Quote Originally Posted by Isetech View Post
ECA is there to advise and protect the electrical contractor, they are NOT the elctrical industry watchdog. they are there to give customers a false sense on safety, as we are experiencing on a site in Umhlanga. I have reported a member to the ECA and sent them the document (COC), I was told they would sort it out. I am waiting for the customer to return, we are then going to setup a meeting with the customer, the landlord and the AIA and the DOL to start an investigation. the ECA are welcome to join us. We are going to use the old COC sent to the ECA for the meeting as the contractor has still not issued a legal COC.

Lets clear this up, the ECA and ECB or any other House/hand of safety are "NOT" the industry watchdogs. Everyone wants a piece of the pie.

The DOL department of labour is responsible(the watchdog) for electrical industry (from what I understand, last I checked) Please feel free to correct me.

Some other good news for customers, I had a long chat to an assessor a couple weeks back, it seems the rules have changed, that dodgy COC you were issued cannot be held against you if your property is damaged. So there is no longer a need to panic if you find out your COC is not worth the paper it is printed on. When I asked who checks the COC id filled out correctly or if they do random site checks, I was told it is just a box they tick, nobody checks anything, so long as there is a piece of paper that states COC, you all good.
I don't agree with your last paragraph. The policing of coc "should be done by DOL" but like every government department in this country it is not happening unless there where loss of life due to illegal electrical connections and even that is becoming a grey area. Look at stats in SA about fatalities compared to 15 years ago. As far as i am aware the owner of the property is responsible for SAFE electrical installations the main purpose for a valid COC is firstly all about user safety and then property damage. Your insurance will be your next headace if your property should be destroyed by fire due to faulty wiring or inadequate switchgear.

Responsibility for electrical installations!!!!

(1) Subject to subregulation (3), the user or lessor of an electrical installation, as the case may be, shall be responsible for the safety, safe use and maintenance of the electrical installation he or she uses or leases.
Certificate of compliance

(1) Subject to the provisions of subregulation (3), every user or lessor of an electrical installation, as the case may be, shall have a valid certificate of compliance for that installation in the form of Annexure 1, which shall be accompanied by a test report in the format approved by the chief inspector, in respect of every such electrical installation
Or am I missing something here?