Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views!

[JK-Electrical]

The following images are from an EICR that I carried-out earlier today. I've seen some abysmal attempts at DIY electrical work over the years and this lash-up is certainly among the worst.

After deciding that the main switch was no longer necessary, the deranged maniac responsible for this atrocity then proceeded to choose black as the colour for the incoming live before wedging the conductor into the busbar.

And for reasons best known to himself he installed the RCD upside down. Is there a BS code for "RCD main switch, but not installed as part of consumer unit"?






SELECT have been lobbying the Scottish Government intensely to have electricians recognised as a profession, but as of yet, there is no clear indication that Jimmy Krankie and her band of fellow c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶s̶t̶s̶ nationalists are going to take heed. Apart from endlessly trying to convince Scots that they should sever all ties with England and suck-up to the EU instead, the Scottish Government evidently has much more important legislation to act upon than pass a much-needed law that would outlaw the type of extremely dangerous DIY lash-up that you see above.

 

[NDG Elecs]

View attachment 39442

That is beyond words....

Out of curiosity is that a shower cct supplying the socket or a socket cct supplying the shower?

 

[Dave OCD]

That's lethal but isn't it amazing how they come up with these crazy connection methods ?! Referring to the link 'non binary people' are obviously far more important than legislating to potentially save lives.

 

[baldelectrician]

The following images are from an EICR that I carried-out earlier today. I've seen some abysmal attempts at DIY electrical work over the years and this lash-up is certainly among the worst.

After deciding that the main switch was no longer necessary, the deranged maniac responsible for this atrocity then proceeded to choose black as the colour for the incoming live before wedging the conductor into the busbar.

And for reasons best known to himself he installed the RCD upside down. Is there a BS code for "RCD main switch, but not installed as part of consumer unit"?

View attachment 39466
View attachment 39467
View attachment 39468
View attachment 39469

SELECT have been lobbying the Scottish Government intensely to have electricians recognised as a profession, but as of yet, there is no clear indication that Jimmy Krankie and her band of fellow c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶s̶t̶s̶ nationalists are going to take heed. Apart from endlessly trying to convince Scots that they should sever all ties with England and suck-up to the EU instead, the Scottish Government evidently has much more important legislation to act upon than pass a much-needed law that would outlaw the type of extremely dangerous DIY lash-up that you see above.

I was at a SELECT meeting last week and they are asking contractors to send photo evidence like this to back up the case for registration of electricians.

 

[baldelectrician]

That's lethal but isn't it amazing how they come up with these crazy connection methods ?! Referring to the link 'non binary people' are obviously far more important than legislating to potentially save lives.

As a raving nationalist (who dislikes Westminster not people from down south) I may politely point out the current Scottish Government have introduced MANDATORY electrical checks for private rental properties

 

[JK-Electrical]

I was at a SELECT meeting last week and they are asking contractors to send photo evidence like this to back up the case for registration of electricians.

I have literally dozens of shocking images like this that I could submit. Are the images to be sent direct to SELECT at the Wallend, or passed to the membership officer for my area, or to the technical assessor that I deal with?

I do a lot of EICRs and come across botched DIY electrical work on a regular basis. Do we have to wait until someone gets electrocuted or burned to death before the Scottish Government get their finger out and pass this legislation? There really is no excuse for them dragging their feet.

 

[baldelectrician]

I have literally dozens of shocking images like this that I could submit. Are the images to be sent direct to SELECT at the Wallend, or passed to the membership officer for my area, or to the technical assessor that I deal with?

I do a lot of EICRs and come across botched DIY electrical work on a regular basis. Do we have to wait until someone gets electrocuted or burned to death before the Scottish Government get their finger out and pass this legislation? There really is no excuse for them dragging their feet.

It's lack of knowledge on their part- this is where you should approach you local MSP (preferably an SNP one- as they are in government) and ask him / her to raise it.
Follow up with emails etc to see what has been done.

