Napit.. Do you still choose the job, or do they?

[happysteve]

Sorry for thread resurrection, but this seems as good a place as any for someone searching for the answer to this. Just had my "annual" Napit assessment this morning (previous one in 2021), and can offer the following as a bit of a brain dump:

- most of the notifiable jobs I did, I didn't tick the box that said "I consent to using this job for assessment". There were no issues with not consenting to anything in advance.

- the assessor contacted me a week ago by email, with a list of things he needed to see, including 3 addresses. The requirement was "2 new circuits". A board change on its own is not sufficient, although a board change with some other work (additions and alterations) would probably be ok.

- he was happy to see whichever one I suggested, particularly as it was close, and the most interesting one.

- I had prepped the customer for this chosen job about the possibility of assessment in the future, at the time I was doing the job (a few months ago), and when I booked the date in (a month or two ago), asked him to agree to let me and the assessor on site. As a sweetner, I always offer my client an hour or two of free labour as a thank you for agreeing to use their job in the assessment... I figure they're giving up part of a morning for us to do our thing, I can give the same back as a thank you. Also, I say that it's actually a good thing that my work is being checked, gives them more peace of mind.

- I asked the clients of the other two "backup jobs" if we could potentially come round, but stressed it was very unlikely that we actually would. As soon as my assessor confirmed the job we'd be seeing, I let them know we weren't coming round.

- the multi-choice technical questions were in 2 parts - one on the Wiring Regs, the other on the Building Regs. The first set are basically like a mini "18th Edition" exam (C&G 2382), with a couple of questions from Part 7, one from Appendix 4, and the others from the main bit of the Regs. The Building Regs questions were harder, as most were from parts other than Part P - a couple of questions from Part A (structure), one each from Parts F (ventillation), L (fuel and power), and M (access to and use of buildings). Although one of the questions I could answer from "The Electrician's Guide to the Building Regs" book (about depth of chases), the other ones I had to actually go into the Approved Documents to find the answers. So although they ask that you have access to the Part P Approved Doc, you're gonna need access to the other parts as well to answer the questions.

- one thing he didn't ask for in advance, but wanted to see, was evidence of CPD (continual professional development). I was able to do it verbally and there were no issues, but he said that the way things are going, they are more likely to ask for a log of this in the future - short description of what it was, e.g. article in Professional Electrician / talk at Elex / online discussion on Electrician's Forum / looking up datasheets for a job / technical enquiry with Wylex or whoever... what it was about, and roughly how long. He indicated that on average, over the year, about an hour a month (or more) is about right. He was happy this year to just have a discussion, but I'll start making a note of stuff in the future, to show at a future assessment.

- always offer coffee and biscuits, and always have paperwork ready. This is the main thing.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Reading the above post for the CPD element, it would be helpful if on this site you could access how many times and for how long you have browsed?

 

[SparkySy]

Thanks for that @happysteve
I have mine on the 5th of December so useful to know about the questions on other Parts of the building regs, I'll make sure I have them to hand!
Cheers

 

[Amp David]

Thanks for that @happysteve
I have mine on the 5th of December so useful to know about the questions on other Parts of the building regs, I'll make sure I have them to hand!
Cheers

Even better now its only a 2 hour appointment they make for it

 

[brianmoooore]

So now sparkies are supposed to be familiar with the entire scope of the building regs, while every builder I have ever met doesn't have a clue about any of them.

 

[Mike Johnson]

A bit disingenuous there Brian.

I think it will probably be knowing the parts of the building regulations that apply to an electricians work i.e. height of sockets and switch's not just standard, but in part M of the regulations, where cables are allowed to be run, Part P, cutting/notching of joists and drilling holes for cables that sort of thing, not the whole building Regulations and if the Electrician is not sure of what applies they need to know where to get the information.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Sorry for thread resurrection, but this seems as good a place as any for someone searching for the answer to this. Just had my "annual" Napit assessment this morning (previous one in 2021), and can offer the following as a bit of a brain dump:

- most of the notifiable jobs I did, I didn't tick the box that said "I consent to using this job for assessment". There were no issues with not consenting to anything in advance.

- the assessor contacted me a week ago by email, with a list of things he needed to see, including 3 addresses. The requirement was "2 new circuits". A board change on its own is not sufficient, although a board change with some other work (additions and alterations) would probably be ok.

- he was happy to see whichever one I suggested, particularly as it was close, and the most interesting one.

- I had prepped the customer for this chosen job about the possibility of assessment in the future, at the time I was doing the job (a few months ago), and when I booked the date in (a month or two ago), asked him to agree to let me and the assessor on site. As a sweetner, I always offer my client an hour or two of free labour as a thank you for agreeing to use their job in the assessment... I figure they're giving up part of a morning for us to do our thing, I can give the same back as a thank you. Also, I say that it's actually a good thing that my work is being checked, gives them more peace of mind.

