Commercial electrician in Harlow
Commercial work is a different job from domestic, and the difference is mostly legal. You carry duties under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 that a homeowner does not, the testing regime is broader, and the paperwork is what an insurer or an HSE inspector asks for first.
Who carries the duty
Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 the duty sits with the employer and anyone in control of the premises — not with the contractor you hire. That is the part businesses most often get wrong. Engaging a competent contractor discharges the duty in practice; it does not transfer it. The regulations require systems to be constructed and maintained so far as is reasonably practicable to prevent danger, which is why the evidence trail matters as much as the work.
What a commercial programme usually covers
| Item | Typical interval | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed wire testing (EICR) | Commonly 5 years, risk-based | Condition of the fixed installation |
| Emergency lighting | Monthly function test, annual full duration | BS 5266 — escape routes stay lit on loss of supply |
| PAT / in-service inspection | Risk-based, not annual by law | Portable appliances; frequency follows use, not the calendar |
| Fire alarm interface | Per BS 5839 regime | Where electrical work affects detection or isolation |
"Annual PAT testing" is a persistent myth. There is no legal requirement to test every appliance every year — the frequency should follow risk and use. A drill on a building site and a desk lamp in an office do not need the same interval, and paying for the latter annually is money that could go on the fixed installation instead.
EV charging: the Workplace Charging Scheme
If you are putting chargers in for staff or fleet, the Workplace Charging Scheme is worth up to £500 per socket, capped at 40 sockets across all your sites. The rate rose to £500 on 1 April 2026 (it was £350), and the scheme is currently set to close on 31 March 2027.
Two conditions catch people out. It must be claimed through an OZEV-authorised installer — you apply for a voucher first and give it to them, you cannot reclaim after the fact. And the sockets must be for staff or fleet use, not public charging. Do not confuse it with the domestic EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners: that is a separate scheme with separate eligibility, even though since 1 April 2026 it carries the same £500 cap. More on the install itself on the EV charger installation page.
Three-phase and load
Most Harlow commercial units on the Pinnacles, Templefields and River Way estates are three-phase. That matters when you add load: chargers, heat pumps and machinery all need the available capacity checking before anything is ordered, and where the total exceeds what the connection allows, the DNO — UK Power Networks here — has to be involved. Getting that question asked at quote stage rather than on install day is the single biggest avoidable delay in commercial electrical work.
Get commercial electrical quotes in Harlow
Tell us the premises type, roughly what the job is, and whether you are on three-phase — that is what commercial contractors need to price it.
What we will not do: we do not sell your details on, we do not add you to a marketing list, and we do not require a phone number. If you would rather not be called, leave the phone out — email is enough.
Related
- EICR testing — what the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes mean.
- EV charger installation — load, DNO and grant routes.
- Fault finding — diagnosing intermittent faults on a live site.
- Emergency call-outs — what qualifies and what it costs.