Do I need a commercial electrician?
As an electrical contractor, our clients often ask us for advice on when they need to call a commercial electrician.
On the one hand, they don’t want to pay unnecessary call-out fees. On the other hand, they know how dangerous faulty electrical systems can be.
We’ve therefore put together some guidance on what your staff, in any commercial building (including offices, shops, hospitality, warehouses and factories) can do and when you need to call a pro.
What you can expect your staff to do?
Typically there are only three electrical jobs you can reasonably expect your staff to do…. replacing office light bulbs, replacing fuses and connecting/disconnecting gadgets and small appliances.
Even then, you might want to restrict these tasks to designated employees and make sure that they have suitable training.
This may sound excessive but it ensures your team are safe, preventing accidents and injuries, and ensuring that everything is carried out with health and safety in mind.
You will also need a system for making sure that all electrical items used in your building are both in good working order and fit for purpose. This needs to include periodic retesting as electrical appliances can become dangerous with age.
What a general contractor could do?
In most properties, including commercial ones, probably most of the jobs that need doing relate to lights, light switches and power outlets.
Generally, these can be done without touching the wiring or circuits. If that’s the case, then they can usually be done fairly easily by facilities/maintenance staff or a reputable general contractor.
In principle, in-house staff and general contractors could also deal with minor repairs and swap outs. For example, they could tidy up loose wiring, such as in plugs, switches and light fittings and replace hard-wired smoke detectors. In practice, however, it’s very likely to be better to call in a qualified electrician.
Sometimes it’s best to call an electrician for minor tasks
While all businesses want to save money whenever they reasonably can, it can often be a false economy when it comes to saving money on electrical work.
There are two main reasons for this.
Firstly, minor repair jobs can sometimes be an early indicator of major issues. Although this isn’t always going to be the case, facilities/maintenance staff and general contractors are not trained or experienced in diagnosing less obvious underlying causes.
While the initial repair may be satisfactory, failing to identify and fix the underlying problem could lead to extra expense and hassle in the future.
What’s more, you could possibly be opening your business up to legal or health and safety compliance issues by failing to correct an underlying issue.
Secondly, using a proper electrician gives you solid protection if there are any issues further down the line. You can show your insurance company, personal injury lawyers and even the police that you had the job done by a registered professional… proving that you had used all due care and attention.
When an electrician is a must?
You or your team must call an electrician if there is the slightest suspicion that there is anything wrong with the wiring or circuitry.
Lights are often a good indicator of this. If they start flickering and there’s no clear explanation (like issues with the power grid), then get an electrician quickly.
Circuit-breakers tripping is another common warning sign.
Appliances behaving oddly can also indicate electrical faults. These days, however, even standard appliances can be so complex they can behave oddly just because they haven’t been set up properly. That said, odd behaviour from anything electrical should never just be ignored.
If you get the slightest sight of smoke or smell of burning then call in an electrician immediately. Even if you think you’ve found and dealt with the source, get a commercial electrician in to double-check.
It can save you money and, more importantly, it can save lives.
Why you need an NICEIC accredited commercial electrician
The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting ensures standards in electrical contracting.
That gives you peace of mind that you’ll be getting a quality job done. It will also ensure that any documentation you get is actually worth the paper it’s written on. That doesn’t just keep your insurance company happy. It can keep you on the right side of the law.
Even with NICEIC accreditation, it’s advisable to look for an electrician with experience in the commercial area. While the basic principles are the same as for residential work, the implementations can be much more complex.
Why a commercial electrical team is best
When choosing a commercial electrical contractor, even when considering NICEIC accredited ones, it is very tempting to look for the lowest price. Of course, we are all after the best price for any job but it is worth considering all the implications of your choice.
For example, as the lowest prices are often from small ‘one man bands’ there are implications for a commercial business. There lower overheads and reduced costs can result in a cheaper price but inherently can mean less expertise, less support and less accreditations from key industry bodies such as Safe Contractor.
For best value, commercial and industrial clients in particular need to consider the importance of having an electrical team rather than a one-man band. An electrical team are far more likely to be available when you need it and fast to respond, especially in emergency situations.
A team also ensures greater expertise, after all many heads are better than one!
And, that’s not forgetting that an electrical contracting company will have established and efficient paperwork processing to ensure that your business has everything it needs for insurance etc.
Do you need a commercial electrician team?
LIKE Electrical are proud to be a family-run electrician, data and comms contractors team based in Ipswich and working with a wide range of clients across East Anglia (including Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Peterborough), supporting businesses with office and commercial properties to those in the industrial and agricultural sector.
Get in touch for a free, no obligation quote.
