We’ve read with interest an article on the Electrical Safety Council’s website which highlights the dangers of hiring unqualified, unregistered electricians.
The Electrical Safety Council, a charity which works to promote electrical safety and good practice, has found that around a quarter of people who have hired an electrician have done so without checking that they are suitably qualified. Electrical accidents and faults are responsible for over half of the house fires in the UK and the Electrical Safety Council is keen to stress the importance of hiring electricians who have the appropriate qualifications.
At Dalec we are registered members of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) – the UK’s leading trade association for electricians and electrical contractors; offering our clients and customers the reassurance that we are fully qualified to install, inspect, test, design and maintain electrical services.
However, the Electrical Safety Council estimates that there are approximately 20,000 non-registered electricians working in the UK which is a very worrying figure. The charity is concerned that a combination of casual attitudes to hiring non-registered electricians, and unawareness of how to check whether an electrician is registered, are contributing to electrical accidents in homes.
The study carried out by the Electrical Safety Council has found that one third of people hired an electrician recommended by a friend, without checking the electrician’s credentials. The study also showed that a quarter of those who took part would hire an un-registered electrician if they wanted work carried out quickly or at short notice.
This issue is of huge concern and what makes it even more worrying is that the problem appears to be on the rise. The Electrical Safety Council say that one third of registered electricians have seen an increase in substandard or dangerous electrical work carried out by unregistered electricians; and this is certainly something that we’re seeing more and more often.
The Electrical Safety Council’s Director General, made the following comment: “It is worrying that many people are simply unaware of the need to ensure the person carrying out electrical work in their home is competent. Choosing an electrician registered with a government approved scheme guarantees they have the skills to carry out the work and ensures procedures are in place should something go wrong. Electrical safety is not something anyone should take a gamble on – this is why we are providing information online, to support people in identifying registered electricians in their area. You wouldn’t get an unregistered tradesperson to fix your boiler so why do it for your electrics?”
We couldn’t agree more! If you would like further advice or to arrange for a free quote at a time to suit you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
