Employer fined for paying trainee to carry out work

An employer has been prosecuted and fined $10,800 plus costs in Wellington District Court for permitting an unsupervised trainee electrician to carry out prescribed electrical work.

Dhiraj Gogna, Director of LEDRUS Holdings Ltd (trading as LED R US), pled guilty to knowingly employing, permitting or paying a person to do prescribed electrical work (PEW) when they were not licensed to carry out the work.

Leaving an unsupervised trainee to carry out prescribed electrical work is not only highly irresponsible, but illegal, according to The Registrar of Electrical Workers, Duncan Connor.

Additionally, on the day of one of the offences Gogna arrived with the trainee to “scope out” the work and then knowingly left the trainee and an apprentice to complete the work.

The trainee who carried out the PEW was only permitted to do so when supervised by a registered electrician with a current practising certificate.

“It is important that all prescribed electrical work is carried out by a licensed electrical worker, or if the work is being completed by a trainee, that they are supervised by someone who is licensed whilst doing so,” said Connor.

The charges stem from 2017 when two complainants purchased vouchers for “eight hours of labour by a qualified electrician” via a deal advertised on the website Groupon.

In both instances, complainants checked the Electrical Workers Register online and discovered that the trainee only held a trainee limited certificate, and therefore was not licensed to carry out the PEW unsupervised.

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Connor added that licensed electrical workers are qualified professionals who have the knowledge to do the job safely and correctly.

“Incorrectly installed electrical work can result in serious harm and risk the safety of New Zealanders,” he said.

“When hiring an electrician, you can check that they are licensed by checking the Register online or asking to view their licence ID card.”