City & Guilds Domestic Energy Assessment Training Course

Transcription

1 City & Guilds Domestic Energy Assessment Training Course

2 Health and safety

3 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 This Act of Parliament is the main piece of UK health and safety legislation. It places a duty on all employers "to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work" of all their employees. Among other provisions, the Act also requires: safe operation and maintenance of the working environment, plant and systems maintenance of safe access and egress to the workplace safe use, handling and storage of dangerous substances adequate training of staff to ensure health and safety adequate welfare provisions for staff at work. 3

4 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 places a duty on employers to assess and manage risks to their employees and others arising from work activities. Employers must also make arrangements to ensure the health and safety of the workplace, including making arrangements for emergencies, adequate information and training for employees, and for health surveillance where appropriate. Employees must work safely in accordance with their training and instructions given to them. Employees must also notify the employer or the person responsible for health and safety of any serious or immediate danger to health and safety or any shortcoming in health and safety arrangements 4

5 Risk Assessment As a lone worker working in different surroundings every day, it is of the utmost importance that you carry out a full risk assessment for every survey you carry out. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends 5 steps to Risk Assessment: Step 1. Identify the hazards Step 2. Decide who might be harmed and how Step 3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Step 4. Record your findings and implement them Step 5. Review risk assessments and update Every survey will include an assessment of risk

6 Assessing Risks - PVQ When making appointments a pre inspection questionnaire, can identify type, and size, detachment, of a property as well as, heating systems, and other property elements. Pre inspection questionnaire can also help to identify any hazards that maybe present at the property

7 Personal Preparations Personal Preparations Dress suitably - durable, warm and waterproof clothing. Mobile phone fully charged and switched on; Carry personal alarm; Park close by and put valuables in the boot, park in a legal and safe position; Do not inspect at dusk or after dark; Do not carry unnecessary valuables into the property; Take all appropriate tools/equipment, Let your office know when you are starting and finishing the inspection

8 Main risk areas General health and safety issues affecting DEAs; Travel to inspection - car safety, mobile phone use, journey times Weather- wet, windy, icy Location- unsafe car parking, areas of high social stress, busy road, unlit stairwells Unsafe property- externally- Loose masonry, roof tile, open man holes Lone working- Empty property, ensure someone is aware of your location? Unsafe property- internally- Uneven floor, loose carpets, low ceiling Personal safety- Toxic/dangerous substances, needles and drugs, asbestos Occupants- Threatening, intoxicated Animals- Dogs, other large or potentially dangerous animals Loft/Roof void- Too high (over 3m), located over stairwell Services- Faulty electrical point/meter, gas leak Vermin- rats, insects

9 Surveying Empty Properties If you are being accompanied by the agent or owner during the inspection, check the person s credentials When entering the empty building, carry out a cursory inspection of all rooms whilst loudly announcing your presence If you are on your own, lock the external doors when you are inside and keep the keys with you; If you discover an unauthorized person(s), briefly and calmly explain who you are, why you are there and that you are leaving right away. If you discover signs of unauthorized occupation and/or the property is unsecured, leave the property immediately and notify the person responsible.

10 Roof space inspections When inspecting roof spaces: Do not site your ladder near any potential hazard Be careful of heavy loft hatches; Put ladder up properly and extend min. 1.0m above back of ceiling joists; Wear face mask, check for animal/bird life/wasp nests Use a strong, bright torch; Only go in if it is essential and step on the rear of visible ceiling joists. Watch out for any poorly fixed walking boards; Look out for low beams/purlins, protruding nails, etc. Do not roll back insulation unnecessarily, just lift a corner for measurement purposes.

11 Ladders Check ladders every time they are used. Refer to the leaflet HSE Safe use of Ladders & Stepladders An Employers Guide For their correct use.

