Professional status for electricians; PUCSL to accredit qualification, experience

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity sector regulator, is to establish an accepted professional status for electricians in the country through accrediting their qualifications and experience. 

The proposed mechanism was developed by PUCSL in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), Tertiary, Vocational Education Commission (TVEC), Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Lanka Electricity Company Ltd. (LECO). 

Explaining the reasons for the initiative, PUCSL Director General Damitha Kumarasingh said: “Sri Lanka has reported 106 electrocutions in the year 2017. Fifty-five percent of the electrocutions have occurred due to issues with wiring, maintenance and poor standards. With the system in place, the professional status of electricians will be uplifted and the safety and quality of electrical installation will be assured.”

PUCSL launched a public consultation on accrediting and licencing electricians with a view of receiving public expertise and other stakeholder comments on the proposed mechanism. The comments will be accommodated to improve the proposed system. 

Sri Lanka has about 21,000 electricians and data shows that only a few of them possess the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). Most of the wiring and maintenance of households and other premises is carried out by electricians who have no recognised qualifications but have practical experience. 

With the introduction of the mechanism, all electricians will be issued a temporary license to continue their work and that licence will only be valid for three years. 

Those who have a National Vocational Qualification 3 (NVQ 3) and above can obtain a permanent licence from CIDA within a day, after proving their knowledge at the evaluation facilitated by the Evaluation Panel. 

Those who are not professionally qualified but have hands-on experience are given the opportunity to prove their competency and qualify for NVQ levels through a process facilitated by CIDA so that they can apply for the permanent license. 

With the permanent licence, electricians can design, wire, test and install domestic wiring (30 amps signal phase) and issue a certificate to get an electrical connection which is accepted by CEB and LECO. 

According to the proposed mechanism, it is mandatory to produce the certification of an electrician with the permanent licence, which states that the installation was designed, wired and tested to receive the domestic electrical connection (up to 30A, single phase).

Electricians with permanent licences can also carry out the wiring, testing and installation of the three phase 30 amps and 60 amps installation, subject to the design of a chartered engineer. 

The proposed mechanism will also provide a career ladder for electricians according to their professional level and expertise, starting from apprentice, junior electrician, senior electrician, master electrician and utility electrician. 

Utility electricians are able to install and maintain the distribution lines of 1,000 Volt-33,000 Volt. 

“With the mechanism in place, it is aimed to standardise the practice of the electricians to match international standards and it will encourage people who want to enter this industry by transforming their social stigma to social status,” said Kumarasinghe.

The PUCSL invites stakeholders’ comments relating to the following areas: 

1.Categories/classes of licence to be issued and corresponding prerequisite qualifications.

2.Eligibility requirements for licences and the responsibilities held.

3.Suggestions of structure of the licencing issuance framework and implementation.

4.Accountabilities held by key stakeholders and consortium.

5.Socioeconomic impacts of the licencing issuance framework establishment.

The detailed proposed mechanism is now available at www.pucsl.gov.lk for reference. Those who are interested can submit their written comments or submissions to the Commission by post or fax, by e-mailing [email protected] or by visiting www.pucsl.gov.lk on or before 21 March. 

Further, PUCSL plans to hold an oral submission on the same matter. The venue and the date of the meeting will be communicated to interested parties at an early date.