Building company fined more than $20,000 for unauthorised work

The fines serve as a reminder to electrical workers that they must have the appropriate licence and registration to undertake prescribed electrical work, an industry head says. Photo / 123RF

A Palmerston North building company and one of its staff has been fined $20,750 for unauthorised electrical work on a kindergarten.

Foxton man Gordon McLaren was fined $4250 this month for installing a heat pump in a Rewanui kindergarten when he did not have a license to hook up the required wiring, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said.

McLaren had an electrical service person license but this did not permit him to install wiring for the heat pump.

Last month, McLaren's employer Ekonrg Solutions was fined $16,500 for two counts of knowingly employing, permitting or paying someone to perform prescribed electrical work in breach of the Electricity Act, MBIE said.

Electrical Workers' Registrar Simon Robb says both fines should serve as a reminder to electrical workers and the companies that employ them that they must have the appropriate licence and registration to undertake prescribed electrical work.

"Prescribed electrical work is highly specialised work and must be conducted by qualified professionals," Robb said.

"Ensuring an electrical worker is licensed and holds the right licence class to undertake the work means they have competency to do the work safely," he said.

"The board will continue to be vigilant in relation to unregistered and unlicensed workers, and the companies that employ them, and will prosecute wherever necessary," Robb said.

MBIE said this was McLaren's second fine and that license was suspended earlier this year.