Legal aspect of Electrics in a commercial setting

[morg]

Hello, upon reading the laws and regs in a domestic setting - as a diy'er you are allowed to replace sockets, switches, run spurs except in kitchen/bathroom etc even replace a shower if current circuit 'is there'.

My question is with regards to a commercial setting... I'm sure I read that you cannot even replace a plug in a commercial premises - Is this correct?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Regardless of any rules, regulations or laws, why would you want to or the boss want you to?

If it's not your job and something went wrong you would be in trouble and so would the boss for letting you.

 

[OwainDIYer]

No.

The Electricity At Work Regulations apply. You can do almost anything provided you are competent to do so. This means actually competent i.e. knowing what you are doing, unlike Part P.

The HSE guidance is at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr25.htm

HSE website says:

You can do your own electrical work if you are competent to do so. Simple tasks such as wiring a plug are within the grasp of many people but more complex tasks, such as modifying an electrical installation, may not be.

A person can demonstrate competence to perform electrical work if they have successfully completed an assessed training course, run by an accredited training organisation, that included the type of work being considered. As part of that course, this person should have demonstrated an ability to understand electrical theory and put this into practice.

A successfully completed electrical apprenticeship, with some post-apprenticeship experience, is a good way of demonstrating competence for general electrical work. More specialised work, such as maintenance of high-voltage switchgear or control system modification, is almost certainly likely to require additional training and experience.

 

[morg]

Thanks

Q: With no electrical Certification; I am able to:

0) Isolate Mains.

1) Remove trunking cover of existing electrical installation (Galvanised).

2) Drill through trunking in order to add compression glands (top and bottom) or add steel conduit to trunking circuit(top) and add compression gland to bottom.

3) Connect 3-core flex to wall-mounted Electric Heater.

4) Run flex from heater via cable clips to compression gland/trunking or through steel conduit to trunking.

5) Through compression gland bottom of trunking.

6) Fit plug and switch on Heater.

 

[morg]

or something like that, cant remember if socket below or above trunking

 

[Adam_151]

It sounds like it would end up looking a bit of a mess... why do you wanto to drill the flex through the trunking?

And in direct answer to the question, drilling through trunking has moew risks than you probably realise... the singles have to be moved out the way of the drill, and on older installations there might be connector blocks or crimps in the trunking, or bits of insulation rubbed through where conductors have been dragged over others without appropiate care, theres always the risk of contacting something live when doing it. And then theres a risk of if a single is missed when moving them out the way and ends up being caught by the drill. And the risk of catching a single in the lid when putting it back on,

So drilling through a trunking filled with live circuits is not something which a non electrical person should be doing

 

[JohnW2]

This means actually competent i.e. knowing what you are doing, unlike Part P.

I assume that you are talking about self-certification and 'competant person schemes', not Part P itself. Part P itself effectively requires anyone undertaking domestic work to 'know what they are doing' (i.e. to be actually competent in the everyday sense) since, otherwise, they could not make adequate provisions to avoid the risk of injury etc. as required by the law.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Thanks

Q: With no electrical Certification; I am able to:

0) Isolate Mains.

1) Remove trunking cover of existing electrical installation (Galvanised).

2) Drill through trunking in order to add compression glands (top and bottom) or add steel conduit to trunking circuit(top) and add compression gland to bottom.

3) Connect 3-core flex to wall-mounted Electric Heater.

4) Run flex from heater via cable clips to compression gland/trunking or through steel conduit to trunking.

5) Through compression gland bottom of trunking.

6) Fit plug and switch on Heater.

You forgot to replace cover on trunking and test for earth continuity using appropriate test equipment with a current calibration certificate.

You also forgot to test the socket for polarity and earth continuity, and the heater for insulation and earth continuity, before plugging the heater in.

If someone got a shock because the heater was faulty and the case was live, how would you demonstrate your competence to the coroner's court?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Doesn't matter yet.

He hasn't re-energised either.

Perhaps he's not allowed to do that.

 

[morg]

Thanks for the posts.

So would just fitting flex and plug to an appliance, secured with cable clips and plugging it in fall under the HSE's 'simple task' statement? Or would this have to tested and inspected?

Already got certification that sockets are capable of running upto 26A.

Appliance will be out of hands reach (7-8 feet above ground).

 

[morg]

It sounds like it would end up looking a bit of a mess... why do you wanto to drill the flex through the trunking?

And in direct answer to the question, drilling through trunking has moew risks than you probably realise... the singles have to be moved out the way of the drill, and on older installations there might be connector blocks or crimps in the trunking, or bits of insulation rubbed through where conductors have been dragged over others without appropiate care, theres always the risk of contacting something live when doing it. And then theres a risk of if a single is missed when moving them out the way and ends up being caught by the drill. And the risk of catching a single in the lid when putting it back on,

So drilling through a trunking filled with live circuits is not something which a non electrical person should be doing

Hence why I said "Isolate Mains".

 

[riveralt]

Thanks

Q: With no electrical Certification; I am able to:

0) Isolate Mains.

1) Remove trunking cover of existing electrical installation (Galvanised).

2) Drill through trunking in order to add compression glands (top and bottom) or add steel conduit to trunking circuit(top) and add compression gland to bottom.

3) Connect 3-core flex to wall-mounted Electric Heater.

4) Run flex from heater via cable clips to compression gland/trunking or through steel conduit to trunking.

5) Through compression gland bottom of trunking.

6) Fit plug and switch on Heater.

Where are you drawing the power from and how are you making that connection?
What is the load of the electric heater?
What size cable are you using?
What are you going to connect the plug to?

 

[morg]

Recently had a Electric Shutter fitted from a reputable company, now he done a good job on the door but the way he ran the flex from the door to plug illustrates to me that he is no electrician. The conduit was not secured properly it was just 'jammed' in the corner held by force, it is now hanging down. He also removed trunking cover and fitted cable glands in order to reach the socket. And he did not test the electrics!!!

To be honest I would of done a better job of the cable managment, door works great though.

 

[Aragorn84]

Already got certification that sockets are capable of running upto 26A.

How do you intend on drawing 26A thru a 13A plug?

 

[morg]

Already got certification that sockets are capable of running upto 26A.

How do you intend on drawing 26A thru a 13A plug?

Because 2 x heaters are being installed - Each having it's own plug, both plugged into a twin socket.