COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, September 08, 2014

QUESTION NO.21

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"To ask the Chief Executive could he make a report regarding private Electrical contractors who carry out maintenance or rewiring works on behalf of the Council and indicate what form of oversight or inspection safeguards are in place to ensure best practice and tenant safety?"

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council's Housing Department do not employ electricians direct and therefore all works carried out on the Council's housing stock of approximately 9,000 housing units and 25 traveller residential caravan parks are by private Electrical Contractors.   There are currently two Electrical Contractors, who were appointed on 22nd May 2012 for a 3 year period following a Competitive Public Tender process published in 2012.

This process established their bona fidas with respect to competence, capability, their registration with all relevant Regulatory, and Safety Supervisory Bodies, i.e. ETCI, RECI, ECSSA and Health & Safety Compliance in the Electrical Contracting Industry.

Both Electrical Contractors carry out repairs for routine response, emergency response, relet repairs, fire damage and vandalism Repairs.  They also carry out complete re-wiring, repair, monitoring and installation of  fire alarm systems and emergency lighting systems within their respective Areas when required.

The 2 Electrical Contractors are deployed as follows:-

 Area 1  Clondalkin / Lucan

 Area 2  Tallaght / Rathfarnham

            Tallaght / Rathcoole 

The electrical work carried out by these contractors is constantly monitored by 2 Council Electrical inspectors, one for each Area, to ensure all works, as invoiced, are completed and compliant with SDCC Electrical Specification, ETCI Regulations, and Best Practice. This process involves a minimum 15% / 20% on site random inspection of monthly invoicing from Electrical Contractors for all categories of electrical response maintenance, emergencies, relet repairs, fire damage, vandalism, and complete re wiring.

All relet / fire damage dwellings are the subject of an initial inspection by SDCC Electrical Inspectors and a detailed list of works required are issued to the electrical contractors for action.

In addition, all of the above is checked for compliance with SDCC Specification and relevant Certification is submitted when required. All directives and guidelines issued from DOE and Statutory Bodies relating to changes in regulations for electrical installation work and associated Building Regulations for the Electrical Industry and Fire Alarm protection, requirements for emergency lighting in common areas of apartments, fire blankets in dwellings relating to tenant safety are constantly enforced and monitored by SDCC Electrical Inspectors