A commercial operation needs reliable electrical service to maintain efficiency and profitability. Technology also requires electricity to power onsite computers, networks, and systems. Security systems likewise need reliable electrical service to provide your commercial operation with the best level of security available.
Without reliable electricity, it is impossible to work efficiently and maintain a well-lighted and secure work environment.
A properly educated, trained, and licensed electrician is an invaluable asset. A truly professional electrician has more than the tools of the trade. A qualified and licensed electrician has the education, training, and lots of experience, which enabled that person to become a licensed electrician in the first place.
Only licensed electricians have the ability to deliver high-quality electrical installation, maintenance, and repair services for your commercial enterprise. Whenever you are considering hiring an electrician, it is very important to ensure the person is properly licensed, trained, and insured.
Any prospective electricians should provide you with information showing they have a state-issued license and the requisite training to work as an electrician. They also should prove they have liability insurance to protect your property, equipment, and employees against possible faulty electrical work done by that electrician.
State Requirements for Licensed Electricians
Any electrician or commercial service provider should ensure all state licensing is in place and active before offering to provide you with commercial electrician services. A good example is family-owned Tomm Electric in New Jersey, which is a top-rated commercial electrician services provider.
Tomm Electrics highly experienced and professional electricians must be licensed, trained, and insured, so they can provide customers with the best services throughout the East Coast. We ensure every electrician we hire is licensed, experienced, and fully capable of doing the job right.
Suppose an electrician is licensed in our home state of New Jersey. State law requires that our electricians must:
- Successfully complete a four-year apprenticeship program for electricians approved by the U.S.
- Department of Labor
- Complete a one-year journeyman program approved by the Department of Labor
- Successfully complete a licensing examination for electricians
- Renew licenses every three years
- Complete and show proof of at least 34 hours of continuing education every three years
Virtually all states have similar requirements to help ensure a licensed electrician is fully qualified to perform electrical work for commercial operations. State licensing processes are the best way to ensure your electrician is capable of doing the work you need to have done.
An electrician should be ready to show proof of licensing whenever asked. If you are considering hiring an electrician, that person should have no issues with showing proof of licensing and be happy to do so. After all, it is another way to show an electrician is qualified to do electrical work for your business.
You also can check with the respective state licensing boards to ensure the electrician’s license is vaild and current. Some people might try to present counterfeit or forged licensing credentials. Some simple due diligence could help confirm your prospective electrician is fully licensed and qualified to do the job correctly and safely.
Why Education and Training Are Critically Important
Many people can learn about electrical work or complete a portion of the required education and training necessary to become licensed electricians. Without completing the full range of educational and training requirements, it is impossible to be a fully rounded and experienced provider of electrician services.
Someone who claims to be an electrician but is not licensed likely does not have the knowledge or experience needed to work effectively or safely. After all, if you successfully complete your education and training requirements, you would be happy to show proof of your success.
A properly educated and trained electrician has obtained certification in a variety of electrical services, including:
- Task evaluation
- Safety compliance
- Instrumentation
- Splicing cables
- Craft standards for electricians
Task evaluation certification ensures the electrician can install systems and test and diagnose issues that might affect them over time. Knowing how to inspect and diagnose an electrical system or circuit enables the electrician to provide you with timely and effective troubleshooting for your business.
Your commercial electricians must know how to safely splice cables and maintain or repair electrical system devices that give you the power needed to get work done. Craft standards help ensure that your electrician knows the current work standards, and safety compliance helps ensure the work is done safely.
Four years of education and an additional year of training help teach new electricians the latest in electrical systems and safety. The ongoing education requirement helps ensure each licensed electrician is staying abreast of industry changes and will not provide you with obsolete and outdated services.
One year of journeyman training ensures all electricians have a significant amount of on-the-job experience. Journeyman experience helps ensure even a newly licensed electrician is experienced at installing, maintaining, and repairing modern electrical systems.
Certifications Enable Electrician Specializations
When electricians obtain various certifications, they can provide you with specialized services. Our commercial electricians at Tomm Electric are good examples.
Each of our electricians is certified to perform commercial electrical services for our clients. They have the specialized education, training, and experience necessary to efficiently and safely provide clients with the best possible commercial electrical services.
An industrial electrician is similarly certified to perform a variety of electrical services commonly used in industrial applications. An industrial electrician can install, maintain, and repair electrical circuits for industrial machinery, lighting, and buildings.
Other electricians might obtain certifications that enable them to build electrical panels. They can design and install panels for commercial, industrial, and residential uses. Electrical panel builders can help ensure your business has the electrical services needed to support an efficient, safe, and comfortable workplace.
Other electricians can become certified to provide customers with residential electrician services. Those services often include laying wires, installing and updating electrical panels, and repairing and updating the components that comprise a residential electrical system.
How Insurance Affects Commercial Interests
Insurance is a very important element of providing clients with high-quality electrician services. Insurance is also required to obtain and maintain a valid license to work as an electrician.
The potentially dangerous nature of electricity makes it very important for professional electricians to obtain business liability insurance designed for electricians. Liability insurance helps protect clients like you against damage that might arise from work done by an electrician.
An insured electrician has a significant financial safety net available to help clients recover financially from any damage that might occur due to the electrician’s work.
An electrician who does not have liability insurance would leave you vulnerable to significant financial losses if that electrician’s work caused damage to machinery, equipment, or workers. You could sue and uninsured electrician, but that might only result in an eventual bankruptcy filing, leaving you uncompensated for your damages.
A fully licensed electrician should have liability insurance that helps protect clients against financial harm. Virtually all states require electricians to carry insurance when performing electrical work. So you should double-check a prospective electrician’s license status to ensure is is active, which turn shows the electrician’s work is insured.
An electrician also should be bonded to perform electrician services. The bond ensures a sum of money is available if the electrician goes beyond the deadline to complete the work and causes you to suffer financial losses.
An electrician’s bond is similar to liability insurance coverage, and it is required to maintain a license to perform electrical work. If the work is done poorly and requires you to hire another electrician to fix the problem, the bond should cover those costs.
Tomm Electric only uses licensed commercial electricians and ensures each is bonded and insured to do the work for which you hired us. Our fully qualified team of commercial electricians helps you get the best possible service and not incur financial losses when our licensed electricians are on the job.
You can call us to learn more and schedule a consultation to discuss commercial electrician services for