What Electrical Regulations Should My Vancouver Business Know About?
Starting a new business can be quite challenging, and even if you have narrowed down all of the details and taken care of all the legal requirements, there may still be something that you would have overlooked. One thing that most businesses overlook are electrical regulations, because that is usually the last thing on their minds. As long as the lights are on, they don’t care whether the wiring has been done in a professional manner or a licensed and experienced electrician Vancouver has maintained quality standards while doing the work.
This article aims to make you aware about the electrical regulations that you should always know about as the owner of a Vancouver business. Let’s dive in and see how you can be compliant of these laws and regulations to ensure your safety and to prevent any hazards. Please remember that the electrical regulations change from city to city in Canada, and we are currently focusing on Vancouver for the purposes of this article.
People who can Perform Electrical Work
Not everyone is qualified and permitted to perform electrical work in Vancouver, which is why businesses must hire competent and licensed professionals, be it for a simple repair or installation of a new electrical component.
To perform regulated electrical work, the individual approached by the company should hold relevant and industry specific credentials from a recognized body in Canada. According to further regulations, the individual should:
· Have credentials recognized by an accredited body
· Have trained in a program overseen by a provincial safety manager
· Be employed in an organization that undergoes training programs recognized by the safety manager, and should also have completed the training
· Not work for any other organization than the one they are employed in
· Be a manufacturer’s technical representative
Therefore, you need to keep all of these regulations in mind when evaluating different electrical contractors to carry out work for your office or factory. Make sure to hire a qualified electrician Vancouver for this task, because they are well versed with all of the electrical regulations and can also guide you accordingly.
Workplace Electrical Safety Guidelines You Should Know
As a business owner and employer, you are responsible for the safety of each person that works within your office, factory, manufacturing plant, or any other business unit. Electrical hazards amount for a large portion of workplace accidents, which is why you should be extra careful to ensure that there is no unforeseen occurrence that could have been avoided with some proactive steps.
Therefore, let’s have a look at some of the workplace safety guidelines that you should know, so that you can avoid any unfortunate incident and would need to rush to find an “electrician near me”.
Training Employees Regarding Electrical Regulations
As an employer, not only is it your responsibility to be aware of the electrical regulations that you need to adhere to, but you should also raise awareness regarding them throughout the entire organization. To do this, you should hold workshops and share all of the electrical regulations that you and your employees can easily adhere to and are within your control. Of course, you can’t expect your employees to follow each and every regulation to the letter, but a little awareness goes a long way.
Making Compliance to Electrical Regulations Mandatory
Along with raising awareness regarding the electrical regulations that Vancouver businesses need to follow, you can also take things a step further and make it mandatory for both old and newly hired employees to comply with these regulations, no matter how lenient or stringent they may be. By doing this, you can foster a culture of responsibility, and this applies to something as small as hiring an electrician Vancouver for a simple task.
Preventing Hazards through High-Quality Materials
Another key guideline that you should follow as a business owner for a Vancouver company is that you should consider getting electrical equipment that has been made from high-quality materials, so that it is less likely to get damaged due to the elements, high temperature or a natural hazard. Moreover, if you have any electric component in your place of business that needs to be repaired or replaced, you should ensure that the new components are made from weather-resistant and highly durable materials. These materials would help the components stay safe from various hazards or natural causes.
Insulating Hazardous and Sensitive Conductors
Even if you have no knowledge about how electrical circuits and components work, it is important to know that all conductors inside the electric system of your business should be insulated, since they are points of potential hazard, especially if two conductors come into contact with each other. This is what is known as a short circuit, and can cause an instant electrical fire, which can severely harm your employees and also cause damage to your business property.
Therefore, you should make sure to get in touch with one of the licensed electrical contractors around you and ask them to properly insulate each and every conductor that can cause a hazard. Ideally, you should also ask the electrician to move the system conductors away from high-traffic areas in the office or factory, so that even if there is an electrical hazard, it doesn’t impact you or your employees directly.
Ensuring Waterproof and Heatproof Electrical Systems
One of the best ways to prevent all types of electrical hazards is to be proactive and ensure that there are no environmental conditions or factors that can damage the electrical system or cause an electrical hazard. The first thing you should ascertain is that the electrical system features high-quality materials that can protect it from factors like moisture or heat.
If there are spots inside your office that have a higher moisture content, or have a higher temperature, then you need to ensure that the insulation for these places should be waterproof and heatproof accordingly, so that these factors can’t affect your electrical system or cause any damage to your electrical equipment.
Who is Responsible for Electrical Safety in the Workplace?
According to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and Electrical Work Regulations 1989, employers are responsible for maintaining working conditions that protect the health and safety of employees in the office or place of business. Here are some of the regulations that put the responsibility of workplace electrical safety on the employers:
· The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 states that the “employer must ensure the health, safety, and welfare for all employees at work”.
· Article 3 of The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states that “every employer is liable to comply with the regulations, provided that they are within their control.”
Apart from this, the electrical regulations also place some responsibilities on the employees of a business.
· According to The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, “it is the employees’ responsibility to co-operate with their employer with regards to the electrical regulations being imposed.”
· The employees are also responsible for being aware of the electrical regulations and complying with their provisions, especially if they pertain to matters within their control.
Another thing that you should know, as a Vancouver business owner, is that there are also certain regulations that hold electrical contractors responsible for the electrical work. First and foremost, the electrical contractors that you hire should have the proper qualification, skills, and training to handle a sensitive task, be it a periodic electrical inspection or wire testing.
Although the electrical contractors are responsible for the testing and electrical work, it is also the responsibility of the employer to schedule periodic electrical inspection after every few weeks or months, so that the electrical systems can be properly checked and maintained, and if something is wrong, it can be fixed proactively, so that it doesn’t culminate in a disaster or electrical hazard.
Ideally, as a Vancouver business owner, you should also make it mandatory for the electrical contractors to update the inspection records on every visit, or maintain an Electrical Inspections Condition Report, which may differ from region to region.
Finding a Competent Electrician Vancouver
Searching for an “electrician near me” on the internet is easier said than done, because you would need a licensed and professional electrician that knows all of the electrical regulations that are involved in a Vancouver business, and can also help you comply with them properly, so that you can avoid accidents and unforeseen occurrences.
Moreover, an electrician Vancouver would also be able to guide you regarding the right course of action for the work you require, as well as the best quality components that can help prevent any electrical hazards. It is always ideal that you familiarize yourself with the electrical regulations that are imposed in Vancouver, so that you can always adhere to them and ensure that the electrical system in your office or factory doesn’t cause harm to any person or financial damage to your business.