At what point do you call an electrician?

[fafster]

Here's my situation: I need to run a new power cable to a ceiling-mounted projector. The guys who installed it did the whole "let's run some two-core flex from socket to projector, meaning any new projectors requiring three-core are out of luck" routine.

 

I'm going to get some flex, wire a plug on one end and a single or double socket onto the other. Now, it's easy as pie, being a single step above wiring a plug. I've got no worries about my abilities in the matter, but the head of ICT has expressed concerns over responsibility and accountability, and other 'ility's.

 

On the sliding scale between wiring a plug, and installing a new ring circuit, where do you draw the line and call in a sparky?

[sister_annex]

I am pretty sure that in any public place including schools etc all electrical work has to be tested by a qualified Electrician to ensure it meets standards - the Head of ICT is right to be concerned and personally i wouldn't want the responsibility of doing some thing like that.

 

Plus as what you are suggesting is basically an extension lead why not buy one of those?

 

Mark

[soveryapt]

Well, today, I've just had a similar thing, except the person had wired 3 core through with a junction back to the 2core that the old NEC Projector did.

 

Like you, I have no worries about my own ability to be able to wire an extension up, a plug up, and all that jazz, so I basically got an old IEC cable, chopped off the end, stripped it and wired it in so that the new projector would work.

 

I had a thing a bit back where a chippy had managed to trap a wire on the wall and the school would rather get him back to rewire this particular thing to free it up than let me do it, and he (by own admittance) wasn't a sparky, but because he had insurance (which I'm pretty sure would of been invalidated by the simple fact electrical wiring isn't part of the remit of a chippy I'm guessing) they wanted to let him do it.

 

Today, they pretty much turned a blind eye to it.

 

There are the incidences of "what is the school burns down" but if you're competent, that's not going to happen and like you say, it's no more than wiring a plug. Now, if you were wiring in a proper socket to the school mains up near the projector, I could understand their worry, but an extension cable, cheaper to do it yourself and get it PAT tested if they're that worried.

 

Dunno if those ramblings help or not! lol ..

[fafster]

I'd need to find a ten metre extension, and because it needs to run through a lot of conduit I'd rather feed it through without the plug on, than take the cover off and struggle with it.

 

Also, I'm one of the school's PAT testers, so that makes it easier!

[soveryapt]

Also, I'm one of the school's PAT testers, so that makes it easier!

 

One of meaning there's another one too? Just to be safe, get the other to do the test if you do the wiring. Just means you're not "passing it for passings sake" (not saying you would, that would be irresponsible - but just gives an added safety net for you)

[powdarrmonkey]

What test are you going to perform on the line when you've finished?

[sparkeh]

What point? Um...at the start?

 

Would never touch anything to do with electrics, thats why we have a friendly neighbourhood electrician for all the electrical jobs.

[Domino]

My view is its not worth it.

 

Yeah, you'll save some time and a little money - but who'd want to be held accountable if something were to go horribly wrong.

 

Much better if the schools got a regular sparky to let them do it.

[bossman]

@All:

 

Unless you have electrical qualifications to 17 edition standards then I wouldn't touch anything electrical in the school not even wiring a 3 pin plug.

 

Reason is liability insurance and point of blame, for the reasons which most have stated above Health & Safety requires that by law only a fully qualified electrician should wire anything where the public could be identified as being in danger of electrocution.

 

If a qualified electrician does the job then he is covered under his companies liability insurance should anyone be electrocuted and dies through negligence, the person who did the job would be personally liable and in effect could end up going to jail if not suitably qualified.

[Andrew_C]

Health & Safety requires that by law only a fully qualified electrician should wire anything where the public could be identified as being in danger of electrocution.

Where? I'd like to see chapter and verse on that. The 17th states in 114.1 "The Regulations are non-statutory". HASAW requires "competency".

[soveryapt]

The best advice on this is, sadly, to go with the red tape.. if the school is happy to let you carry out the rerun of the extension cable to ensure that you can get back up and running quickly enough, then go with that.. if they say that you must have a sparky in to do the job, then sadly that's the route you have to take, no matter how ridiculous.

 

Personally, if putting in new sockets it would need a sparky, but replacing a plug, if you're competent then why not. If your establishment says no to replacing a plug, then technically, any electrical item you need to replace (PSU / Fuse) should be done by someone qualified, or certainly in their presence to ensure that you don't do anything stupid ..

 

It's one of those things that sometimes the red tape seems to take it a little too far.. like ladders.. to be safe, I should use ladders to reach the projectors in one of my schools, but as I've not had ladder training yet, then I'm not really allowed to, however, if I want to balance a chair on a table or something to get to the projector, then that is allowed? lol ..

[HarryMonkey]

It may be that your Local Authority has policies/regulation in place so best check with them. At the very least the extension will require PAT testing before use. As for wiring in a socket, that's a job for the sparky as only he can test it and issue the appropriate certificate.

 

(Some LA's have rules about schools doing their own network cabling as well!!)

[glennda]

Anything electrical here is given to our friendly neighbourhood electrician to sort out, enless its a change of fuse. although i am quite happy to do most things electrical at home apart from rewire a fuseboard! i just think that its better to be safe then sorry if an accident happened.

[SimpleSi]

AFAIK anything electrical nowadays needs to be given a green bill of health by an electrician.

 

So you may as well get them to do the work as its only slighty more than getting them to certify it

 

You shouldn't be doing ANY electrical work (unless properly qualified/certified of course)

 

BUT YOU DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T BE WRITING ABOUT IT IN A PUBLIC FORUM - LINE MANAGERS READ EDUGEEK AS WELL!

 

(It WILL be used against you in a court of law if something goes wrong!)

 

regards

 

Simon

[tech_guy]

When you've electrocuted half the staff & burnt the school down trying to wire a 13amp plug?

 

(In answer to the thread's title)