I'm fed up to the back teeth with the misleading information being given out by the media about the new 'safety law' which comes into being after 1st January next year. As an example, the BBC 'Good Homes' magazine states: "If you're thinking of tackling the electrics in your home DIY style, think again - from 1st January 2005 it will be illegal. The National Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) has passed a new safety law that renders all electrical work done by yourself, or an unregistered electrician, illegal."
Similarly it has just been announced on Classic FM news that DIY electrical work will be illegal after 1st January. This is complete and utter cobblers. The new law specifically exempts 'minor' electrical work such as adding extra power points and/or lighting points - and on the whole this is the sort of work that DIY electricians undertake. Only major work such as adding complete new circuits and work undertaken in bathrooms and kitchens comes within the new laws. Even the work that *is* covered by the new regulations is not prohibited to DIY'ers - anyone wishing to carry out such work has to notify the authorities and have the work inspected. Hardly *illegal* ??
> Installation Contracting (NICEIC) has passed a new safety law that renders > all electrical work done by yourself, or an unregistered electrician, > illegal."
And since when was Parliament replaced by the NICEIC?
Because it's been a long time since most of the media retained an expert in most subject I suspect, the average 'hack' could be writing copy on dog crap one day and cookery the next....
On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:40:11 -0000, "Peter Crosland"
<g6...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > The National Council for Electrical >> Installation Contracting (NICEIC) has passed a new safety law that renders >> all electrical work done by yourself, or an unregistered electrician, >> illegal."
>And since when was Parliament replaced by the NICEIC?
>Because it's been a long time since most of the media retained an expert in >most subject I suspect, the average 'hack' could be writing copy on dog crap >one day and cookery the next....
> >Because it's been a long time since most of the media retained an expert in > >most subject I suspect, the average 'hack' could be writing copy on dog crap > >one day and cookery the next....
> Or - "why spoil a good story with the truth".
Trouble is, these (part time subject) hacks spoil a good story even when the truth makes it a good story...
On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:23:16 -0000, "Uno Hoo!" <k...@dropthisbigfoot.com> strung together this:
>Why can the media never get anything right?
Yet if I went to a customers property and said "you can't do that, it's illegal. I'll have to charge you for doing that" I'd end up on electricians from hell or somesuch shite. It's the little people that are getting trampled on again. --
SJW A.C.S. Ltd Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:40:11 -0000, "Peter Crosland" > <g6...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > The National Council for Electrical > >> Installation Contracting (NICEIC) has passed a new safety law that renders > >> all electrical work done by yourself, or an unregistered electrician, > >> illegal."
> >And since when was Parliament replaced by the NICEIC?
On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 16:31:23 +0000, :::Jerry:::: wrote:
> "Mike" <mailveil-use...@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:p09hq090vtppsau6ls5n5bm33ds0ml4i4t@4ax.com... >> This is in reply to message of Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:44:57 -0000, >> ":::Jerry::::" <m...@privacy.net> which said:
>> >Because it's been a long time since most of the media retained an expert > in >> >most subject I suspect, the average 'hack' could be writing copy on dog > crap >> >one day and cookery the next....
>> Or - "why spoil a good story with the truth".
> Trouble is, these (part time subject) hacks spoi1l a good story even when the > truth makes it a good story...
Well this morning there was a _mostly_ balanced item on this subject on the Today program on R4.
It did cover the subject accurately except for mentioning several times that the regulations were designed to 'save lives' from dodgy wiring. As if people are dropping like flies from fixed wiring faults.
It left as an open question weather the BCOs would be able to meet the demand for inspections. It also mentioned the (nigh on certain IMHO) fact that diy electricals will go underground. It failed to mention that professional competant electrical work will very likely also do so.
Even if you agree with the idea that electrical work should be regulated the _timing_ of this introduction is arguably in error.
1) All the technical trades are currently subject to severe labour shortages. 2) The regulatory organizations have no incentive to expand. 3) The is a massive culture of diy elecrical work.
The introduction needed to be preceeded by a period where people have a chance to get the exam passes and join ECA/NICEIC volutarily. Making it known where and how to become qualified. Rather than leave it to peopl who are already very busy to find out for themselves.
The changes needed to be after a period of recuitment for the BC Office to get the inspectors they need. After January the LAs will need to recruit inspectors form amonst whom? qualified electricians! This will only make the labour shortages even worse!
Finally they needed to introduce this in the middle of a slump in building work not a boom.
I have it on good authority that a law which is not enforceable is not a law.
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 16:31:23 +0000, :::Jerry:::: wrote:
> Well this morning there was a _mostly_ balanced item on this subject on > the Today program on R4.
> It did cover the subject accurately except for mentioning several times > that the regulations were designed to 'save lives' from dodgy wiring. > As if people are dropping like flies from fixed wiring faults.
The Government are now giving publicity to Part P - unlike the way it was kept relatively quiet from the "person in the street" during the consulatation process! Would it have gone ahead had it received publicity then?
James
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