Who Can Do Electrical Work.

So just what are the new rules on who can perform Electrical work?  Read on... First let me refer you to the regulations. They are the new official documents and must be adhered to in all cases.  http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/caws/safetystandards/  Ph:1-866-566-7233 http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/E/96109_01.htm#section4 Remember ..no matter what is written on this page, it is my interpertation and, you must follow the official acts and regulations!!! When a homeowner may perform electrical work Homeowners May: --Wire their own home or do repairs and alterations in their own home but not if it is a multi-family dwelling such as a duplex, condo or townhouse; ---The home must be their permanent residence where they either live or intend to live or a non rental vacation premises. --They Must get any work they do inspected unless it is replacing a) receptacles;(b) cord attachment plugs;(c) snap switches;(d) ballasts;(e) dimmer switches;(f) fan speed controllers;(g) thermostats;(h) overcurrent devices; a lamp of up to 347 V to ground with a lamp of a similar type or rating; a fuse of up to 750 V with a fuse of a similar type or rating.. --Work under a Licensed Contractors permit providing the contractor supervises all work. Homeowners May NOT: Work on anything that is greater than 200 amps or 150 volts to ground Work on anything  fed or supplied from the fully detached dwelling to a separately owned or occupied property,  (ie: the home can NOT have a basement suite or a suite in a detached garage) Connect a trailer or RV at a RV or Mobile Home Park. Handyman/Woman It doesn't matter how Handy you are. All regulated work (Electrical Work) being done for someone else  Must be done by a licensed Contractor, or under an operating permit!. There is no recognition for Handyman!! Licensed Contractors "licensed contractor" means a person who is licensed under section 23 as a licensed contractor to do regulated work in one or more disciplines specified in the licence; Licensing of contractors 23 (1) A person must not do any of the following unless licensed by a provincial safety manager or authorized to do so under this Act: (a) manage or direct individuals doing regulated work; (b) do regulated work for another person who is not a licensed contractor. AR, RR. FSR???? What's up with this? Anyone who writes and passes the exams from now on will become a FSR which is a Field Safety Representative.  RR's will be Phased out by April 1 2006, and Existing AR's will be considered FSR's. “Field Safety Representative” means an individual who holds a certificate of qualification issued under section 23; Field safety representative 23 (1) An individual may obtain a certificate of qualification as a field safety representative for the particular qualifications set out in the certificate if the individual (a) has training or experience that is recognized by the provincial safety manager, (b) is a professional engineer in good standing with the association under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act, or (c) is a technologist in good standing with the association under the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians Act. (2) In addition to the requirements under subsection (1), a provincial safety manager may require the individual to take an appropriate examination or complete any additional training. You must also have 1 year as a journeyman before you can write for an FSR Restrictions on field safety representatives 24 (1) A certificate of qualification as a field safety representative entitles the individual, on behalf of their employer, to make declarations that regulated work complies with the Act and regulations. (2) A field safety representative must not make a declaration about regulated work other than regulated work within the scope of field safety representative’s class of certificate of qualification. (3) A field safety representative must not represent more than one licensed contractor or permit holder at any one time. (This is a bit of a problem for the guys who work for someone as an FSR, but also want to have their own company). The Safety Authority people are looking into this and I will post the outcome as soon as i find out.) Continuing education requirements for field safety representatives 25 (1) A provincial safety manager may require a field safety representative to demonstrate up to date knowledge relevant to that individual’s class of certificate of qualification. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a provincial safety manager may require an individual to do one or both of the following: (a) attend courses of instruction; (b) successfully complete an examination. Duties of a field safety representative 26 (1) An individual who holds a certificate of qualification as a field safety representative must do all of the following in respect of regulated work performed under a permit: (a) ensure that the regulated work complies with all requirements under the Act; (b) request any inspections required under the Act or on the permit from the regulatory authority; (c) if permitted to do so by the regulatory authority following a request under paragraph (b), sign a declaration that the work has complied with all of the requirements under the Act; (d) ensure that the persons performing regulated work under a permit have the qualifications that are appropriate for that type of work. (2) A field safety representative who makes a declaration about a regulated product or regulated work must disclose to a safety officer any regulated product or regulated work that creates a risk of personal injury or damage to property. (3) A field safety representative named on an application for an operating permit or contractor’s licence must, in addition to the duties of a field safety representative under subsections (1) and (2), represent the operating permit holder or licensed contractor in code, technical and worker qualification matters that are within the scope of the field safety representative’s certificate of qualification. Electrical Helpers The new Safety Authority calls them "Workers" now.....Sooooo..... lets sum this up.....A journeyman is still a journeyman, or someone with a certificate of Qualification or an interprovincial ticket. A Journeyman who writes the exams and stuff used to be an AR, and is now a FSR. An RR has until April 2006 to Write the Exams and become an FSR or he is toast. An Apprentice is now a Trainee. A Helper is now a "Worker".  