ACA Candidate Guidance

The ACA consists of the following sections:

Section	Target Time
A –Assessment of Safe Working Practices (Risk Assessments)	0.5 Hours
B – Safe Isolation of Supplies	0.5 Hours
C – Inspection and Testing	3 Hours
D – Supervision (Operatives and Installation Work)	0.5 Hours
E – Underpinning Knowledge Assessment	1.5 Hours

You will work in three assessment booths, each designed to current industry standards. All drawings, block diagrams, documentation and written instructions will be provided. Your work must comply with the current requirements of BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) and health and safety legislation. Each section must be completed within the specified target times.

You are expected to arrive dressed in suitable workwearand you must bring safety footwear with you. You will be provided with the full set of tools required for the ACA.

Copies of the following documents for your use throughout the assessment:

BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 Requirements for Electrical Installation
IET On-Site Guide to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022
IET Guidance Note 3 Inspection & Testing to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022
Electrical test equipment for use on low voltage electrical systems Guidance Note GS38 (Fourth edition)
Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 HSR 25 (third edition)
Electricity at Work – Safe Working Practices HSG85 (Third edition)
SELECT Certification of Construction Technical Guide 2024
Certification of Construction Scheme Guide
The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002
SJIB Handbook 2017 – 2020
Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide 4 (Issue 7.1)

On the day

When you arrive at the SECTT Assessment Centre in Cambuslang, you will be met by an assessor. The assessor will explain what is expected of you during your day at the Centre. During the induction to the ACA, they will provide you with information on housekeeping instructions including the location of the canteen and welfare facilities. They will also introduce you to the booths that you will be working in.

Assessment of Safe Working Practices

Section A (30 minutes)

This section is designed to test your knowledge of Assessment of Safe Working Practices and your ability to complete a Risk Assessment for a given work scenario.

You will be required to complete two risk assessments. For each risk assessment, you will be given an example scenario of work you are about to undertake. From this scenario, you will be required to complete a risk assessment providing the following information:

The hazards you may encounter whilst carrying out the work stated in the scenario.
Who may be at risk and how they may be harmed
Any control measures that are required to remove or reduce the risk
Actioned by who? (Who is responsible for making sure listed control measures are implemented and followed)

This section is based on the Health and Safety Executive’s 5-steps to risk assessment:
hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/steps-needed-to-manage-risk.htm

Safe Isolation of Supplies

Section B (30 minutes)

This section is intended to measure your ability to safely isolate electrical supplies to a variety of different circuits within different environments taking account of best practice guidance.

You will be required to isolate the following circuits, after which you will return the circuit to its original condition:

Environment	Circuit
Switch Room Installation	Panel Board
Switch Room Installation	Lift Isolator(400 V)
Industrial Installation	400 V Industrial socket outlet (locally)
Industrial Installation	Starter for Motor No.1
Domestic Installation	Ring final circuit

SELECT’s 10 Steps to Safe Isolation guide for your information should be followed. This can be viewed by clicking here.

Inspection and Testing

Section C (3 Hours)

This section is intended to assess your ability to carry out inspection and testing, both for Initial Verification & Periodic Inspection and Testing.

For Initial Verification, you will be given a case study advising that you have installed a new circuit. You will be required to carry out all appropriate tests as per BS 7671 and complete an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) along with the Schedule of Circuit Details and the Schedule of Test Results provided.

For Periodic Inspection and Testing, you will be given a case study advising you to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for a private landlord. Electrical issues will be given, and you will be required to determine which items on the Inspection Schedule have been breached and to correctly record the outcome using the appropriate observation code. This will require you to know coding observations correctly as well as having experience in undertaking such work.

To assist you in coding, a copy of the ESF Best Practice Guide 4 (Issue 7.1) will be available:
electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/professional-resources/best-practice-guides/

After coding the observations in the case study, you will be required to carry out appropriate tests in the Domestic booth. You will also be required to record your test results and any other findings on the EICR, Schedule of Circuit Details and Schedule of Test Results provided.

Supervision (Operatives and Installation Work)

Section D (30 minutes)

This section is designed to gauge your level of knowledge, understanding and decision-making skills required for supervision of operatives and installation work.

You will be given four scenarios; each scenario has ten statements associated with it. You will be required to indicate whether you agree or disagree with each statement.

Underpinning Knowledge

Section E (1 hour 30 minutes)

This section is designed to test your understanding and underpinning knowledge of electrical installation techniques and regulations. Your knowledge will be tested across five key areas.

You have 50 multiple choice questions to complete within 1 hour and 30 minutes. The 50 questions are split into 5 sets of 10 questions. Below is a list of the different sections and what books the answers can be found. A copy of all of these books will be available for your use throughout the day. You may already have some of these books, many are free to download.

BS 7671 Parts 1,3,4,5 and 7