What some people do...

[mickys86]

Had a 3gang light switch that had two phases in today. Switched the breakers around so that there was only one phase inside and then double checked the switch.....


After searching around we found Where the old switch was. Cut a hole in the wall and found...


Dunno if the pictures will appear in the order I uploaded them but you'll get the gist of it

 

[mickys86]

It's amazing really. How long would it have taken to put that in choc block or even (god forbid) just twisted together covered in sleeving!

I've only been doing this two years. When was it acceptable to not have an earthing point in a switch, let alone connections hidden in the wall ??

 

[telectrix]

unfortunately, this rubbish type of work is a direct result of fast track courses, part scope, price undercutting to get the job done quick enough to make on it, and pure bone-idleness. the sooner we can force these cowboys out, the better

 

[mickys86]

unfortunately, this rubbish type of work is a direct result of fast track courses, part scope, price undercutting to get the job done quick enough to make on it, and pure bone-idleness. the sooner we can force these cowboys out, the better

I definitely think the "bone-idleness" should've come first 

 

[jumpin jax]

it's not always fast track candidates who do this style of work, it depends on the person's standard of workmanship too. i have recently subbed to niceic approved contractor(apprenticeship trained) who thought it was acceptable to bury a choc block joint into plaster and thinks the 'cables buried under 50mm reg' applies to domestic only. also subbing to another firm where 'safe zones' don't matter. at the end of the day the people in charge do not care, it's all about profit.

 

[telectrix]

even a 1st year app. could do better than that.

 

[mickys86]

it's not always fast track candidates who do this style of work, it depends on the person's standard of workmanship too. i have recently subbed to niceic approved contractor(apprenticeship trained) who thought it was acceptable to bury a choc block joint into plaster and thinks the 'cables buried under 50mm reg' applies to domestic only. also subbing to another firm where 'safe zones' don't matter. at the end of the day the people in charge do not care, it's all about profit.

Frightening! Just goes to show what the nic are doing to stamp out cowboys!

 

[telectrix]

and i suppose a few inches of red (sorry brown) sleeving is wishful thinking.

 

[mickys86]

and i suppose a few inches of red (sorry brown) sleeving is wishful thinking.

Why sleeve it? I know it's a switch line lol

 

[Octopus]

it's not always fast track candidates who do this style of work, it depends on the person's standard of workmanship too. i have recently subbed to niceic approved contractor(apprenticeship trained) who thought it was acceptable to bury a choc block joint into plaster and thinks the 'cables buried under 50mm reg' applies to domestic only. also subbing to another firm where 'safe zones' don't matter. at the end of the day the people in charge do not care, it's all about profit.

"Safe zones don't matter" - astonishing!

 

[Octopus]

Tel - I see loads of old shoddy work - but is it shoddy or have standards improved?

Not convinced that fast track is the culprit to all these issues - I'd say lots of it is down to unskilled people doing electrics who aren't trained at all.

 

[mickys86]

Tel - I see loads of old shoddy work - but is it shoddy or have standards improved?

Not convinced that fast track is the culprit to all these issues - I'd say lots of it is down to unskilled people doing electrics who aren't trained at all.

A few people that attend college with me makes it very frightening that they are going to leave with a qualification without having any experience of "the outside world"

Most of the practical stuff I have learned has come from working next to my boss. Maybe this is where the problem lies?

For example:
I've been at college two years and not once have they said to us that JB's have to be accessible, It's something I have learned from experience.

 

[DNS1]

Is it always necessary to have a go at "fast track" trained people?

The standard of workmanship is down to the person themselves and whether they have any pride in their work, not just the way they've been trained.

I'm sure we've all seen bodge jobs from experienced but lazy tradesmen, but also seen newbies and inexperienced people spend hours doing things well and checking the regs every step of the way.

 

[jumpin jax]

Frightening! Just goes to show what the nic are doing to stamp out cowboys!

the second company i was refering to is elecsa so it's not only niceic

 

[telectrix]

Is it always necessary to have a go at "fast track" trained people?

The standard of workmanship is down to the person themselves and whether they have any pride in their work, not just the way they've been trained.

I'm sure we've all seen bodge jobs from experienced but lazy tradesmen, but also seen newbies and inexperienced people spend hours doing things well and checking the regs every step of the way.

not having a go at fast track trained people. some are no doubt fine. the problem is the system. it's the lack of practical experience that makes for a poor electrician as much as anything else. it's like a draughtsman can calculate the value of pi to 22 decimal places, but unless he knows how to use a set of compasses, he can't draw a circle to save his life.