Looking to offer electrical services to Toronto residents in the near future? Electricians possess a rare and necessary skill that is needed on a regular basis. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that just because you possess the skill, you will have an easy time putting it into practice.
Well, for one, you will need to be certified and licensed amongst a string of other legal regulations. This can be quite the number but if you want to maintain high safety standards, you have no option but to adhere to every last one of them. To help you, we have detailed the legal regulations you should know as an electrician in Toronto.
- Register The Business
In Toronto, you are required to register your electrical business before carrying any electrical work. The law requires that you should perform the registration not more than 60 days after launching the business. You are only exempted from this regulation if you use your name for the enterprise. Otherwise, if you add an extra word such as consultants, you will be required to register the name.
The three legal forms of businesses in Toronto include sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. The first one is where electrician selling services on their own while the second one consists of two principal owners. Incorporation is rather complex where an owner is paid via shared profits/ dividends or as an employee.
- Have Workplace Insurance In Place
In a bid to protect employees and employers from injury claims and ridiculous lawsuits respectively, Toronto has put in place a workplace insurance system. As an electrical employer, you are under obligation to pay an insurance premium for your employees.
- Become A Licensed Electrician
In Toronto, you simply cannot do any electrical work if you don’t have the proper license. Sure, you can get away with a few jobs but if you are caught, you will certainly suffer the consequences.
The road to becoming a licensed electrician is rather long but the rewards thereafter will make everything worthwhile. For starters, you need to go up to 10th grade in high school at the very least. You are better off if you graduate high school and enroll in a college.
With a GED diploma or high school diploma, you can apply for an electrical apprenticeship lasting for 9,000 work hours. At the end of the apprenticeship, apply for the written Certification of Qualifications exam. If you score 70% and above, you will be handed your electrical license.
- Adhere To Safety Codes
Electrical work is a dangerous undertaking that requires extreme safety precautions. Toronto electricians follow several building and electricity codes to ensure their safety and that of their clients. The codes cover everything including construction, design, maintenance, and operation of electrical systems.
As an electrician in Toronto, you are tasked with a huge responsibility of carrying out electrical work with the highest safety standards. It thus makes sense to work under a set of legal regulations. It is for your own good and that of the general public.
