Rebuilding the Electrical Installation Sector

[ians]

Its good to see some interest in improving the industry.


Rebuilding the Electrical Installation Sector
The electrical installation industry has been in turmoil for a long time.

Electricians struggle daily with the consequences of illegal workmen and non-compliant components. The transparency and communication within our industry is terrible and it feels like there is little planning and direction for a better and safer future. Every year, we watch the electrical-related fire damage increase far beyond what is reasonable and yet the industry constantly increases in size and scope with the dawning of renewable energy and the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).

It is time for change and our organisations want to ensure we help create it:

Electrical Conformance Board (ECB),
Electrical Contractors Association (ECA),
Electrical Accredited Inspection Body Southern Africa (EAIBSA),
SAFEHouse

We are arranging round-table discussions to reunite the industry and agree roles, functions and processes between organisations to ensure greater transparency, safety, compliance, communication and policing. We are striving to ensure we build a future that looks after the interests of the industry, the contractor, the electrician and the customer. We need to keep costs low but ensure we are do the job well.

Do you want to be part of building the future?
We are looking for 7 people to help us represent the interests of the industry and consumer.

We want the industry to vote for these representatives, who will ensure our organisations (or new ones that emerge) evolve into something the industry wants and needs for the future. We are seeking old and young, residential and commercial and males & females from all sectors. If you feel like you are left out of the industry, that means you should apply to be included.

[Dave A]

We are arranging round-table discussions to reunite the industry and agree roles, functions and processes between organisations to ensure greater transparency, safety, compliance, communication and policing. We are striving to ensure we build a future that looks after the interests of the industry, the contractor, the electrician and the customer. We need to keep costs low but ensure we are do the job well.

Do you want to be part of building the future?
We are looking for 7 people to help us represent the interests of the industry and consumer.

Who (or what) is "we"?

[GCE]

Who (or what) is "we"?

ECB

Read the mail yesterday and was surprised , sounded like a story that I have already heard

[Dave A]

I cannot believe ECA SA leadership believe they still have the luxury of time when it comes to holding the long overdue strategy development session.

[ians]

10 years as a member of the ECA ... all I got a free snack at meetings ... never once did we settle any disputes or collect outstanding money ... yet I had crossed the TEEs and dotted the I.

but more important ... all I have seen is an industry go from a trade I was poud to be an electrician ...to a industry which has more rats and mice than a wheat silo.

A system which was plagued by bribery back in the 80's when I qaulified as an electrican to then becoming a installation electrican (yellow ticket) to a master electrician (red card) as I watched the manager on site steal boot loads of copper from the Chatsworth centre on a weekly basis ... and the council instpector with his assistant (to carry him wind up megger) come collect their box of expensive whiskey ... after they took a stroll through the centre.

Whats changed nothing really ... just in some cases we lost some good council inspectors ... one being Brian Bilton ... the only inspector I ever saw actaully test one of our installations.

Now the COC has become a buddy system ... he who has an inspector buddy or family members gets to sell their house without even a woory in the world ... we all know the sytem is so clever the way it is structured ... it makes it financial suicide for a buyer or property owner to claim against the seller or electrical inspector.

[Dave A]

Some things are still the same.
Some things are misunderstood.
And some things have changed more than you may realise.

Debt collection via the ECA SA has always been a "best effort" sideline thing. I don't think it has ever been viewed by the ECA SA as a measure of their success as a member support service.

Given how much is ploughed into LRA issues, and how debt collection is such a significant challenge for the industry, I suggest that this is something the Association could revisit.

[ians]

I have noticed some change ... they are a lot stricker about wearing safety boots on site ... something I have never done ... had many warning about it ... almost got thrown off site because I refuse to wear them ... oh and I see some team memeber wear hi vis jackets and pants with a hi vis piece around the legs ... with regards to electrical ... I was asked to test a hospital ... were elctricians couldnt even figue out how to do 2 way switching ... eventually they got someone to come in behind me and sign off the DB's ... the way I see it ... if I am there to sign off an installation ... surely the covers should be fitted the labels on the DB and DB blanks installed ... maybe that not how you do inspection anymore ... but then I see regs like the ZA plug and I just smile and shake my head ... I am getting too old for this shyte.

[CharlieIE]

A sad day and who is gonna take the blame ...
https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthA...6gRGs2bdemyuoQ

[ians]

A sad day and who is gonna take the blame ...
https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthA...6gRGs2bdemyuoQ

I was electricuted in the shower a couple years ago ... fortunately for me the handle was not screwed to the tap ... so as I grabbed it i enede up with the handle in my hand ... after investigating the source of the problem ... we found that a wire had come off the overhead line and was touching on the metal frame of the light fitting ... the council sent out an electrician and the problem.