I recommended some new lighting for our village hall, which has the old 'fat tube' fluorescent fittings. These are surface mounted, and the job would simply entail replacing them with more modern units, but can I do this without incurring the wrath of H&S? This wouldn't be a commercial transaction (I'm a volunteer) and the regs allow it in your own home, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if different rules apply to other premises. Does anyone know?
BTW, I was going to post this query on a more specialist forum, but I then realised that I would be much more likely to get a quick and knowledgeable opinion here!
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As this is a place of work different laws apply like you say it is a H8S issue. I don't know the law on this but I suspect unless you're qualified you can't change the fittings. I know when my dad worked for the council he wasn't even allowed to change light bulbs yet alone fittings, although he ignored it and changed the bulbs anyway.
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"he wasn't even allowed to change light bulbs"
Our church recently had an expensive refit for that reason. The wardens (who had previously changed bulbs for decades with no difficulty) were not allowed to use a ladder...
Last edited by: J Bonington Jagworth on Wed 20 Nov 13 at 18:47
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Well... AFAIK, and the boss who is on the village hall committee agrees, you need an annual compliance sign off anyway. Doesn't quite answer the question, but if you can do it just before the inspection you'd have a good defence if challenged.
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Good thought, Manatee. I bet it's just been done, though!
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There are two completely separate points here:
1) H&S rules about using a stepladder, etc. That is the responsibility of the organisation. There is no "rule" about not using ladders. But the responsible person in the organisation has to have risk-assessed everything in the approved manner. That doesn't mean you can't do things, it means you have to have assessed the risks and taken appropriate precautions.
We have a proper sturdy aluminium step ladder with a wide footprint and a handrail at the top. Staff often change lightbulbs and tubes safely because the H&S person (me) has assessed that it is safe.
2) Compliance with electrical regulations. The work must be carried out by a "competent" person. What is competent depends on the work. Most people are competent to change a lightbulb. A smaller number are competent to change a tube, because that is fiddly and requires knowledge and confidence to twiddle the tube or pull back the ends.
To change or fitting or interfere with the wiring, competent almost certainly means, in a workplace, being an electrician.
But again, the assessment of "competent" depends on the judgemant of the person with H&S responsibility. A retired ex-electrician might be judged competent to change a light fitting, but a major rewiring would need a currently qualified electrician.
There is no statutory annual inspection. The insurers may well demand a full survey every 5 years, but the requirement for an annual check would again be down to the organisation.
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I have just been discussing electrics regulations with the insurance brokers to get a quote for my company office and warehouse insurances for next year .
They wanted to see the current certificate from our electrical contractor regarding compliance with electrical regulations and which is several pages of documentation. I believe it is required every five years .
Changing tubes in the office is regularly carried out by any competent member of staff ( and myself ) using a proper step ladder . The problem in the office here is that the diffusers have to be removed to replace tubes and they are a problem to refit into place in the suspended ceiling .
In the warehouse because lights are 30 ft or so from the ground it requires a cherry picker and a qualified electrician....
I would see no problem in a competent person changing tubes in a village hall as long as it is not above normal ceiling height....but possibly fittings changes would be better done by a qualified electrician.
Last edited by: helicopter on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 09:37
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Thanks, Cliff. I was simplifying the church situation, which involved tricky access to the lights, some of which were 30' up. I think it was the insurers who had the last word! The installers of the new lights had a special tower that could straddle the pews, but it took so long to move they ended up using a ladder...
I've no idea if the village hall has a person with H&S responsibility. I'd better ask!
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Am I competent to install our new built in oven which arrives tomorrow (old one packed in suddenly - argh )or should I pay our friendly kitchen fitter a score to do it?
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Gas or electric?
If gas it depends if the bayonet fitting is the same.
If electric it depends on the existing wiring, is the new oven the same capacity as the old one? If the newer one draws a lot more current you will need to check how thick the existing cable is, it might need to be upgraded.
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Don't know about the wiring but they're damned heavy if you are doing it by yourself.
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They are indeed. I installed ours. Plonked it on my B&D workmate, which was about the right height, cabled it up on there and slid it in.
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>> Plonked it on my B&D workmate,
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That must be the best method, exactly how I did mine. :-)
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Leccie - under worktop, single oven.
tinyurl.com/lsklo2g
If it's heavy it's worth paying s-o-e. I think.
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>> Leccie - under worktop, single oven.
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>> tinyurl.com/lsklo2g
Mine is similar but at stand up height.
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Wiring regs - RattleandSmoke