12 Ladders

13 Ladders

14 Roof space inspections

15 Roof space inspections Would you inspect the following lofts?

16 Roof space inspections

17 Roof space inspections

18 Roof space inspections

19 Roof space inspections

20 Roof space inspections

21 Roof space inspections

22 Roof space inspections

23 H & S Samples As a group discussions what would you do in the following situations? Then check your answers Scenario 1: The occupant becomes very aggressive and uses threatening language as you carry out your inspection?

24 Scenario 1 You should have your mobile phone and personal alarm with you; Try to stay calm and do not argue; If you feel threatened, leave immediately; Develop a distress signal/password for use between yourself and office staff if you feel it is an emergency.

25 Scenario 2 A 2 storey property with ceiling height of 2.7m, the loft hatch is located at the top of the staircase. Would you inspect the loft?

26 Scenario 2 No, there is a risk of serious injury falling from a considerable height. Make a note in your site notes photograph the issue and inform the homeowner/occupier that there is too greater risk to access the loft due to it s location.

27 Scenario 3 The owner shows you into the house and points out their 2 massive dogs, but says, Don t worry, they wouldn t hurt a fly.

28 Scenario 3 You can never be too careful with dogs, politely request that the dogs are kept in another room or outside whilst you carry out the survey. Point out that it is a health and safety precaution, people will generally understand; If not then explain that you will need to end the survey.

29 Health & Safety Would you inspect this cellar?

30 Health and Safety

31 Health & Safety

32 Asbestos Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It was used for a variety of purposes and was ideal for fireproofing and insulation. Any building built before 2000 can contain asbestos. Asbestos materials in good condition are safe. Only when fibres become airborne are they dangerous, which happens when materials are damaged. When the fibres are inhaled they can cause these serious diseases: mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis

33 Asbestos Asbestos can be found in a wide variety of products Asbestos cement Asbestos insulation board

34 Asbestos Textured coatings (Artex) Floor tiles

35 Asbestos Asbestos cement soffit Pipe lagging 35

36 Further reading A key text to read is Surveying Safely this is available as a free pdf download from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors ( which is focused on the risks associated with property inspections Comprehensive publications on all aspects of health and safety are also available from the Health and Safety Executive (

37 Soft Skills 37

38 DEA Soft Skills To effectively operate as an Energy Assessors you will have to acquire and develop a variety of Soft Skills that comprise of: Communication keep good written and verbal correspondence between you and the client. Time management make sure you leave enough time between appointments for travel and assessing. Continuing professional development complete the needed amount of CPD to keep up to speed with the latest conventions and products. Professional image try to keep a professional yet practical image.

39 Communication As a DEA you will work with a variety of people, due to this good communication and correspondence skills are needed in order to; To negotiate and accept an EPC instruction To confirm an appointment with the owner/occupier To obtain key information about a property to determine whether you are able to carry out the energy assessment. To give your client completion confirmation along with the EPC To accurately respond to a client s queries about any aspects of the EPC or the assessment process.

40 Time management As a DEA it is beneficial to accurately time manage your appointments, ensuring you can make all the appointments you book in. As you carry out more surveys and become more competent you will have a better idea how long it takes to do an EPC on different size properties Familiarise yourself with the area you cover and travelling times, don t forget to factor these into your diary. Don t forget to also factor in rush hour traffic into your journey times

41 What is CPD? CPD - Continued Professional Development refers to activities undertaken by scheme members to maintain and build upon their skills and knowledge within the energy assessing environment. This enables you to keep well informed about the industry and to continuously improve your techniques when carrying out assessments and communicating with clients Stroma is obligated by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to ensure that all members meet their annual CPD requirements. To aid assessors with this we have a CPD Channel, which has videos to watch and learn from.

42 How much CPD is required? As a DEA, you are required to complete 10 hours of CPD a year. If you hold more than one qualification, such as OCDEA you will be required to complete the required ten hours for DEA and a further 5 hours for any additional qualification held. In this case, fifteen hours of CPD would need to be fulfilled. To aid assessors with obtaining the required amount of CPD Stroma have a CPD Channel, the CPD channel is comprised videos on various different aspects of energy assessing.

