1.4 Scope of Work and Responsibilities of a Licensed Electrician
Key Takeaways
- A Licensed Electrician is legally authorized to design, install, repair, maintain, operate, inspect, and test low-voltage electrical installations up to 45 kVA approved load.
- Licensed Electricians are strictly prohibited from issuing Certificates of Fitness for installations exceeding 45 kVA or operating at high voltage (>1000 V AC).
- The Licensed Electrician must personally supervise all unlicensed wiremen, artisans, and apprentices working under their charge, accepting full legal liability for their work.
- Maintaining an up-to-date LEW Logbook detailing all site inspections, test measurements, single-line diagrams, and maintenance actions is a statutory duty.
- In the event of an electrical accident causing loss of life, personal injury, or serious property damage, the premises owner and the installation licensee must report it to the EMA by the quickest means available under Section 94 of the Electricity Act 2001.
1.4 Scope of Work and Responsibilities of a Licensed Electrician
Quick Summary: A Licensed Electrician in Singapore possesses statutory authority to design, wire, maintain, test, and turn on low-voltage electrical installations with an approved load of $\le 45\text{ kVA}$. Key professional duties include direct personal supervision of unlicensed site workers, maintaining an official LEW Logbook, ensuring strict compliance with SS 638, and reporting serious electrical accidents to the EMA under Section 94 of the Electricity Act 2001.
1. Authorized Core Activities for a Licensed Electrician
Under Regulation 5(1) of the Electricity (Electrical Workers) Regulations, the holder of an electrician’s licence is entitled to carry out seven categories of electrical activity on an electrical installation whose operating voltage does not exceed 1,000 V and whose approved load does not exceed 45 kVA (the 1,000 V limit does not apply to an Electric Discharge Lighting Circuit):
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| AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES (<= 1000V AC / <= 45 kVA) |
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| 1. ELECTRICAL DESIGN : Drawing SLDs, circuit layouts, cable sizing |
| 2. INSTALLATION WORK : Laying conduits, trunking, pulling cables |
| 3. APPARATUS ASSEMBLY : DB wiring, mounting MCBs, RCCBs, isolators |
| 4. MAINTENANCE & REPAIR : Servicing switchboards, replacing faulty gear |
| 5. OPERATION & SWITCHING : Switching LV isolators & breakers <= 45 kVA |
| 6. INSPECTION & TESTING : Executing SS 638 initial verification tests |
| 7. TURN-ON CERTIFICATION : Issuing Certificate of Compliance for <= 45 kVA |
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- Electrical Installation Design: Preparing Single-Line Diagrams (SLDs), layout drawings, cable selection schedules, diversity calculations, and distribution board schematics for low-voltage residential and commercial premises where the maximum demand does not exceed $45\text{ kVA}$.
- Installation and Wiring Work: Installing cable containment systems (conduits, trunking, cable trays), drawing PVC/PVC, XLPE/PVC, or metallic armoured cables, and terminating conductors at consumer units, distribution boards, lighting points, and socket-outlets.
- Switchboard and Apparatus Assembly: Mounting, assembling, and internal wiring of low-voltage distribution boards (DBs), consumer units, main switches, Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs), Moulded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs), and Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCBs).
- Maintenance, Repair, and Servicing: Servicing low-voltage switchgear, diagnosing earth faults or short circuits, replacing damaged accessories, and repairing electrical machinery operating within the $45\text{ kVA}$ ceiling.
- Operation and Switching: Safely switching, isolating, and restoring power supplies on low-voltage switchboards and circuit breakers up to $45\text{ kVA}$.
- Inspection and Verification Testing: Executing mandatory visual inspections and instrument verification testing (continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, RCD trip timing) in accordance with SS 638 Part 6.
- Turn-On Application and CoC Issuance: Signing official Certificates of Compliance (CoC) and test certificates required by SP PowerGrid for initial electricity supply turn-on or load energization up to $45\text{ kVA}$.
