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A recent survey conducted by the B.C. Safety Authority (the
regulatory agency for electrical in British Columbia and
Ken’s past employer), in conjunction with their awareness
pilot project in the interior, came to some startling
conclusions. Most of these findings did not surprise some of
us in the electrical field. One finding was that a large
segment of the public was unaware that electrical
installations are regulated under the Electrical Safety Act
and Regulations of British Columbia, and that permits are
required in pretty much all aspects of changes or additions,
regardless of how minor. |
The survey also concluded that there are
still a lot of what is referred to as ‘handyman’
installations taking place and that these are very much safety risks
that could, and sometimes do, create fire and shock incidents. The
B.C. Safety Authority (www.safetyauthority.ca)
is now proceeding with a public safety awareness campaign across the
province. Residential and Commercial owners need to be aware that a
qualified Electrical Contractor must complete all electrical
installations, under a permit, to provide a legal installation.
Incidents that may occur from a
‘handyman’ job could make your insurance claim invalid.
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Most importantly, the potential safety risk to you and your
family should be of great concern. There are a large number
of these ‘handyman’ jobs in existence and it is not a matter
of if they could fail, it is sometimes a matter of when. In
Ken’s past position as an Electrical Safety Inspector he was
privy to installations that would make your hair stand on
end, and they were just the tip of the iceberg. Those were
the lucky ones that we were able to ‘make safe’. Just for
fun, go to the local Home Depot store and stand at the
cashiers. Watch the thousands of dollars of electrical
equipment being purchased. We were given the information
that over 90% of that material is being installed by
unqualified people, without a permit and subsequent
inspection process. It is not up to Home Depot, or any other
public store selling electrical materials, to police this
and therefore the B.C.S.A. awareness campaign. The estimates
of unsafe installations vary, but all agree the numbers are
significantly high and totally unacceptable. |
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