There is growing concern over the number of Certificates of Compliance (CoC) being passed by electrical contractors who have never seen the installation.
Not only is this illegal, but the practice can also pose a threat to the safety of the homeowner and can damage the reputation of the contractor whose signature is on the certificate.
Electrical contractors who spoke to the Courier claim that this is common practice in the area.
“A guy who is not registered with the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) and Department of Labour issues these certificates, which bear the signature of an electrician who is registered.
“But in many cases, he never gets to see the installation he is signing off on and this is a growing problem,” said one contractor who preferred not to be named.
According to the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) ‘every user or lessor’ of a property must see that the property’s electrical installation does not pose a threat to you, your family, any other person or animal, or the property.
It also places the responsibility on the user or lessor to prevent any hazardous situations that may trigger an electrical incident.
“We have a problem with people asking us to help them quote for jobs and provide them with our certificates, and the next thing they use unqualified people to do the job and ask another electrician to issue the CoC for it,” another contractor said.
Cecil Lancaster of the Electrical Contractors Association said no one may authorise, design, install, permit or require the installation of an electrical installation other than in accordance with health and safety standards.
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