"BigWallop" wrote in message
. uk...
snip
The postings here are from people who are actually trying to find out
the
best and safest ways to do the job. But just how many more aren't
even
bothering to find out how and why it should be done, and are burning
their
houses down?
Surely legislation should be on the basis of evidence of a rising
problem
or
on matters of important public policy, not an ever-more-complex rule
book
based upon possibilities that might be forseen but for which no evidence
exists?
To put the scale of the problem into some kind of perspective, a
conversation that I recently had with a senior manager in a very well
known
insurance company was quite enlightening.
Apparently, your house is likely, on average, to be so seriously damaged
in
an accident that it requires major rebuilding once every _300_ years.
(interestingly, for thatched houses this figure is closer to once every
1000
years). I think that as he was making the point about people reducing
their
risk when aware of obvious dangers (barbeques/bonfires near the house)
then
this might have just related to fires, but I'm not certain of this.
So, I don't think that the major insurers are losing too much sleep over
the
dangers of unqualified (sorry, should read Unregistered) people doing
domestic wiring.
Even from the government figures, the numbers of people fatally injured
in
electrical fires and from electrocution from fixed wiring is miniscule
in
a
country of 60million plus people.
This is completely unjustified beaurocratic overkill.
Richard Sampson
I think people are only seeing the money side of things on this. All I
read
in replies is the cost of this, and the cost of that, if these changes
come
into play, it's going to cost Y extra to the trades people. What about
the
lives at the end of this? Never mind "how many out of X inhabitants" die.
What about the small few that "are" crocking because of it?
You DIY wrong you DIE right, simple. Your fault? Or is it someone else's
fault? The electricity supplier must be at fault, right? The wiring
manufacturer is at fault, OK? The Sparks that installed it? The guy who
tested it "after" the sparks fitted it? Who's at fault if "you" cock up?
You?
Change of scenario. You have building work done by someone who has made
profit from that labour. What gets built, falls down within a year. Who
do
you sue? Forget the ramblings about different contracts and things guys,
I've seen and heard it all before. I want the nitty gritty here. Who do
you sue?
Said builder is part of a voluntary organisation or scheme of some sort.
He
has work recommended by them to other customers. He cocks up once, he
gets
smack on wrist from organ grinder. He cocks up again, more severe warning
from the organ master. Third cock up and he's outta there, right? No
more
work for real profit because he's useless, right? Wrong! He's allowed to
continue, even though he's not part of a national register of builders,
doing safe and sound work for profit.
Electrician is part of the same sort of voluntary scheme, organisation,
institute or whatever. He also has his work recommended by these scheme
things. He cocks up once, he gets smacked wrist. He cocks up twice, he
gets real roasting from said organisation. Third cock up and he's out
walking the streets, right? Another "guy next door does" wannabees? No!
He's also allowed to do work while not registered with a national
register.
No more than a slight drop in wages.
Now make what was a voluntary scheme, compulsory. He must register with
some national registration scheme that can randomly check his work when
and
if "they" see fit. Like CORGI, NACOSS Etc. are (should be). His third
cock up should show that he's not capable of doing this type of work.
He's
a danger to others around him. He's useless, to put it bluntly. "But he
passed all the exams" He cheated !!! "He's been doing it for years".
Get
all his work checked, NOW !!!
It brings in higher standards, and it brings in good all round workmanship
to everyone. House sales will need checked by registered and competent
schemes. These schemes will eventually weed out the crap, believe me.
Maybe I'm working in other countries to much, but the differences I see in
workmanship are amazing. Maybe it's the military training I went through
to
get my qualifications, but the discipline I see in other peoples work is
terrible. I still hear the words "Oh bugger it, that'll do it. "Leave it
like that, it's good enough" on a what should be a site full of
professional
people.
It isn't just the electrical trades that are coming under scrutiny. All
building and maintenance work is up for a re-shuffle. I think the sooner
these new schemes come in to force, and I mean force, the better for
everyone.
Sorry about the long ramblings again, but it really get to me this type of
thing. I work along side the people dealing with all the left leftovers
of
these types of "Accidents" in the home. I see and hear what these people
have to deal with. I know of the statistics, and how they are shuffled to
make sense of them. These things need addressing, and if it has to take
government and law enforcement to bring it into line once and for all,
then
so be it. My family and I live a building of over one hundred year in
age.
It isn't square. It isn't truly upright, even. But it has stood on this
one spot for over one hundred years without even, what would now be, a
proper foundation working. Try achieving that with a new build now.
Just remember the lives saved at the end of this. Not the few that have
died.
I'll say again - what evidence is there that DIY electrical work is a
serious hazard to public health and safety such that it warrants such
wide-ranging legislation?
Increasing the cost of electrical work will only serve to put people off
carrying out such work - whether DIYing or employing a registered
electrician, and this cannot be good.
How many lives are currently being saved because someone puts right a
potentially dangerous installation? A death averted is not recorded
anywhere - it is simply not possible to do this. So if a proportion of this
work stops due to the new rules then this can only have one effect.
--
Richard Sampson
mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk
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