We all need to rattle cages to get something done, this is the beauty of the Scottish Parliament (you can see the whites of their eyes when you ask them questions as they are more accessible than the Westminster ones)

We can make changes (you are reading a post from the guy that got Appendix A introduced to the Scottish landlord laws, which made it a more closed shop on landlord testing)
Bring it up with your assessor (you can email them direct through the contact details at the SELECT website)

 

[JK-Electrical]

As a raving nationalist (who dislikes Westminster not people from down south) I may politely point out the current Scottish Government have introduced MANDATORY electrical checks for private rental properties

True ...... but rather than legislate to ensure that only qualified, competent electricians are allowed to carry-out EICRs, they merely gave us guidance whereby landlords are advised as to the criteria that they should use when choosing a contractor to carry-out EICRs on their properties. Two of the ten listed requirements are that electricians carrying-out EICRs should be, or be eligible to apply for, the approved electrician grade, and that a further qualification in BS 7671 should also be held. But sites such as MyBuilder and Rated People are full of young boys some of whom have no formal qualification in inspection and testing, or even BS 7671, and who are barely out of college, offering to carry-out EICRs at ridiculously low pocket-money prices thereby undercutting contractors such as myself who actually meet the criteria as decreed by the Scottish Government's guidance.

What is required is statute legislation and enforcement by penalty, not guidance. And if no legislation is forthcoming, then the status quo will prevail and go from bad to worse.

 

[JK-Electrical]

It's lack of knowledge on their part- this is where you should approach you local MSP (preferably an SNP one- as they are in government) and ask him / her to raise it.
Follow up with emails etc to see what has been done.

We all need to rattle cages to get something done, this is the beauty of the Scottish Parliament (you can see the whites of their eyes when you ask them questions as they are more accessible than the Westminster ones)

We can make changes (you are reading a post from the guy that got Appendix A introduced to the Scottish landlord laws, which made it a more closed shop on landlord testing)
Bring it up with your assessor (you can email them direct through the contact details at the SELECT website)

Thanks for the advice! I will be acting on it and rattling some cages very soon.

 

[baldelectrician]

What is required is statute legislation and enforcement by penalty, not guidance. And if no legislation is forthcoming, then the status quo will prevail and only get worse.

This is guidance in name only- it is MANDATORY and will form part of the new tenancy agreement which will also be mandatory from December 1st.
Remember these EICR's from people who are not qualified are worthless- landlords need to know this.

One other thing I suggested to SELECT (for the second year in a row- not acted on) was to ask councils to include a leaflet in the private rental sector changes with the new council tax bills from April- this would mean that (at little extra cost) all households will have the info inside their council tax bill and it will raise standards and knowlege

Blessed be the SNP

 

[JK-Electrical]

This is guidance in name only- it is MANDATORY and will form part of the new tenancy agreement which will also be mandatory from December 1st. Remember these EICR's from people who are not qualified are worthless- landlords need to know this.

I've just read that document and all it says about electrical safety is:

"The Landlord must ensure that an electrical safety inspection is carried out at least every five years consisting of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on appliances provided by the Landlord. The EICR must be completed by a suitably competent person."

So we're back to the question of how we define a "a suitably competent person." Instead of vague statements such as this, why not just legislate to the effect that only electricians who are registered with SELECT and/or NICEIC, or who possess a formal qualification in electrical installation PLUS a formal qualification in inspection and testing of electrical installations PLUS a current BS 7671 qualification PLUS at least five years post-apprenticeship/college experience are allowed to carry-out EICRs? Only when specific criteria that defines what a "suitably competent person" actually is, can we then begin to ascertain who is not competent, and only then can the much-needed and long-overdue weeding-out process begin.

One other thing I suggested to SELECT (for the second year in a row - not acted on) was to ask councils to include a leaflet in the private rental sector changes with the new council tax bills from April- this would mean that (at little extra cost) all households will have the info inside their council tax bill and it will raise standards and knowlege

That was a good idea. Why wasn't it implemented?

