More than 1,000 people have signed a petition urging the Scottish Government to ensure those carrying out electrical work are properly qualified
The appeal to Holyrood is the latest move in a long-running campaign for legislative action and the recognition of the electrical sector as a profession by Scotland’s largest trade association SELECT.
The petition urges the authority to ensure those carrying out electrical work are properly qualified, competent and accountable, and points out that electrical safety is fundamental to protecting people, homes and businesses.
It will build on support from MSPs, organisations and individuals who have backed SELECT’s initiatives over the years and who share the organisation’s concern that, currently, anyone can describe themselves as an electrician without demonstrating they hold appropriate qualifications, skills or experience.
Sharon Miller, SELECT Managing Director, says: “We have been overwhelmed by the support we have had from people in all walks of life who have been astonished that there is no way to protect the public from unsafe and shoddy electrical work.
“We now call on them to support this petition, which can be accessed here, and add their names to the groundswell of support calling for politicians to deliver statutory safeguards both for home owners and businesses – and the sector.
“The electrotechnical sector today is complex and safety critical. Untrained people put themselves and others at risk causing real issues, which can sometimes be fatal. Gas engineers have enjoyed this type of protection for decades, and with electrification of society as we drive towards net zero, safety has to be the primary concern.”
A report commissioned by SELECT estimated that the “human cost” of faulty electrical work is around £120 million per year. It also pointed out that regulation would offer an opportunity to grow the industry by attracting “more aspirational entrants, where reward and reputation is enhanced and the value of an electrical apprenticeship is more widely accepted”.
The petition has been submitted on behalf of SELECT by Skills and Client Relations Manager Yvonne Wilson and is now open for signature, after which it will be scheduled for consideration by the Public Petitions Committee.
For more from SELECT, click here.