While getting any electrical work done at one’s home or anywhere else, it is important to ensure that the electrical contractor one is hiring is certified. This certification of an electrical contractor depends on the rules of electrical installation design. So if one has enough relevant information about the rules of electrical installation design then the work of getting a reliable contractor becomes a lot easier.
There can be different rules about the electrical installation design depending on one’s location. For example, in the UK the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) certification is a reliable indicator that ensures that the best electrical contractors London only get this certification as per the rules of the council. Overall, it can help one in determining the best possible option for their electrical needs without having to do a complete background check by themselves. Below are some rules of electrical installation design that one should know to choose the right contractor:
1. Only The Registered And Passed Electricians Get The Niceic Certification
One of the most important things that one should know about the rules is that the NICEIC certificate is only provided to those electricians who qualify under the standards set by the council. For this, the NICEIC has designed the electrical certificate that they only give to those electricians who have registered as well as passed the tests of the standards recognised by the industry as a whole. The certification is only obtained by those who have rightly proven themselves at the job. This can then help one in recognizing the best electricians. Even though it is not a compulsory document for one to be considered a good engineer, it can help the customer in picking the most professional one.
2. There Are Regulations For Duty Of Care Imposed On The Employers
Not only are regulations imposed on employees and electricians, but there are also rules and regulations concerning the employer and his duties. Employers have to adhere to a certain standard of duty of care as the business of handling electrical appliances in itself is a very risky one. Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, they have to ensure that all the electrical systems that they are working on along with the products and production process remain safe to not lead to any injury to others or become a cause of someone’s death.
This regulation has many provisions including those for the construction, designing, operation and management of such systems.
3. Regulations For Buildings
Besides the electricians and employers, certain laws and industry standards are expected to be followed in terms of building construction and maintenance. It is recognised under the Building Act of 1984 and 2000. It sets the standards for things related to the building like the construction, structure, measures for safety during emergencies like a fire break out, soundproof walls and rooms, a proper system for drainage, good ventilation throughout the building and measures for ensuring overall electrical safety like proper insulation, circuits and earthing.
4. The Platinum Promise Provides Great Protection
Not only does the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, or NICEIC for short, provide a qualifying certificate for electricians but also provides a special protection known as the ‘Platinum Promise’ to the people. Under this, it provides a guarantee and a kind of insurance for six years after the electric work has been done by a certified electrician or electrical contractor under NICEIC.
It is a very beneficial provision. If any of the work done by the particular contractor gets damaged or has a considerable reduction in capability, then the contractor will come back and get it fixed without any extra overhead charges. And, in case the original contractor is no longer registered under NICEIC, the work would be fixed by some other registered and reliable contractor under this.
So, if one takes up the Platinum Promise plan, then not only will it give one assurance of good work but it will also allow one to rest assured that no further damage with regards to the system set up by the registered electrician would be a liability on oneself. This also shows the confidence that the council has in their registered contractors.
5. The Continuation Of Registration Relies On The Contractor’s Work
The extension so provided to the contractor concerning their registration is not automatic. There have to be certain criteria met after which one could be allowed to have continued registration. This ensures that not everyone who had gotten a registration once continues to be registered even after they start lacking in their work and skills. This ensures that the workers so registered are ones who have been under the constant eye of the NICEIC hence making them more reliable.
The two criteria to be met for continuous registration are as follows: Firstly, it is important to ensure that the NICEIC standards are still met and all the requirements are being fulfilled by the person as per the latest rules which are published from time to time. And secondly, all the payment of any fee is made within thirty days of the due date. These regulations also help to ensure that a person who is registered again has been keeping up to date with all the other rules and regulations that the council has brought up over time and ensures the reliability of all the people registered under the same.
Conclusion
There are many rules under the NICEIC that make it one of the most reliable sources of securing the best electrical contractor for the next project. It also provides the perfect rules concerning the security of the employees and the building. There are also mechanisms which provide for the timely improvement of the people registered under the NICEIC as well as the opportunity for getting insurance and guarantees with regards to the work done by contractors registered under the same for up to 6 years after the completion of the work.