Hi,
Just after some advice -
Does the Main SwitchBoard location fall under a Mains Work Inspection? I know there seems to be a bit of debate on this - but I feel it does.
Reason I ask is I recently did a Mains Work Inspection on some Housing Units, each with there own Mains, Meter Board, Main Earthing etc.
I failed the Inspections due to the fact that the Main Switch Boards didn't meet the clearance requirements of 2.9.2.2(c)(i) of 3000 and were located in the hallway Cupboards and don't meet the requirements of 2.9.2.5(c) of 3000
I went past today and noticed the place was livened up but Main SwitchBoards remain in the Cupboards.
Im happy to be proven wrong, but the reason I feel a Main Switchboard location falls under a Mains Work Inspection is the fact it contains the High Risk connections for the Main Earth, M.E.N Link and Mains so therefore by default the location becomes part of the Inspection requirements
Even if the Main SwitchBoard location falls outside of High Risk Mains Work, surely accepting a false CoC that States work has been installed in accordance to Part 2 of 3000, when you clearly know it doesn't, is an offence in itself.
Main Switchboard Location - High Risk Mains Work?
Re: Main Switchboard Location - High Risk Mains Work?
I believe the Main Swb is not part of the inspection apart from what is required to be inspected under "mains work" reg 4 and reg 6A 2 (b)
The COC has nothing to do with the inspection apart from what was done and by whom, an inspection cannot rely on a COC, inspectors have not been required to sign off a COC since the 2012 amendments to the regs.
Energy Safety a few years ago tried to have a go at me for having incorrect information on a COC lodged with my ROI, they with drew their warning after i appealed.
Sorry a very brief answer,
The COC has nothing to do with the inspection apart from what was done and by whom, an inspection cannot rely on a COC, inspectors have not been required to sign off a COC since the 2012 amendments to the regs.
Energy Safety a few years ago tried to have a go at me for having incorrect information on a COC lodged with my ROI, they with drew their warning after i appealed.
Sorry a very brief answer,
Re: Main Switchboard Location - High Risk Mains Work?
Pete is correct; it's not "mains work" so not something we can properly use s reason to issue "fail" RoI
ie one that states the high-risk PEW we inspected has not been done "i.a.w the regulations and / or will not be electrically safe when connected.
Remembering that it's not a case of refusing to issue, ; as ESRs require an RoI to be issued once we have completed the inspection
Our only choice is which boxes we tick; the one for safe-&-compliant, or the one for unsafe / non-compliant.
As inspectors; we are simply a specialist subcontractor, no different from any other subbie (eg the one who dug the trench).
The contract we undertake is to inspect high-risk PEW as specified;
so anything that isn't withing what ESR 6A lists as high-risk PEW is (in contract law)none of our damn business.
For a "mains work" inspection, the extent of the inspection is limited to "mains" and / or "main earthing system" (both as defined).
And there's no way these definitions can be strfetchedd to include things like location of / access to / egress from the MSB.
We can advise on other matters, and ES expect us to do that .
But unless we are asked for such advice we can't charge for it.
And we certainly can't use anything outside the "mains work" as reason to issue a "fail" RoI.
Remembering that we must issue one regardless of "pass" or "fail"
We either tick the box for "has been done in accordance with tESRs and will be safe when enlivened"
Or we tick the one for "has not been done i.a.w.ESRs and/ or will not be sage when enlivened.
Many of us avoid issuing a "fail"; by saying the inspection is not yet complete.
But that won't stand up in court if it actually is complete and we have found unsafe / non-compliant work.
The law says we must issue an RoI. And we must lodge the details to the database
(Though the database doesn't actually accept a "fail"; which might be a defence against a charge of failing to lodge)
True we are required to attach a copy of relevant CoC(s) to our RoI.
But checking accuracy of CoCs is not our job
I know EWRB think it is, but they are wrong (on this, as on so much else).
It's not our job because only high-risk PEW is required to be inspected;
and while eg installing mains conductors can be high-risk PEW, certifying (any kind of) PEW is not high-risk PEW.
So checking facts, on the CoC isn't something we need to do.
The relevance of the CoC is that it identifies what high-risk PEW was done, and where it was done, and which Standard(s) (or CD) it was done to comply with.
These 3 items are what define the extent & nature of the inspection task.
The rest of it is simply not relevant , and we are not "accepting" it .
So, as long as the high-risk PEW is compliant and wil be safe, we are required, as a matter of law, to issue an RoI that confirms that.
If we refuse to issue, we are breaking the law.
And if we issue a fail for unrelated matters, we are in breach of contract (so can't expect to be paid).
So what can we / should we do when we notice something wrong that isn't strictly our business?
If it's an immediate hazard, ESR 19 requires is to formally notify owner & Worksafe
(because we found it while carrying out the PEW of inspection)
Other than that, like any other person we can lodge a complaint with EWRB about non-compliant work.
ie one that states the high-risk PEW we inspected has not been done "i.a.w the regulations and / or will not be electrically safe when connected.
Remembering that it's not a case of refusing to issue, ; as ESRs require an RoI to be issued once we have completed the inspection
Our only choice is which boxes we tick; the one for safe-&-compliant, or the one for unsafe / non-compliant.
As inspectors; we are simply a specialist subcontractor, no different from any other subbie (eg the one who dug the trench).
The contract we undertake is to inspect high-risk PEW as specified;
so anything that isn't withing what ESR 6A lists as high-risk PEW is (in contract law)none of our damn business.
For a "mains work" inspection, the extent of the inspection is limited to "mains" and / or "main earthing system" (both as defined).
And there's no way these definitions can be strfetchedd to include things like location of / access to / egress from the MSB.
We can advise on other matters, and ES expect us to do that .
But unless we are asked for such advice we can't charge for it.
And we certainly can't use anything outside the "mains work" as reason to issue a "fail" RoI.
Remembering that we must issue one regardless of "pass" or "fail"
We either tick the box for "has been done in accordance with tESRs and will be safe when enlivened"
Or we tick the one for "has not been done i.a.w.ESRs and/ or will not be sage when enlivened.
Many of us avoid issuing a "fail"; by saying the inspection is not yet complete.
But that won't stand up in court if it actually is complete and we have found unsafe / non-compliant work.
The law says we must issue an RoI. And we must lodge the details to the database
(Though the database doesn't actually accept a "fail"; which might be a defence against a charge of failing to lodge)
True we are required to attach a copy of relevant CoC(s) to our RoI.
But checking accuracy of CoCs is not our job
I know EWRB think it is, but they are wrong (on this, as on so much else).
It's not our job because only high-risk PEW is required to be inspected;
and while eg installing mains conductors can be high-risk PEW, certifying (any kind of) PEW is not high-risk PEW.
So checking facts, on the CoC isn't something we need to do.
The relevance of the CoC is that it identifies what high-risk PEW was done, and where it was done, and which Standard(s) (or CD) it was done to comply with.
These 3 items are what define the extent & nature of the inspection task.
The rest of it is simply not relevant , and we are not "accepting" it .
So, as long as the high-risk PEW is compliant and wil be safe, we are required, as a matter of law, to issue an RoI that confirms that.
If we refuse to issue, we are breaking the law.
And if we issue a fail for unrelated matters, we are in breach of contract (so can't expect to be paid).
So what can we / should we do when we notice something wrong that isn't strictly our business?
If it's an immediate hazard, ESR 19 requires is to formally notify owner & Worksafe
(because we found it while carrying out the PEW of inspection)
Other than that, like any other person we can lodge a complaint with EWRB about non-compliant work.
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