Prior to the deregulation of the Electrical Industry, most Registered Electrical Inspectors were employed by the Power Boards. Regional Inspectors groups within the Power Boards operated under this regime. After deregulation many Power Boards (Energy Companies) decided they no longer wished to provide an inspection service. They no longer had a statutory requirement to do so.

Therefore many Inspectors found themselves seeking employment elsewhere and/or becoming self-employed. Furthermore, registration was opened up to a wider range of Electrical Personnel. Perhaps the deregulated environment lead the Energy Companies and other leading Electrical Industry organisations to believe the need for inspections would diminish. In fact the reverse has occurred in so far as there is just as great, if not more, need, albeit in a slightly different format, for Electrical Inspection services. The Association is aware that by far the majority of Inspectors they know about are very, very busy at present.

We are currently in our fourteenth year of operation and are pleased to have made considerable strides such that we are now recognised as a Bone Fide Industry Organisation that can contribute significantly to assist with safety and compliance in our industry.

The Electrical Safety Organisation Independent-Compliance Service (ESOICS)

For the past eight years the ESO Board have worked towards establishing an Independent Compliance Service for the Electrical Industry.

This service will be provided by individual members of the organisation who must:
Meet the ESO technical standards of competence and the Code of Ethics. Members must own or have access to current Electricity Act, Electricity Regulations, relevant Codes and Standards, and a full compliment of suitable test instruments for the work they will be undertaking.

The Independent Compliance Service has come about because there is a serious lack of a "One-Stop Shop" facility for Compliance Issues.

Since 1993 our electrical industry has lost the "safety network" that was formerly provided by the Electrical Supply Authorities' Inspectors

The ESOICS will provide an 0800 telephone number where members of the organisation will be able to phone in nationwide and get answers to questions. Detailed procedures involving documentation and voice recording will be set up to record all questions and answers.

We see the proposed Independent Compliance Service providing benefits to not only our industry practitioners, but to the general public as well. This service will also benefit network companies, energy retailers and consulting engineers, as our duty engineers will provide the correct answers through consultation with ESS where necessary.