Light fitting responsibilities on site
Perth, 19-20th November 2014
Yesterday was a special day, my son’s birthday, and as a result I spent most of my late afternoon and evening at his home first helping out preparing then later mingling with the guest to his BBQ party. Just one of those things you appreciate and need to take time out for. We all live busy lives but making an effort to be there on special days important…I missed too much of those in the past! I was back late and in no frame of mind to write my blog…
As I am going out testing lights on site tonight, I better write my blog now as I have no idea by what time I will be back…
Today I would like to share a subject that may not seem to be so relevant but still is very crucial in the success of a project; light fitting responsibilities on site. Our responsibility as a lighting designer in regards to the light fittings generally include the specifications made suitable for tender or other ways of procurement. We advise the client about the suitability of the compliance of alternative selections to our design performance and quality intent. The client negotiates the final costs, sometimes aided by us, and orders the fittings which the supplier then at one point of time delivers to site. That is where the responsibility part becomes interesting. Someone from the client’s side needs to take receipt of the light fittings and sign off on it. We may or may not be (we should as a principle, but are often not) involved in certifying that the delivered light fittings are as per specifications. Once the delivery is signed off, the installation contractor generally, becomes responsible for the “wellbeing of the fittings, which then still have to be installed. The points is that if hundreds of lights are being delivered, not everyone box will be opened and checked. So any breakage or malfunctioning may only be discovered on opening the box at time of installation. You can see that any breakage can be refuted by a supplier as being careless handling by the contractor and how a careless contractor can turn around and say that the light fitting was delivered that way…
Continuing on the same train of thoughts, malfunctioning lights could be caused by factory faults or be the result of incorrect wiring and installation…does any contractor actually read the installation manuals that comes with each light? From experience I know that most don’t, but their first reaction will always be that it is the light fitting…It is a sensitive responsibility issue between supplier and contractor that can affect the outcome greatly!
Light Watch 5-197: Installation woes…
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