Illegal work on electrics ‘needs debate’

Press, 14 March 1983, Page 10

Illegal work on electrics ‘needs debate’

PA Wellington The high number of people who are doing unauthorised electrical repairs shows that the Electrical Registration Act is not working, says the Minister of Energy, Mr Birch.

Mr Birch has told the conference of the New Zealand Institute of Electricians that a survey of the Electrical Registration Board showed more handymen were doing electrical work than building furniture. A high proportion of people doing electrical work were not legally entitled to do it. he said. Mostly, this involved the repair of household appliances. “From the results of the survey, it has been calculated that unauthorised electrical work has been done in 475.290 households during the last five years." Mr Birch said.

“Quite clearly the Electrical Registration Act is not working as it should. However. there does not appear to be any dramatic increase in accidents.”

Accidents may have been kept down because of the involvement of registered people, particularly in installation work.

The survey showed that of people who worked fixing wiring. 65 per cent claimed to have had the work tested

and connected by an electrician. he said.

New Zealand was one of five or six countries where only licensed or registered persons could work on small “plug-in” appliances. Mr Birch said full discussion was needed to decide whether all people should be allowed to work on small electrical appliances without formal training.