Canadian Certified Electrical Inspector Program
CEI Program
The Canadian Section of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors has revived the Canadian Certified Electrical Inspectors (CCEI) Program. Certification categories include Electrical Installations, Electrical Investigations, and Electrical Product Approvals.
The major objectives of the CCEI program are:
• To certify a national standard for all persons regularly engaged in the inspection of, or the technical supervision of inspectors of, electrical materials, devices, appliances, installations or investigations.
• To ensure all persons so engaged receive updated training in order to maintain their quality of skill.
All CCEI certificate holders are now eligible to renew certification(s). Certification renewal letters were mailed to certificate holders along with renewal forms. The letters were sent to names from an old database found to be incomplete; so, some certificate holders may not have received a letter or may have received a letter inviting them to write an exam.
Those members previously certified who did not receive a renewal letter, may renew by providing documentation of certification. Contact the IAEI International Office to request information to complete this process.
IAEI members interested in writing an exam must complete the CCEI application and submit the required fees. The Canadian Section Certification Committee will review candidate applications based on established certification criteria.
The next Electrical Installations examination will be administered at the 2010 Canadian Section Meeting to be held in Barrie, Ontario, September 24–26, 2010. Other examinations and dates will be announced later.
Applicants must be a member of IAEI and meet other general, experience, and training requirements. Each certification classification correlates to inspection knowledge requisite to a successful career in investigations, installations and product approvals.
Certification Categories
Electrical Installations:
Must have in-depth knowledge of the Canadian Electrical Code and amendments
Must be familiar with standard Canadian wiring practices
Investigations:
Investigations of hazards, accidents, fires, contact or product failures of electrical or suspected electrical origin
Product Approvals:
Approve and accept the electrical products on behalf of an authority having jurisdiction or testing laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada
Acceptance Criteria
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
• Applicant must be an IAEI inspector member in good standing as specified in the IAEI Articles of Incorporation.
-Certification expires if IAEI membership lapses.
• Applicant shall abide by all certification program policies and procedures adopted by the IAEI Canadian Section.
• Applicant must be gainfully employed in the related category of certification.
• Applicant must be deemed acceptable by the Board of Examiners.
Acceptance Criteria:
-Successful completion of written examination(s) administered by Board of Examiners.
-Related work experiences and documentation.
EDUCATION
• Applicant must have a minimum of a secondary school graduation diploma or equivalent.
• Additional accreditation with a university or community college.
• Other relevant schooling that is deemed acceptable by the Board of Examiners.
TRAINING
• Applicant must show proof of training in the relative category. This may include any of the following:
-Course of study in the Canadian Electrical Code.
-Certificate of apprenticeship in specified field.
-Certificate of qualification in specified field.
-C.E.T. in specified field.
-P. Eng. in specified field.
EXPERIENCE
• Applicant must show present and past employment history in related category.
• Applicant must have extensive experience in the categories applied for certification.
• Applicant must be prepared to demonstrate acquired skill in effective verbal and written communications.
• Applicant must have a working knowledge of the local regulatory authority having jurisdiction to enforce the Canadian Electrical Code requirements.
Applications/Approvals
The application, fees, required documentation and other information can be found on the IAEI website www.iaei.org/education/certcanadiancei.html. You may request information via email at certification@iaei.org. You can also call the IAEI Certification division at 1-800-786-iaei (4234) for personal service.
When submitting CCEI applications, be sure to include the $50.00 administration fee plus the $25.00 examination fee for each exam category requested. Individuals must complete the Canadian CEI application and submit it along with the appropriate fees to:
Canadian CEI Program
PO Box 830848
Richardson TX 75083-0848
The Board of Examiners will review all applications. Upon the receipt of a qualified application for certification and all necessary supporting documentation and fees, the applicant will be scheduled to write examination(s) in the approved certification categories. Effort will be made to arrange for the examination to be written as near as feasible to the applicant’s location.
The Exam
Exams are each uniquely composed of questions of equal difficulty, chosen at random by computer. All exams are two (2) hours in duration. The minimum pass score is 75%.
Applicants are required to supply their own copy of the current Canadian Electrical Code Part 1 (CSA C22.1). Applicants writing the product approvals category exam are also required to supply their own copy of CSA Special Publication 2009 SPE-1000.
Upon successful completion of the necessary examination(s), an applicant will be issued a Canadian Certified Electrical Inspector certificate suitable for framing and a pocket card showing the certification expiration date. Certified Electrical Inspectors are entitled to add the initials “C.E.I.” after their name on business cards and letters.
