The vast majority, if not all of us, say that only certified individuals should do it in Ontario. No exceptions! This is our position.
Don't do electrical work. Electricity kills
A simple mistake will burn your family alive!
This should be the only message to OntariansA simple mistake will burn your family alive!
And here is why
- Licensed professionals firmly believe that electrical work as defined by the OESC should only be done by qualified individuals. No exemptions! Source: Greater Toronto Electrical Contractors Association.
- Although many installations are simple to the qualified electrician, the average DIY homeowner does not know when he is doing something wrong. 95% or more of homeowners do not have even a basic knowledge and could make a deadly mistake in just 20 seconds. It's one thing when it is done in their own home and DIYers are the only ones at risk. But the average person moves every 7 years. These unsafe conditions will be inherited by the new owners. Who is protecting them?
- We need to make it impossible for unqualified people to do electrical work. Period.
- We hope ESA can find some exemptions for the contractors of Ontario, and not for homeowners or other persons who do not hold a single electrical license.
- Allowing it just because homeowners do electrical work anyway does not improve safety.
- It’s one thing to not require a permit for a small job if it is performed by a licensed contractor or his licensed electrician. But allowing a homeowner to do any work, even with a permit, even installing a single light fixture or changing a switch to a dimmer is a recipe for disaster.
- ESA applies this logic only to homeowners making homes less safe. It ignores one sector and enforces the rest. The same un-compromised safety criteria needs to be applied across the board or not at all.
- Basic commercial and industrial systems like lights, plugs, and switches are the same as residential, also low risk. By extrapolating the ESA interpretation, building owners and their tenants would also assume it is safe. Then why do we need the ESA and electrical contractors in the first place?
- The ESA shall review exemptions/permits and licensing. This should include applying the definition of “low risk” as it pertains to qualified electrical workers and their need for permits. ESA shall reduce or eliminate the low risk inspections for properly licensed individuals.
- If the work being undertaken is relatively simple and/or the persons undertaking the work have sufficient knowledge rendering the risk of harm significantly mitigated and if such persons are licensed to do electrical work in Ontario, they should be exempted. And an application for inspection should not be required.
ESA position:
The vast majority of homeowners do the simple work. Therefore, a ban would not stop them.
There is no evidence of fatalities, serious injuries or fires. Therefore, it is low risk.
First and foremost, safety is of the upmost concern for ESA. ESA would not be proposing these exemptions unless we felt it was in the public interest to do so and consistent with our mission and vision.
Does it mean that: First and foremost, safety is our upmost concern. ESA would not be allowing unlicensed and clueless individuals to do electrical work unless we felt it was in the public interest to do so and consistent with our mission and vision.
Safety statistics show no evidence that injuries or fires have resulted from the installation of the millions of light fixtures and switches sold at retail outlets throughout Ontario every year.
ESA is focused where the greatest safety risks exist;
ESA resources are used in the most effective manner possible to ensure the greatest safety value for the public;
The rules do not create unnecessary burden for consumers or industry with little safety value;
Electrical contractors say:
Well, if the above is true, then why doesn't the ESA allow certified and experienced self-employed electricians to do the same work? Why highly experienced self-employed master electricians are not allowed to do the same work with little safety value? Will we ever get an answer to this question?
ESA, don't allow clueless homeowners
and occupants to do any electrical work!
It's a dumbest way to kill them
here is the proofand occupants to do any electrical work!
It's a dumbest way to kill them
- By allowing homeowner do electrical work, ESA is creating the single largest disservice to electrical safety.
- The ESA is reaffirming and reinforcing the public perception that “electricity is not dangerous”.
- There are many instances of unsafe homeowners’ installations across the province.
- The answer is no exemptions for homeowners. NONE. NO exceptions. Nada. Zero. They must not do electrical work. Never.
- Since ESA is not willing to go after homeowners, then the very least that should be done is a mandatory safety electrical inspection every time a home is sold.
In order to work as a self-employed residential electrician one must now obtain 3 licenses.
We take courses, 5 year apprenticeship, then master electrician course and exam. We pay (or make less) tens of thousands of dollars over 7 or more years just for the right to start working as a mundane self-employed house electrician.
