Choosing a Licensed Electrician for your Lighting Project

I was presenting a lighting upgrade proposal to a client recently, going through information regarding the solution, why it was chosen and how Faith Technologies could execute it when the client stopped me with a shocking retort. “I don’t need licensed electricians; it’s only lighting.” I must have looked like a deer in headlights; I had never heard such a thing. Once I got past the shell shock, we talked through the important benefits of choosing a qualified lighting installation partner.

The first concern is SAFETY! Hiring a licensed electrician to manage your project means they have been trained to identify hazards and know the importance of electrical safety. Even if the project consists mainly of lamps and ballasts, the most basic form of lighting conversions, the installation crew is still going to be exposed to line voltage power. Are all crew members aware of the risk? Do they know proper lockout/tagout procedures to follow in order to keep everyone safe? Do they have the tools to test whether the circuit they are working on is live or do they rely on someone else to keep them safe?

Being licensed also means they must abide by safety codes. We were awarded a lighting project a few years ago, but the client wanted to use a local electrician for the work to support their community, even though the local electrician had never performed a lighting upgrade of this type. At the very first inspection, it was discovered that the crew was not installing disconnects at the fixture, which is a code violation. My family has owned a small business in the area for decades and I understand the importance of supporting local small businesses. However, they must be held to the same standards and requirements as other professionals in their industry if they are to be considered. Carrying a license means you are up to date on state required training, which gives the customer peace of mind that they have selected a competent partner.

When you choose a licensed electrician, you have additional recourse if something goes wrong during installation. You hope it never comes to this, but if you find your installation isn’t up to code or there is an incident at your facility, you can report a registered electrician to your state’s Department of Safety and Professional Services for support with remediation. If your installer is not registered, you have to hope they are willing to make it right.

Even on the most basic lighting installations, our Faith Technologies team has come across some challenging situations. However, they are armed with years of training and experience on electrical installation, safety and building codes, supported by an entire team devoted to keeping our employees and yours safe. We would be happy to work with you on your lighting needs to ensure your work is done safely and efficiently – contact us today.

This is part 4 of my blog series on lighting upgrades; please see my previous posts for additional information.

Financial Considerations for Lighting Projects

Implementing a Successful Lighting Project – Part 2

Implementing a Successful Lighting Project