Bob Cairney

Bob Cairney, director of technical services at SELECT, was a recent guest on The Electrical Show on Fix Radio, during which he spelled out some of the issues which face the industry to presenters Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan.

Asked about some of the myths he’d had to dispel over the course of his career, he told listeners to the UK-wide station: “I can think of one in particular: certification. It’s an area which is generally misunderstood both by contractors and their clients.

“Customer complaints can sometimes arise where certification of electrical installations is withheld by members in lieu of final payment. We try to ‘enlighten’ our members that this should not happen as compliance with standards actually involves issuance of the certificates as necessary verification.”

During his appearance on the national DAB station – which has a weekly reach of 450,000 listeners – Bob also discussed the uncomfortable truth that anyone can be an electrician without proper training and qualification.

Bob told listeners: “Believe it or not, anyone can set up in business as an electrician or electrical contractor in the UK and carry out work in people’s homes without having completed an electrical installation apprenticeship or having any relevant qualifications.

“You can’t do this if you want to shoe a horse as a farrier, or act as a nightclub bouncer or even a street sweeper. These activities are all regulated and their title is protected, but that is not the case with an electrician for some reason.

“At SELECT, we’ve been campaigning on the issue of protection of title for nearly 10 years and there is a great deal of cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament. Everyone we speak to is shocked that electricians aren’t regulated – if you’ll pardon the pun.”

Asked about other antiquated understandings about the trade, Bob said: “Well, the days when an electrician could complete an apprenticeship and not do any further update training are now long gone.

“The IET Wiring Regulations, BS 7671, are continually evolving and there are always new products appearing on the market. So now, more than ever, electricians need to keep up and have knowledge of all this. They can’t afford to stand still.”

Quizzed on how well-read electricians were in terms of keeping up to date, Bob said: “There’s always room for improvement, but most electricians, and particularly SELECT members, are well aware of the constant change that exists in the industry.

“I suppose it’s all about communication, collaboration and co-operation in the sector; we all face the same issues and so we should be willing to share information across the board.

“A good example of that is the recent conversation around neutral current diversion (NCD). I don’t know if you know that SELECT has issued guidance and developed a range of resources about NCD which we are happy to share with the rest of the industry.”

SELECT, which is preparing to celebrate its 125th anniversary this year, has been campaigning for regulation for years alongside the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) and Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and has created a Wall of Support to show the depth of backing from individuals and organisations.

As well as more than a third of MSPs, other bodies that have contributed a brick to the Wall of Support include Unite the Union, Electrical Safety First, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Scottish Association of Landlords and Energy Saving Trust. 

You can listen to Bob on Fix Radio here.