 

[baldelectrician]

I've just read that document and all it says about electrical safety is:


So we're back to the question of how we define a "a suitably competent person."
A competent person is in SELECT / NICIEC or can complete appendix A
I helped put the appendix A thing in (see below)

Instead of vague statements such as this, why not just legislate to the effect that only electricians who are registered with SELECT and/or NICEIC
It is illegal to have a closed shop and requires SELECT / NICIEC only.

That was a good idea. Why wasn't it implemented?

SELECT / NICIEC are narrow minded - they think that a closed shop is the best idea
The Scottish Government took the NICIEC / SELECT or meet the standards of NICEIC / SELECT and put them in the legislation.
It took me to meet with the current (2014) housing minister and talk to her to get in contact with the civil servant doing the legislation (I mentioned the civil servant name to people in NICEIC and SELECT and they confirmed that they had meetings with this person but did not suggest a SELECT / NICIEC or standards of option.)
The option now means that you cannot get a smoke paper between the NICEIC / SELECT option and the alternative

 

[baldelectrician]

https://www.housingandpropertychamb...VATE RENTED PROPERTY - REVISED NOV 2016_0.pdf

• I am a member of a professional body
• I have public liability insurance (£2 million minimum is recommended)
• I have professional indemnity insurance (£0.25 million is recommended for contractors undertaking electrical installation condition reporting)
• I have completed appropriate assessed training on current version of BS7671 within the past 5 years
• I can provide copies of wholesaler bills made out to entity trading

• I can provide copies of trade qualification or equivalent
  
  
• I have possession of a calibration certificate for test equipment for the work carried out
  
  
• I can provide a copy of a written health and safety policy statement for the business
  
  
• I have completed Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Health & Safety Assessment within the past 3 years
  
  
• I have been granted, or am eligible to be granted at least Approved Electrician grade.

 

[JK-Electrical]

[

https://www.housingandpropertychamber.scot/sites/default/files/hpc/SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS ND APPLIANCES IN PRIVATE RENTED PROPERTY - REVISED NOV 2016_0.pdf

• I am a member of a professional body
• I have public liability insurance (£2 million minimum is recommended)
• I have professional indemnity insurance (£0.25 million is recommended for contractors undertaking electrical installation condition reporting)
• I have completed appropriate assessed training on current version of BS7671 within the past 5 years
• I can provide copies of wholesaler bills made out to entity trading

• I can provide copies of trade qualification or equivalent
  
  
• I have possession of a calibration certificate for test equipment for the work carried out
  
  
• I can provide a copy of a written health and safety policy statement for the business
  
  
• I have completed Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Health & Safety Assessment within the past 3 years
  
  
• I have been granted, or am eligible to be granted at least Approved Electrician grade.

That's annex A of the Scottish Government's Guidance on Electrical Installations and Appliances in Private Rented Property. My point is that the guidance isn't fit for the purpose. How can it be when there are people out there carrying-out EICRs who aren't approved electricians and/or don't have a current BS 7671?

 

[baldelectrician]

We need to spread the word

I have a dedicated site for landlords;
Home - http://www.landlordtest.scot/

I also suggest landlords check any electrician they are thinking of employing against the register

 

[LeeH]

 

[telectrix]

View attachment 39589

well they would not get any sparkies in 2-5. it's only wet-pants and builders that knock off half way through the working day.

 

[Strima]

A mate of mine has just posted this in Facebook, his shower stopped working... Typical bloody Matelot...

 

[Wilko]

A mate of mine has just posted this in Facebook, his shower stopped working... Typical bloody Matelot...

View attachment 39628

Man o man, what was he thinking ...

 

[Rpa07]

. . . . just when you thought you’d seen it all - priceless! Surely it would have been easier to do it properly, that just looks like hard work!