly the same question to which you provided a very detailed and knowledgeable reply back in 2008. Does the same still apply or given the passage of time and most probably the updating of regulations, does your answer need updating? I consider myself to be a competent person with 18 years of experience of installing fused spurs as a CCTV engineer. I am happy to pay for and attend a short course which certifies me as competent, teaches me what testing and documentation needs to be done and allows me to issue a minor works certificate. I have no desire to become an electrician but worry about not conforming to the 18th edition and liability in the event something went wrong.

Indeed there are short courses for this type of work, but limits you to only doing these small jobs… you can’t then run off and install 3 phase motors or anything.

I would say, however that in the message above, a minor works certificate only applies if you are adding to an existing circuit…. It would be an EIC (electrical installation certificate) if there was a brand new circuit going in with its own OCPD.

 

[Saq1971]

Indeed there are short courses for this type of work, but limits you to only doing these small jobs… you can’t then run off and install 3 phase motors or anything.

I would say, however that in the message above, a minor works certificate only applies if you are adding to an existing circuit…. It would be an EIC (electrical installation certificate) if there was a brand new circuit going in with its own OCPD.

Thanks. This is what I was hoping for. Can you point me in the right direction as far as courses are concerned? I always add a new breaker to which I connect the fused spur so I think you are right and an EIC is what I need to issue and not MWC.