P
Phil
:there have been a few posts recently asking "Can I do a pir without being in a scheme"
The simple answer is "YES"
:Do I have to have my 2391 to test,
NO but it does go towards proving your competence to do so.
the other parts to the answer that only you will be able to answer is;
are you competent to test?
do you have the correct insurance? (Indemnity)?
are you experienced enough to not only test but furthermore understand the readings and also interpret them in such a way as to be able to make a judgement upon the state of the installation?
Scheme membership with regards to carrying out periodic s is not necessary but it may prove to be worth while you being in one depending upon the Local authorities, estate agents or insurance companies as they may require you to be a member of a certain scheme before they will recognise your report.
BS7671 2008 17th edition below gives the introduction as to what a competent person is in the eyes of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Competent Person : 2008 . 17th Edition
General -
1. Introduction
2. Skilled person
3. Instructed person
4. Ordinary person
1. Introduction
People who are to work on electrical equipment or electrical installations must be competent to do so. The level of competence required will depend on the complexity of the task and the amount of technical knowledge required. According to the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, issued by the Health and Safety Executive, the suitability of an individual to carry out a task depends on the scope of the individual’s technical knowledge and experience, and will include:
● adequate knowledge of electricity
● adequate experience of electrical work
● adequate understanding of the system to be worked on and practical experience of that class of system
● understanding of the hazards which may arise during the work and the precautions which need to be taken
● ability to recognize at all times whether it is safe for work to continue.
As electrical energy is inherently dangerous, regulation 16 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EWR) requires that:
“ No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work “
Regulation 2 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 defines ‘danger’ and ‘injury’ as:
- Danger ……. means ‘risk of injury’.
- Injury ……. means ‘death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, electrical explosion or arcing, or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy, where any such death or injury is associated with the generation, provision, transmission, transformation, rectification, conversion, conduction, distribution, control, storage, measurement or use of electrical energy’.
This topic provides guidance on the three levels of competence as defined in BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations) as applying to skilled persons, instructed persons and ordinary persons.
2. Skilled person
A skilled person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Skilled person. A person with technical knowledge or sufficient experience to enable him/her to avoid dangers which electricity may create.’
The definition of a skilled person does not imply that a skilled person will be able to work safely on all electrical equipment or electrical systems; rather that such a person is expected to be able to make correct choices when deciding whether or not to work on such equipment or systems.
For example, the level of risk associated with the isolation of a circuit of a domestic low voltage installation may be lower than that associated with the isolation of a circuit of a complex low voltage installation. A skilled person would be able to recognize the difference in the level of risk, associated with isolation, in each type of installation and make an appropriate choice as to how, or whether, such work should be carried out.
The level of technical knowledge or experience necessary will depend on the nature of the activity to be carried out. For example, a short course and a period of practice may be adequate to enable simple tasks to be safely performed, whereas complex design activity may require many years of education, training and experience.
3. Instructed person
An instructed person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Instructed person .A person adequately advised or supervised by skilled persons to enable him/her to avoid dangers which electricity may create.‘
An instructed person need not simply be a trainee or apprentice. An instructed person is anyone who requires a skilled person to supervise him/her when working on or near electrical equipment or electrical systems, in order to avoid the dangers associated with electricity.
For example, it may be that an electrician experienced in a wide range of low voltage electrical work is retraining to enable him/her to isolate high voltage supplies on site. Whilst the electrician is in training, he/she requires an appropriate level of supervision to ensure that isolation of high voltage supplies is carried out safely. In such circumstances, he/she would be considered to be an instructed person.
The Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 recognizes that ‘supervision’ does not require that the skilled person must be in constant attendance of the instructed person. The degree of supervision is dependent on ensuring that danger, or injury, is prevented. For example, where the risks associated with a task are low, verbal instructions may be appropriate. However, where the risk or complexity increases, it is likely that written procedures and more overt oversight becomes necessary in order for instructions to be understood and the task supervised more rigorously.
4. Ordinary person
An ordinary person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Ordinary person .A person who is neither a skilled person nor an instructed person.‘
The definition of an ordinary person indicates that the individual has neither the technical knowledge nor the experience necessary to carry out work on electrical equipment or electrical systems. Therefore, any task carried out by such a person on electrical equipment or electrical systems whilst he or she was at work would fall outside of the guidance provided by the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 on regulation 16 of the EWR, in that the person would not have, amongst other things, adequate knowledge of electricity or adequate experience of electrical work.
Neither BS 7671 nor the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 prohibits the correct operation and use of electrical equipment, such as computers, vacuum cleaners, switches etc by ordinary persons.
