Download ECN article on assessment - NICEIC

isle of man mansion electrical project assessment focusMartin’s ultimate aim isprotecting the consumeragainst unsafe andunsound electricalinstallation work.A day in the lifeNICEIC carries out around 26,000 assessments every year ensuring electrical contractors comply with therules of enrolment as well as relevant industry standards. While some contractors fear having their work checkedout, others embrace the opportunity to find out more information. Martin Toner is an area engineer for NICEICand looks after around 300 Approved Contractors across the West Midlands. Here he discusses what happensduring an assessment and dispels the myth that he is there to catch people out.The role of the areaengineer is primarilyto assess enrolledcontractors againstthe rules relating toenrolment, with theaim of protecting theconsumer againstunsafe and unsound electrical installationwork. In reality the role has a muchbroader function.OpportunityWhilst enrolled contractors volunteer tohave their work assessed to show theircustomers they comply with requirements,many look forward to the assessmentas an opportunity to ask questions andclarify technical issues, especially with theadvent of the Microgeneration CertificationScheme (MCS) and more recently theintroduction of Electrical InstallationCondition Reports.A typical day would see me assessingone contractor in the morning andanother in the afternoon, althoughsome contractors will have a full dayassessment. We start off with an officeaudit, confirming the type of work thecontractor has undertaken over thepast year and checking that they havemaintained their technical library for thework they undertake.With many contractors undertakingancillary electrical work such as domesticand/or industrial-commercial fire alarms,emergency lighting and portable appliancetesting as well as the more traditionalgeneral electrical installation work, there area raft of other requirements and regulationsother than BS7671 to keep up with.When someone initially applies to become an Approved Contractor,a half day preliminary assessment visit is arranged.electrical contracting news33

electrical assessmentChecksThe Approved Contractor schemerequires all contractors to have a healthand safety policy and a minimum of£2m public liability insurance, so theseare also checked. The Electricity atWork Regulations 1989 and the Healthand Safety Executive require that testinstruments are checked regularly toensure accuracy is maintained, socontractors are also required to provide arecord of these checks.We audit the Part P notifications for theprevious year where appropriate, ensuringthat all notifiable jobs have in fact beennotified correctly. All domestic installationwork in England and Wales notified tobuilding control through the NICEICscheme comes with a £25,000 insurancebacked warranty which runs for six yearsfrom the day the job was completed.A discussion and check on ElectricalInstallation Condition Reports and the“Electrical Safety Councils Best PracticeGuide 4 (BPG4) usually follows. Issue3 of BPG4 details the industry agreedguidance on how to approach a periodicinspection and test of an electricalinstallation and how to determine theappropriate coding of non compliances.Q&AThen it’s off to a number of sitesto determine how the contractor isinterpreting and applying the requirementsof BS7671 and other standardsappropriately for the installations and siteconditions they encounter. This is usuallydiscussion led with some question andanswer sessions. Sometimes contractorsare hesitant in responding to questions,looking for ‘the catch’, but there is none,we aren’t trying to catch anyone out.The site assessment is based on theform the contractor issued to the customerat the time. The contractor is then askedSometimes contractors arehesitant in responding toquestions, looking for ‘the catch’,but there is none, we aren’t tryingto catch anyone out.to discuss and perform a number of testsacross the range and the test resultsobtained during the visit are compared withthose recorded. The contractor is expectedto confirm whether the test results areacceptable, as required by BS7671.When a contractor initially applies tobecome an Approved Contractor wearrange a half day preliminary assessmentvisit where we sit down with the contractorto discuss the assessment process andidentify the type of work they do, so thatwe can prepare them for their assessment.Enrolled contractorsvolunteer to have theirwork assessed toshow their customersthey comply withrequirements.This is a good opportunity to break theice and get to know one another, as wellas allowing the contractor to ask questionsand dispel some myths.This is the part of the job I enjoy most.I am not there to catch anyone out. Ireally enjoy meeting the contractorsand getting to know them and offeringadvice where I can. It’s about ensuringstandards are properly maintained andI find that most contractors want to beseen as carrying out professional andsafe work.