apprentice on maintenance.

chcnorris29 · Sep 16, 2013

Hello

I am an apprentice who has just started the 2nd year. Before the apprenticeship I did a year of college on a PEO.

At the min I am working on cyclical maintenance (test smokes, clean bathroom extractor, check fuse is 3a in fan sour and replace if it is not 3a, RCD test x1 x5 if there is any RCD and a sticker on the CU) the work is easy and I am working alone.

My question is:
As I am cleaning the fans and checking/changing fuses does this mean that if there is a fault with the van that has not come to light when cleaning and checking fuse, if something where to happen would it come back on me as I was the last to touch it?
Also is it wrong of the company to ask me to do this work as an apprentice?

Thanks.

Richard Burns · Sep 16, 2013

If the sole remit of your work is to clean the fan and change the fuse if required, then other faults that are not connected with this are not down to you. Obviously if you crack a cover or something that is up to you, but other things are not.

I would feel that apprentices should be supervised at all times, so your supervisor should be immediately available nearby, if you are working in different locations and travelling between them on your own then this may be slightly too much to rely on for an apprentice. What are you learning here after the first one?
If the specific work has been explained fully and you understand it (though your asking questions here sounds like it could have been explained in more detail) and you can call your supervisor directly it might be OK.

sima24 · Sep 16, 2013

I think the company may hold you responsible for the duties you do only. So the fuse, cleaning is all you would be responsible for. In legal terms i think as an apprentice your supervisor would be responsible for you / your work, i think.

chcnorris29 · Sep 16, 2013

Thanks for the reply's.
My work has been explained and they supervised for the first one. I understand the work but wanted to check where responsibilities lie. I.E I do not want to be responsible for faults or issues that have not occurred due to my work just because I am the last person to be working on the item. My supervisor can be contacted by phone and there are qualified sparks for the company in the area doing other work who can help if needed. Thanks.

Engineer54 · Sep 16, 2013

I think you're being used solely as a means of cheap labour and should not be left unsupervised. Legally you could blow-up the whole kit and caboodle, and YOU would still not be liable, your company would be, in such a situation!! A supervisor at the end of a phone and electricians being available on a close-by site is NOT in my book being supervised. As an apprentice you are there to learn and to help the experienced electricians in their duties, which may be all the crap and or dirty work etc, but you are learning and have a mentor on hand to ask questions when and as needed!!

VoltzElectrical · Sep 16, 2013

As Engineer 54 implies, it's not much of an apprenticeship is it? What are you learning? I don't see how you will be able to successfully complete your apprenticeship doing what you are doing. Are there plans in place to give you a wider range of experiences?

Knobhead · Sep 17, 2013

So this is an apprenticeship?

If you have a training officer, it’s time to talk to him/her/it.

Geordie Spark · Sep 17, 2013

I think it's far from an ideal situation, but I'm pleased to see that the lad has got off his backside, found himself a job and is doing something to earn his keep.

I only wish I could say the same for my idle barstool of a son. I'm disgusted with him.

Knobhead · Sep 17, 2013

Can’t fault anyone when they work for their keep. It’s a bit rich coming from two retired old farts.

But an apprenticeship is for learning a trade.
Cleaning fans and checking fuses = one day of training. This lad deserves much better.
Time for a training officer to get involved.

chcnorris29 · Sep 17, 2013

Hi.
Thanks for all the reply's.

The situation at the min is that I am doing this work which norm I get all done about 11am. Then of there is other stuff like com bulbs to change then I do that but if not I go and help a guy who norm works alone on 1st fix re-wiring.

Funny thing is I am earning more doing this than I was when I was on a re-wire team. But I see the point about learning.

Thanks.

Geordie Spark · Sep 17, 2013

Tony said:
Can’t fault anyone when they work for their keep. It’s a bit rich coming from two retired old farts.

But an apprenticeship is for learning a trade.
Cleaning fans and checking fuses = one day of training. This lad deserves much better.
Time for a training officer to get involved.