[Question] Electrical Certificate of Compliance Number?

[Herman]

I am considering printing my own COC's and Test Report, my question is where do I get the COC number or do I simply create my own and keep a record?

[Leecatt]

I am considering printing my own COC's and Test Report, my question is where do I get the COC number or do I simply create my own and keep a record?

If it helps here is an extract from The Electrical Regulations 2009 which is the only reference that I can find to it.

""certificate of compliance" means-
(a) a certificate with a unique number obtainable from the chief inspector, or a person appointed by the chief inspector, in the form of Annexure 1,
and issued by a registered person in respect of an electrical installation or part of an electrical installation; or
(b) a certificate of compliance issued under the Electrical Installation Regulations, 1992;"

[gobbleteller]

I am considering printing my own COC's and Test Report, my question is where do I get the COC number or do I simply create my own and keep a record?

Have a look at https://www.ecbsa.co.za/site/files/e...ual.pdf . ECB SA members can complete online CoC's or e-CoC's as they call them. I'm not sure what registration costs but each CoC is around R3, with its own unique number.

[Herman]

Thanks for the reply
Any idea how to find this person appointed by the chief inspector

[Leecatt]

Thanks for the reply
Any idea how to find this person appointed by the chief inspector

Contact the DOL

[Slow Blow]

I am considering printing my own COC's and Test Report, my question is where do I get the COC number or do I simply create my own and keep a record?

You might as well make your own CoC's as the DoL has no inspectors to follow up or inspect any installations, the CoC has become a scam and a tool to rip off the consumer.

[Leecatt]

You might as well make your own CoC's as the DoL has no inspectors to follow up or inspect any installations, the CoC has become a scam and a tool to rip off the consumer.

Are you an electrician Slow Blow, or an unimpressed consumer?

[Herman]

I’m an electrician trying to bypass the ECA. I think they have been dictating to electricians for too long. Of course I would like to know whatever I’m doing is legal.

[Leecatt]

You can bypass the ECA of you want. They are a purely voluntary organisation. The Eca don't dictate to anyone. They do sell the coc and offer it to their members at a discount price but they are not the only supplier. I think the DOL also offers a coc. I'm not sure of the status of the Ecb though.

[Dave A]

I'm not sure of the status of the Ecb though.

The ECB offers an electronic COC which is perfectly legitimate. We use this for the vast majority of COC's we issue.

I see they do have a printed 6 page form too, but only available from their head office (Pretoria) and an outlet in Port Elizabeth by the look of it.

[Slow Blow]

Are you an electrician Slow Blow, or an unimpressed consumer?

A cynical electrician unimpressed by the political and racial infighting going on in the electrical industry of the Western Cape

[Dave A]

A cynical electrician unimpressed by the political and racial infighting going on in the electrical industry of the Western Cape

That doesn't sound good.

If you want some discussion on it or to blow off steam, it might be an idea to start another thread (so that this one stays on the topic of COC's).

[Herman]

I am considering printing my own COC's and Test Report, my question is where do I get the COC number or do I simply create my own and keep a record?

Update: I contacted the Department Of Labour asking them the same question. The reply was “You may use your own serial numbers till further notice.”
I have a contact person name but not certain if I my post it on the forum.

[Dave A]

Update: I contacted the Department Of Labour asking them the same question. The reply was “You may use your own serial numbers till further notice.”
I have a contact person name but not certain if I my post it on the forum.

That's quite interesting. And does raise a fairly significant question.

If you produce your own form, what do you put in the header area?
You certainly can't put the ECA or ECB header info - which (theoretically at least) is an indication that the person issuing the certificate is at least properly qualified, and registered with DoL to do so.

I ask because when our company switched to the ECB's eCOC, we got a flood of queries about the validity of the certificate - the perception of the marketplace was that only the yellow pre-printed COC forms issued by the ECB, (and later the ECA too,) was valid. Educating the marketplace that these eCOC's were perfectly valid took quite some effort.

There is a value to independent third party certification that I'd be wary of ignoring.

Looking down the road a bit, there is also a risk that too much diversity will open the door to unquestioning acceptance of documentation from persons not qualified to issue (an existing, significant problem in another area of certification that I'm involved in).

[Herman]

If you produce your own form, what do you put in the header area?

Your own company header?

I ask because when our company switched to the ECB's eCOC, we got a flood of queries about the validity of the certificate - the perception of the marketplace was that only the yellow pre-printed COC forms issued by the ECB, (and later the ECA too,) was valid. Educating the marketplace that these eCOC's were perfectly valid took quite some effort.

The COC page and The Electrical Regulations 2009 states that:
NOTE: 1.This certificate is not valid unless all the sections have been completed correctly and the test report in the format approved by the chief inspector is attached.
2.This certificate will be invalid if any corrections have been made.
So surly that means it should be printed in the format provided in the SANS not match to deviate from.

Looking down the road a bit, there is also a risk that too much diversity will open the door to unquestioning acceptance of documentation from persons not qualified to issue (an existing, significant problem in another area of certification that I'm involved in).

This is a job for the DOL’s AIA’s; How is checking the COC’s from ECA