43 What is Acceptable? The following are all considered acceptable forms of CPD New product ranges Particular property types in an individual s area of work (e.g. system build, thatch) Any certificated lecture/ presentation on products and services New innovations that are not fundamental to the role they are undertaking Renewable Technologies Improvement in the use of IT skills and/ or written records You will need to supply satisfactory evidence of your CPD such as a certificate of CPD, attendance of events or with dates etc. 43

44 What isn t Acceptable? The following are not acceptable forms of CPD: Training courses (leading to certification) Software changes Changes in building regulations Changes in DCLG guidance These are all considered fundamental learning in order to practice as a DEA, and therefore do not count as further development 44

45 Code Of Conduct The Purpose of the Code of Conduct The purpose of this Code is to set out the rules and standards of conduct that are expected of Energy Assessors and to inform members of the public about the standards of conduct that they can expect from an Energy Assessors. The Code aims to promote: The best standards of practice by Energy Assessors; and Confidence in the integrity of the Scheme, Energy Assessors and the Energy Performance Certificate. 45

46 Professionalism Part of your Soft Skills require you to work in a professional and ethical manner. As a DEA and a lone worker you can easily be put in compromising positions and it is important you deal with these appropriately. Study the details in the following scenarios and as a group outline how you think an Energy Assessor should deal with the situation.

47 Scenario One You have been asked to produce an EPC on a property that has recently refurbished The owner (a property developer) is on site during your inspection. He mentions that he needs a high energy rating to help the house sell quickly. As you are completing the data form, he offers you a cash bonus if you enter a more efficient heating system than the one that is installed.

48 Scenario One Answer What to do Reject his offer in clear terms and explain your duties and responsibilities as an accredited Energy Assessor If the discussion ends, consider completing the survey If he persists, politely withdraw from the situation Make a clear notes in your site notes and/or property file Contact your accreditation scheme and report the matter

49 Scenario Two You have been asked to carry out an EPC on a property that has a: Heating system of a type you have not come across before How would you tackle this situation? see next slide

50 Scenario Two

51 Scenario Two Answer How would you proceed? The heating system is a gas central heating system with a pressurised hot water tank Take as much information as possible on site including photos manufacturers details) and use this information to try and identify the system If you are totally unfamiliar with the system Research on the internet Seek advice from your colleagues or Accreditation Scheme Consider undertaking additional training to fill any gaps in your knowledge (CPD)

52 Scenario Three A householder has ordered an EPC on his property. The morning the inspection is due to take place, the owner rings to say he will have to go out but he will leave his 14 year old daughter in charge to let you in so you can do the survey. What would your response be to you client?

53 Scenario Three Answer Under no circumstances should you enter a property where an unaccompanied minor is left in charge. You would have to rearrange the survey, ensuring an appropriate adult will be present and point out there may be a charge for a cancelled appointment.

54 Lodgement For and EPC to be valid the data must have been collected in line with the current methodology (RdSAP 9.92) and it must have been produced using the latest version of the software. It is not until the EPC is lodge that it becomes a live document EPC are lodged through the accreditation schemes software EPC s are lodged onto (England & Wales) The EPC register s are country specific operated by: Landmark - England and Wales Energy Saving Trust - Scotland Landmark Northern Ireland - 54

55 Quality Assurance All energy assessors are subject to quality assurance checks. These QA checks or audits are carried out by accredited DEA s within the accreditation schemes. These are minimum checks for all DEA s of 1% of EPC s in a quarter or a minimum of 1 audit per quarter, assuming you lodge in that quarter, plus, the schemes must audit 2% of all surveys lodged, on the scheme These audit requirements are imposed by the DCLG and all schemes must adhere to them.

