RECI electrician

wilser

Quick question, is it compulsory for an electrician to be a member of reci?
Can an electrician work in an office/home without being registered with them?
Am not an electrician but it came up in a discussion about the rgi only being for gas and a plumber could still legally work on a plumbing system without being a member whereas a sparks couldn't work anywhere if he wasn't reci.

ptogher14

A qualified electrician can carry out "minor works" without being registered with RECI. This is very limited work.

2011

wilser wrote: »

Quick question, is it compulsory for an electrician to be a member of reci?

No.

Can an electrician work in an office/home without being registered with them?

Only registered electrical contractors (registered with RECI) can do most electrical work in domestic installations. This is not a requirement for commercial and industrial installations. For more information and links refer to the forum charter:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055192317

slavetothegrind

True also for gas works if i'm not mistaken, i'm out of it for a while now.

ptogher14

2011,
Can you expand on the stipulations in an industrial situation.

2011

ptogher14 wrote: »

2011,
Can you expand on the stipulations in an industrial situation.

Since the 1st of October 2013 it has been illegal for a non-Registered Electrical Contractor to carry "Restricted Electrical Works" (which is essentially most electrical work in domestic premises).
Refer to the Restricted Works Decision Paper published by the Commission of Energy Regulation (CER). As detailed in the above document “Minor electrical works” are exempt from this legislation. Further clarification on minor electrical works was obtained by email from CER can be seen here.

Here is the definition of Restricted Electrical Works from the above link, I have put the important part in bold:

3.1 Definition of Restricted Works
Restricted Electrical Works will cover:

1. the installation, commissioning, inspection and testing of a new Electrical Installation which is fixed, fastened or mounted or otherwise secured so that its position does not change and requires connection or re-connection to the distribution network or the transmission network, as the case may be;

2. the modification, installation or replacement of a Distribution Board including customer tails on either side of the Main Protective Device or of an Electrical Installation in any of the special locations listed in Part 7 of the National Rules for Electrical Installations, as the case may be;

3. the installation or replacement of one or more circuits in an Electrical Installation, including the installation of one or more additional protective devices for such circuits on a Distribution Board; or

4. the inspection, testing or certification of, or reporting on, existing Electrical Installations covered by Chapter 62 of the National Rules for Electrical Installations;

in a Domestic Property.

In other words this this only applies to domestic installations, not commercial / industrial installations.
The rationale for this is explained elsewhere in the Restricted Works Decision Paper:

n a Commercial setting the legal responsibility is placed on employers to ensure that they engage or employ competent parties to carry out the work required. However there is no equivalent regulation or enforcement of electrical work in the Domestic setting. Due to this, it is considered reasonable to restrict all Controlled Electrical Works in domestic premises to RECs (but allowing for a limited amount of Minor Electrical Works to be exempt from the regulations developed).