Unpermitted Work and FSR Liability
You are an FSR working for a small electrical contractor. A homeowner hires your company to finish a basement. During the initial walkthrough, you notice recent electrical work: new receptacles, a hot tub circuit, and a subpanel, all without a permit. The homeowner says a 'friend who knows electrical' did the work. The work appears functional but you see exposed Romex in the ceiling, a junction box buried behind drywall, and no bonding conductor to the hot tub. The homeowner wants you to 'just cover it up' and finish the basement. The contractor tells you to ignore the previous work and just do your part. You know that unpermitted work is a violation of the Safety Standards Act. The homeowner is anxious to proceed. The local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) requires permits for any new circuit. The hot tub is a high-risk item. The contractor is pressuring you to skip the permit for your portion to save time.
1. What are your obligations under the Safety Standards Act and the Electrical Safety Regulation regarding the unpermitted work?
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Under the Safety Standards Act and the Electrical Safety Regulation, all electrical work requires a permit unless exempt. The previous work is unpermitted and therefore illegal. As an FSR, you have a duty to report unsafe or non-compliant conditions to the AHJ (Technical Safety BC). You cannot conceal or ignore the violations. You must inform the homeowner in writing that the existing work must be inspected and permitted. You should not proceed with any work that would cover up the violations (e.g., drywalling over the buried junction box). You must also refuse to connect to the unpermitted subpanel or hot tub until it is inspected. The contractor's instruction to ignore it is unethical and illegal; you must escalate to the contractor's principal or report to the AHJ if pressured. Your FSR certification can be revoked for failing to report.
2. The homeowner agrees to get the previous work inspected. What steps must be taken to regularize the unpermitted work, and what is your role in that process?
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To regularize unpermitted work, the homeowner must apply for a permit with Technical Safety BC, pay fees, and have the work inspected by a Safety Officer. The work must be brought up to code, which may require opening walls to expose the buried junction box, adding bonding to the hot tub, and correcting the exposed Romex. As the FSR for the new basement finish, you must ensure that your permit application accurately describes the scope and references the existing work. You may need to coordinate with the Safety Officer to schedule inspections. You should not cover any of the existing work until it has been inspected and approved. You must also provide a declaration that the work you are responsible for complies with the code. Your role is to facilitate compliance, not to certify the previous work unless you are retained to do so and have inspected it thoroughly.