I agree with you OMS about earthing everything in sight, but as I think there was probably very little possibility of detecting this fault once the power was applied, we have an impasse. You could say RCD everything, but that is not the answer because this is not a case where additional protection is indicated. It is a basic workmanship issue true, but any wiring inside this kind of partition is in danger from the construction screws even if it is in the "safe zones". As wiring inside stud walls is rarely fixed, at least in my experience, the zones are not very relevant, and they are bound to have fixing screws anyway.

However the discussion has moved away from what I consider to be the important matter, that is the practices of supposedly "approved" contractors. This case (and many many less serious ones, in outcome at least) show that the QS system is fatally flawed in that it is totally open to abuse and fraud. The unqualified tester appears to be used in flagrant breach of the EAWR by his employer and supervisor. The QS may have been under pressure to issue certs by the same employer. What has happened to the employer? Someone suggested he got a pat on the head from the approval body.

And this works, as in Part P I assume?

Another point you might like to try Andy, BS8436 cables do not prevent this problem because the contact cross section of the foil is very small and may well just burn away before the CPD opens. They are intended for fire resistance and electrical screening.
http://www.batt.co.uk/products...Tube/LSZH-Cable-BS8436

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David
BSc CEng MIET

The problem was not the screw, you will never stop screws being driven into cables. The threat to safety was the circuit had never been tested, but the Certifier the "Electricians Mate" Certified that it had. The prosecution was under HSE Section 7 legislation, not EAWR.

The Qualified Supervisor, who had not supervised the "Electricians Mate" then checked the Certificate, which had multiple errors and then signed the certificate as checked.

The Certifier the "Electricians Mate" had C&G Part 1 and over 35 years experience in the trade, stated that he was not an Electrician.

The Certifier said he did not "IR test " the immersion heater circuit, he Certified that he had. (It was a Heatstore unvented mains cylinder with two immersion heaters).
The QS signed the Certificate with those errors.

The Certifier was given information for the certificate from others whilst in the site hut. Including the supply which he Certified as TN-S, but in fact was TN-C-S, and labelled up as PME at the intake position.
The QS signed the Certificate with those errors.

The Certifier stated that the circuit had an RCD (which it did not) , then certified that that the 3 test results for that RCD were N/A. The installation was under the 16th Edition, so did not require one
The QS signed the certificate with those errors.

The Certificate stated phase/phase IR results, on a single phase installation.
The QS signed the certificate with those errors.


The problem is that the supervision and certification required by HSE legislation, is not met by the NICEIC QS system. This poses the serious question, when are the ESC/NICEIC going to change their position and require that the Certifier is Competent to do so under HSE legislation, not the QS sat in the office.

The stance from the ESC/NICEIC that, this would be to expensive, must concern the public, that people on the doorstep from an NICEIC enterprise could cost a lot, to make them Competent.

.

Edited: 02 April 2014 at 10:28 AM by Zoro