Scottish public expresses shock and disbelief as SELECT reveals dangers of rogue electricians
Posted by: electrical-poster 18th December 2017
An unprecedented surge of public support has been revealed for the stance of campaigning body SELECT on the official recognition of the electricians in Scotland.
In a series of High Street video interviews in major cities across Scotland, members of the public expressed shock and disbelief at statistics showing the number of rogue electricians who are potentially putting public safety at risk.
The videos, which can be viewed on SELECT’s website, were commissioned by SELECT to highlight the need for regulation of an occupation which is now underpinned by strict professional standards.
Participants, confronted by the fact that hundreds of unqualified electricians were offering services throughout Scotland , said that the current situation was “scandalous” and should be regulated and monitored.
Newell McGuiness, SELECT managing director, said: “The videos put the bald facts about the dangers of an unregulated profession to ordinary members of the public and their responses are illuminating.
“Many of them saw at once the danger that people calling themselves electricians pose to the rest of society and the potentially disastrous consequences their work could have in homes and business premises.”
SELECT, supported by the trade unions, has been at the forefront of the push for official recognition of electricians as professional people and to help stamp out the ongoing problem of untrained electricians posing as qualified tradesmen.
The trade body has emphasised the length of training that electricians undertake and the benefits of regulation. It has also called on the Scottish Government to create a new offence of working as an electrician whilst unqualified.
A Working Group has been established by the Scottish Government to explore how best to respond to the challenge of ensuring the safety of electrical installations in Scotland.
