About becoming an EEESafe DAT (Domestic Appliance Technician)
Apply and get involved in reviving and creating Trusted Professionals in the Domestic Appliance Repair Sector. As things stand in the UK, it is possible for anyone to set themselves up as a Repair Person, so consumers have no way of easily knowing you are capable of conducting safe repairs in the home. There are already many great Repair Companies out in the market, but equally there are many who are not proven and evidenced to be capable of conducting safe repairs in the home or in a workshop due to a lack of depth of knowledge or electrical competence.
We are encouraged in the UK by Government Strategy and Policy to conduct more repair, therefore it is vital consumers have an electrical reuse standard to turn to, but why not one that also embeds waste prevention and tackles poverty. Or role is ensuring registered DAT’s fix Electrical Goods safely by ensuring they submit relevant evidence/
It’s the customer who rates the work according to the EEESafe Protocols and we also assess their Electrical Knowledge before issuing them with a Competent Persons card as seen above. They are required to renew each year, and in return we provide them with leads for repairs and products that are being disposed. This gives them access to our LocalitEEE Sales shop to advertise for Free, goods to the local community, that are safely repaired which will have our Safety Labels on the items to help consumers.
This Government Waste Prevention Strategy of fixing and repairing in the Large Appliance sector, is going to mean increased risks of fires from poor knowledge and lack of Training. Existing Protocols in the UK and the EU shows us when products are re-introduced from waste, they are not in our view, safe to use again in the home. See the article we sent to UK Government on Washing Machines, as an example and also why PAT Testing and Function Testing is not enough to ensure a safer appliance.
EEESafe DATs and all Reuse Groups engaged are encouraged when they conduct appliance repairs, to check and add appliances to the National Appliance Safety Register for Product Recall items that could be unsafe in a customers home. This Register is useful for the 35% of consumers who won’t register with Manufacturers, for fear of being sold to for other products and manufacturers partners. Through a Customer Rating System, we can check consumers have been offered this registration, as well as other safety checks. The standard ensures those registered are allowed to work in the country, have the appropriate insurance, provide evidence such as Insulation and Earth Loop Testing readings with their work, and have up to date calibrated equipment. The standard ensures engagement on Environmental and Community issues as well, and affords access to properly tested components by knowledgeable repairers. Our Components Standard will be announced soon.
Originally promoted by the Trade Association DASA (www.dasa.org.uk) and its members, who agreed with our Competence based Scheme EEESafe DAT, we are starting to regulate this sector and also bring a new Qualification to the Sector that offers Training Opportunities through a UK Network of Training Centres. These will be known as EEESafe DATc’s (Domestic Appliance Repairer, Certified, and EEESafe DATq (Qualified status). They will have been professionally trained in repairing appliances, but also embedded will be a commitment to Environmental and Social Values in how they conduct Safe Repairs.
EEESafe can offer suitable applicants the opportunity of a two week EEESafe Certification Course in the North of England and soon in the South East. This would allow Approved EEESafe Training Centres to gain new revenue either working with existing training programmes and use our Licenced Training Materials to create safer repairers and create new jobs as Community Repairers where they live. It helps create new jobs with particular emphasis on working solely but not essentially in the community where they live.
So if you are in the Domestic Appliance Repair Trade right now and have conducted safe repairs within the last 6 months, you can get involved and apply to register. Or if you have finished our 2 Week Course and have 3 months evidence, you can apply online after we receive your details.
We have prepared Appliance Repair Forums to share product knowledge and this will be available to Registered Centres, DATs & DAR’s. (Domestic Appliance Refurbishers)
We’ll be inviting consumer requests for repairs and asking everyone to contribute to better designed products, and feed this into our partners at WRAP. EEESafe are part of their ESAP programme which you can read about HERE. Working with Manufacturers and Retailers, together we can increase reuse and repair skills to help live more sustainably and lower the harmful impacts of the throwaway society.
Please fill in the basic Information request and submit it to us and we will contact you with more information in how you can register. We are committed to Waste Prevention and Social Values and we believe more consumers are increasingly looking for Trades People who can demonstrate their Social and Environmental credentials. EEESafe can provide this for you, if you are willing to get involved. .
Our requests also work on Smartphones which further extend business opportunities for you. If you are concerned about being rated, then EEESafe is probably not for you as we want to ensure the standard represents accountability in repairs and the reduction of Rogue Traders
Registration will only cost you £49 annually with other options to obtain leads, and your own Customer Records. For Technicians, utilising our Registered PAT Test Labels, you can advertise your business and give assurance in recognising an item that is aimed at staying local, and contributing to helping others without all the costs associated with waste.
Remember operating in a home is a different environment from where an appliance is tested in a workshop, particularly where no evidence lies that i’ts been checked for being a Product Recall and Fire Risk. We need more items diverted locally to help regenerate the Repair Sector, which will help create and retain local jobs.