Eager to enhance his knowledge of EICR coding recommendations, Steve Hewish, Approved Electrician at Turrell (Electrical Contractors), dives into the latest version of the NAPIT Codebreakers publication.
Many of you reading this will understand the scenario where you’re chatting with your colleagues or even your QS and disagree over coding or how to describe faults and potentially dangerous findings on EICRs.
Updated so its content is in line with Amendment 2 to BS 7671, the Codebreakers book is a ‘go to’ guide of almost everything you could find on an electrical inspection. If you come across something that’s not installed to the Regulations or a ‘DIY’er’ has had a crack at it, the publication provides you with a recommendation and explanation of what code you should use, and it even goes as far as telling you the regulation number it relates to in BS 7671.
I’ve had a number of conversations with other electricians in the last few months over what code I should be assigning to items and how severe that coding should be. Having originally acquired the first edition of Codebreakers when it was released, my feeling was that some of the coding recommendations were a tad over-cautious.
This second edition version really seems to have gone back to the drawing board and liaised with college lecturers and industry professionals to produce a much more in-depth guide that provides great information and support.
One thing I’ve learned and accepted over the years is that not everybody knows everything, and it’s always healthy to see other professionals’ perspectives of the reports that you’re carrying out and what they would personally have done.
As we all know, some clients don’t seem to want to listen, especially when they carried out the installation themselves or cut corners to save money. Another brilliant feature of the updated Codebreakers publication, therefore, is that you can use the wording provided in the book as a guide or template to explain to the landlord or occupant why you’ve deemed the installation unsafe. If they disagree, then you have the backing of a written guide rather than just your opinion.
An improvement on the original
They say that most sequels end up as a disappointment, but the second edition of the Codebreakers publication goes a long way to dispelling that myth. It’s an excellent resource that improves the original version and is a ‘must-have’ addition to your daily arsenal of tools.
Get more details on the latest version Codebreakers publication from NAPIT here