We must become a licensed electrician, and a master electrician, and an electrical contractor. And we must pay thousands of dollars annually to the ESA and others. Again, all this just for the right to do a rudimentary residential electrical work.
We still do exactly the same work dealing with simple wires, breakers, switches and lights as 15 or 30 years ago. The only difference is, today electricians pay about 30 times greater amounts for two more unnecessary licenses and associated with them other expenses, hurdles, wasted time, delays and red tape.
And then ... ESA allows homeowners to do the identical electrical work without any knowledge, without a single license and without a single hour of experience!
A self-employed electrician must have 3 licenses and 7 years of hands-on experience. But a clueless homeowner needs none!
We say, this madness must stop now. We should order ESA to ban everybody who is not qualified and licensed to do electrical work in Ontario.
ESA stop it now! Because there is a clear evidence of fatalities, serious injuries and fires. Read ESA's own FY2014 annual report.
Or we will take ESA to court and sue for failing to prevent or even indirectly causing some fires, injuries, damages and deaths.
Most 60 to 100 year old original electrical systems in houses and residential buildings have multiple problems and code violations. There could be a hundred of deficiencies and defects in a single house. And some homes have no single thing done correctly or safely by the generations of DIY homeowners. This is exactly why occupants should not be allowed to do the electrical work.
Several of extremely low risk deficiencies together make any property less safe, increasing the probability of fatality, serious injury or fire.
ESA allowed DIY work and over the years hundreds of thousands of dwellings, units and other properties in Ontario accumulated millions of such extremely low risk deficiencies. Together they do represent a statistically significant risk. And fatality, serious injury or fire becomes a certain and unavoidable event. This is what science called statistics and theory of probability states.
DEADLY!
Some folks replace electric stove with a gas one. Then these DIY "gurus" use a 14 gauge romex to extend the circuit and install 15 amp receptacles without changing the 40 Amp breaker or fuses.
DEADLY!
Incorrect installation of two-circuit three-wire-cables like 14/3, 12/3 ... 6/3 ... that share a neutral.
DEADLY!
Overfusing or fuse tampering is a perfect example of homeowners' "abilities". Take those 60 to 100 year old homes in Toronto. Every second or third family has one or more 15 amp fuses replaced with 20 or 30 amp ones. Which are now "protecting" 15 amp circuits.
It takes only 20 seconds to screw in a 30 Amp fuse. But such simple and at the same time terrible mistake could burn their families alive.
It's an exceptionally cold winter night and running portable heaters in both children's bedrooms blows the fuses right away. Replacing a 15 amp fuse with a 20 amp doesn't really help. And a 30 amp one is used instead. It is warm and comfortable now! .... Two hours later the kids are dead and house is on fire. The parents perceived the electricity and DIY adjustments were safe ...
The above are just three examples
But there are hundreds more
But there are hundreds more
Giving clueless individuals the right to do electrical work is a crazy and dangerous mistake. It contradicts the very nature of the ESA and OESC, it questions the necessity of the Electricity Act and regulations, it undermines the very existence of electrical contractors.
We strongly disagree with the ESA position that if there is a mass violation and low risk, it should neither enforce the law on homeowners, nor pursue its mission of public safety, nor do its job.
And that is exactly what this resource is all about!
Electrical contractors feel that the ESA's position above is either incorrect, dangerous, misleading, or ignorant.
We could even demonstrate a simple and efficient way how the ESA could enforce the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, regulations and stop unlicensed individuals from doing any electrical work.
ESA should restructure subcontract out, and hire private inspectors and investigators!
There is a fast and simple solution to all other problems too.
Tell the the ESA what you think ESA.Cambridge@electricalsafety.on.ca
Tell your MPP.
Email the Minister directly Ms. Lisa M Thompson. Or visit web site of the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, who is accountable for the ESA activities.
Or do you have your own story of abuse, neglect, unfair treatment, overcharge, etc. to share publicly? Join us in a class action if you think they are parasites and sue them together with us!
Electrical workers, do you think we should collect signatures and petition the ESA or the Ontario government?
Or should we hold a referendum and simply order ESA to do what is just, fair and right?
When a bunch of abused folks speaks out, nothing happens.
If there is a hundred or a thousand of us, we will prevail and restore the common sense and justice!
Your voice is an extremely powerful tool. But only if it is used and heard.
