Electrical Systems
Power distribution, wiring, switchgear and standby/backup power (generators, UPS) within a facility.
A backup generator is not a resilience measure until it has actually been tested under load — not just started and left idling.
Why this service exists
Electrical failure has among the most immediate and severe consequences of any hard-service failure — life-safety systems, IT infrastructure and nearly every other building system depend on power, which is why electrical maintenance carries some of FM's heaviest statutory weight.
What the service covers
- Periodic electrical safety testing and inspection.
- Switchgear maintenance.
- Standby generator and UPS testing (including under-load testing, not just start tests).
- Distribution board management.
- Portable appliance testing.
Assets and objects
- Distribution boards.
- Switchgear.
- Wiring infrastructure.
- Standby generators.
- UPS systems.
Who takes part
- Licensed electricianRequired
Mandatory for statutory testing.
- FM operations managerRequired
Steers the schedule.
- Specialist contractor for standby power systemsSituational
For generators and UPS.
What the service needs
- National wiring regulation requirements.
- Prior test certificates.
- Asset inventory.
How delivery runs
- 01Maintain a testing schedule aligned to statutory inspection intervals.
- 02Execute periodic inspection and testing, issuing formal certification.
- 03Remediate identified defects, prioritised by safety severity.
- 04Test standby power systems under realistic load, not merely on start-up.
- 05Retain certification records for audit and insurance purposes.
What is delivered
- Test certificates.
- Defect remediation records.
- Tested standby-power confirmation.
From output to outcome
Certified, tested electrical plant.
A facility that is electrically safe and that will actually maintain power when mains supply fails.
The outcome is specifically framed around tested resilience, because an untested generator is a liability disguised as an asset.
Where it gets tense
- Standby generators tested only on a no-load start cycle, which does not reveal whether they can actually carry the building's real load.
- Test certificates filed but defects never remediated.
Strategic, tactical, operational
Standby power capacity should be sized against actual business-critical load, reassessed as that load changes (added IT infrastructure is the most common driver of silent capacity creep).
Sequencing statutory testing across a portfolio to avoid simultaneous full-building outages.
Isolating circuits for testing without disrupting live operations requires careful scheduling, particularly in 24/7 environments.
Performance indicators
- Statutory testing compliance rate
The heaviest KPI in this service.
- Defect remediation time
Prioritised by safety severity.
- Standby power successful-under-load-test rate
The only genuine resilience indicator.
Risks
- The highest life-safety and liability weight of any hard service; national wiring regulation compliance is typically non-negotiable and carries direct legal consequence for non-compliance, distinct from most other hard services' reputational-only downside.
Statutory context
Compliance with national wiring and electrical safety regulation is near-universally non-negotiable. The duty rests on the organisation; outsourcing moves execution, not liability.
Sourcing options
- Single service
Near-universally licensed-specialist outsourced given statutory competency requirements.
Technology and data
- Power quality monitoring.
- Remote UPS/generator monitoring platforms.
Competencies required
- Licensed electrical engineering.
- Statutory testing certification.
Common mistakes
- Treating generator "start tests" as equivalent to load tests.
- Deferring remediation of minor-graded defects until they compound into major ones.