On a more general note is the underlying problem here.
In the mid 70's we had labourers, electricians, approved electricians, and technicians. To become a technician you had to have been an approved electrician for 5 years and have passed the 235 C. To be an approved electrician you needed to have been and electrician for 2 years and have passed the 235 B. To be an electrician you needed to have passed the 235 A, have an electrician's certificate and have completed a 5 year apprenticeship or equivalent.
I am not sure what the 235 A is equivalent to but maybe the present 2330 L2. The 2330 L3 is possibly equivalent to the old 235 B. For definite, the 235 C was the equivalent of the present 2391-10 and the 2391-20 combined. This was one qualification in those days. Employers (JIB) hated allowing their employees to undertake this course as it meant that they would have to pay them technician rates.
Because I had good school grades, at 16, I started straight on the B which meant that in 3 years I had the technical qualification to become and approved electrician. As I was still an apprentice I went onto the C. I passed the exams but was not permitted to finish my project. Having gained the electrician certificate at 19 years of age, I could be graded as an electrician a year earlier (after 4 years at 20). This meant that my employer was no longer obligated to send me to college. They immediately sent me to work away from home so I could not complete the project.
While it had its bad points, that system worked. It was changed by employers and governments in an effort to reduce costs. 5 year indentured apprenticeships do not exist now as far as I am aware. But on a more serious note, electrical improvers (anyone calling themselves and electrician) can install circuits and conduct basic tests which are signed off by a competent person at the office who has never even visited the site. Further, and worse still, someone who calls themselves and electrician can turn up on a short term contract for an employer and using their own test instruments, test the circuit and judge it safe. The employer saves on the cost of the test instrumentation, the maintenance and calibration of the instrument. The employer is getting (or thinks they are getting) an approved electrician at electricians rate or in some instances at apprentices rates.
The result is more persons will be killed like the mother in Birmingham. It is an interesting case as the coroner has refereed back his finding to the CPS for possible manslaughter charges against persons in the company due to a judgement of unlawful killing. (Briefly, installation tested by trainee and signed off at office by competent person. However, screw had punctured cable in metal studded wall leaving entire wall live. Local flood meant that mother was going to shut off water. As she touched metal pipework while standing in water, she received fatal shock.)
Until legislation like in Europe and other countries or in the UK that mirror "gas safe" that only competent registered electrician can work on electrical installations and full traceability and tractability of test instruments by persons signing off installations are introduced in the UK, I am afraid that the problems will not be solved. Frank Chapple of the EEPTU did not help in the mid 70s and we only have Gas Safe (previously CORGI) now.
I believe that all 2391 qualified persons should have to resit the test every 5 years to continue as competent person. With some law on electrical workers we would not be abused as much and more lives will be saved.
There is nothing wrong with persons of low experience passing the 2391-10. However, inspection and testing is the domain of Approved Electricians and Technicians only.
