Do I Have To Pass an Ishihara Test To Be an Electrician

The JIB (joint Industry Board) suggests that you will need to pass with no more than 2 fails on cards 2-17 of the Ishihara test before becoming an electrician. This test was developed in 1917 to detect green-red blindness and has been widely used to detect other eye related health issues.

Of course becoming an apprentice is not the only route to becoming an electrician and the modern construction industry appreciates this.

Is Colour-blindness Covered Under the Equality Act 2010

Surprisingly being red-green colour blind is not covered under the Equality Act 2010 therefore a claim of disability discrimination may not be easily upheld in the courts.

What is the Ishihara Test?

The Ishihara test is a series of cards with coloured dots where you are asked to identify the number shown in contrasting colours. The Ishihara plates that you will be shown deliberately set the most common colour deficiencies against each other.

How can I test colour blindness at home?

If you are worried about the chances of failing a colour blindness test before you start your apprenticeship have a look here for a free online test. I remember before I started mine I was shown a handful of cards at the end of my interview. It was not as formal as it suggests and you can just run through them with your training provider.

Didn’t they change the colours of wires to help colour blind electricians?

Pre-2004 the colours used predominantly were red and black with solid green for ‘earth’. This made it particularly hard for those who had deficiencies when it came to distinguishing colour. From 2004 onwards new installations are now in Brown and Blue with Green and Yellow stripes for the ‘Earth’.

Now this does not mean that on January 2004 the electrical fairy came along and removed the old wiring, although less and less common it is not impossible to find these older colours still in otherwise healthy installations.

The JIB has issued this as best practice and we as a training provider have made the decision to assess candidates appropriately.