/C O R R E C T I O N from Source -- Electrical Safety Authority/

In c7794 transmitted on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, an error occurred in the first sentence of the second paragraph. It should have read: "Scott Millis of Windsor, Ontario was found guilty on three counts of performing electrical work without an electrical contractor's licence." Corrected copy follows:

Individual Convicted and Fined for Doing Electrical Work without Licence

Electrical Safety Authority reminds Ontarians to check credentials when hiring someone to do electrical work

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 23, 2013 /CNW/ - On April 15, 2013 a handyman was convicted in a Windsor, Ontario court of charges related to performing electrical work illegally.  

Scott Millis of Windsor, Ontario was found guilty on three counts of performing electrical work without an electrical contractor's licence. The total fine was $6,000 for the violations plus a $1,500.00 victim impact surcharge. A victim impact surcharge is an additional monetary penalty that is used to provide programs, services and assistance to victims within the provincial jurisdiction. Under Ontario Regulation 570/05, Licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians, only Licensed Electrical Contractors are permitted to contract to perform electrical work in Ontario.

"Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous players out there who present themselves as being able to do electrical work when they don't hold the appropriate licence and they don't follow the rules and regulations. If you hire them, you may end up with unsafe electrical wiring, or may need to arrange to have a licenced electrical contractor make repairs to their work," said Doug Crawford, ESA's Chief Public Safety Officer.

"We remind anyone considering hiring someone to do electrical work to follow 'the three Cs': check to ensure the contractor holds a valid electrical contractor licence (you can search the database at www.esasafe.com); confirm that they are arranging the appropriate inspections from ESA; and call ESA at 1-877-ESA-SAFE (1-877-372-7233) if you suspect someone is misrepresenting themselves."

ESA reminds consumers of the requirement to ensure that anyone you hire to perform electrical work has a valid ECRA/ESA Electrical Contractor Licence. This will ensure that the Electrical Contractor you have hired:

• is fully insured
• uses qualified electricians to perform the electrical work you require
• will arrange for permits with the ESA
• can deliver an ESA Certificate of Inspection
• can provide references
• will prepare a written cost estimate of the work

About the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)

The Electrical Safety Authority's (ESA) role is to enhance public electrical safety in Ontario. As a delegated administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario, ESA is responsible for administering specific regulations related to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians, electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety. ESA works extensively with stakeholders throughout the province on education, training and promotion to foster electrical safety across the province.

SOURCE: Electrical Safety Authority

For further information:

More information on the Electrical Safety Authority can be found on its website, www.esasafe.com, through Twitter @HomeandSafety and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElectricalSafetyAuthority