Regional view Spotlight on: Northern Ireland region The Northern Ireland
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approximately 700,000 Northern Ireland homes, electrical contractors in Northern Ireland are not clearly or effectively regulated. Northern Ireland Building Regulations, which govern the industry, contain no reference to ‘electrical installation standards’.
By comparison, notwithstanding the comparatively low figure of 150,000 homes in Northern Ireland using gas, the standard and quality of operatives working with gas is regulated and monitored via the Gas Safe Register.
According to statistics from the
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue service, incidents of fire where the cause was cited as ‘electrical supply and intake before socket’ accounted for 674 of their emergency responses between 2005 and the beginning of 2010
Regulation and safety campaign
A major initiative that ECA members are currently supporting is a campaign to introduce regulation and safety into the electrical contracting industry in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Electrical Standards Lobbying Group (NIESLG) was formed to lead the campaign. The current chairman of the group is Derek Thompson, chief executive of the Electrical Training Trust, and the secretary is Alfie Watterson, the ECA regional manager. For the past two years,
representatives of the NIESLG have
been lobbying MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly), including the appropriate local government ministers, along with meeting representatives of the Northern Fire and Rescue Service, Consumer Council, Health and Safety Executive, National House Building Council, Electrical Safety Council and SELECT.
A three-minute video supporting the campaign is available to view at
www.nieslg.org
The electrical industry in Northern Ireland employs more than 5,000 operatives in 800 companies, with a combined annual turnover of £400 million.
The aims to which the NIESLG is committed to include: n Improving quality and raising standards throughout the sector;
Despite the number of incidents, Northern Ireland still lacks an accredited central register of electrical contractors
44 ECA Today March 2011
n Helping to secure the future of the electrical industry;
n Value for money; n Health and safety; n Training and upskilling; n Consumer protection; and n A low-cost self-administrative scheme.
Despite the dangers of electricity and its widespread use in
This is in addition to those listed as having been caused by ‘electrical appliance – other’, which accounted for 1,121 incidents during the same period. Despite the number of incidents, Northern Ireland still lacks an accredited central register of electrical contractors. This means there is currently no available method by which the general public can check the competency, qualifications or certification status of practicing operatives.
This lack of regulation is a serious issue, and the NIESLG believes urgent attention is needed to ensure lives and property are not put at risk
by accruing latent defects and faults. A central register similar to the Gas Safe register would enhance consumer confidence and arm the general public with information necessary to access the competence and legitimacy of a tradesman they may wish to appoint to undertake work in their home.
Quality and standards A clear and unambiguous commitment to early regulation of the electrical sector would also provide all concerned with apprentice training and procurement of services with boundaries that support quality and standards. This would also create a level playing field, where contractors operating within the guidelines are not penalised or undercut by those working outside of the framework and performing to lesser standards. Setting parameters that support and demonstrate the importance of quality and high standards in electrical contracting would also enhance the credibility of apprenticeships as a viable career route, and lead to increased skills and training opportunities. This will bring Northern Ireland into line with international best practice, which will assist the industry to secure its own future and the future of training and employment. It will also establish clear progression routes and foster a culture of development.
SHUTTERSTOCK
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