Legal aspect of Electrics in a commercial setting

[JohnW2]

Sorry this is not true I have fitted numerous built in or fixed ovens and hobs over the past few months (Whirlpool, hotpoint and Ikea equivalents)and the majority seem to come with cables attached - never really long enough but its the thought that counts.

I obviously can't argue with your experience, but can but say that the few brand new built-in ovens I've seen in recent years have come without leads. Whatever, to move onto the other things I mentioned, do you also see a lot of cooker hoods and, particularly, extractor fans that come with leads and plugs?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

I see loads that come with leads on them. Usually 1.0mm² 2 core flex

Never seen one with a plug.

 

[JohnW2]

I see loads that come with leads on them. Usually 1.0mm² 2 core flex

Ovens? (!), cooker hoods? (probably), extractor fans? (I doubt it)

Never seen one with a plug.

Lead but no plug? That's interesting - how does that fit in with the laws/regs?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

Sorry I meant cooker hoods, not extractor fans.

It fits in fine with the regs.

 

[riveralt]

Whatever, to move onto the other things I mentioned, do you also see a lot of cooker hoods and, particularly, extractor fans that come with leads and plugs?

Kind Regards, John.

Yes and its a pain in the neck at the moment because you don't know what your getting.
Last couple of kitchen rewires I have set the cooker hood unit power supply up and fitted a switched fcu only to find that the cooker hood has come with a plug fitted - same for a waste disposal as well - plug supplied.

 

[JohnW2]

It fits in fine with the regs.

Can you explain to me the scope of the regulation (I think probably law) that forbids the selling of appliances with leads but not plugs? Are we back to the infamous 'portable' appliance, and, if so, how is that defined?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

I have no idea.

I studied BS7671 at college.

This is what I work to. The cooker hood complies.

I think portable appliances are supposed to be supplied fitted with a plug, but the cooker hood isn't a portable appliance so it doesn't require to be fitted with one.

 

[morg]

I am allowed to go to Argos and buy a 3kW heater with a plug already fitted, take it back and plug it in...

In a place of work? No, you are not.

They are not fixed appliances. And plugging them in does not go against the guidance in the Wiring Regulations.

A portable heater IS a non-fixed appliance.

What you've suggested however is not a portable heater, its a heater thats bolted to the wall, ie fixed.

But I can purchase (from a reputual source) a heater that is advertised as a "Portable Heater" suitable for industrial. It has a couple of metres of heat-resistant flex and a shiny plug, the company state it is also wall mountable.



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[morg]

Back to the shutter, I have a strong feeling it was fitted by the council who actually own the building....

 

[RF Lighting]

I saw someone speeding today. Because they have broken the law, does it mean that I now can?

 

[morg]

I saw someone speeding today. Because they have broken the law, does it mean that I now can?

Explain your thoughts on why post this message please, I don't get it,

The whole point on my postings here is to ensure that I do not break any laws in the workplace.

 

[OwainDIYer]

We can't decide if you're "competent" for the proposed work or not. Only you, or your employer, can decide that.

Nor can we decide whether your sockets are suitable for a 26A load. Only a competent electrician on site can decide that taking into account the circuit and load characteristics.

 

[morg]

We can't decide if you're "competent" for the proposed work or not. Only you, or your employer, can decide that.

What is "competent" - in the context of what recognised quals would able me to carry out what I proposed in the beginning.

But It's not making sense, obviously I have no electrical certification as stated in the beginning of this thread, but your wording illustrates to me that if I were "competent" I wouldn't need to be a fully qualified electrician just need to prove I can do a "minor/limited electrical job" ie duties only to be replacement of heater without having to test the whole circuit, just to be able to test the newly fitted unit

If this is the case, I'd be willing to do a course and for any guidance, thank you

 

[stillp]

The Plugs and Sockets Regulations are at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/1768/regulation/12/made
and the DTI guidance is at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file38628.pdf

 

[Spark123]

We can't decide if you're "competent" for the proposed work or not. Only you, or your employer, can decide that.

What is "competent" - in the context of what recognised quals would able me to carry out what I proposed in the beginning.

Competence comes with training and experience.
If you can show to your employer that you are 100% competent in carrying out an electrical task on your own then crack on.
As you have no qualifications, if something went wrong and you caused danger or injury, you and your employer may struggle in a court to show that you took all reasonable precautions to ensure systems are constructed and maintained to prevent danger. With portables a PAT test is often carried out to aid in showing compliance with the latter.