Approved Electrician (DDRHL)

Role Overview

Approved Electricians will carry out electrical refurbishment and upgrade works within live hospital environments. Work involves installation, modification, testing, and maintenance of electrical systems, with a strong focus on panel boards, distribution boards, containment systems, and critical hospital circuits. Operatives must adhere to strict safety, infection-control, and compliance standards.

Key Responsibilities 1. Electrical Installation & Refurbishment

• Installation, replacement, and upgrading of distribution boards (DBs), panel boards, sub-mains, and associated switchgear.
• Reconfiguring and labelling circuits to hospital standards.
• Running and terminating SWA, FP200/LSF cabling, and ICT/data cabling as required by project scope.
• Installation of trunking, tray, conduit, and other containment systems within occupied hospital areas.

2. Work on Live & Critical Environments

• Safe isolation procedures on critical clinical circuits (including theatre, ICU, plant rooms, and ward areas).
• Coordinating shutdowns and energisation with Estates teams to avoid disruption to patient care.
• Ensuring that emergency power systems (UPS, generator-backed circuits) remain operational during works.

3. Panel & Distribution Board Tasks

• Strip-out and refurbishment of existing boards, including:
• Breaker upgrades (MCBs, RCBOs, MCCBs)
• Busbar inspections
• Load balancing and phase rotation checks
• Earth and bonding verification
• Installation of new boards with correct segregation, discrimination, and circuit protection.
• Updating and producing as-built schematics, circuit schedules, and asset registers.

4. Testing & Certification

• Completing Electrical Installation Certificates (EIC), Minor Works, and Condition Reports.
• Ensuring compliance with:
• HTM 06-01 (Electrical services in healthcare premises - UK)
• BS 5839 (Fire alarms) where interfacing is required
• BS 5266 (Emergency lighting)

5. Health, Safety & Compliance

• Working to hospital infection control protocols, PPE requirements, and hot-work restrictions.
• Maintaining safe working areas within live clinical environments.
• Ensuring compliance with CDM Regulations and site-specific RAMS.
• Familiar with permit-to-work systems, including shutdown permits and confined-space/roof access permits.

6. Liaison & Reporting

• Coordination with NHS/Estates teams, main contractors, and other trades.
• Reporting progress, deviations, or risks to supervisors.
• Providing technical support and guiding electricians or mates on complex panel/distribution works.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Electrical Installation or equivalent.
• Gold ECS card
• 18th Edition (BS 7671:2018 + A2).
• AM2 or equivalent competence assessment.
• Strong experience with distribution board and panel board installation/commissioning.
• Strong understanding of HTM requirements for healthcare environments.
• Experience in live building refurb projects.