You are probably aware that on 2nd July 2018 the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations were released. You will also be aware that these regulations came into force on 1st January 2019.
The regulations apply not only to the design and installation through to verification of new electrical installations but also to any additions and alterations made to existing ones.
Whether you are a fully qualified electrical contractor or new to the industry, here is some important information you may need to know.
Requirements
Electrical contractors need to update their training and obtain certificates in response to any changes to regulations.
Electrical contractors are usually required to register with a governing body or competent person scheme if they are to formerly certify their work for example, in accordance with building regulations, insurance purpose etc. It is important therefore that, as an electrical contractor, you have taken the necessary steps to obtain the relevant training and qualifications are kept up to date.
Continued registration with a relevant competent person scheme may be withheld as a result of not keeping qualifications up to date.
Keeping up-to-date with the regulations is more than just a matter of compliance. It means that electrical contractors are taking responsibility to ensure that the installations they carry out are safe and conform to relevant standards.
This does not mean that existing electrical installations are necessarily unsafe but any new work being carried out on them will have to comply with the new regulations.
Many areas of electrical work have been scrutinised and reviewed under the new regulations. Just one example is the installation of Surge Protection Devices (SPD) designed to mitigate against excess voltage.
Regulation 443.4 outlines the requirements for and circumstances under which an SPD should be fitted. Electrical contractors must be up-to-date with the latest legislation. Failure to fit an SPD could result in damage caused by overvoltage leading to injury, fatality or an interruption of the power supply.
Electrical contractors can choose to carry out a risk assessment to determine if an SPD should be fitted or not. It is suggested that if there is any doubt then, as a precaution, it is better to fit the Surge Protection Device.
Training Costs to the Contractor
As well as factoring in the re-costing of certain pieces of work, contractors will need to consider the cost of training their electricians.
In a small to medium-size business, the cost of losing some of your workforce to complete the training can be an additional financial burden.
Possible solutions
If, as a business owner, you find yourself in a situation where releasing yourself and your workforce to attend a training course places undue strain on your business then one of the options below might be of interest to you.
At PTT, we offer several options for you to complete your training. A one-day training courses plus exam is available. If you’re currently using the 17th edition regs, this could be appropriate to you.
A three-day course plus the exam is available for anyone who is not as up-to-date, or just new to electrical training.
The cost of the training includes lunch, all the relevant paperwork as well the exam and certificates. Each course consists of up to 12 students working with one expert tutor. This has proven to be an ideal class size to ensure that each student will get the help they need.
At PTT, we have very high pass rate with 98% of our students passing the wiring regulations exam first time. This means that you can be confident that we will do everything possible to avoid a resit situation.
All students should bring along a copy of the Regulations book. If they do not have one there some copies that can be loaned during the course. We also have a shop on site with copies for sale.
If it is very difficult for you or members of your workforce to leave work during the day in order to attend a training course, then there is another option.
You can enrol on the online version of the City and Guilds course. This means that you have the flexibility to balance the needs of your business with the requirements for training in the new regulations.
Although you can complete the course at a time and place of your choosing, you will still be required to attend a training centre to complete the exam under strict moderator rules in order to gain your pass certificate.
Why choose Proactive Technical Training?
Proactive Technical Training is a subsidiary of the Trans-Euro Engineering Services Ltd. We provide many training courses which are relevant to qualified electricians seeking to update their skills as well as newcomers to the industry. We’ve been ISO 9001 registered since 2011.
As well as welcoming individual students who enrol directly onto any of our courses, we also provide vocational training for small medium and large businesses.
Our tutors have a great deal of experience and are committed to helping students to achieve their goals.
To find out more about this or any other training courses please contact us on 01442 828754. Or email info@ptt-training.co.uk
