Issue 9 September 2002
ECSSA Electrical Contractors Safety & Standards Association,
Thomond House, 40 High Street, Killarney, Co Kerry.
Tel: 064 37266, Fax: 064 37269, e-mail:
info@ecssa.ie Website:
www.ecssa.ie
Dear Member
The ECSSA membership has grown steadily this year and the ECSSA office is extremely busy. January to March is our busiest time with membership renewal, so please remember to pay your membership fee on time.
Your membership renewal is due on 1st January of every year.
Unfortunately ECSSA must increase it's membership fee in 2003 to €190.00.
Reasons for this price increase include:
* As our membership numbers increase, we will need more administrative staff and a new ECSSA Inspector.
* ECSSA has bought a new premises on Park Road, Killarney and renovations have to be completed before we move in, hopefully, before Christmas.
* As we all know insurance prices have risen which has effected us all.
However this membership fee is still at a VERY COMPETITIVE PRICE
Pay your 2003 Membership Now
and you will receive €10.00 discount i.e. Pay €180.00
Offer ends 6th December 2002
Annual Membership - No Registration Fee Required (1st Jan - 31st Dec) 190
ETCI Completion Certificates 1 Book of 10 (Domestic) 53
ETCI Completion Certificates 5 Books of 10 (Domestic) 222
ETCI Completion Certificate (Industrial x 1) 33
ETCI Subsystem Certificates (10) 33
ETCI Agricultural Certificates (25) 12
ETCI Test Record Sheets (100) 16
Seals: (Pack of 100) 16
Keys: 13
ETCI National Rules for Electrical Installations 70
Amendments to ETCI National Rules 8
Please note:
If we do not have your up to date Public Liability Insurance Certificate we cannot supply you with your order.
Public Liability Insurance
Please remember that ECSSA can only supply certificates to you if we have up-to-date details on your Public Liability Insurance. It is your responsibility to supply ECSSA with a copy of the renewal of your Public Liability Insurance Certificate. We also need payment in advance either by cheque, cash or credit card.
We recommend two insurance companies:
Hodgins Percival & Associates Ltd,
Contact: John McCann Tel: 01 478 3344
Tyrrell Coakley Ltd,
Contact: Liam Connolly Tel: 021 427 0505
ECSSA Training Course - Change of Dates
The next ECSSA Training Course will be held in the Holiday Inn, Letterkenny, Co Donegal on:
* Friday 4th October and
* Saturday 5th October 2002.
From:
7.30pm to 10.30pm on Friday 4th and 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.00pm to 5.00pm on Saturday 5th.
The course on Friday will cover Theoretical Discussions on Verification and Certification and explanations of new regulations and the Saturday morning or afternoon will cover Practical Testing and further discussions of regulations and relevant problems. Members must bring their Test Equipment for the Saturday session.
The fee for the course is €65.00 per person to cover both Friday and Saturday, which must be paid in advance when booking your attendance. As we can only accommodate a maximum of 30, it has to be on a first come basis.
Free Courses For ECSSA Members
Many of our members have availed of this course so far. Legrand Ireland Ltd are offering free courses on CAT.5 and CAT.6 computer networking systems. The course covers: Design of computer networking systems, installing cables and equipment to the design, familiarisation with all the integrated equipment, fibre optic cabling, voice data imaging, hands on installation acceptance tests.
More information is available from:
Eamonn Tilley, Technical Manager, Legrand Ltd, 15/16 Holly Avenue, Stillorglan Industrial Park, Stillorglan, Co Dublin.
Buying Certificates over the Internet
In the near future ETCI hopes to make available to Electrical Contractors the facility to buy their certificates over the internet. e.g. if you are a member of ECSSA, you can put credit on your account with our office and then you can avail of certificates over the internet. If you are interested in obtaining your certificates in this way, please inform our office so when the scheme starts we can contact you.
Lost Book of Certificates
It is vitally important to inform ECSSA office immediately should any certificates be lost or stolen so they can be cancelled and ESB alerted in case any cancelled certs are submitted to them for electricity supply.
Public Lighting Code of Practice
This is now at an advanced stage and we expect the Final Draft shortly. We know many of you are experiencing some difficulty due to inconsistent application of what is required. We ask you to be patient as we are confident that when finalised the Code of Practice should answer all your queries.
Recent Electrical Accident
An electrician was working on a metal clad switchboard when a pliers accidentally dropped into the top of Board falling to eye level where it fell across the terminals of 3 x 125A fuses with no flashguard in place. The resultant flash burned his face and hands severely resulting in an extended stay in hospital. The wearing of Snickers gear overalls greatly reduced the severity of his burns by protecting his arms and body. We would strongly recommend to you that this type (or similar type) of overalls should be worn when working on 'live' gear. The use of safety glasses would also be recommended. First line safety should always be a priority.
Amendment No. 1 to the National Rules for Electrical Installations Third Edition (Yellow Cover) was issued late last year. ETCI now confirms that 31st May 2002 was implementation date. Copies available from ECSSA office - €8.00.
Smoke Alarms in Domestic Premises
The relevant Department of Environment regulation states that all habitable rooms must be within 7.5 meters of a smoke alarm. In general this will mean two units in each house - usually one on ground floor and one in upper floor. These must be Mains Type with Battery back-up and must be inter-linked. The inter-link wire is only for a signal to trigger the 2nd unit. Recently we heard about a practice where a 1.5 sq mm twin and earth was used to supply both units and the earth wire used as the inter-link signal wire. This is totally unacceptable - An earth wire can only be used for what it is designed - To use it for any other purpose could be considered a criminal offense.