The simple answer is "YES"
:Do I have to have my 2391 to test,
NO but it does go towards proving your competence to do so.
the other parts to the answer that only you will be able to answer is;
are you competent to test?
do you have the correct insurance? (Indemnity)?
are you experienced enough to not only test but furthermore understand the readings and also interpret them in such a way as to be able to make a judgement upon the state of the installation?
Scheme membership with regards to carrying out periodic s is not necessary but it may prove to be worth while you being in one depending upon the Local authorities, estate agents or insurance companies as they may require you to be a member of a certain scheme before they will recognise your report.
BS7671 2008 17th edition below gives the introduction as to what a competent person is in the eyes of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Competent Person : 2008 . 17th Edition
General -
1. Introduction
2. Skilled person
3. Instructed person
4. Ordinary person
1. Introduction
People who are to work on electrical equipment or electrical installations must be competent to do so. The level of competence required will depend on the complexity of the task and the amount of technical knowledge required. According to the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, issued by the Health and Safety Executive, the suitability of an individual to carry out a task depends on the scope of the individual’s technical knowledge and experience, and will include:
● adequate knowledge of electricity
● adequate experience of electrical work
● adequate understanding of the system to be worked on and practical experience of that class of system
● understanding of the hazards which may arise during the work and the precautions which need to be taken
● ability to recognize at all times whether it is safe for work to continue.
As electrical energy is inherently dangerous, regulation 16 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EWR) requires that:
“ No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work “
Regulation 2 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 defines ‘danger’ and ‘injury’ as:
- Danger ……. means ‘risk of injury’.
- Injury ……. means ‘death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, electrical explosion or arcing, or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy, where any such death or injury is associated with the generation, provision, transmission, transformation, rectification, conversion, conduction, distribution, control, storage, measurement or use of electrical energy’.
This topic provides guidance on the three levels of competence as defined in BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations) as applying to skilled persons, instructed persons and ordinary persons.
2. Skilled person
A skilled person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Skilled person. A person with technical knowledge or sufficient experience to enable him/her to avoid dangers which electricity may create.’
The definition of a skilled person does not imply that a skilled person will be able to work safely on all electrical equipment or electrical systems; rather that such a person is expected to be able to make correct choices when deciding whether or not to work on such equipment or systems.
For example, the level of risk associated with the isolation of a circuit of a domestic low voltage installation may be lower than that associated with the isolation of a circuit of a complex low voltage installation. A skilled person would be able to recognize the difference in the level of risk, associated with isolation, in each type of installation and make an appropriate choice as to how, or whether, such work should be carried out.
The level of technical knowledge or experience necessary will depend on the nature of the activity to be carried out. For example, a short course and a period of practice may be adequate to enable simple tasks to be safely performed, whereas complex design activity may require many years of education, training and experience.
3. Instructed person
An instructed person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Instructed person .A person adequately advised or supervised by skilled persons to enable him/her to avoid dangers which electricity may create.‘
An instructed person need not simply be a trainee or apprentice. An instructed person is anyone who requires a skilled person to supervise him/her when working on or near electrical equipment or electrical systems, in order to avoid the dangers associated with electricity.
For example, it may be that an electrician experienced in a wide range of low voltage electrical work is retraining to enable him/her to isolate high voltage supplies on site. Whilst the electrician is in training, he/she requires an appropriate level of supervision to ensure that isolation of high voltage supplies is carried out safely. In such circumstances, he/she would be considered to be an instructed person.
The Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 recognizes that ‘supervision’ does not require that the skilled person must be in constant attendance of the instructed person. The degree of supervision is dependent on ensuring that danger, or injury, is prevented. For example, where the risks associated with a task are low, verbal instructions may be appropriate. However, where the risk or complexity increases, it is likely that written procedures and more overt oversight becomes necessary in order for instructions to be understood and the task supervised more rigorously.
4. Ordinary person
An ordinary person is defined in BS 7671 as:
‘Ordinary person .A person who is neither a skilled person nor an instructed person.‘
The definition of an ordinary person indicates that the individual has neither the technical knowledge nor the experience necessary to carry out work on electrical equipment or electrical systems. Therefore, any task carried out by such a person on electrical equipment or electrical systems whilst he or she was at work would fall outside of the guidance provided by the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 on regulation 16 of the EWR, in that the person would not have, amongst other things, adequate knowledge of electricity or adequate experience of electrical work.
Neither BS 7671 nor the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 prohibits the correct operation and use of electrical equipment, such as computers, vacuum cleaners, switches etc by ordinary persons.
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