Re-examination is available at an additional cost of $25.00 per attempt. To retake the exam, you must complete and submit the Re-exam Form along with the retake exam fee.
Re-certification Requirements
Certification is valid for three (3) years. In order to ensure continued professional development, all certified electrical inspectors are required to continue with a self-administered program of professional development. A renewal fee will be required and each certificate holder is responsible to provide supporting documentation of attendance at various technical and non-technical training sessions/seminars to accumulate a minimum of 22 hours of training including:
a) 18 Technical – e.g., code, fuse co-ord, hazardous locations, etc.
b) 4 Non-technical – e.g., safety, first aid, communications skills, etc.
Upon receipt of an expiry notice, the certificate holder must be able to show proof of at least 22 hours of attendance at relevant courses and sseminars in the preceding three (3) years. Each inspector is responsible to provide supporting documentation of the professional development with the renewal form. A renewal fee will be required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the CCEI program. This information can also be found on the IAEI website. However, if you have questions not answered, please contact the IAEI Certification division.
What if I got a letter to write [1]an exam, but I was previously certified?
Simply send us a copy of your certificate(s) along with the fee(s) or send us a letter stating what categories you were certified in along with an approximate date certified and any other documentation verifying that you were actually certified.
My certification(s) expired in 2005. How long do I have to renew before I am required to write the exam to become recertified?
Those current certificate holders must contact the IAEI International Office and submit the required forms, documents and fees prior to December 31, 2010.
How do I decide which exam(s) I should write?
• Any inspector member knowledgeable in the 2009 CE Code should write the Installations exam.
• Any inspector member knowledgeable in fire investigations should write the Investigations exam.
• Any inspector member knowledgeable in the 2009 SPE-1000 should write the Product Approvals exam.
Why is the Electrical Installations (EI) exam the only exam offered at the IAEI Canadian Section Meeting and when are other exams scheduled?
The EI exam will be offered at the upcoming 2010 Canadian Section Meeting to determine the amount of interest from members in writing this and other examinations. The Certification Committee has plans to offer the exam regularly to provide candidates throughout the provinces of Canada an opportunity to write. Other exams will be scheduled as applications are submitted. Efforts will be made to arrange for the examination to be written as near as practicable to the applicant’s location.
What do the exams cover?
The majority of the exam questions are based on the 2009 Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1 plus some electrical theory. It is an open book exam composed of questions of equal difficulty, chosen at random by computer. All exams are two (2) hours in duration.
What if I miss my scheduled exam date?
If unable to write the exam when scheduled, provide a 30-day notice to cancel and reschedule. Failure to meet the 30-day cancellation notice, forfeits the $25.00 exam fee, and you must submit the exam fee again to be rescheduled.
What if I can’t attend the 2010 Section Meeting, when will the next exam be scheduled?
If you are not able to attend the 2010 Section Meeting being held in Barrie, Ontario, on September 24–26, exams will be offered in the other provinces. Upon approval of your application, IAEI will be in contact with you regarding a place and time for the exam to be administered.
How often do I have to renew my certification(s)?
Certifications are renewable every three (3) years.
Certified Electrical Inspectors are required to continue with a self-administered program of professional development. During the 3-year period between renewals, all certificate holders must attend various technical and non-technical training sessions/seminars to accumulate a minimum of 22 hours of training including a minimum of:
a) 18 Technical – e.g., code, fuse co-ord, hazardous locations, etc., over a 3-year period
b) 4 Non-technical – e.g., safety, first aid, communications skills, etc.
Upon receipt of an expiry notice, the certificate holder must be able to show proof of attendance for at least 22 hours in the preceding three (3) years. Each inspector is responsible to provide supporting documentation of the professional development with the renewal form.
Where can I get training to renew my certification(s)?
Training can obtained through local IAEI chapters, community colleges, manufacturers, continuing education providers, inspection authorities and Canadian Standards Association.
Are there any on-line courses available that will apply toward my certification(s) renewal?
A number of on-line electrical and safety courses are offered by different service providers— Canadian Standards Association, universities, not-for-profit groups and continuing education providers.
Do I have to have 22 hours of continuing education for each certification I hold?
No, the 22 hours of continuing education applies to all three certification groups. You can use these hours to apply to all categories for which you are certified.
Call the IAEI International Office certification division at 1-800-786-4234 for answers to your specific questions.
[1] In U.S. equivalency, take an exam
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