Note: In certain circumstances it is permissible to sleeve the cores of cables to satisfy the colour coding regulation - However a green/yellow core (earthwire) cannot be sleeved under any circumstances.
Certification of Existing Electrical Installations for the Fire Authority
Recently one Fire Authority decided to do an audit on the certificates received from electrical contractors for public premises in their area. It was found that in a significant number of cases the certificates were issued for non-compliant premises. The following is an extract from the Fire Authority's letter to us:
Based upon the certification submitted the Fire Authority would have assumed that all of these licensed premises would have been electrically safe. However, this has been found not to be the case as there appears to have been problems with all the premises spot checked by the independent electrical inspector.
This is a major cause of concern for the Fire Authority and leaves open to question the validity of all such certification issued.
The Fire Authority are left with no option but to seek that all licensed premises owners get their electrical wiring re-checked and re-certified to the appropriate standard.
The Fire Authority will spot check (10%-15%) of all such premises by independent inspectors.
Any electrical contractor found issuing false certificates to the Fire Authority will be prosecuted under the Fire Services Act 1981. Issuing false certification is a criminal offense under the Act.
The Fire Authority may also seek costs from such contractors for any expenses borne by the Fire Authority for carrying out such an actionÓ.
Different Forms of Certification
When you use a completion certificate for a test only on a premises you should highlight any work requiring attention on your own headed note paper as ETCI do not provide to ECSSA periodic test reports. It should also state that you carried out a visual inspection of those parts of the installation readily accessible and the test records should note any defects.
Emergency lighting should be certified by the use of the type of certification provided in the Code of Practice for Emergency Lighting IS 3217 - 1989, provided by NSAI, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 01- 807 3800
Fire Alarms Certification should be certified by the use of the type of certification provided in the NSAI Code of Practice for Fire Detection and Alarm systems IS3218 - 1989. Same address as above.
Test Equipment being stolen
We've had numerous reports of vans being broken into and test equipment being stolen. We would advise people not to leave test equipment and certs in the vans.
T.V. Co-Axial Cables
In our December 2001 issue we recommended that in new domestic premises three (3) co-axial cables be run from attic space to main T.V. point. We did not specify type of cable to be used but we now believe that best type to suit all systems is 75 OHM Double Screened RG6 or CT100
Remember to
look up our website
www.ecssa.ie
ECSSA * Protecting the Customer and the Contractor
ECSSA, Thomond House, 40 High St., Killarney, Co. Kerry ¥ Tel 064-37266 * Fax 064-37269 * e-mail: info@ecssa.ie
Outdoor Meter Cabinets
Due to the level of queries we receive we find it necessary to repeat:
1. Cabinets must be fitted:
* On front of building or on side and within 2 meters of front of building
* In such a way that door hangs so as to allow latch to fall into closed position.
2. Customer tails must enter cabinet at bottom right hand corner of cabinet and where in contact with polystyrene (aeroboard) must be suitably protected.
Notes:
a) Under no circumstance should cables enter cabinet on top.
b) Holes should be drilled on bottom of cabinet to accept both pipes for ESB service and customer tails. (ESB may refuse to connect service cable into cabinet that has been mutilated).
Holiday Homes/Apartments
Where electricity here is collected by a coin meter, a dangerous situation can arise if credit runs out during darkness hours. The occupants would not be familiar with their surroundings to safely find coins and to access the meter position. A simple remedy is to provide an emergency light in the area where coin meter is located.
Just a reminder
1. Electric Showers must be controlled by a separate RCD.
2. The level of Switch Boxes and Door Bell in Domestic Dwellings must be between 900mm (36Ó) and 1200mm (48Ó) on entrance storey. Note: If this is not adhered to, it may loose the client her/his Department of Environment Grant.
3. Batten Holders or Pendents are not allowed in bathroom or en-suites. The rule specifically states "that light bulbs in place must not be accessible without the removal of cover".
4. The only wiring in or passing through Domestic Air Cupboards (Hotpress) is for Immersion heater and for auxillary equipment associated with water services or space heating water systems. However if a light is required then we strongly recommend an enclosed fitting.
5. You must seal the isolator section after you connect the customer tails to ESB meter. Seals are available in packets of 100 from our office cost €16.00.
6. Connections to Dual Immersions. As a number of manufacturers supply the Irish Market and all do not use the same colour coding on the flexible cable provided it is absolutely essential to check connections in the immersion before connecting flex to control switch.
Cable Jointing Courses
We are currently negotiating with Training Department ESB to arrange training for our members in all aspects of cable jointing from low voltage (230V) to high voltage 20,000 Volts.
Having successfully completed this course members would be qualified to get contracts in their own areas to carry out cable work for ESB or for companies that have high voltage supply with their own transformers. Any member interested should contact Sean O'Shea, ECSSA Technical Manager 064 37266 for details.
REMEMBER YOUR ECSSA MEMBERSHIP IS DUE ON THE 1ST JANUARY EVERY YEAR.
ECSSA OFFICE HOURS
MONDAY to FRIDAY
9am to 1pm
2pm to 5pm
