sparkyinthedark - Tumblr blog

[sparkyinthedark]

More about Sparky training

So you want to know more about the training that will you the big bucks as a Sparky? If like me you love crawling into small spaces or hanging from a harness then becoming an electrician might be just the job for you...

If you get all your qualifications as an electrician you might then want to look at expanding your opportunities by getting some extra training for working in confined spaces and/or working at height. Let's face it - you are probably going to have to be prepared for this type of work at some point.

To get the training you need, you are going to have to use a company like Reax. They provide a number of courses like:

City & Guilds Award for working in low risk confined spaces, or the CABWI Level 2 Award for working in low risk confined spaces. They obviously provide a lot more, including medium risk and high risk if you need it, plus courses for working at height.

If you are going to be working in these sorts of environments then you going to need to know about legislation and legal requirements and the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). You'll also learn about assessing the risks associated with working in these sometimes harsh environments and how to use equipment safely. All essential if you want to take these sorts of jobs on.

Hope you found this useful? Could you be a sparky? Are you sparky already? Do you enjoy potholing and climbing too?

[sparkyinthedark]

Sparky in the Sky with Diamonds!

I don't just get to delve down in the depths you know! As a sparky you will often find me working up high to install lighting that shines like diamonds in the night. Sorry for the pun, it's the only thing I could think of to get the diamonds reference in there and yes I do like the Beatles song called Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

You can't have a fear of heights as a sparky. As well as confined spaces we are quite often asked to work at height to deliver inspection & testing, and maintenance of electrical installations.

When I am not working at the weekend , which happens a lot in this trade, you might find me potholing, but I also love a bit of basic mountaineering and hill walking - seems I was destined to be sparky, I'm a round peg in a round hole, or is that a person in a pothole, I don't know.

Getting in to the Electrician game involves quite a few years training and qualifications but did you know that you might also need to complete a work at height course too? Many companies will send you on this type of course if you don't have the required training.

It is definitely worth looking into because electricians that can work in confined spaces and work at height can get the big bucks. One company that covers confined space training and working at height is Reax based in the North West. I would definitely recommend them.

If like me you also love potholing and climbing then you might be made for the job.

Next time you are looking up at the 'diamonds in the sky', spare the sparky a thought. Did I mention - I love being a sparky.

[sparkyinthedark]

A Sparky in the Dark?

Hi there, this is my first blog post of sparky in the dark. I'm an electrician by trade and at weekends I like nothing better than scaling the odd mountain or delving into it's depths.

Not everyone thinks about electricians (affectionately known as sparkys) getting down into dark dank places but we quite often find ourselves under the floor boards down in the foundations of your houses crawling round to do a bit of cabling.

It isn't a job for those with a fear of confined spaces or even heights for that matter. A sparky quite often finds themselves having to work in a confined space that is just about large enough for a person to fit into such as storage or safety rooms where the entry point is limited.

I guess I just like crawling round the sorts of places that would give some people the chills.

As a sparky I quite often have to navigate enclosed spaces to work on different parts of new builds or install electrical wiring in crawl spaces. Basically, anywhere that is not intended for a person to live in but is big enough for someone to work in is classed as aconfined space.

Whilst it may be considered a hazardous environment to work in with the risk of floods or materials that could engulf me I find it quite exciting and when you get an area that gets smaller as you get further in or slopes up and down it gets more interesting. Maybe that is why I love potholing at the weekends.

A sparky typically has to work in many types of confined spaces that you might not have thought about such as crawl spaces (a small space built under the ground floor of homes), that are maybe 3 or 4 foot high so you can only crawl and not stand up. Tunnels and passageways in the construction of office buildings, and tanks used to store industrial materials.

If you are interested in working in these sorts of conditions you will need confined space training. You can get confined space training from a specialist provider like Reax.