Beyond the 45 kVA ceiling, Regulation 5(1)(b) permits a Licensed Electrician to install, repair, maintain, and operate installations above 45 kVA up to 500 kVA under the supervision of an electrical technician, and Regulation 5(1)(c) permits any work carried out as instructed by, or under the supervision of, an authorised high voltage switching engineer.
2. Mandatory Site Supervision over Unlicensed Artisans
In Singapore's electrical construction and maintenance industry, routine manual labour (such as pulling cables, mounting trunking, or fitting conduit) is frequently performed by unlicensed wiremen, electrical fitters, or foreign construction workers.
The Legal Principle of Personal Supervision
The Electricity (Electrical Workers) Regulations explicitly state that an unlicensed person may only execute electrical work if they are working under the direct, personal supervision of a appropriately licensed LEW.
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| LEW SUPERVISION & LIABILITY MODEL |
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| LICENSED ELECTRICAL WORKER (LEW) |
| (Holds full legal liability under Electricity Act) |
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| UNLICENSED WIREMAN / FITTER | | APPRENTICE / ASSISTANT WORKER |
| - Executes manual cable laying | | - Assists with DB assembly |
| - Must be directly supervised | | - Must be directly supervised |
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- Ultimate Legal Accountability: The Licensed Electrician retains 100% legal responsibility for all work performed by unlicensed workers under their supervision. If an unlicensed wireman under the electrician's charge misidentifies phase cables, installs an incorrect MCB, or bypasses an RCCB resulting in an electrical hazard, the Licensed Electrician will be prosecuted by the EMA.
- Physical Presence Requirement: "Supervision" cannot be conducted remotely via telephone or video call. The LEW must be physically present on-site during critical phases of installation, final connection, earthing termination, and testing.
3. Strict Boundary Prohibitions and Escalation Protocols
To preserve public safety, the EMA rigorously enforces the technical boundary limits of each LEW licence class. A Licensed Electrician must recognize their legal boundaries and follow formal escalation protocols when an installation exceeds their statutory scope.
Explicit Prohibited Acts for a Licensed Electrician
- Prohibition 1: Issuing a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) or turning on supply for any electrical installation where the approved load exceeds $45\text{ kVA}$.
- Prohibition 2: Conducting design, installation, maintenance, or switching work on High Voltage ($>1000\text{ V AC}$) equipment, substations, or transformers.
- Prohibition 3: Acting as the Appointed LEW responsible for the annual licence renewal of a licensed electrical installation (which legally requires a Licensed Electrical Technician for LV up to $500\text{ kVA}$ or an Engineer for $>500\text{ kVA}$ or HV).
- Prohibition 4: Delegating certification authority, signing blank CoC test forms, or allowing an unlicensed person to use their LEW licence number.
Mandatory Escalation Workflow
When a client requests electrical works that exceed $45\text{ kVA}$ (e.g., a factory expansion upgrading from a $63\text{ A}$ 3-phase supply to a $200\text{ A}$ 3-phase supply, equivalent to $\sim 138\text{ kVA}$), the Licensed Electrician must execute the following escalation procedure:
[ STEP 1: LOAD EVALUATION ]
Electrician evaluates client load request -> Determines load exceeds 45 kVA threshold.
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[ STEP 2: FORMAL CLIENT NOTIFICATION ]
Electrician formally notifies client that work exceeds Electrician licence scope.
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[ STEP 3: HANDOVER TO SENIOR LEW ]
Project is formally handed over to a Licensed Electrical Technician (<=150kVA design)
or Licensed Electrical Engineer (>150kVA or HV).
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[ STEP 4: SUB-CONTRACTED SCOPE (IF APPLICABLE) ]
Electrician may execute physical wiring under direct supervision and endorsement of the Senior LEW.