56 Quality Assurance Energy assessors are required to submit all their site notes floor plans photos and any supporting evidence when an audit is requested. There is a deadline of 15 working days to submit documents from the day the request is made. There are 3 possible out comes to an audit; Pass, Fail and Re-lodge. Most audits pass the assessment, but if the audit fails the scheme will carry out 2 additional audits. 56

57 Quality Assurance 57

58 Insurance Insurance Schemes shall ensure DEAs have a minimum professional indemnity insurance cover 50,000 public indemnity for each claim in relation to any particular EPC, 1,000,000 public liability insurance per claim. 58

59 Scheme operating Requirements Overview of requirements For Schemes to remain compliant with DCLG requirements, they shall be able to demonstrate that the following provisions are in place, and are functioning correctly: 1. Ensure that members of the Scheme are fit and proper persons to undertake energy assessments and that they operate within a code of conduct as defined in Appendix 1.2 which is actively enforced by the Scheme. 2. Ensure that members of the Scheme are qualified to undertake energy assessments. 3. Ensure that members of the Scheme have in force suitable indemnity cover. 4. Ensure that members of the Scheme use operational procedures that ensure consistency and accuracy of energy assessments. 5. Maintain active quality assurance procedures that are calculated to ensure so far as is reasonably practical that the other provisions listed here are delivered. 6. Facilitate the resolution of complaints against members of the Scheme. 7. Implement disciplinary procedures in a proportionate and reasonable manner. 8. Establish and maintain a register of members. 9. Ensure financial probity, financial stability and operational resilience of the Scheme. 10. Allow DCLG to monitor the Scheme periodically to ensure that it continues to comply with the terms of its approval and delivers compliance with the legislation. 11. Maintain suitable administrative and operational systems that are applied in a consistent, fair and open way that is compliant with all relevant legislation. 12. Meet other requirements that DCLG has specified from time to time, and in line with the Approval Letter. 59

60 Conflicts of Interest Any circumstance that might lead to an actual or perceived conflict of interest must be explored by the EA with the seller and/or the person from whom instructions are received EA s must identify and disclose any financial relationships with others involved in the transaction This is particularly important for organizations like estate agents who must understand the objective role of the EA A statement about relationships should be made in site notes. A Related Party Disclosure appears on the printed EPC. Transaction Type

61 Storage of Documentation Two pieces of legislation need to be considered The limitation act 1980 Sets a time limit of six years to start a negligence case (from the date of the negligent act) The Latent Damages act 1986 Sets the time limit for bringing claims to three years, after the discovery of the negligent act, up to a maximum of fifteen years from the negligent act taking place. In courts EPC errors are likely to be latent damage, hence you must keep records for 15 years Both documents can be found at 61

62 Security of Information Energy Assessors may come across personal or business information about the various parties, in particular the owner, occupier/s or sellers of the property, which has no relevance to the EPC Such information must not be recorded in the site notes or divulged to third parties save that the EA must not treat this provision as a reason to ignore their common law duties and responsibilities Energy Assessors must not use any information about the property in any other context without first obtaining the owner and/or seller s written permission

63 Security of Information Energy Assessors must keep all information & records safe and secure The Latent damages act 1986 You must keep all your information relating to a survey for 15 years, it is therefore important that you: Protect your premises/offices with alarm systems and don t keep computers in public view Restrict computer access to those needing it for business purposes Ensure you have up-to-date antivirus software Protect your network from hackers with a firewall Backup information regularly Kept in line with the data protection act

64 Fit & Proper Stroma will ensure that a person is fit and proper for membership with the scheme by checking a person s basic criminal disclosure This is required by all new members and has to be dated within 1 years Stroma will notify member s one month prior to their certificate expiring On going a new disclosure will be required every 3 Years Further information can be found at;

65 Data Gathering A Data Gatherer is somebody who collects the property data on behalf of a qualified DEA who then lodges the report A domestic EPC can only be produced by a qualified DEA, therefore the use of data gatherers is strictly prohibited Before lodging the final report, you are required to confirm I have been to site to gather data for this EPC (Data Gatherer s Declaration) This policy is in place to ensure that the DEA who visits the property is the person who lodges the final report. 65

66 Any Questions?