Skills failing puts caravan site users at risk
Wealden District Council has been forced to serve three Health and Safety Prohibition Notices causing the electrical supply to three caravans sites to be turned off because of the danger to life from poor electrical wiring and maintenance.
“We are extremely concerned about a dangerous loophole in the law which allows electricians who have a lack of knowledge about installations on outdoor locations such as caravan sites to carry out work,” said Councillor Mrs Pam Doodes, Cabinet member for Public Health & Safety on Wealden District Council.
“Routine inspections earlier this year found dangerous wiring on a residential and a holiday caravan site in Wealden. This prompted officers to inspect the district’s remaining 26 multiple caravan sites, and they were staggered by the poor safety compliance of the sites.“
A total of 21 out of 27 sites failed an electrical safety check, leading to three sites effectively not being able to operate, and Improvement Notices being served on a further 13. Wealden’s Health & Safety Inspectors have also had to prohibit four contractors from carrying out work on certain sites even though they were approved members of a relevant trade organisation.
A number of the electrical defects identified gave rise to potentially lethal risks not only to occupants but also to other contractors and visitors to the site.
“Some of the electrical contractors found to be carrying out incompetent work in Wealden also worked on other sites around the country,“ adds Councillor Doodes. “We think this is a matter of national importance and we are raising this matter with a number of national organisations including the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, Electrical Contractors Association and LACORS, the Local Authority organisation for Regulatory Service.”
Wealden’s Health and Safety Unit believes that electrical contractors have good experience in dealing with domestic installation but many lack the necessary training and expertise to tackle the problems and risks associated with outdoor locations like caravan sites.
Once an Improvement Notice has been served, caravan site operators have a specified time in which to complete the necessary work. Wealden Health and Safety inspectors have been visiting sites accompanied by a very experienced electrical contractor. Caravan sites in Wealden will now be inspected on a twice yearly basis to ensure the proper electrical safety standards are being maintained by the caravan licence holders.
