COC / Certificate of Compliance / COV / Certficate of Verification

[downtoearth]

Hi All,

I have a client who wishes to verify the intergrity of an existing installation currently connected to a supply. The only issue is it appears they're asking for a Certificate of Compliance.

My understanding is that a Coc can only be issued when an Electrician has conducted electrical works themselves, and is issuing that Certificate to validiate their worksmanship.

My question is can a COC be issued where an Electrician has visually and electrically tested an installation (No work completed) or, does it require a COV / Certificate of Compliance.

My next question would be in relation to 3019:2017 which states 3 different sections that an installation can be tested to (Basic visual, visual + limited testing, visual + full testing) Section 3,4 and 5.

It states different criteria for each of these sections and defines that testing may be done by a "competent" person.

As far as I can tell each Section has criteria that can be satisfied by an Electrician however I also have people telling me that an Electrician can only test under Section 3.

Can anyone please shed some light?

[DougP]

An electrician can do any of the testing required by 3019.
There's a problem with some of the EWRB forms, that refer to an Inspector - but those are errors. (ESR 74 "person authorised to certify mains work" <- certify mains work, not "inspect" mains work)
The error on the EWRB forms even seems to be on the current 3019 COV forms, so they don't appear to be in any hurry to fix this error.

[AlecK]

Q1 which certificate to use
A CoC is intended to be used only when PEW has been carried out.
Must be issued for general & high risk PEW, may be issued voluntarily for low risk PEW.
One problem with issuing a CoC for existing installations is that the form only applies to the "work: described, and the declaration is that the work described is fully compliant with current Regs & Standards. Which an older installation is unlikely to be.
Another is that you'd be certifying matters that you can't check, even with extensive testing.
A CoC makes the issuer legally responsible for safety & compliance of whatever is certified

So for certifying the current state of an existing installation, you should use the Standard that's designed for that purpose, and a certificate / report that clearly states exactly what degree of inspection & testing was applied; and tags out anything you couldn't absolutely verify.
"3019" is rather dated, and appears to have been based too closely on what we do for new work while paying little attention to practicality of extensive testing of existing installations (particularly non-domestic) while they are in service.
But it's the best we've got; and it would be a foolish owner who accepted any other basis for the assurance they want.
That said, nothing wrong with going further than what "3019" specifies.

Q2 who can use "3019"
What to do is a matter for Standards
Licencing is a matter for Regulation.
No standard is going to refer to licencing requirements; instead they all refer to competent persons.
Some of them specify the specific competencies for the work - eg there's one for doing electrical work in "hazardous areas";
but most just use a generic description of what "competence" is.
As far as "3019" is concerned, the checking & testing can be done by anyone competent.
In NZ, if any of that work is PEW (as defined by ESRs); then a suitable PL is needed.
"3019" certainly does NOT restrict a licenced electrician; unless they are not "competent" (in which case the EWRB shouldn't have given them a PL).
There would be few non electricians who are competent to do even the visual-only checks of Section 3, let alone the testing in Sections 4 & 5.

[downtoearth]

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated.