An electrical contractor is a business person or firm that performs specialized construction

Construction

In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...

 work related to the design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems—a $130 billion industry in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

An electrical contractor is different than an electrician

Electrician

An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...

; an electrician is an individual tradesman

Tradesman

This article is about the skilled manual worker meaning of the term; for other uses see Tradesperson .A tradesman is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft. Economically and socially, a tradesman's status is considered between a laborer and a professional, with a high degree of both...

 and an electrical contractor is a business person or company that employs electricians. Both usually hold license

License

The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...

s and insurance

Insurance

In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...

s to properly and safely operate a business, protecting the employees and home owners/business owners from insurance liabilities. These requirements vary from state to state. Electricians may work for an electrical contractor, or directly for individuals or companies.

Industry Classifications

Electrical contractors are generally classified by three major types of work performed.

• "Outside" or "line" contractors are responsible for high-voltage power transmission and distribution lines. Line contractors build and maintain the infrastructure required to transport electricity generated at a power plant through a series of high-voltage lines and substations before it is used to power facilities, buildings, and homes.
• "Inside" electrical contractors provide electricity to any structure within a property’s boundary lines, including outdoor lighting or substations. Under current construction specification guidelines, "inside" electrical contractors can serve as prime contractors for all electrical and cabling design, installation, and maintenance for commercial, institutional, and residential buildings.
• "Integrated building systems" (IBS) or "Voice/Data/Video" (VDV) electrical contractors work primarily with low-voltage installations such as back-up power, climate controls, wireless networks, energy-efficient lighting, telecommunications, fiber optics, and security systems. IBS contractors are particularly skilled at integrating these system controls to work together for maximum energy efficiency and building performance.

Industry Jobs

Electrical contractors employ workers in many capacities, determined by their level of training and experience. Some common jobs include:

• Apprentice Electrician — Receives on-the-job training and classroom instruction from licensed journeymen or master electricians about how to install, modify, repair, and maintain power and lighting systems. Most apprentice programs last 3 to 5 years and apprentices earn wages during this training period.

• Journeyman Electrician — Installs, modifies, repairs, and maintains power and lighting systems. Reads blueprints, terminates cable, and installs and troubleshoots control wiring from drawings. Has completed the apprentice program and holds a journeyman's license (according to state requirements) and supervises apprentices.

• Estimator — Calculates a project's duration and cost, including materials, overhead, and labor. This estimate is often submitted as a bid on a project and serves as a scheduling and budget guideline as the project proceeds.

• Project Supervisor — Oversees workforce to encourage safe and high-quality installations. Monitors progress to meet project deadlines. Submits required reports and forms.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, the two main trade association

Trade association

A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...

s are the Electrical Contractors' Association

Electrical Contractors' Association

The Electrical Contractors' Association is the main trade association for contractors involved in electrical engineering projects in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.-History:...

, covering England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and SELECT - the Electrical Contractors' Association for Scotland.

United States

The National Electrical Contractors Association

National Electrical Contractors Association

The National Electrical Contractors Association, or NECA, is a trade association in the United States that represents the $130 billion/year electrical contracting industry. NECA supports the businesses that bring power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities...

 (NECA) is the largest trade association in the electrical contracting industry, with about 4500 members. NECA publishes an industry magazine, and sponsors an annual convention and trade show. Independent Electrical Contractors

Independent Electrical Contractors

The Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. is a national trade association for merit shop electrical and systems contractors. IEC’s mission is to develop and foster a stronger economy through the level of quality and services its members provide to the industry.IEC believes that drawing from the...

 (IEC) is another trade association for electrical contractors with 70 chapters across the U.S. They provide education and training via a U.S. Department of Labor recognized apprenticeship program.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a labor union which represents workers in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Panama and several Caribbean island nations; particularly electricians, or Inside Wiremen, in the construction industry and linemen and other...

 organizes and represents over 700,000 members, and provides training and apprenticeship programs.

Safety

Electrical contractors in the United States are required to follow National Electrical Code (NEC) to ensure systems work in a safe manner. The NEC is a widely-adopted model code for the installation of electrical components and systems, designed to safeguard persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity. While these are the default minimum requirements and guidelines, some states modify selected areas of the NEC code to suit their specific circumstances.