NICEI Electrical Certificate

[Sean Delere]

Following on from my jewellery display questions it turns out that any electrical work needs to be accompanied by a NICEI certificate (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation )

Whilst I am an Electrician by trade I have always worked in the chemical industry and have never come across this particular body.

Do any of you fellow sparks out there know anything about this and how I go about obtaining such a certificate. Would it be possible to do the work myself then get a NICEI certificated person in to check it and issue the certificate?

Thanks for any pointers, Sean

[Christian McArdle]

There isn't yet a requirement to belong to NICEIC. The certificates can be signed by anyone competent to sign them and with the appropriate calibrated test equipment required to do the tests (and should have professional liability insurance to cover it). The person signing should be familiar with the IEE Wiring Regulations and have the required knowledge to design, install and test the system to regulations standards. A way to show this is to take the various C&G courses and examinations. The full set of test equipment required to sign the certificate will cost several hundred pounds.

The situation may change soon, and require you to belong to NICEIC. They have a rule that you must have been a member for two years before becoming a member. Basically, they are a medieval style guild intended to prevent newcomers.

Christian.

[PoP]

You might like to head over to the following web site and post a message on the forums - there are several sparks who will be able to give you an answer:

if you are trade and can prove it then you can get access to private forums for tradespeople.

PoP

[Wheelbarrowbob]

Any idea where the definition of a competent person can be found within respect to domestic installations ?

[Christian McArdle]

You only have to convince the court that you were competent when they are trying you for electrocuting some old dear. It is providing a definition of "competent" that would be the change in the law. They would define competent as "being some untrained monkey allowed to work because 1 out of the 1000 people in the crap company they worked for managed to pass the bizarre convoluted rules for joining NICEIC". Note that this definition specifically excludes experienced electricians who have passed all their examinations.

Christian.