Colour Vision

[Johann]

Yo guys,

I'm pretty far in the 'competition' to win one of the 100 apprenticeships going with the ESB (Irish electricity supplier) and have a few worries at this stage, I really don't want to diagnose myself! I'm aware that I will have to do a medical if I got through the interview stage, which consists of a colour vision test.

I think, after doing a few tests online etc, that I have a red/green deficiency, which i'm not sure how severe it is at the moment. I'm pretty worried to say the least that this may affect my chances of passing the medical in order to become an apprentice.

Will this affect me? I have relatively perfect vision as far as I know (apart from this slip up!), any clarification will be appreciated

 

[Lucas]

Well Red and green are pretty important in cable identification. How bad is it? Can you tell the difference between them?

 

[Johann]

Yeah, I can tell the diffeence between them easily. Just like, sometimes it's hard, and then other times it's not? It's a strange one and a hard one to call.

 

[alarm man]

also depends on the cable manufacture's i mess with little alarm cables and sometimes its hard to tell if the greens blue or the browns black the reds orange etc sometimes and its all to do with the quality of cable and my eyes are ok,i think,dont worry or you will stress yourself when it comes to the test..

 

[Notsosmart]

Have you asked your own GP (or nurse practitioner) to give you a proper flip chart test as the on-line ones aren't always accurate.

I wouldn't fret too much as single colour green isn't generally an issue; even in a multicore you will find that the colours are arranged in resistor code order, but reading resistors is where you will find it hard if you do have colour blindness but again nothing to really fret about at the moment.

I know of someone who was colour blind, he went into the army and then onto sparkying without too much grief.

 

[Johann]

Ok, cheers guys.

Hopefully I'll get through to the medical anyway and see what happens, I'll report back for sure.

Thanks guys

 

[pevvers]

The reason why single colour green is not use it for this very reason. Back in the 60's you had people with colour vision deficiencies mistaking live for earth, hence why it is now yellow and green striped.

If they test you, you may fail, but I know someone who's never had a problem who's worked in the electronics industry as well... He was told by his boss when he found out that he had a problem that nobody can read colour codes on resistors anymore, so is not a problem. He also managed to pass a police vision test with 7 our of 10, although with the Ishihara plates test he could only get 1 out of 20.

In normal day to day sparking, it will not be a problem, data cables may be a different animal though... As long as you can keep out of that field then I promise you that you will not have a problem. Good light sources can also help if you are struggling, so carry a decent head torch around with you just in case.

Good luck!

 

[Johann]

Thanks.

I did the Ishihara test a few minutes ago online, I got 3 wrong in the Green/Red deficiency area. 15% R/G deficiency. Hopefully i'll be ok.

 

[pevvers]

I can't see that it will be a problem then...

 

[kw1980]

I personally know of two fully qualified electricians who are colour blind, about 30 years experience between them. Neither of them as far as i am aware has any problems with it in regards to work. Both are domestic sparks, so id second the point made about maybe avoiding the data side of the industry, with less distinction between conductor colours.

 

[DurhamSparky]

as a RED / GREEN colour spaz myself i never had any problem with telling the bloody things apart!! only time i have trouble is when i had to do that stupid test at opticians and at navy medical!!

it stopped me been a Aircraft Technician and that was that!!!

i went on to be a marine tech instead..!!

stupid test stupid Jap who invented it!!!