IHEEM AE REGISTERS Criteria for registration
The criteria for registration to the IHEEM AE (Electrical) Registration Board are very specific, and the standards an applicant should achieve are discussed. Prior to the formation of the AE (Electrical) Register in 2016, discussion took place on the re-introduction of only Chartered Status AEs. At that time, it was felt that the profession was lacking engineers who would fulfil that criterion, and that IHEEM could not be prescriptive in taking the lead in dropping the Incorporated Engineer requirement. This differs from the situation in Scotland, where the Scottish HTMs require the AE to be Chartered. The purpose of the IHEEM AE registers is to ensure that those who intend to carry out AE duties do so professionally and consistently, and are governed by a code of conduct. Healthcare clients can select AEs from the register with confidence, in the knowledge that they have been ‘peer reviewed’ by specialists in the profession, selected by IHEEM. Why would a prospective client employ a non-registered AE, when there are registers set up for the profession from which a registered AE can be chosen? It is these non-registered AEs that IHEEM is striving to reach to apply to the register, as they may have the relevant experience and knowledge to be able to deliver sound advice to their clients, assuming, of course, that they meet the necessary application criteria.
Applying to join the IHEEM AE (Electrical) Register
The application process to join the IHEEM AE (Electrical) Register is detailed on the IHEEM website (
www.iheem.org.uk), where prospective candidates can review the specific qualifications needed. Both HTM 06-02 and HTM 06-03 recommend that applicants be Chartered Engineers or Incorporated Engineers; the latter are expected to be actively working
A diesel rotary uninterruptible power supply.
towards Chartered Engineer status. One distinct difference between the registers currently is the requirement of NEBOSH qualifications for the AE (Electrical). Client expectations have influenced the decision to ‘raise the bar’. This discrimination is considered to be justified, particularly when the AE is asked, or is required, to make a decision pertaining to a safety system or a safe system of work. There will be opportunities in the future for all the registers to write into the guidance that the AE should be registered. IHEEM should take the opportunity to raise the bar.
Key criteria
Having attained the educational and institutional requirements, the prospective AE (Electrical) should be able to meet the following criteria: Have a minimum 10 years’ relevant electrical systems engineering experience in one or more of the following areas: n Related electrical health and safety experience.
n Operational management. n Extensive auditing of management systems.
n Design of electrical systems, particularly in healthcare environments.
n Project management. n Statutory compliance. n Have completed and passed the Authorised Persons training courses for High Voltage, Low Voltage, or both (HV/LV), in the past three years.
One of the many instances where non-conformances have been found by auditing AEs.
22 Health Estate Journal April 2017
n Have completed a relevant AE Foundation Course. (HTM 00 or equivalent), in the past five years.
n Other related electrical/safety experience.
n Experience of providing independent advice.
n The ability to demonstrate an understanding of electrical testing, discrimination, BS 7671, and other relevant guidance and statutory documentation.
Electrical AEs should have an understanding of other healthcare engineering disciplines which may be related to operational issues as regards the day-to-day management of the electrical systems, and be ‘independent’, and not employed by the estates or facilities management organisation within which they may be required to assess the prospective electrical AP.
What does an AE (Electrical) do? The AE (Electrical), as described in HTM 00, acts as an independent professional adviser to ‘audit’, ‘assess’, ‘recommend’, ‘advise’, and ‘monitor’. The audit should examine the systems already in place, and provide assurance to the Board that its policies and procedures are safe, risks are being managed effectively, and that adequate resources and trained staff are in place to manage the systems. If a system or procedure is lacking, the AE should recommend actions as necessary to improve it. The reporting regime takes into account both the CQC’s expectations, and the DH’s expectations with Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) and the Premises Assurance Model (PAM). The ‘assessment’ role of the AE (Electrical) determines the suitability of key engineering team members within the Estates/Facilities function who are suitable for appointment as Authorised
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