- I asked the clients of the other two "backup jobs" if we could potentially come round, but stressed it was very unlikely that we actually would. As soon as my assessor confirmed the job we'd be seeing, I let them know we weren't coming round.

- the multi-choice technical questions were in 2 parts - one on the Wiring Regs, the other on the Building Regs. The first set are basically like a mini "18th Edition" exam (C&G 2382), with a couple of questions from Part 7, one from Appendix 4, and the others from the main bit of the Regs. The Building Regs questions were harder, as most were from parts other than Part P - a couple of questions from Part A (structure), one each from Parts F (ventillation), L (fuel and power), and M (access to and use of buildings). Although one of the questions I could answer from "The Electrician's Guide to the Building Regs" book (about depth of chases), the other ones I had to actually go into the Approved Documents to find the answers. So although they ask that you have access to the Part P Approved Doc, you're gonna need access to the other parts as well to answer the questions.

- one thing he didn't ask for in advance, but wanted to see, was evidence of CPD (continual professional development). I was able to do it verbally and there were no issues, but he said that the way things are going, they are more likely to ask for a log of this in the future - short description of what it was, e.g. article in Professional Electrician / talk at Elex / online discussion on Electrician's Forum / looking up datasheets for a job / technical enquiry with Wylex or whoever... what it was about, and roughly how long. He indicated that on average, over the year, about an hour a month (or more) is about right. He was happy this year to just have a discussion, but I'll start making a note of stuff in the future, to show at a future assessment.

- always offer coffee and biscuits, and always have paperwork ready. This is the main thing.

Extremely useful stuff Steve, thankyou!

 

[Admin]

Reading the above post for the CPD element, it would be helpful if on this site you could access how many times and for how long you have browsed?

Closest to that we could get is show how many posts you've made each month and keep a number updated. Maybe 10mins per post for some who might read and search quick, mayne 20mins per post for a newer member who's finding their way around?

If I start collecting even more data I'd fall under even more restrictions somewhere down the line!

 

[Mike Johnson]

How many times you visit multiplied by five mins sounds about my level, except I then get more notifications and keep coming back.

 

[SparkySy]

Thought I would let everyone know.
I had my technical assessment today with NAPIT.
The guy who has now seen me for the second year is absolutely spot on, he is a contractor as well as an assessor so lives in the real world and knows the pressure us contractors are under.
I actually got to pick the job we looked at, it was semi domestic but mainly agricultural, a new stable yard.
Only 1 building regs question all the rest were electrical regulations related.

All was good, nice and relaxed, best assessor I have had since before that horrible disease ravaged the world in 2020!

Oh and I passed again for another year so I'm a happy sparky this evening!

Cheers all,

Sy

 

[Jock from the north]

Thought I would let everyone know.
I had my technical assessment today with NAPIT.
The guy who has now seen me for the second year is absolutely spot on, he is a contractor as well as an assessor so lives in the real world and knows the pressure us contractors are under.
I actually got to pick the job we looked at, it was semi domestic but mainly agricultural, a new stable yard.
Only 1 building regs question all the rest were electrical regulations related.

All was good, nice and relaxed, best assessor I have had since before that horrible disease ravaged the world in 2020!

Oh and I passed again for another year so I'm a happy sparky this evening!

Cheers all,

Sy

Well done I've got mine comming up in Feb. Last time guy was spot on .got a rewire to do in late December so hoping that will do

 

[oscar21]

Its that time of year again and what a ball ache it is. We need to provide 3 jobs but don't have a confirmed assesment date until we give them the jobs, this won't work as we mainly do insurance work on damaged houses and by the time the assement date comes round the houses will be occupied by someone I've never met before, it could be a crackhead, devil dog owner or someone who simply works nights etc. none starter.

The assesor we normally have has phoned me direct to do away with the three job rule and let me just choose one, but he only covers a certain area and we haven't done any work in that area in the last 12 months. So its back to the three job rule and I need to get it sorted before the end of july, if I choose them in a different area it will be an assesor we have never met but aside from that how do I tell three different people to take the day off but I probably won't bother turning up.

I remeber when part p started, maybe because of an MP's daughter getting killed , cant quite remeber whether that was true or not but the remit was simple - make sure electrics are safe, and thats all they had to do. Instead they've turned the industry upside down and made it so ridiculously complicated over the years I'm not surprised people are leaving it in droves. Safe means don't leave a live cable hanging out of a wall or wire the live wire to the earth pin in a socket or wire a 10.8kW shower in 1mm cable. How is not knowing what litres per minute is needed in a bathroom making anything dangerous.

You don't need endless assesments and never ending questions on stuff you don't need to know the answer to or even care about, I can tell whether an installation is safe within two minutes of seeing it, without even getting the meter out.

I swear the NIC or NAPIT or whatever don't understand that one man bands exist, when they talk to you for whatever reason they expect you to have an office suite full off staff just like them that can take care of every need, they have absolutely no concept of someone stuck under a floor somewhere reaching for a cable with one hand and his phone in the other hand chasing up an unpaid invoice.