What kind of certification or training does an electrician need to have before they can do electrical work?

A licensed residential electrician must have a minimum of 4000 hours of documented apprenticeship under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman electrician, plus classroom work and pass a comprehensive examination administered by the Washington State Dept.of Labor and Industries. Also, to maintain his/her license and assure the electrician is current with any changes in electric code, an electrician must annually complete a minimum number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Compliance with the continuing education requirement is closely monitored by the Dept of Labor and Industries. 2. What are some of the different electrical issues that you see in a typical home? • Old and poorly maintained (dirty) service panels • Over reliance on extension cords resulting in overloaded circuits • Using light bulbs in fixtures with different ratings (many people don’t know that the wiring in their table lamp is rated so they may put a 100 watt bulb in a 75 watt fixture) • Older homes ...  more