SPD Question

[Harry Bloomfield]

How much training means you can safely work on the supply cables?

A matter of minutes. How much time would you suggest it needs, to pull a cut-out fuse safely?

 

[ebee]

My brother in law became a meter fitter. Prior to that he butchered turkeys. I recall that his training to fit smart meters lasted about a week for electric meters and another week for gas meters. He did carry the seals and equipment to replace the seal on the main fuse.

He fitted both electric and gas meters, he wasn't an electrician and he wasn't gas safe registered.

Changing a meter follows a standard procedure. The first part of the meter change involves various checks to ensure that they can do it safely by following their training. If anything doesn't pass their safety checks they just abandon the job.

Providing that training is done correctly I see no problem.

As in any walk of life there are times when training is not done properly or people do not get refreshed or updated that poor practice can creep in.
So long as you ensure against that then no problem

 

[SUNRAY]

I corrected Typo. (was wrong)
The guy who installed the Smart Meter said he used to be an Electrician, but now just does contract meter installs.
I have no idea on legal position on whether you have to be ‘certified’ to undertake such work.
He advised he is not allowed to have the DNO seals, and post install Octopus emailed National Grid initiating the visit for first reseal.

That is total bunkum, anyone 'qualified' to change meters is required to reseal everything afterwards. I feel the DNO would get very pi$$ed off if they were constantly being called upon to inspect/reseal incompetent operators work.

Providing that training is done correctly I see no problem.

Indeed, as an example during Covid, many (possibly hundred or even thousands) of non medical staff were trained to administer the vaccination.
The 3 examples I can quote are furloughed shop assistant and preschool assistant, both members of a Lions group who volunteerred to help at a big vaccination location and once there were trained to do the injections.
My first Covid jab was performed by a Doctors receptionist who had never done anything medical before.

As in any walk of life there are times when training is not done properly or people do not get refreshed or updated that poor practice can creep in.
So long as you ensure against that then no problem

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The guy who installed the Smart Meter said he used to be an Electrician, but now just does contract meter installs.

Many people do claim to be qualified tradesmen, or engineers, that is especially true of people claiming to be electricians - now why would a qualified well paid electrician, resort to a low paid job, as a meter changer?

 

[JohnW2]

A matter of minutes. How much time would you suggest it needs, to pull a cut-out fuse safely?

Quite so!

 

[JohnW2]

- now why would a qualified well paid electrician, resort to a low paid job, as a meter changer?

Probably true - it seems that the average salary of a meter changer/installer is around £35k per year. However, I suppose that some might regard that sort of 'guaranteed' income from full-time salaried employment as being better than a potentially significantly higher income (certainly a significantly higher 'hourly rate', when actually doing work) in the less-certain situation of being a self-employed electrician (always having to 'find new work', and with appreciably overheads).

 

[ebee]

Many people do claim to be qualified tradesmen, or engineers, that is especially true of people claiming to be electricians - now why would a qualified well paid electrician, resort to a low paid job, as a meter changer?

Indeed yes - An "Electrician" might be someone who is time served / qualified / knowledgeable / very experienced or any combination at one or more of them. They could also be non of those!.

I have all of them between two trades Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. That does not guarantee that I have the full set for both disciplines or for either discipline.
But I might have.
None the less, I could call myself an Electrician and/or a (Mechanical) Engineer and a whole host of other things too with or without any of them.

By the way, my uncle in Canada tells me that whilst here he was consider an Engineer but even with all his qualifications he was a Machinist.
I suppose Casey Jones was an Engineer!

 

[pcaouolte]

When my meter was changed for a smart meter the meter fitter pulled the fuse and then plugged in some sort of plastic insulation device where the fuse had been. He constantly photographed every step that he did as a record of exactly the steps carried out and proof that he had followed all the safety rules. Changing the meter was straightforward and afterwards he did a quick polarity check with a plug in tester. He was basically following a script on his phone.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Changing the meter was straightforward and afterwards he did a quick polarity check with a plug in tester. He was basically following a script on his phone.

Which it all it really needs! They have backup, in the form of proper engineers, if needed, at the other end of the phone if they should hit a problem.