What is a Qualified Supervisor?

A firm seeking Competent Person status is required to have at least one individual - a Qualified Supervisor - who will be responsible for:

The safety, quality and technical standard of work
Recording the inspection, testing and verification process and results

How many Qualified Supervisors will firms be expected to have?

This depends on the volume of work and the geographical spread of the firm’s operations. An Assessor will advise how many Qualified Supervisors each individual firm will require.

What criteria need to be met in order to become a Qualified Supervisor?

A Qualified Supervisor will be assessed on his or her knowledge, understanding and experience of:

testing, certification and reporting
the Electricity at Work Regulations
the current issue of BS 7671 (16th edition)
all relevant Building Regulations applying to work being carried out

In addition, a Qualified Supervisor must also hold:

a suitable qualification referencing BS 7671 in detail, to the edition relevant at the time the qualification was achieved

What qualifications are required in order to become a Qualified Supervisor?

Any of the following qualifications have been deemed suitable:

S/NVQ Level 3 in Installing and Commissioning Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment
NVQ Level 3 in Electrotechnical Services (Installation – Buildings and Structures)
A registered electrical apprenticeship
EAL Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers
City & Guilds 2380
City & Guilds 2381
City & Guilds A, B or C certificate
City & Guilds 236 Part 1, 2 or C certificate
City & Guilds 2360 Part 1, 2 or C certificate
City & Guilds 2356 Part 1 or 2
City & Guilds 2351 (all 8 units)
City & Guilds 2330
City & Guilds 2391
City & Guilds 2400
SQA tailored award in Design and Verification of Electrical Installations

This list is not exhaustive and others may be accepted after individual consideration
NOTE: Certificates must be available for inspection during the initial assessment

What happens if an applicant’s qualification isn’t on the list?

If the applicant’s qualification referenced in detail the edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations current at the time the course was undertaken, but is not listed, contact the ECA Education and Training department with the following information:

Applicant’s name, address, email address and telephone number
A COPY of the qualification certificate
Details of the place of study
Supporting information demonstrating how the qualification referenced the specified criteria

What courses can I take to support my application?

If you do not have any of the above qualifications, you should consider taking the EAL Level 2 Domestic Electrical Installers (DEI) 17-unit course, which has been designed specifically to provide the qualifications and knowledge you need in order to comply. Alternatively, City & Guilds 2381 (BS 7671 IEE Wiring Regulations) and 2391 (Inspection and Testing) can be undertaken to meet the deficiency (see contact details below).Even if you have one of the recognised qualifications listed above, you may benefit from taking Unit 1 of the EAL Level 2 DEI course – a one-day course, which provides qualified electricians with the obligatory knowledge of the relevant Building Regulations, in support of your application to the scheme (available nationally from EAL-approved training providers – see contact details below).

Useful Contact Details

ECA Education and Training

ESCA House, 34 Palace Court, London W2 4HY
Tel: 020 7313 4800
Fax: 020 7221 7344
Email: eandt@eca.co.uk
Website: http://www.eca.co.uk/

EMTA Awards Ltd (EAL)

SEMTA House, 14 Upton Road, Watford, Herts WD18 0JT
Tel: 0870 240 6889
Fax: 0870 240 6890
Email: customercare@eal.org.uk
Website: http://www.eal.org.uk/

City and Guilds of London Institute

1 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DD
Tel: 020 7294 2800
Fax: 020 7294 2400
Email: enquiry@city-and-guilds.co.uk
Website: http://www.city-and-guilds.co.uk/

Useful publications

ECA & NICEIC Electrical Installers’ Guide to the Building Regulations – available from to purchase from the ECA or to download from the ECA members website www.eca.co.uk. Any firm that applies to this scheme will automatically receive a copy of the publication free of charge.