COC or shutdown

[ians]

Had a call from a customer today requesting a COC for the building. Apparently the Ethikweni inspectors are doing the rounds in Pinetown requesting business licenses, COC etc from business owners. They informed my customer they have until Friday to produce a COC other wise they switch off the power. The customer has been in the building for 10 years.

I notify them of illegal installations being done in hundreds of flat in Durban, they say it is not their problem because the installation is being done by Eskom contractors, so I thought maybe I should tell my customer to tell them the installation was done by an Eskom approved contractor. I agree it is as stupid as it sounds

I am busy with inspection reports to get the installation up to spec, but it is going to take longer than 3 days.

[AndyD]

If it's going to take longer than the deadline given I usually contact the inspector direct and motivate an extended period, usually verbal is sufficient, they've always been pretty accomodating as long as we reassure them that remedial work is in progress.

[Dave A]

they've always been pretty accomodating as long as we reassure them that remedial work is in progress.

That's been our experience too.

I think they come in hot and heavy because they know that's what it takes to kick the owner into gear and actually do something about it.

[AndyD]

Agreed, same with the Health Department and Fire Officer, they also have the same MO where they threaten closure and issue legal notices but they'll happily give an extension, even for a week or a fortnight or more in some circumstances as long as there's action and a program for the repair work. Can't say I blame them, many of the owners of these businesses have set a precedent for decades of doing what they please, when they please.

[ians]

The power was switched off at 11 am this morning, 29/07/2013

I managed to get the power switched back on 10 minutes ago, thanks to the electricity department, sometimes it just takes a little communication to sort out major problems.

I have contacted the electrical contractor who sent in the application carried out the work and is responsible for the COC, I eagerly await their response.

[ians]

So here is my question, who would be responsible for the product loss in the freezers and fridges, 20 staff downtime, not forgetting the loss of turnover, all because of something which should have been sorted out by 2011. If I didn't drop everything and get this sorted out within a couple of hours, there could have been huge losses, all because of the electricity departments arrogance and some electrical contractors non compliance which had nothing to do with my customer?

If the law states that a COC must be issued within 24 hours, why was the power not isolated within a week of non compliance, why years later.

The electrical contractor or electricity department?

Just to make matters worse, I now have to issue a COC by Friday otherwise they disconnected again, at my customers expense. The fact that I didn't do the job to start with actually makes it illegal for me to issue the COC, unless of course the responsible contractor produces a copy or the original by some miracle. I don't know that this company has a licensed electrician working for them.

[HR Solutions]

I do just wonder tho that if a person/company is in the wrong, why do they not just comply and do what they have to ? Why didn't they do it years ago ?

[ians]

The company I am working for wasn't the same company who had the work done, well it is the same company but different owner, the previous owner had the work done, it is complicated.

The new owners are doing things right. We are busy with inspection reports and repairs, but it takes time especially when you have the handy man come plumber come shop fitter come appliance repair specialist looking after an electrical installation.

By the way it is not the companies responsibility to issue COC, they rely on the electrical contractor who does the work to issue the COC. The electrical company which did the work is a well known company in Pinetown