Electricians Career

The work of electricians is to bring electricity into businesses, homes, and factories. They install and maintain the fuses, wiring, and other elements through which electricity flows. The job of electricians also includes installing and maintaining electrical machines in factories.

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Nature of Work Electricians are given blue prints to read and start working based on it. Blue prints are technical diagrams, which refers the locations of load centers, circuits, panel boards, outlets, and other equipments. Electricians have to follow National Electrical Code, local and state building codes to make sure public safety. The work of electricians is to connect all kinds of wires to outlets, transformers, circuit breakers, and other components. They connect the wires in boxes with many well designed connectors. Electricians use various tools while installing wiring such as screwdrivers, conduit benders, hacksaws, knives, pliers, wire strippers, saws, and drills.

Electricians have to deal with a number of tasks. They use various tools to execute their work including ohmmeters, ammeters, oscilloscopes, voltmeters, and other equipments to verify connections and ensure the safety and compatibility of components. Usually, electricians focus on maintenance or construction. Electricians who specialized in construction principally install wiring systems into businesses, factories, and new homes. Electricians, who specialized in maintenance work repair electrical work, upgrade and fix existing electrical systems.

While installing wiring systems in commercial settings and factories, electricians place conduit inside walls, partitions, or other hidden areas as modified by the blueprints. Electricians also fasten plastic boxes and small metal to the walls, which house electrical outlets and switches. They pull insulated cables and wires through the channel to complete the circuits between boxes.

Electricians, in residential construction, install insulated wire covered in plastic that does not require running through channel. Line installers and repairers specialize in low-voltage systems. Low-voltage wiring incorporates data, voice, and video equipments such as computers, telephones, intercoms, security systems, and fire alarm. Electricians also install fiber optic cable or coaxial for electronic controls and telecommunications equipment for industrial uses.

Electricians who specialized in maintenance replace or repair electronic and electric equipment when it breaks. Their responsibility is to repair defected equipments quickly to avoid inconvenience. These electricians may replace items such as fuses, circuit breakers, switches, electronic and electrical components, wire, etc. The duty of electricians is to examine equipments to make sure whether it is functioning properly and resolve problems before breakdown occurs.

The work of maintenance differs greatly depending upon where electricians work. Electricians who execute residential work perform an extensive range of electrical work for the homeowner. These electricians execute a number of tasks in a residence including wiring a home and replacing an old fuse box with a new one. They install new lighting and other electric household items.

To know about how much an electician can earn, click here: Electrician salary in various states of America.

Work Environment
Electricians work outdoors and indoors. They work at construction sites, factories, businesses, and homes. Sometimes, the work may be exhausting and may consist of lifting heavy object, bending, conduit, stooping, standing, and kneeling for log time. The workplace may involve electrical shock, cuts, and falls.

Electricians ought to follow safety procedures to avoid injuries. Electricians who work outdoors must be aware of inclement weather conditions. At times, electricians may need to travel long distance to the designated workplace. Most of the electricians work forty hours a week, however, overtime is required. Electricians who specialized in maintenance may need to work on weekends and nights. They have to go to the worksite when they are asked to. Electricians have to carry out following responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Install, assemble, maintain, and test electronic or electrical equipments, wiring, apparatus, appliances, and fixtures using power tools and hand tools
• Analyze malfunctioning systems, components, and apparatus using hand tools and test equipments to locate the cause of the breakdown and resolve the problem
• Joint wire to transformers, circuit breakers, and other components
• Examine equipments, electrical systems, and components to identify defects, and hazards
• Evaluate continuity of circuits and electrical systems in equipments, electrical wiring, and fixtures using testing devices such as voltmeters, ohmmeters, and oscilloscopes to make sure safety and compatibility of systems
• Maintain identification card or current electrician's license to meet rules and regulations established by the government
• Plan installation and layout of electrical wiring, fixtures and equipments based on the local codes and job specifications
• Train and direct workers to maintain, install or repair equipments, electrical wiring and fixtures
• Follow blueprints and prepare sketches to determine the location of equipments and wiring to ensure conformance in order to establish safety codes
• Use different tools and equipments such as measuring devices, power construction equipments, testing equipments, power tools comprising of ammeters, oscilloscopes, and test lamps

Educational Qualification
Electricians acquire work knowledge through apprenticeship programs. These programs consist of on-the-job training with classroom instructions. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in association with National Electrical Contractors Association, Independent Electrical Contractors Association, and Associated Builders and Contractors offer apprenticeship programs. After completed this apprenticeship program, candidates get into this field easily.

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