Colour blindness, apprentice mechanic?

basildon blue

im looking into becoming an apprentice mechanic and it has come to my attention that one of the requirements is to pass a colour vision test(24 plate ishihara test),
What I'm worried about is the fact that i have a very very mild red/green blindness,will this be a problem for me?

anyone able to help me out on this?
thanks in advance.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

You just need to go to the opticians and atttempt the test. It's only €10-15. I served as an electrical apprentice, and I wouldn't have been able to register without passing the test.

If you are colour blind as you say, I wouldn't be confident of passing, sorry

Cee-Jay-Cee

I have the same green/red deficiency and have passed all colour blind tests that I required for my job.

basildon blue

CJC999 wrote: »

I have the same green/red deficiency and have passed all colour blind tests that I required for my job.

did you have to do the ishihara 24 plate test?

Michael D Not Higgins

I worked with someone with a similar issue who was able to distinguish two different numbers on one of the Ishihara tests. He had mild red green colourblindness but was able to distinguish them, it was only for certain shades that there was an issue, thus he was accepted in the medical.

This wasn't for a mechanic job however and it could depend on how critical it is or the results of the test.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

OP you can listen to as many people as you like on here saying "I once knew a fella who was colour blind, and he was grand" but it doesn't matter a w@nk to you, because it's you that has to sit and pass the 24 plate test.

Just go in and give it a shot, and best of luck. And remember it's not the end of the world if you fail, and there's plenty of other jobs which don't require it.

ironclaw

Out of interest, why the requirement for full colour vision? I'm from the Electronic Eng. background and I can see the issue for wiring etc, but why mechanical? Surely 90% of the work wouldn't require any contact with electrical systems? Either way, your not dealing with large load / potential life/death, and if you were, I'd imagine you would have the work cross checked by a colleague.

biko

Some more info in this old thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055641129

enumbers

As a mechanic dealing with different coloured wiring is part of your job daily. Must wires are quite thin with sometimes subtle colour stripes. Can see it making life very difficult been colour blind, not impossible just more difficult

Superman9313

Any advances on this anyone? I have a very slight red/green deficiency apparently but no struggle distinguishing wires or colours etc in person, im looking for a plumbing apprenticeship which ya now how have to pass a colour vision test for.

challengemaster

Superman9313 wrote: »

Any advances on this anyone? I have a very slight red/green deficiency apparently but no struggle distinguishing wires or colours etc in person, im looking for a plumbing apprenticeship which ya now how have to pass a colour vision test for.

Well then go do one.

We can't tell you if you'll pass or not.

Basil Fawlty

Wiring colour is not what you should go by anyway as some manufactures use different colours on different sides of a connector. What should be checked are pin outputs and inputs to a connector by number. So even if you didn't have colour blindness trusting the colour is not recommended.

randy hickey

This might come in handy for anyone wanting to see how they would fare out in the Ishihara Test:

(You can skip forward to 3.30 if you don't want the whole science behind it.)

Superman9313

randy hickey wrote: »

This might come in handy for anyone wanting to see how they would fare out in the Ishihara Test:

(You can skip forward to 3.30 if you don't want the whole science behind it.)

Ive done this before and gotten some right and some wrong, loads of mixed answers.. whats the minimum pass standard on it do you know? Ive done the Farnsworth colour arranging test alos and flew it without a problem so im so confused about my "slight red/green deficiency"

JC01

ironclaw wrote: »

Out of interest, why the requirement for full colour vision? I'm from the Electronic Eng. background and I can see the issue for wiring etc, but why mechanical? Surely 90% of the work wouldn't require any contact with electrical systems? Either way, your not dealing with large load / potential life/death, and if you were, I'd imagine you would have the work cross checked by a colleague.

As a modern mechanic you spend at least 50% of your time at electrics. And granted your not dealing with high loads as in a house but cross the wrong wires in a 24v starter circuit for exaple and watch the smoke rise. Plus then ya havta go tell the boss your after blowing up a €5k control module or ECU.

OP go do the test and see how ya get on it's the only way you'll definatativly answer your own question. Best of luck with it

gofaster_s13

ironclaw wrote: »

Out of interest, why the requirement for full colour vision? I'm from the Electronic Eng. background and I can see the issue for wiring etc, but why mechanical? Surely 90% of the work wouldn't require any contact with electrical systems? Either way, your not dealing with large load / potential life/death, and if you were, I'd imagine you would have the work cross checked by a colleague.

What happens if you incorrectly repair wiring on an ABS/EBS unit, all of a sudden no brakes which is rather serious or if its on a 52 seater coach etc a brake failure makes front page news so yes it is potentially a life death scenario. Large loads aren't everything, when dealing with modern vehicle control systems(CAN etc.) then its the very light loads which are potentially the most dangerous.

dodderangler

Basil Fawlty wrote: »

Wiring colour is not what you should go by anyway as some manufactures use different colours on different sides of a connector. What should be checked are pin outputs and inputs to a connector by number. So even if you didn't have colour blindness trusting the colour is not recommended.

I'm not colour blind but Jesus sometimes I struggle with the wires. You have 3 or 4 different reds and 2 let's say have skinny black stripe and other two have skinny grey stripe.
Really gotta squint t see the fcukers