NICEIC Certification Scheme Can Green NICEIC Certificates Be Trusted?

SW1970 · Sep 16, 2011

In the past month I've had two NICEIC green EIC certificates presented to me by innocent customers asking why I'm recommending essential works to get the installation safe when they think there's original paperwork saying it's all ok. Today, in one property rewired in 2008, it was water and gas bonding not connected, no supplementary in bathroom with no RCD (board to 16th), and socket right by back door not having RCD protection with high chance of being used for mobile equipment outside. The green cert was signed by someone who today is registered with NICEIC as a DI.

These NICEIC green certificates really bother me because the customer doesn't know what a fully approved certificate looks like. They see a green certificate and think that looks ok, it's very technical and has got lots of numbers on it and oh look there's a signature at the bottom: it must be right.

I think these green certs are feeding the problem of domestic sparking being dumbed down. How can a "non approved electrician" sign a certificate saying the installation meets the regulations? How do they know when they (most likely) don't have the skills and experience? The NICEIC may offer the "don't worry we'll fix it" outcome if a complaint is upheld, but to me that's all too late. On this job today, two young children, damp house, socket by back door (with no RCD protection) used sometimes for electric fan heater on extension lead into bathroom

and sometimes for electric mower. The occupants have no idea how lucky they've been.
Yes I know any old person can print off the IET model certs but the point is the client thinks they're getting the real deal with the NICEIC green certs, because they "look ok" and that just can't be right. I'm on the point of telling customers who present a green NICEIC cert that they are used by trainees, we'd better PIR the whole installation. That may be a dis-service to some good folks out there but in my mind the risks to public safety are too high. Can green NICEIC certificates be trusted?

Grumble grumble. Another large one please pot man.

Risteard · Sep 17, 2011

NIC certificates are no more "real deal" than any others. It's down to the competence of the person carrying out the work.

Not being in the NIC does not make someone's work any worse.

It could be argued that the IEE model certificates are in fact the real deal, as the others are all based on them.

Guest123 · Sep 17, 2011

Everybody has to start somewhere. Before scheme membership these are the only certs available to sparks that wish to do the right thing by certifying the work they have done.

As with any other form of certification obviously they are open to abuse by the less scrupulous individual but thats nothing new.

mogga · Sep 17, 2011

I hink the point being raised is the cert says NICEIC and as such the client doesnt know difference between green red purple photocopied and written on blank paper certs BUT they do recognise NICEIC as being a name they can trust

electromonkey · Sep 17, 2011

I suppose any cert is better than no cert. Even a cert that has been notified can still mean parts of an installation are not correct.

Rockingit · Sep 17, 2011

I've been with both Elecsa and now NICEIC for part p, both of which have their own forms, and I've always used my own ones anyway! So long as they contain no LESS info than the model forms in BS7671 then I really can't see how it makes the slightest difference and no-one can complain. Ultimately, Mrs Jones doesn't have a clue as to what your cryptic numbers and symbols all mean - but it looks good and shiny so must be a proper job done.

Unfortunately, the only set of numbers Mrs Jones DOES understand are those on an invoice, and that's the sad truth.