Issuing Certs- Commercial/ Industrial

[Mainteng]

Hi,

I'm a maintenance engineer in a small hospital (previously an electrician- 2330, NVQ L3, 17th Edition, etc). Can i install new circuits myself at work? I know that for domestic premises i'd have to be Part P registered and notify Building Control, etc.

I'm under the impression that being a competent person, it's ok for me to install, maintain, test and certify new and existing installations in non domestic premises, ie. at work as long as i complete an electrical installation certificate or minor works.


It's what i do anyway, but have heard naysayers state that i should be outsourcing the work to contractors affilliated to a scheme- NAPIT, NIC, etc.

Although i've done a lot of industrial inspection and testing in previous work, i don't do it at my current place simply because it's far quicker and cost effective to employ contractors. However, if i wanted to, is there anything to stop me from testing, inspecting and issuing certs myself?



Thanks.

 

[Brightspark2]

Yes you can install new circuits, test and certify them yourself...

Your employer may have there own rules though...

 

[bowmandj]

On a similar vein. I have been asked to some work in my local church (some curtain heaters). This is a new circuit and fixed wiring. But a church is not a dwelling so not subject to Part P procedures.

So if I do the work and test off do I just complete an EIC with schedule and give one to the customer (church warden) and retain one for me?

Is that it? No building regulations certificate needed (as with Part P work). No LA documentation.

When I was in industry employed by and working for a large corporation we were doing constant changes within our sites without LA involvement (unless building work was done in which case the builder brought their own electrical contractors). But then again after I did the EIC 'someone in the office' handled it so I don't know where it went.

If working on the church as a competent person installer/tester does the EIC just stay with the customer plus a copy for me to keep as stated in the IET sample form notes http://electrical.------.org/wiring-regulations/forms/2008-amd1-forms.cfm?type=pdf

Even the NAPIT electronic storage system refers to Part P in most places so does not seem to be concerned with work place commercial installs (unless I am using the database incorrectly).

Please correct me if I am wrong. I have been used to working in a corporation with admin people to deal with these certificate matters so am not experienced on doing small private commercial work. But I wish to do more work in the future when I retire so would like to be sure of the processes for non dwelling work. Than
ks

 

[Richard Burns]

Same thing applies, so long as it is not a dwelling or sharing a meter with a dwelling then Part P of the building regulations does not apply.
There is no legal requirement to be in a self certification scheme, there is no requirement to notify building control.
Completion of inspection and testing and preparation of the correct certificates for compliance with BS7671 is still required, but this is between you and the customer (or the person ordering the work) only.

 

[Engineer54]

i don't do it at my current place simply because it's far quicker and cost effective to employ contractors.

That thinking is a fallacy i'm afraid, brought about by the accountants of companies wishing to remove the maintenance department in the hope of saving a few bob. Once gone, THEN it becomes almost impossible to reinstate.

Not only is it more expensive to bring in outside contractors, the quality of work drops like a stone in most instances, as well as the loss of the often forgotten but very real advantage(s) of familiarity with the installation as a whole...

Accountants (yet another parasitic entity) have destroyed many an Engineering company as well as much of the UK's manufacturing base, in the course of saving pennies that end up costing pounds!!