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First Ever Jail Sentence for Doing Electrical Work without License  

 
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Court sends strong message to repeat offenders whose actions put public safety at risk.

Mississauga, ON – Oct.7, 2014.

On Oct. 2, 2014 a contractor was sentenced in a Hamilton, Ontario court to 30 days in jail and $6,250 in fines on charges related to performing electrical work illegally and violating several Ontario College of Trade’s requirements. This is the first time a jail sentence has been handed down by an Ontario court for this type of offence. The defendant was also placed on two years’ probation.

 

Richard Hazel, operating as Voltcom Electrical Services, was found guilty on eight charges: four counts of working without an electrical contractor’s licence, one count of failing to obtain the required inspections, two counts of producing a false certificate of qualification, and one count of leaving behind unsafe electrical conditions at four homes in Hamilton and Burlington. Mr. Hazel was previously convicted in 2012 on 19 counts of violating electrical safety regulations at seven sites in the Windsor area resulting in a total fine of $23,750.

 

In addition to the ESA charges, Hazel pled guilty to five related charges laid by the Ontario College of Trades and was fined an additional $7,400 plus one year probation for those offences.

 

Click here to continue reading the full story along with tips for ensuring you hire a licensed Electrical Contractor from the Electrical Safety Authority.

 

 

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Comments
  • I am the executive Director of the Construction Licensing Officials Association of Florida, Inc. Many of our Members actively pursue UNLICENSED ACTIVITY in the Construction Trades at the Local level. Go to our web site www.cloaf.org to the links page and contact the local Department or Division to file a complaint against an Unlicensed contractor..

    William "Bill" Brod Jr.  May 4 2015, 9:55 am EDT
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  • I personally witnessed the Nevada state contractor's Board's Licensing supervisor and criminal investigator lie under oath committing multiple counts of perjury. Before it could end, meaning there were many more lies on documents that they were about to tangled in, the Nevada State Contractor's Board tried to quiet them down to prevent further perjury. Then one of the Board members had a temper tantrum. The most unprofessional carnival act I've ever seen. They claim to be the "Ones" who are setting the standard for the rest of the nation. Beware to all who seek Nevada Contractor Licensing. We were all under oath and the fore mentioned are lie under oath. OR in their defense, they felt compelled to expose themselves at that particular time. For the record it was April 23th, 2015 from both Reno and Henderson, Nevada. Do you have room for people of INTEGRITY in Florida?

    David Heet  May 2 2015, 11:39 pm EDT
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  • I have made several attempts to get these handyman busted here in utah. As to my understanding after talking to the state its illegal to even advertise for electrical work unless your are licensed that doesn't stop the handyman they know the state won't enforce the law. I have gone to the point of calling and emailing the governors office but to no avail by the time it gets to the guy to enforce it there is always a reason to avoid doing it. We need to hold the states accountable we need to go after the states for not protecting our livelihood and most of all putting peoples lives on the line by not enforcing the law they set forth. They take and take and then demand more, But never protect. If you check out ksl.com its a utah thing, there are over 1,400 local handyman and allot advertise Electrical with no enforcement from the state its pathetic.

    SabinElectric  May 2 2015, 11:01 am EDT
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  • I turned in a contractor who sent out a guy who didn't have a journeyman license here in CA,and the CSLB ignored that part of the compliant, even tho I showed the investigator the CSLB letter. Then the DA charged them both with criminal trespass. They got 45 days in jail or 30 days community service because they took unfair advantage of a senior citizen and did substandard work

    Richard Miller  April 29 2015, 9:56 pm EDT
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  • I have been working in the Tampa Bay area 45 yrs, all the trucks at home depot , Lowe's handy men , no one cares , I have gone too Citys of Tampa 50 times , Hillsborough County 50 times , cod enforcement , no one cares, old people on Social Security are getting screwed, I go do work in meter cans , & Panels behind shopping centers , handymen are working there with me , they are wiring new sign on wrong meters & panels , I have found many new a/c units on the wrong meter & Panel , No ground rods or water pipe grounds , no 4 wire to sub panels, I have been going to International Assc. of electric inspectore, Electrical council of Florida , no one cares ?

    Larry Diaz Electric Inc.  April 29 2015, 6:35 pm EDT
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  • We do not take well to poor electrical work in these parts. Get a rope...

    Brian  April 29 2015, 4:09 pm EDT
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  • Need that kind of action in Florida!!

    TJ  April 29 2015, 3:39 pm EDT
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  • All well and good if you live in Canada. Let's see some cases here in the USA!

    Jerry  April 29 2015, 2:23 pm EDT
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