|
Homeowners hire unqualified contractors for dangerous work
Study reveals unlicensed workers cost homeowner's unnecessary time and money
Mississauga, ON, Sept. 14, 2009
Almost half of Ontario homeowners allow an unqualified person or
contractor to perform dangerous electrical work in their homes despite
a law making it illegal to do so.
According to a
recent Leger Marketing survey, 45 per cent of Ontario homeowners do not
find it necessary to check the credentials of contractors before hiring
them to perform electrical work, such as rewiring a fuse or breaker
panel or adding new electrical receptacles or switches. In addition,
more than 70 per cent of homeowners would allow a neighbour or friend
to install a new light fixture for them, while 47 per cent would permit
them to repair an electrical outlet and 43 per cent would let them wire
an outdoor light timer ¡ª all of which are considered dangerous if not
performed properly.
The data comes more
than two years after the Ontario government passed a law requiring all
contracted electrical work to be performed by a Licensed Electrical
Contractor (LEC). The law came into force in January 2007 in response
to the increasing number of electrical incidents involving property
damage, injury and death.
We are concerned
that Ontario homeowners continue to put the safety and lives of their
loved ones at risk by not ensuring that the contractor they hire to do
electrical work is qualified to do so, says Lucy Impera,
Registrar-Licensing & Certification of the Electrical Safety
Authority (ESA), the governing body that administers and enforces these
licensing laws.
Homeowners' impulse for
hiring unlicensed contractors has cost them a significant amount of
time and money. More than one-third of homeowners have had negative
renovation experiences while an equal number have had to pay to fix
improper electrical work.
We understand
today's homeowners are looking to save money, but hiring an unlicensed
person will inevitably lead to more costs down the road, says Impera.
It's better to hire someone who is licensed and insured to protect the
safety of your family and property, right from the start.
In
the last ten years, 106 Ontarians have died as a result of
electrocution. In addition, there have been 33,739 electrical fires
reported by the Office of the Fire Marshall.
Homeowners
looking for additional information on electrical safety requirements or
for a list of LECs in their area can visit www.pluginsafely.ca.
Tony Moscioni
Senior Electrical Inspector
Electrical Safety Authority
416.991.4145
|
