Electrical Contractors – Willful Negligence

Broken Trust

Electricians, to some extent, are in a special position of trust. Errors on their part can have such devastating consequences. Long after your electrical contractor has departed the quality of his work is fundamental to your safety. This article does not address accidental error or honest mistakes but rather confronts the willful scammer, who, by taking shortcuts, endangers others. When government sanctions are so severe why do some “so-called” electricians take such risks?

Obviously money is a motivator but often the sums are relatively small when compared with the potential damage and risk of death. Everybody is aware that a vast amount of fires are caused by electrical installations which result in too many deaths every year.

The Scorpion And The Frog

There must be an underlying reason that is more compelling than mere money. When I was an apprentice electrician an old tradesman told me a story that might explain this facet of human nature.

A scorpion comes to a river and cannot cross so he approaches a frog. “Mr Frog”, he says, ‘you look like a fine green fellow, please carry me on your back across this teeming flow.”

The frog is mightily impressed by the scorpion’s charm but replies, “Not a chance! We’ll get to the middle and you will sting me.”

“Come, come, my dear fellow,” the fast-talking scorpion says. “If I do such a thing we will both die, you from the sting and me from drowning.”

The frog, being green, is impressed by the impeccable logic and agrees. Half way across the stream the scorpion stings the frog and the frog cries out, “Why? Now we both are doomed.”

“I know,” the scorpion says, “it’s just my nature.”

The Moral

And there it is. Some people are green and some people just can’t help stinging them. The moral is when undertaking electrical work choose your electrical contractor wisely. Though you are protected by countless electrical regulations and most electricians conform to them take it upon yourself to check the bona fides of your electrical contractors.

Don’t be green, there’s a lot of scorpions out there.