Certifications for fitting a plug? installing fairy lights

[1Bit]

hello
firstly,
I am a very skilled Computer Engineer and studied Electrical Engineering for some time after leaving school on a YTS, I have 30+ years of experience fixing VCRs (back in the day) and now PC's last 20 years.

I'm volunteering for a company that has hung loads of fairy lights indoors, now they want some outside in the back yard, which means bringing the feed-in up through the door frame, i measured up for length, and advised splicing into a JB on the wall near the door, whilst on the other side of the JB i would run the cable along the wall to where i would 'fit a plug' and plug it into the mains

now one staff member was adamant there was only 1 wire in the fairy lights (shakes head) saying he has 30 years experience with electrics etc, now (after he's stirred the pot) I've just got a text from one of the staff asking if i have qualifications etc?

do I need more qualifications and experience to do a job a monkey could do? - no offence to sparkys on here, just it's a **** easy job that I've done harder things than that a million times, hang some fairy lights spliced into a JB and plugged in....

thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

I am a very skilled Computer Engineer and studied Electrical Engineering for some time after leaving school on a YTS, I have 30+ years of experience fixing VCRs (back in the day) and now PC's last 20 years.

Usually find on the forum that people who say that are not very good at electrical installations.

I'm volunteering for a company that has hung loads of fairy lights indoors, now they want some outside in the back yard, which means bringing the feed-in up through the door frame, i measured up for length, and advised splicing into a JB on the wall near the door, whilst on the other side of the JB i would run the cable along the wall to where i would 'fit a plug' and plug it into the mains

I think you have just confirmed my point.

now one staff member was adamant there was only 1 wire in the fairy lights (shakes head) saying he has 30 years experience with electrics etc, now (after he's stirred the pot) I've just got a text from one of the staff asking if i have qualifications etc?

You do not so I would not think any organisation would allow you to do such work - insurance?

do I need more qualifications and experience to do a job a monkey could do? - no offence to sparkys on here, just it's a **** easy job that I've done harder things than that a million times, hang some fairy lights spliced into a JB and plugged in....

Depends what the insurance company requires - ask them.

 

[ericmark]

I worked on the building of Sizewell and Second Seven crossing, first employed as an electrician second as a fitter, and although I had worked for the company as an electrician I could not work on the Seven crossing without having another electrician with me because of insurance.

 

[pcaouolte]

I'm volunteering...

now one staff member was adamant there was only 1 wire in the fairy lights (shakes head) saying he has 30 years experience with electrics etc, now (after he's stirred the pot) I've just got a text from one of the staff asking if i have qualifications etc?

As you are volunteering, I assume that there is no obligation for you to fit the fairy lights. Just let the staff member with 30 years experience crack on with the job.

 

[SimonH2]

At a previous job the maintenance manager (experienced spark) told me of how one day one of the shop staff asked him for a pair of wire cutters so they could cut off the wrong plug on some lights. Yup, the lights were ELV, had a suitable plug for the PSU brick, but they'd lost the PSU brick - and their plan was to just fit a normal 13A plug
Yep, fairy lights are so trivial to deal with, any fool can do it

 

[Lectrician]

No mention of what the existing joint box is for? No confirmation of earthing, bonding or RCD protection.

Insurance is a problem, but also consider that the electricity at work regulations are statute.

 

[bernardgreen]

but they'd lost the PSU brick - and their plan was to just fit a normal 13A plug

Saw the result of a similar incident, a dead laptop with a charred PCB. The "genius" thought the PSU brick was just a mains filter.

 

[mrrusty]

It does make you slightly annoyed sometimes that people think a piece of paper is some magic bullet to knowledge and capability. At the age of 22 I had command of a supertanker entering Singapore Roads, and at certain times was the man responsible for navigation (no satnav in those days) and also cargo operations. For some reason, some people think if you have the piece of paper you are a god, but without it you are a numpty. Hmm.

 

[mattylad]

1bit, ask the person why he needs to know these qualifications?
Then tell him to booger off!

Get him to clarify his 1 wire and explain how they work with only 1 wire?
Then tell him to booger off!