tips for periodic inspection and testing.

[DeanoRN]

good afternoon all,

ok so just wondering if anyone has some tips and advice for domestic testers in the social housing sector.

I am now working with a company who do a a lot of social housing periodic testing (change of tenancy) etc and i was wondering how everyone does there testing, do they follow the testing sequence or do they do it there own way? to speed things up. i have had some training from a few people but am sort of teaching my self of ways to speed up and things to look out for, from reading books, watching videos and forums etc, just seems like a bit of brutal cut throat part of the electrical industry, its like they want massive amounts of certs done and corners cut, and it doesn't sit quite right with me.

so ye just wondering if anyone who has worked in this part of the industry has any tips, tricks or just general advice to help me along.

cheers
Deano

 

[telectrix]

end of the day, you are signing your name to a certificate that describes the state of the installation. you can always find a few short cuts to speed it up, but never cut corners. you pass an installation as safe for continued use, and, due to a fault, someone gets hurt, your head is on the block.

 

[DeanoRN]

end of the day, you are signing your name to a certificate that describes the state of the installation. you can always find a few short cuts to speed it up, but never cut corners. you pass an installation as safe for continued use, and, due to a fault, someone gets hurt, your head is on the block.

Thanks for the reply, yes i wouldn't cut corners just looking for some tips to help speed up, do people have a certain routine they use when testing etc, also how much responsibility does the QS have when they sign off certs?

cheers

 

[James]

This might be a good place to start

Electrical Inspection and Testing qualifications and training courses | City & Guilds

City & Guilds Electrical Inspection and Testing qualifications. Leading vocational education and training organisation.

www.cityandguilds.com

 

[DeanoRN]

This might be a good place to start

Electrical Inspection and Testing qualifications and training courses | City & Guilds

City & Guilds Electrical Inspection and Testing qualifications. Leading vocational education and training organisation.

www.cityandguilds.com

thanks got my exam starting in a couple of weeks

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

Hi Deano, I think the social housing sector is full of that. Did it for a little while a few years back and the pressure was on to do 4 EICRs per day. One bloke used to 6 per day and even bragged about it but I think there was a lot of "in the van testing" at play. There is simply no way to do more than maximum 2-3 properly in a day. My advice is to get out of social housing and do them correctly. Good luck with your exam.

 

[DeanoRN]

Hi Deano, I think the social housing sector is full of that. Did it for a little while a few years back and the pressure was on to do 4 EICRs per day. One bloke used to 6 per day and even bragged about it but I think there was a lot of "in the van testing" at play. There is simply no way to do more than maximum 2-3 properly in a day. My advice is to get out of social housing and do them correctly. Good luck with your exam.

thanks mate, ye well thats it they want all these certs doing but no way can they be done properly if doing so many i think you're right about the van testing, to my limited knowledge doing 4 eicr's a day seems pretty ludicrous but thats what they expect my place is no different, some of the blokes are doing 4 certs a day and they tell me its easy hmm

But thanks for the reply ?

 

[Marti]

Hi Deano, I think the social housing sector is full of that. Did it for a little while a few years back and the pressure was on to do 4 EICRs per day. One bloke used to 6 per day and even bragged about it but I think there was a lot of "in the van testing" at play. There is simply no way to do more than maximum 2-3 properly in a day.

I make you spot on there. When I started I was given the clear impression that four EICR's per day was viable...yea right! Maybe four identical flats in a block are just about do-able! Two houses with a short drive should be viable. Anything else are "drive bys".

My suggestion for speed is, develop a routine / check list you can adapt.
Eg,
1.Walk-around to assess
2. Unplug everything
3. Check board
4. Ze and PFC
5. Bonding
...and so on

Some people swear by Light mates but I found them unreliable. Be interested to know if the Socket'n'See versions are any better. Great question from the OP; I'm still, trying to get this right!

 

[DeanoRN]

I make you spot on there. When I started I was given the clear impression that four EICR's per day was viable...yea right! Maybe four identical flats in a block are just about do-able! Two houses with a short drive should be viable. Anything else are "drive bys".

My suggestion for speed is, develop a routine / check list you can adapt.
Eg,
1.Walk-around to assess
2. Unplug everything
3. Check board
4. Ze and PFC
5. Bonding
...and so on

Some people swear by Light mates but I found them unreliable. Be interested to know if the Socket'n'See versions are any better. Great question from the OP; I'm still, trying to get this right!

Thanks mate yes everyone has said I will find my own routine eventually that will suit me but I still don’t think I have, it’s daunting the testing game I don’t know how people can sleep at night knowing that they haven’t testing correctly, it’s gives me anxiety.

So that’s why I’m just looking for different routines and processes to help me speed up but still do it so I can come away feeling satisfied that I have testing properly.

Cheers marti.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

some of the blokes are doing 4 certs a day and they tell me its easy hmm

It probably is easy if they don't get any tools out, but it will come back and bite them.
Ask your boss to shadow one of these guys for a day. I expect you'll be horrified.

 

[DeanoRN]

It probably is easy if they don't get any tools out, but it will come back and bite them.
Ask your boss to shadow one of these guys for a day. I expect you'll be horrified.

I have shadowed them that’s exactly why I’m on here lol.

 

[Marti]

I suspect the boss already KNOWS! Whether he cares is another question.

 

[ruston]

I suspect the boss already KNOWS! Whether he cares is another question.

Yes , as long as his name is not on the certificate.

@DeanoRN , Don't let your standards be influenced by the opinion that different installations requite different priorities, everyone is entitled to your best effort. As above , it will come back and bite at some stage.

 

[westward10]

Speed tends to come with being comfortable with the task you are doing. I don't even think about the hows and whys of it anymore. If you drive a car you don't get in and think about the procedure for getting going you just do it, the same generally applies to any repetitive task. Start off in your own manner and speed and you will find things will eventually flow much smoother and faster.

 

[DeanoRN]

Yes , as long as his name is not on the certificate.

@DeanoRN , Don't let your standards be influenced by the opinion that different installations requite different priorities, everyone is entitled to your best effort. As above , it will come back and bite at some stage.

thanks for the reply, yes you're right i don't want to let my standards slip or pick up bad habits from watching people that frankly don't give a dam really, the only reason i said social housing is because that's what i will be doing, maybe i should of said tenanted testing. I want to be a good skilled competent tester, i have booked my 2391 exam and have been meticulously going through the forums and the guidance notes 3 etc.

The thing is you can beat getting some advice from skilled experience people

cheers
[automerge]1570990423[/automerge]

Speed tends to come with being comfortable with the task you are doing. I don't even think about the hows and whys of it anymore. If you drive a car you don't get in and think about the procedure for getting going you just do it, the same generally applies to any repetitive task. Start off in your own manner and speed and you will find things will eventually flow much smoother and faster.

cheers mate,

yes so basically i will get better and naturally speed up with time, makes sense.