Maybe someone can enlighten me, as I am surely missing something here.
I regularly read posts by people who are clearly really not competent to undertake work - yet members on here will give them what in effect is encouragement and part knowledge. No knowledge is dangerous but a little knowledge is highly dangerous.
The Wiring Regulations and other industry documentation is clear in that a person working on electrical systems should be competent and have relevant training, knowledge and skills. You may have noticed that from time to time I appear, and ask all the sorts of questions that DIYers don't like, e.g. how will you test before work, who will test and issue Certificates, why do you think you are competent, what design training do you have, insurance implications., etc. etc. Answer comes there none in every case.
Many members of the forum make it clear that they are opposed to DIYers working on electrical work and I regularly read posts with forum members moaning about the poor and unsafe work carried out by DIYers, and cowboys, even as recently as today concerning a cowboy who wired up a licenced premises incorrectly. I can understand the gripe, and I agree with it.
DIYers in the vast majority of cases have simply NO idea about the complexities involved nor have any form of competence to determine cable sizing, routing requirements, etc, etc.
Now where I become confused is when I compare the responses made to DIYers set against requests for advice from people who are in training or going through training and who are insulted and vilified because they have not spent years as an Apprentice.
So tell me, why is it that DIYers are treated with kid gloves and told what to do, yet those new to the Industry who are brave (or silly enough maybe) to come on here to ask for advice are treated with contempt and disdain - yet in many cases these people have spent a lot of money and time doing what is perfectly legal - which is gaining training and knowledge. And don't get me started on Apprenticeships, with the number of bloody awful installations I have come across from so call Apprentice trained electricians - Sorry but that has to be said that a major failing of the Apprenticeship scheme is that the Apprentice can be given the bad habits of the Mentor.
This is completely hypocritical surely ? What is the position this forum adopts ?
I regularly read posts by people who are clearly really not competent to undertake work - yet members on here will give them what in effect is encouragement and part knowledge. No knowledge is dangerous but a little knowledge is highly dangerous.
The Wiring Regulations and other industry documentation is clear in that a person working on electrical systems should be competent and have relevant training, knowledge and skills. You may have noticed that from time to time I appear, and ask all the sorts of questions that DIYers don't like, e.g. how will you test before work, who will test and issue Certificates, why do you think you are competent, what design training do you have, insurance implications., etc. etc. Answer comes there none in every case.
Many members of the forum make it clear that they are opposed to DIYers working on electrical work and I regularly read posts with forum members moaning about the poor and unsafe work carried out by DIYers, and cowboys, even as recently as today concerning a cowboy who wired up a licenced premises incorrectly. I can understand the gripe, and I agree with it.
DIYers in the vast majority of cases have simply NO idea about the complexities involved nor have any form of competence to determine cable sizing, routing requirements, etc, etc.
Now where I become confused is when I compare the responses made to DIYers set against requests for advice from people who are in training or going through training and who are insulted and vilified because they have not spent years as an Apprentice.
So tell me, why is it that DIYers are treated with kid gloves and told what to do, yet those new to the Industry who are brave (or silly enough maybe) to come on here to ask for advice are treated with contempt and disdain - yet in many cases these people have spent a lot of money and time doing what is perfectly legal - which is gaining training and knowledge. And don't get me started on Apprenticeships, with the number of bloody awful installations I have come across from so call Apprentice trained electricians - Sorry but that has to be said that a major failing of the Apprenticeship scheme is that the Apprentice can be given the bad habits of the Mentor.
This is completely hypocritical surely ? What is the position this forum adopts ?
