Dol appoints AIAs in new legislation

[murdock]

but here is the catch...they are appointed...but SANS accredited?...pending...to police the industry let me go have another beer...tell me another joke....still no AIA in kzn...nothing a crate of beer cant sort out...just like the durban corporation inspectors...the fella who tested the chatworth centre collected his case of whiskey ever site visit and everyone was happy.


just like the insurance ad goes tooo much blah blah and yada yada and not enough ching ching...on paper everything sounds great but lets see it work...lets see a proper road show not a circus...the DOL need to step up to the plate grab the bull by the horns and sort out this industry...instead of palming all their resposibilties off to the private sector...if the DOL dont have the correct skills fire them and employ people who do have the skills



just some advice for those of you who dont know this...if they walk onto your site and start making a fuss and they dont have a document with a formal complaint...throw them off site they cannot just walk onto your site and start checking your installation unless they have a formal complaint.

[murdock]

according to sparks electrical news april 2010

malatse also called on the AAEIBSA which consists of 2 members namely the GEIA and the WCAEIA who are both the AIAs appointed to police the electrical industry by the DOL to communicate with the constracting industry to report unregistered persons...so my question what does the DOL actually do?

my favourite phrase in the article " malatse...and that any efforts to undermine the new system would not be tolerated." the system has not worked to date in fact in has just got worse over the years.

there is one part missing in the whole equation...the electrical contractors...mmmm.

contractors are advised that there is no longer a registration card...then the sabs changes to sans...then from 0142 to 1042...the...then the book changes from green to back...then the regs change...then the IE has to write more exams to become an MIE because they are no longer recognised as MIEs...then they copy european standards and change our standards again......then no sooner does a new code come out the amendtments start again...then you can bury surfix directly in the ground...then the nova 3 phase orange plug is no longer allowed yet they exsist in every factory that i have ever been in...man are these people confused no wander this industry is in such disarray...if they could just make up their mind...copy the IEE standards and be done with it rather than bring in bit bit...ooops going on and on but this is how i feal about an industry which i have lost respect for...

[Dave A]

Some consistency would go a long way, that's for sure. It was flip-flop interpretations that seemed to be more influenced by who might end up in trouble than what the regs said that had me losing respect for the authorities in this industry. (It's actually why I started this forum).

That said, I like the idea of an inspectorate that's not employed in the civil service. It needs to be an NGO, though - not this private contractor deal. I think the financial model is going to prove the downfall of the way they've got it now.

The ECB would have been the ideal vehicle, but somewhere along the line the ECA seems to have resolved to clip its wings.

[murdock]

i think they need to start by first getting the sans book right.

the other thing i find a joke is the fact that i get nailed for all the wrong doings of anyone who works on an electrical installtion...if i sign over the COC...why are the people who do the work not bought to book for their work and shocking workmanship...thas where the problem is...these people get away with it...because an IE tests the installation finds all these issue then a quote is given to fix then sign over.

how it should work is when bad and illegal installations are found a formal complaint should be opened and the crimminal warrent should be opened...then the crimminal should be charged and fined or locked up...if found guilty the crimminal should get a crimminal record...illegal installations are a danger to people.

[Jacques#1]

As I understood it, anyone could be an AIA. You need to be qualified, have a few specific subjects, and have specific experience. If you apply to the DOL, they approve you.

Murdock, you can be the man in town

I can list about 10 things off the top of my head that is wrong with the book, before even going into detail. The problem is that they use "industry experts" to compile the book. Guys who never go out into the field and see things for themselves, or actually having to deal with the specific problems. I have asked a few questions in this forum that no one could really answer me, or some of the answers I got contradicted the next guy? Yet, it is all in the book, no one wants to put their name to the actual meaning of a "grey" bit.

[Jacques#1]

But what makes this worse, there is no one to ask what is right? The guys who do sit on the group to compile the book is who/where? If I have a problem I do what? Phone the ECA.....sometimes the guy doesn't kno.......I used to phone inspectors when they were still around, but the one to the next guy gave me different meanings/interpretations........I once spoke to a guy who was a member of the group, he did not know what I was talking about when I needed help on a specific subject.......do you ask a question in the FORUM?, yes I do, sometimes guys who are just like me gives me advice, sometimes I wait 5 days for a reply, which is too late, sometimes people just don't know......do you phone an AIA?...why?.....they did not write the book, that guy is exactly like you, how the hell will he know more? The question you are asking is a question you as a qualified, registered, experienced electrician are unsure about, its not easy to answer, otherwise you'll do it yourslef.....so how do you get hold of a guy who can help you if you urgently need it since the book is unclear and the SANS group is unavailable? You don't, you try to, and then you make a plan and hope you were reasonable, and as safe as you could possibly be (and as the OHS act says within financial reason). Then people differ from what you've done and now all of a sudden you are wrong, where were they when you tried to get some advice.......shut up and sit in the corner. We need a non-confusing book, with a call center where you can ask a question, and if they do get the same question over and over then they make it a bit clearer in the book.....I am just dreaming...

[murdock]

the man in town...no thanks...one of the requirements is that i have to close down my contracting bussiness and i will pass on that...it puts food on the table.

i have been in your shoes for a long time...but i have a mentor who knows everything...and teaches me day by day...when i get stuck i phone a friend...and he always has the answer and the technical backup to verify any statement he makes...like the cable issue do i put a 185 or 2 x 95s when i contacted aberdaire to verify he was 100% correct...i asked him to join the website but he is way toooo busy.