TradedocElectrical competency record
A blank workforce competency record you can print and fill by hand. Or the faster option — log every employed and subcontracted operative's qualifications on the phone, the full list site-ready before October. Tracks the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 competency duty and the Level 3 / ECS card requirement (in force 1 October 2026).
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What it is
A workforce competency record for electrical contractors. From 1 October 2026 every employed and subcontracted electrical operative working on UK installations must hold the appropriate Level 3 qualification (or recognised equivalent) and be registered with the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS). The competency record logs each operative's name, role, qualifications held, ECS card type and number, expiry date, health-and-safety assessment date, and any role-specific limitations.
UK legal requirement
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Reg 16 (persons to be competent to prevent danger and injury). The 1 October 2026 implementation date for the Level 3 / ECS card requirement is set under the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) maintained by the IET in conjunction with the JIB. ECS card scheme is the recognised competence evidence framework — Installation Electrician Gold Card (NVQ Level 3), Approved Electrician (further experience plus AM2 assessment), or recognised equivalents. The City and Guilds 2346 Experienced Worker Assessment route closes post-2026.
Compliance status
This template tracks Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 — competency duty (Level 3 / ECS card from 1 October 2026); BS 7671 Amendment 4:2026 (the 'Orange Book'). Our compliance radar crawls the publishing bodies every six hours — see the standards we build to today or the radar of what's coming next.
Engineer remains responsible for verifying compliance with the version applicable to their work. TradeDoc is a tool, not a regulator.
Who needs it
- ·Electrical contractors registered with NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or Stroma
- ·Construction principal contractors taking on electrical subcontractors — the duty extends to those they engage
- ·Self-employed sparkies subcontracting work to apprentices or improvers — competency duty applies to the engagement, not just employment
- ·Facilities and maintenance teams running in-house electrical operations
What goes on it
Every mandatory field, in the order the inspector or auditor will check them.
Operative identifier
Full name, role (Installation Electrician / Approved Electrician / Apprentice / Trainee / Labourer), employment status (employed / subcontracted), engagement start date.
Primary qualification
JIB-recognised Level 3 Apprenticeship standard, JIB approved Level 3 NVQ in Electrotechnical Services, or equivalent. Awarding body, certificate number, year of award. For pre-2026 experienced workers without NVQ — record of City and Guilds 2346 EWA completion (route closing post-2026).
BS 7671 qualification
Current BS 7671 Wiring Regulations qualification — typically C&G 2382 (18th Edition Amendment 4 / Orange Book) from 15 April 2026. Year of award, awarding body. Updated for each Amendment cycle.
Inspection and testing qualifications
C&G 2391 / 2394 / 2395 or equivalent for periodic inspection and testing. Where the operative carries out EICRs or EICs, this is essential.
ECS card type and number
Installation Electrician Gold (Level 3 NVQ), Approved Electrician (Gold + AM2 + further experience), Trainee, Labourer. Card number, current expiry date, photograph held on file.
Health and Safety Environmental Assessment
Current ECS Health, Safety and Environmental Assessment — required for ECS renewal. Date of last pass, validity period (typically three years).
Role-specific scope
What the operative is authorised to do under this engagement — domestic installations, commercial installations, industrial, specialist (HV, EV charging, solar PV, BMS). Scope limitations make competency records meaningful.
CPD and refreshers
Continuing professional development log — manufacturer training, scheme-specific updates, BS 7671 amendment briefings. Refresher dates and outcomes.
Renewal schedule
Next ECS card expiry, next H&S assessment, next BS 7671 amendment refresher. Owner of renewal action — operative or contractor.
Common mistakes on a hand-filled one
The small things that get picked up on audit, insurance review, or when the next engineer reads it.
- ✗Engaging a Trainee or Labourer ECS card holder on work that requires Installation Electrician scope — the card scope is the floor of competence, not a starting position
- ✗Letting the H&S assessment expire — ECS cards renew on the back of a current assessment; without it the card lapses
- ✗Forgetting subcontractor reach — the duty extends to subcontracted operatives, not just employed staff; check every operative entering site
- ✗Relying on the C&G 2346 EWA route post-2026 — the Experienced Worker Assessment is being withdrawn; existing holders remain qualified, but new entrants need the Level 3 NVQ route
- ✗Not refreshing on BS 7671 Amendment 4 (Orange Book) before 15 October 2026 — A4 becomes the sole edition in force from that date
- ✗Treating the competency record as a one-off — it is a live document; every renewal, every refresher, every scope change updates the record
The faster option
Fill one on your phone in 2 minutes
Pick the template. Answer the fields. Customer signs from their inbox. PDF saved in the vault with a unique number. Free forever on your first 100 docs a month. Pro £15/month adds custom branding and one-tap customer email. No card at sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
What changes on 1 October 2026?+
Every employed and subcontracted electrical operative working on UK installations must hold a Level 3 qualification (or recognised equivalent) and be registered with the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme. The Installation Electrician ECS Gold Card is the standard evidence. Pre-October the requirement was site-by-site at the principal contractor's discretion; from October it is industry-wide.
What's the difference between Installation Electrician and Approved Electrician?+
Installation Electrician (Gold Card) is the Level 3 NVQ qualified status — the baseline competent worker. Approved Electrician is a senior status requiring further experience, the AM2 assessment, and a track record of unsupervised installation work. Both are valid for installation work; Approved is the typical bar for design responsibility and complex work.
What if my operative passed the C&G 2346 EWA route?+
Existing holders of the C&G 2346 Experienced Worker Assessment route to Gold Card status remain qualified — the route closes for new entrants post-2026 but the qualification is not retrospectively withdrawn. New entrants from October 2026 onwards need the Level 3 Apprenticeship or Level 3 NVQ route.
Do subcontractors need a competency record from me?+
The duty under EAW 1989 Reg 16 falls on the duty-holder for the work — including the principal contractor for site work. The competency record can be the subcontractor's own (proof of card and qualifications) attached to your engagement file, but you must check it before engagement and hold a copy.
What about the BS 7671 Orange Book?+
BS 7671:2018 Amendment 4 (the 'Orange Book') was published 15 April 2026 with a six-month transition. From 15 October 2026 only A4 is in force — operatives need a current A4 qualification (typically C&G 2382 to A4) to certify work issued after that date. Update the competency record at the same time as the October ECS deadline.
How does this interact with NICEIC / NAPIT registration?+
Scheme registration (NICEIC / NAPIT / ELECSA / Stroma) is the contractor-level competence evidence — the ECS card is the operative-level evidence. The two run in parallel. Scheme registration requires the contractor to evidence competent operatives, so the competency record feeds the scheme assessment as well as the EAW Reg 16 duty.