Steve..first of all, I want to thank you for not taking my earlier, harsher tone personally. Not only was I speaking in general terms, but I was also in the midst of the sort of job that would scare kids on Halloween!
My partner entered the Navy as a simple seaman- and left decades later as a Lt. Commander, having hit every stop along the way. Electricians' mate to Engineering Officer, with full "Line Officer" qualifications. This experience led to his getting an Electrical Contractors' license- so he can "approve" plans just like any archetect or engineer out there.
Yet there are some out there who would consider him "unqualified," or an "engineer" to automatically be his professional "superior." Sound silly? I think so.
Now, I can't speak for others, but I have often heard the opinion expressed that the "trades" were for those "not good enough" for college. My experience has shown this to be simply wrong.
Most any journeyman, in any trade, has put in the time (experience) and received the training to, in my opinion, equal what anybody puts in to get a four-year degree.
Nor is my opinion wholly without basis; most apprenticeship programs culminate in an Associates' degree....just ad the missing art appreciation courses, and they've got a Bachelors'.
A man with a few years as a contractor has arguably achieved the equivalent of a Masters'.
So look at your lead people with great "attention to detail." These folks didn't get where they are without having their act together. Even little things....such as the order in which wires are connected...often have a subtle logic behind them.
Every few years, a new code come out. When this happens, the guys who "learned it right" are seldom perturbed; the code has simply caught up with them. It's the guys who are self-taught, or who've been doing as little as possible ("designing to code") who are put out!
I'm near a college- and every once in a while, there is panic on campus as "exams" approach. In the trades, every day is an exam. You flip that switch, and either something works- or you don't get paid!
The cardinal sins of engineers these days seem to be:
-poor attitudes learned in school
-failure to actually see the job in person
-letting the CAD program do all the work.
As for codes: they can only be understood in their own context. Codes are developed AFTER the trades have figured things out. If your equipment is comparable to American equipment, supplied in a manner similar to an American utility, then the NEC makes perfect sense. But- try to apply the NEC, or American practices- to Brit gear, and may very well create a hazard. Watch your tradesmen....and later, after they've had a chance to "suss things out," ask them to explain themselves.
