17th edition query

[Mdb2]

Hi all I am new to the forum,my question is this I have done aall editions from the 14th to today's 17th. There are 3 of us at work all on the same 17th edition. But not 2391. We have been taken over (tupe). the incoming maintenance company. Have told us our qualifications do not cover installion of new circuits. And there fore all new installs even minor additions ie extra sockets on a circuit are to be overseen during install and test. Has anyone any knowledge of this and is it a new rule? Also after all my years as a spark is my qualifications worthless? Any replies appreciated. Mike

 

[IQ Electrical]

Hi all I am new to the forum,my question is this I have done aall editions from the 14th to today's 17th. There are 3 of us at work all on the same 17th edition. But not 2391. We have been taken over (tupe). the incoming maintenance company. Have told us our qualifications do not cover installion of new circuits. And there fore all new installs even minor additions ie extra sockets on a circuit are to be overseen during install and test. Has anyone any knowledge of this and is it a new rule? Also after all my years as a spark is my qualifications worthless? Any replies appreciated. Mike

The only general rule is that the installer must be competent to work on the system that he/she is working on.

Of course the 'new' company may have their own criteria for assessing/accepting competence which may or may not include 2391-10.

 

[Mdb2]

Thanks for your reply, however they were adamant that the 17th doesn't allow install/testing your own work? When I questioned them? Therefore I wondered as to whether I have missed some new rule/amendment. Mike

 

[richy3333]

Sounds like bull**** to me. Ask them to point out to you (take the BRB/BGB into the office) which part of BS7671 says (especially with your wealth of experience) that you can't test?

Might be a company policy but it isn't a 17th Ed requirement

 

[ruston]

As above --So what do they expect you to do then if you can't install or test your own work, put right the clangers of those who can? Crazy men in jobs they know nothing about. It's them who need certifying.

 

[Adam W]

I would say that having a qualification in the regs isn't necessarily a qualification to inspect and test.
You could ask what qualifications they want you to have, and if they don't seem to know, try telling them you're part P and see what they say.

 

[Engineer54]

Always good to have this 2391/10, but with experience such as yours over so many years, who are they trying to kid??

Who's running this show, a bunch of graduates, that wouldn't know what to do with experience, unless it's got a qualification attached to it??

More like, ...they are making up some rules to lower the number of employee's, after making this acquisition of your old company. ...Now that wouldn't surprise me in the least!!!

 

[Mdb2]

thanks for the input lads, today one of the sparks has gone awol (possibly to find another job. I will possibly hang on to fight this a bit longer. three years ago we had a similar situation where a multi national co. got the contract and at that time made 66% of the staff redundant. but they have now left. It seems that we are all doing the same work for less, and I know its going on all over the country. I suppose I cannot complain to much been working for 48yrs and not had any previous work employment problems. once again thanks for your input, mike

 

[pirhead]

This seems a bit crazy to me the main is competence I agree and one of the main ways of showing competence is experience and qualifications. Maybe it is just a localised thg

 

[bomjac]

Just typical of the new breed of qualification mad HR. Go seek Union advice would be my first port of call. You have been transferred under TUPE, so the next thing you should be asking is what the companies training policy is and when they are going to put you through the "required" training. You will have to be seen to be making an attempt to resolve this or they may well use it as an excuse to offload you.

I have seen 63 year old riggers with 30 years experience having to do an NVQ lvl3 or they have been told they will lose their job. Most jobs I see advertised that interest me state "NVQ lvl 3". Yeah right, like I am going to go back and do an ONC equivalent when I my highest qualification is 3 tiers above that but a lot of these HR kiddies seem to be brainwashed into it.

I find myself in the crazy situation that because my JIB card has expired (some 8-9 years ago) that at this moment in time I would not get a job on a land based site, and yet I am considered offshore to be competetent to commission, inspect and sign off a £20 Milllion generator package.

 

[Inteificio]

take the training, it is a very useful qual as it means you can sign off other peoples work.

Going back to college is A LOT of fun.

I had to go to college and thought I would be out of place at 29, I was one of the youngest in my class, there were quite a few silver sparkies too.

I learnt some new stuff, I made a ton of friends and new business contacts.

 

[vaughant]

As peter said,take the training if offered,it's a course IMO that every spark should do,it's really interesting and a handy old qualification.
Not knowing directly(which I should really) but I'm sure the rules are slightly different for industrial work,I've never been asked to provide any evidence or proof that I'm 2391 or even 17th edition.
I think it only really kicks in when you get involved with things like re-wiring offices,tea areas etc,places where the workforce could come into contact with things like 230v,earthing arrangements etc,it's usually more for insurance purposes.