[Question] Electrician Qualification for Complexes

[AmithS]

Hello,

Is there a specific qualification an electrician needs for working on the complex electrical system (not the individual apartments).

Thanks,

[GCE]

Hi
I am going to assume that there are more than 5 apartments/ individual users and that the supply is a 3 phase supply which then feeds single phase to each apartment.

When working on the 3 phase supply the Electrical contractor will need to be licensed with DOL as an "Installation Electrician " on the contractors licence .Any of his employees can work on the installation under his general control.
If the contract is for a new installation of apartment blocks and the supply from the municipality is a bulk supply with a single meter point and the contractor is going to do the reticulation then he needs to be competent as defined in the OHSA - Pasted below

A contractor registered with a single phase tester cannot work on the 3 phase installation.

Not sure if that answers your question or if I misunderstood


Where the intention is to supply five or more users from a new point of supply, the user shall appoint an approved inspection authority for electrical installations or a person deemed competent in terms of paragraph (b), (c) or
(d)
of the definition of a competent person in regulation 1 of the General Machinery Regulations, 1988, or a person registered in a professional category in terms of the Engineering Profession Act, 2000, who shall ensure the compliance contemplated in subregulation (1) from the commencement to the commissioning of the electrical installation.

"competent person" in relation to machinery, means any person who-
(a) has served an apprenticeship in an engineering trade which included the operation
and maintenance of machinery, or has had at least five years' practical experience in
the operation and maintenance of machinery, and who during or subsequent to such
apprenticeship or period of practical experience, as the case may be, has had not less
than one year's experience in the operation and maintenance appropriate to the class
of machinery he is required to supervise;
(b) has obtained an engineering diploma in either the mechanical or electrotechnical
(heavy current) fields with an academic qualification of at least T3 or N5, or of an
equivalent level, and who subsequent to achieving such qualification has had not less
than two years' practical experience in the operation and maintenance appropriate to
the class of machinery he is required to supervise;
(c) is a graduate engineer and has had not less than two years' post-graduate practical
experience in the operation and maintenance appropriate to the class of machinery he
is required to supervise and who has passed the examination on the Act and the
regulations made thereunder, held by the Commission of Examiners in terms of
regulations E5 (2) of the regulations published under Government Notice R.929 of 28
June 1963; or
(d) is a certificated engineer;

[AmithS]

Hi GCE, thanks for the information. Definitely useful.

In the case of single phase items on the common property e.g. external lighting, pool pump, ...
Would that fall under a normal electrician?

[GCE]

No - Because the point of control is a 3 phase point it would need to be an installation Electrician .

The apartments , I am assuming , being single phase point of control for the apartment you would be allowed to use Single phase tester.

[ians]

No - Because the point of control is a 3 phase point it would need to be an installation Electrician .

The apartments , I am assuming , being single phase point of control for the apartment you would be allowed to use Single phase tester.

Just a note...most of the "common property electrics" i have worked on ...which are normally classified as general lighting and power...are fed from a single phase meter to a small single phase DB.

However in this day and age...when you start talking about estates...which have roads...street lighting ...a bulk supply feeding meter kiosks...then we are talking about a whole different ball game...we just need to understand the difference between a simplex/duplex which were very common and are still today and estates which much larger.

You just need to determine if the point of control as mentioned by GCE.