4. Statutory Duty to Maintain the LEW Logbook
As a matter of statutory accountability and EMA inspection practice, every Licensed Electrician must maintain an up-to-date LEW Logbook recording all electrical installation, testing, and maintenance activities conducted in Singapore. Under Regulation 15 of the Electricity (Electrical Workers) Regulations, an authorised officer may require any person carrying out electrical work to produce their licence, state their licence class, and give information or evidence — the logbook and its test records are the primary evidence produced on demand.
Mandatory Logbook Entry Details
- Date and Location: Exact date, time, and street address of the installation site.
- Client and Installation Details: Name of consumer, building premises, and approved load capacity ($kVA$).
- Description of Work Executed: Details of design, extension, DB installation, or repair work.
- Instrument Test Readings: Precise numerical values recorded during testing:
- Insulation Resistance ($M\Omega$) at $500\text{ V DC}$.
- Protective Conductor Continuity ($R_1 + R_2$) in Ohms ($\Omega$).
- Earth Fault Loop Impedance ($Z_s$) in Ohms ($\Omega$).
- Residual Current Device (RCD) trip times in milliseconds ($ms$) at $1\times I_{\Delta n}$ and $5\times I_{\Delta n}$.
- Single-Line Diagram References: Drawing reference numbers for the certified SLD.
- LEW Signature and Stamp: Physical signature and LEW licence stamp on every entry.
The LEW Logbook must be produced immediately upon demand by EMA inspectors during audit inspections. Falsifying logbook entries or failing to maintain records constitutes a punishable offence.
5. Serious Electrical Accident Reporting (Section 94, Electricity Act 2001)
Under Section 94 of the Electricity Act 2001, when any accident causing or resulting in loss of life or hurt to any person or serious damage to property occurs in connection with any electrical or supply installation, the owner of the premises concerned and the person granted a licence under Part 9 for the installation must report it to the Energy Market Authority. A Licensed Electrician in charge of an installation must therefore treat accident notification as an immediate statutory duty.
Definition of a Reportable Electrical Accident
An electrical accident is defined under Singapore law as any event involving an electrical installation or apparatus that results in:
- Loss of human life or fatal electrocution.
- Personal injury to any person requiring medical treatment or hospitalization (e.g., electric shock, arc flash burns).
- Major fire, explosion, or catastrophic structural damage caused by electrical short circuit, arcing, or equipment failure.
Statutory Reporting Procedure (Section 94)
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| STATUTORY 24-HOUR ACCIDENT REPORTING PROTOCOL |
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| OCCURRENCE: Electrical Accident / Fatal Shock / Arc Flash Fire |
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[ STEP 1: IMMEDIATE SITE STABILIZATION & EMERGENCY SERVICES ]
- Render site safe, isolate power source, contact Civil Defence (995).
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[ STEP 2: NOTIFY EMA BY THE QUICKEST MEANS AVAILABLE ]
- Contact EMA Inspectorate via emergency hotline / electronic portal.
- Report date, time, location, casualties, and basic summary.
- Follow up with a written report of the known facts with the least possible delay.
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[ STEP 3: PRESERVE SITE EVIDENCE ]
- MUST NOT alter, disturb, or clean damaged switchboards or wiring.
- Cordon off area until EMA Investigating Officers inspect site.
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[ STEP 4: SUBMIT FORMAL WRITTEN INVESTIGATION REPORT ]
- Submit detailed written report to EMA within prescribed deadline,
including single-line diagram, root cause analysis, and corrective plan.
Under Section 94 of the Electricity Act 2001, when an accident causing loss of life, hurt to any person, or serious damage to property occurs in connection with an electrical installation, what must the premises owner and the installation licensee do?
If an unlicensed wireman working under the direct supervision of a Licensed Electrician incorrectly wires a socket outlet resulting in an electric shock, who holds ultimate legal liability under Singapore law?
A commercial client requests a Licensed Electrician to certify a new 100 kVA 3-phase electrical supply installation. What is the correct statutory action for the electrician to take?