Sometimes it pays to be curious!

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hockeyoligist2

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
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close to greenville sc
I was getting my eyes checked this morning. I can't help but look at the electrical stuff while I'm sitting in the waiting room, as I'm sure most of Y'all do! So, I got up and pushed the test button on the emergency light, it didn't come on, when I released the button it flashed on for a second. I deal with these things all of the time and it normally means the battery is dead.

I told the Dr. he probably needed to get a new battery for it. He asked me if I could check it out for him after the exam. I said sure. I checked it out and I had a battery for it on the truck, so I replaced the battery. Took me about 10 minutes.

He asked me how much he owed me and I said: The battery is $21 and I charge $90 an hour, I was just kidding him on the $90 an hour, I'm not a contractor.

He said how about we just swap it out then? I got a $140 exam free!
 
wbalsam1

wbalsam1

Senior Member
Location
Upper Jay, NY
hockeyoligist2 said:
............
He said how about we just swap it out then? I got a $140 exam free!
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I think that was a great deal for both of you.

However, in my training, years ago, for building inspector here in New York state, I learned that as an official I was to cause items to be tested, not actually test them myself. In other words, there are two inspections, the first is an "installation" inspection to check for code compliance and the second is a "performance" inspection to check for the functionality of a smoke detector, alarm, fire horn, pull station, emergency light, etc., etc.

I was taught to have the building owner or representative along for the "performance" inspection and have that entity perform the actual test. This is standard operating procedure due to liability should I cause a malfunction in equipment by testing (draining battery), I would then assume liability for it's use later on.

Believe it or not, in NYS, your simple act of testing that emergency light would put you in line for liability in the event something went wrong and it could be traced back to your unauthorized "testing" of that light.

It's a litigious world.....
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
wbalsam1 said:
I think that was a great deal for both of you.

However, in my training, years ago, for building inspector here in New York state, I learned that as an official I was to cause items to be tested, not actually test them myself. In other words, there are two inspections, the first is an "installation" inspection to check for code compliance and the second is a "performance" inspection to check for the functionality of a smoke detector, alarm, fire horn, pull station, emergency light, etc., etc.

I was taught to have the building owner or representative along for the "performance" inspection and have that entity perform the actual test. This is standard operating procedure due to liability should I cause a malfunction in equipment by testing (draining battery), I would then assume liability for it's use later on.

Believe it or not, in NYS, your simple act of testing that emergency light would put you in line for liability in the event something went wrong and it could be traced back to your unauthorized "testing" of that light.

It's a litigious world.....
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I can only hope to wind up on a jury where some idiot lawyer drags someone into court over something so stupid.
 
growler

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
wbalsam1 said:
Believe it or not, in NYS, your simple act of testing that emergency light would put you in line for liability in the event something went wrong and it could be traced back to your unauthorized "testing" of that light.
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The unauthorized part is the only thing I see as being wrong. An electician doesn't have any more business messing with someone's electrical equipment that a mechanic would would messing with someone's automobile. Before doing anything you really should get authorization.

The only thing I check out at the doctor's office is the receptionist. I know I can get into trouble but it's worth it. :D
 
hockeyoligist2

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
Location
close to greenville sc
OK, I figured I would get some negative responses.

First, I am qualified, SC certified Master Electrician.

Second, The Dr. would have not checked it himself, I may have saved someones life with my curiosity.

Third, if he did check it.... he would have called a handyman.

Forth, in Simpsonville, SC the only inspections for emergency lights are done by the fire department, one inspector in a rapidly growing city. He may get around to this Dr.'s office in the next two years.

Fifth, Quote "The unauthorized part is the only thing I see as being wrong."
Growler, I can't help it..... If I see a button with a sign above it that Say's "Do Not Push This Button" I push it..... ;)
 
S

Sparky555

Senior Member
I envy your sales skills and love your quote.

"Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~anonymous

Dave
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
Things getting that bad that you have to go nosing around with other people's stuff to drum up work? If things are that bad, then you did what you had to do. If they aren't, then quit messing around with other people's equipment. It happened to work out, but you also stood a 50% chance of that doctor getting pretty grumpy with you. I sure would have. Leave people's crap alone unless they asked you to examine it.
 
wbalsam1

wbalsam1

Senior Member
Location
Upper Jay, NY
growler said:
.....
The only thing I check out at the doctor's office is the receptionist. I know I can get into trouble but it's worth it. :D
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Pushin' her buttons can create a whole new meaning to "eye exam" when the doc takes the swelling out of two fresh black eyes! :D
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
hockeyoligist2 said:
OK, I figured I would get some negative responses.

First, I am qualified, SC certified Master Electrician.

Second, The Dr. would have not checked it himself, I may have saved someones life with my curiosity.

Third, if he did check it.... he would have called a handyman.

Forth, in Simpsonville, SC the only inspections for emergency lights are done by the fire department, one inspector in a rapidly growing city. He may get around to this Dr.'s office in the next two years.

Fifth, Quote "The unauthorized part is the only thing I see as being wrong."
Growler, I can't help it..... If I see a button with a sign above it that Say's "Do Not Push This Button" I push it..... ;)
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Heck when I go to the doctor I always make sure the eye checker thing works and the nose and ear things too, then jump on he scale to see if the nurse was lying to me, stock up on tounge depressors in case I have to mix some epoxy or something, see how many times I can spin the stool around. Don't want me to touch it, then don't leave me alone in the room with it.....Sign says "wet paint" yep, it's wet alright.;)
 
hockeyoligist2

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
Location
close to greenville sc
mdshunk said:
Things getting that bad that you have to go nosing around with other people's stuff to drum up work? If things are that bad, then you did what you had to do. If they aren't, then quit messing around with other people's equipment. It happened to work out, but you also stood a 50% chance of that doctor getting pretty grumpy with you. I sure would have. Leave people's crap alone unless they asked you to examine it.
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I don't have to drum up work. I'm industrial maintenance. Plenty of work... I messed around with "other peoples equipment" because I know that people don't check things like this, and I'm a button pusher. I could have kept quiet, and someone could have gotten hurt because I was quiet!

If you were sitting in the waiting room and saw an obvious hazard would you not do something?

I'm not taking away someones business, because no one would have known until the fire department got around to checking it in a few years........Then a handy man would have been called. He wouldn't have checked the unit out, just replaced the battery....

I done him a great favor, and he returned the favor as any professional should. If someone had gotten hurt because he doesn't know that these things should be checked monthly, he could have been in deep dodo, or dead himself.
 
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satcom

Senior Member
mivey said:
I can only hope to wind up on a jury where some idiot lawyer drags someone into court over something so stupid.
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Then you may want to talk to Cover X underwriters, because they have special clauses on all policies concerning life safety issues, it appears courts have handled a lot of these cases. and caused them to exclude life safety devices, from the error and ommisions part of a policy, when you install of service these devices, your married to them, and have to provide scheduled, maint and repairs, I broughtr this us because it is not a minor issue of little importance, something we all should be aware of.
 
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satcom

Senior Member
tonyou812 said:
oooohhh nice "burn" by Iwire
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He is most likely not paying an expensve contractors libality policy with completed operations and error an omissions, needed if you do fire alarms or life safty work, not in the same ball game as electrical contracting.
 
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