There is a common question that electrical contractors frequently get to hear. When should I call a commercial electrician? Now let us explore the answer in this blog post. But before we start, let us go through the forewords one more time.

• Commercial electricians have expensive call-out fees.
• Faulty electrical systems can be deadly.

A commercial building can house offices; it can be a warehouse or a factory. It may have shops or just any other kind of business that you can imagine. Expert electricians associated with Electric Works suggest in any commercial building it is vital that the staff stick to certain guidelines all the time. This helps avoid hazards in case of a fault.

Guidelines for staff or employees

Usually, staffs and employees working in business establishments are not skilled and trained to handle electricity safely. To be safe with electricity, therefore, they should not try their hands on anything else other than the following –

• Connecting and disconnecting small electrical and electronic gadgets
• Replacing light bulbs
• Replacing old and damaged ones fuses with new ones

 No one should ever try out anything more than these three tasks. Even it is better to have a few designated employees to carry out these jobs. The employees who are designated for these jobs should be confident about performing the tasks properly. You may think this to be an excessive measure. But with electrics, one should never take any chance. This way you can ensure your employees are safe within the office premise from any electrical hazard. You can also prevent injuries resulting from electricity-related accidents.

In addition to that, there should better be a procedure in place that makes sure every electrical item within the premise is fit for use as well as in perfect working condition. It is very common for electrical appliances to turn hazardous with time. Therefore there should also be a periodic retesting of every electrical item within the commercial space.  

In almost every building most electrical works that are performed are related to lights, light switches and power outlets. Commercial buildings or properties are no exception. These jobs can be usually done without fumbling with the circuit or wiring. General electrical contractors thus suggest jobs like replacing lights and light switches, etc. are safe to be done by office staff or property maintenance employees instead of hiring a licensed electrician. Even minor repair works and swap-outs do not involve many risks and can be done by office staff and employees hired for the maintenance of the property.

The minor repairs in the ongoing context include tidying up loose wiring – like switches, plugs and light fittings. Even replacing a hard-wired smoke detector belongs to the same category. However if one is not confident about doing the task, in that case, it is always better to call out a licensed electrician.

There are times when it is best to call out a professional electrician for minor tasks

Any business needs to curtail unnecessary expenses and save money whenever it is possible. But as far as electricity is concerned, it is important to save money only when reasonably it is possible. Else a situation could involve a lot of risks and the business may end up losing much more than what is saved before in handling a situation. There are mainly two reasons. Minor repair jobs could often be a signal that something grave is going on at the bottom. However, this is not the case always. But usually, there are no trained and skilled people around to recognise an upcoming crisis from minor issues seen at the surface. The initial resolution of the minor issue is often made satisfactorily. But in the end the failure to prevent the major issue underneath results in extra expenses and courting hassle in near future.

Moreover, these situations often place a business in an uncomfortable position concerning legal, health or safety compliance issues. Only a registered electrician can tackle all your electrical challenges and make your workplace safe from all electrical hazards – big and small.

When hiring an electrician unavoidable?

You or your staff must call out a registered electrician whenever there is minimal suspicion that something is not right or normal with the electrical system. Lights usually act as a reliable indicator to recognise any upcoming electrical issue. If the lights in your office start dimming or flickering for no apparent cause, bring in an electrician without delay. Repeated tripping of circuit breakers is another such indicator. Abnormal behaviour of appliances may also indicate an electrical fault in the making. These days, standard appliances have become unbelievably complex. They may behave oddly for the weirdest of reasons – like not being properly set up. But that does not mean that you can ignore the odd behaviour of appliances in your office. If there is even the slightest smell of burning or someone detects a little smoke, make sure to call out a registered electrician immediately.

NICEIC accredited commercial electricians

Some of the best commercial electricians in London are found to be NICEIC accredited. The renowned organisation ensures standards in electrical contracting. NICEIC-accredited electricians provide you with the peace of mind that you are getting quality jobs done. Calling a licensed electrician for the minute-of-the-minute problem can not only save you money in the long run but can also save lives as well as property.