Helpers (Now "Workers") can only work on Class "C" ticket stuff, that is single phase, max 200 amp, and max 150 volts to ground.  The work they do is determined by the scope of the job and the main service size, such that if it takes an "A" or "B" ticket to get a permit to do any job, you can NOT have any "Workers"(Helpers) on that Job.  They must be either Journeymen or Trainees (Apprentices)!. (Personally I like this rule, but I think we should all get naked and wrap ourselves in Toilet Paper to make the Safety Authority call them Apprentices and Helpers again. And Nobody wants to see me naked!) (Oh yeah, if we do this, lets not do it in January.....Bad idea!)  Classes of Electrical contractors. There are currently 3 classes of Field safety Representatives : Note: There are also still "restricted classes", but I can't find anything about them anywhere in the new regulations? OK...I Found it in Information Bulletin B-E3 040531.1   It says that as of April 1 2004 Classifications requiring an exam have been expanded to include:  Security Alarm Installer Power Line Technician Elevator Mechanic Locksmith  Instrument Mechanic Electronics Technician Electronics Communication Technician Winder Electrician Professional Engineer (Class A&B) (1) Class A, class B and class C certificates of qualification as a field safety representative are established. (2) The classes of certificate established under subsection (1) are in addition to other certificates of qualification for electrical work issued by a provincial safety manager. (3) The holder of a class A certificate of qualification may make declarations for any type of electrical work. (4) The holder of a class B, certificate of qualification may make declarations only with respect to electrical installations in which the voltage of the completed installation does not exceed 750 volts. (5) The holder of a class C, certificate of qualification may make declarations only with respect to electrical installations in which the current and voltage in the installation do not exceed current of 200 amps and voltage of 150 volts to ground, single phase power. Requirements for classes A, B or C certificates for industry training credential holders (1)  In order to obtain a certificate of qualification for Class A, B or C as a field safety representative under section 7, an individual must (a) hold an appropriate industry training credential, (b) complete a course in the application of electrical codes and standards required by the provincial safety manager, and (c) pass an examination required by the provincial safety manager. (2)   In order to obtain a class A certificate of qualification as a field safety representative under this section, an individual must also complete three high voltage installations. Policy Note:***You must also have 1 year as a journeyman before you can write for an FSR Companies with electrical connections as a second Interest So.......What are the rules for a company that wants to connect what they sell or install such as an air conditioner company or a spa/swimming pool company, or electric awnings etc.?  Well, the rules are the same as for an Electrical Contractor..They must become an Electrical Contractor in order to legally do the electrical installation part of their work, and also to take out installation permits.  The Company owner does not need to be an electrical person, but they must have an electrician with an FSR (or AR).  They could hire this person to take out the permits and be named on the permits. The requirements are also to have a bond for $10.000 and a Contractors license fee of $118 per year. New  Supervision ratios under installation permits Basically it's Maximum 2 TRAINEES (Remember these must be Apprentices and can not be "Helpers") per ticket for any jobs requiring an "A" or "B"  permit Basically it's Maximum 4 INDIVIDUALS per ticket for any jobs requiring a "C" permit. See the addendum on the bottom of this page! Here are the safety authority's wording: 12 (1) For the purposes of subsection (2) (a), “trainee” means a trainee under the Industry Training Authority Act. (2) For the purposes of doing regulated work under an installation permit for electrical equipment in which the field safety representative named in the permit is a person who holds a certificate of qualification of class A, B or C, a person authorized to supervise under section 4 (3) may supervise (a) one or two trainees for installations for which the current exceeds 200 amps and the voltage exceeds 150 volts to ground, single phase, or (b) up to 4 individuals for installations for which the current does not exceed 200 amps and the voltage does not exceed 150 volts to ground, single phase. (3) For the purposes of doing regulated work under an installation permit for electrical equipment in which a field safety representative of any class other than class A, B or C is named on the installation permit, the field safety representative may supervise only one or two individuals. They also released a directive Addendum on Dec 2004 about this.  Click to read it:(D-E3 0411127 A)