DIY dangers

With reference to Part P coming into force next year I have a few comments and concerns. Whereas I can appreciate the concerns over the amount of fatalities, deaths and fires concerning electrical works carried out in the home, the statistics do not state how many of these were caused by the poor workmanship of the DIY householder.

Until the large DIY stores stop selling electrical goods, ie cable, accessories and distribution boards and stop issuing leaflets on how to carry out electrical work in the home, you will never eradicate these poor installation practices. How many of these DIYers will actually notify the building control of their intentions of carrying out such work? More to the point, how many have the knowledge or equipment to carry out the proper testing of the installation on completion?

With regards to certification of the works, surely if a contractor has the C&G 2391 qualification this should be enough to satisfy the requirements of Part P without having to register with an appropriate body. Most one-man bands are more than capable of carrying out a safe and proper installation and the appropriate testing procedures and most worth their salt probably do have the 2391 qualification. Surely the registering with an appropriate body is just a case of the ‘checkers’ ‘checking the checker’!

Although the costs to belong to one of these bodies is probably minimal, it is just another charge to forward on to the poor customer. It will be them who pay in the long run.