309A · Electrician Study Guide · Part 1 · Chapters 1–9

A – Performs common occupational skills +8309A · Electrician · English

58 topics · Updated 2026-09-17

1.A – Performs common occupational skills

📌

Performs safety-related functions

occupational

Covers the safety responsibilities of construction electricians, including protecting themselves and others and following company, client and jurisdictional regulations.

Key Rules
  • A-1.01 Uses personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety equipment
  • A-1.02 Maintains safe work environment
  • A-1.03 Performs lock-out and tag-out procedures
📌

Uses tools and equipment

occupational

Covers the safe and effective selection, use and maintenance of tools and equipment relevant to the task being performed.

Key Rules
  • A-2.01 Uses common and specialty tools and equipment
  • A-2.02 Uses access equipment
  • A-2.03 Uses rigging, hoisting and lifting equipment
📌

Organizes work

occupational

Covers planning and organizing work activities including interpreting documentation, organizing materials, and preparing the worksite.

Key Rules
  • A-3.01 Interprets plans, drawings and specifications
  • A-3.02 Organizes materials and supplies
  • A-3.03 Plans project tasks and procedures
  • A-3.04 Prepares worksite
  • A-3.05 Finalizes required documentation
📌

Fabricates and installs support components

occupational

Covers fabricating and installing the structural support components used in electrical installations.

Key Rules
  • A-4.01 Fabricates support structures
  • A-4.02 Installs brackets, hangers and fasteners
  • A-4.03 Installs seismic restraint systems
📌

Commissions and decommissions electrical systems

occupational

Covers performing startup, shutdown, commissioning and decommissioning of electrical systems.

Key Rules
  • A-5.01 Performs startup and shutdown procedures
  • A-5.02 Performs commissioning and decommissioning of systems
📌

Uses communication and mentoring techniques

occupational

Covers the communication and mentoring techniques used by construction electricians in the workplace.

Key Rules
  • A-6.01 Uses communication techniques
  • A-6.02 Uses mentoring techniques

2.Task A-2 Uses tools and equipment (Hoisting, Lifting and Rigging)

📌

Hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment and applications

occupational

Covers knowledge of hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment, their applications, limitations and procedures for use.

Key Rules
  • identify types of rigging equipment and accessories, and describe their applications and procedures for use
  • identify types of hoisting and lifting equipment and accessories, and describe their applications and procedures for use
  • identify potential hazards, and describe safe work practices pertaining to hoisting, lifting and rigging
  • describe procedures to inspect, maintain and store hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment
📌

Regulatory requirements for hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment

occupational

Covers knowledge of regulatory requirements pertaining to hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment.

Key Rules
  • identify and interpret codes and regulations pertaining to hoisting, lifting and rigging equipment
📌

Hoisting and lifting operations for electrical installations

occupational

Covers knowledge of hoisting and lifting operations for electrical installations.

Key Rules
  • identify types of knots, hitches, splices and bends, and describe their applications and procedures to tie them
  • describe considerations when rigging material or equipment for lifting
  • identify and describe procedures to communicate during hoisting, lifting and rigging operations

3.B-10.02 Performs servicing and maintenance of power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems

📌

Servicing and maintenance skills for power conditioning systems

distribution

Covers the practical steps to diagnose, repair and maintain power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems, from obtaining fault descriptions to updating maintenance logs.

Key Rules
  • obtain detailed description of operation and malfunction
  • determine source of malfunction
  • select tools and equipment
  • identify and remove defective components
  • repair malfunctioning components and verify repair
  • select replacement components
  • install replacement components
  • conduct tests after repair
  • clean, lubricate and adjust components
  • record tests in maintenance schedule
  • compare and analyze maintenance test results
  • update maintenance log
📌

Knowledge of power conditioning systems and characteristics

distribution

Covers understanding power quality, power factor correction, harmonics reduction, surge suppression and UPS equipment types and their applications.

Key Rules
  • interpret codes and regulations pertaining to power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems
  • explain power quality and its impact on equipment operation
  • explain single-phase and three-phase power factor correction and calculations
  • identify types of power factor correction equipment
  • identify equipment used to reduce harmonics
  • identify surge suppression equipment
  • identify types of UPS equipment
📌

Procedures to service and maintain power conditioning systems

distribution

Covers the tools, equipment and procedures used to service and maintain power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems, including UPS hazards.

Key Rules
  • identify tools and equipment used to service and maintain systems
  • describe procedures to service and maintain systems
  • identify hazards with UPS systems when working with batteries, multiple sources and capacitors

4.B-15.04 Installs high-voltage transformers

📌

Procedures to install high-voltage transformers and components

distribution

Covers the knowledge required to install high-voltage transformers and their components, including tools, equipment and installation procedures as framed in learning outcome B-15.04.02L.

Key Rules
  • identify tools and equipment used to install high-voltage transformers and high-voltage transformer components, and describe their applications and procedures for use
  • describe procedures to install high-voltage transformers and high-voltage transformer components
  • describe procedures to install high-voltage transformers in parallel
📌

Installing high-voltage transformers skills

distribution

Covers selecting transformer type and rating, calculating conductors, overcurrent protection, mounting, tap settings, connecting leads, grounding, testing and removal of high-voltage transformers.

Key Rules
  • determine type and kVA rating of transformer required
  • calculate conductor and cable requirements
  • determine overcurrent devices
  • select tools and equipment
  • install overcurrent devices
  • position and mount transformer
  • select and change tap settings
  • connect transformer leads
  • ground and bond transformer
  • conduct tests after installation and record results
  • remove existing transformer when replacing and update documentation
📌

Knowledge of high-voltage transformers

distribution

Covers high-voltage transformer types, winding configurations, components, nameplates, polarity, selection considerations and codes.

Key Rules
  • identify types of high-voltage transformers
  • identify winding configurations
  • identify transformer components
  • interpret information contained on nameplates
  • explain transformer polarity and terminal markings
  • identify considerations for selecting transformers
  • interpret codes and regulations

5.Task C-20 Installs, services and maintains exit and emergency lighting systems

📌

Repair and replace exit and emergency lighting components

signaling

Covers repairing malfunctioning components, selecting and installing replacement components, and testing after repair according to manufacturers' specifications and AHJ.

Key Rules
  • repair malfunctioning components and verify repair
  • select replacement components (OEM when mandated)
  • install replacement components
  • conduct tests of exit and emergency lighting system after repair
  • record tests in maintenance schedule
  • identify, remove, dispose of or recycle defective components
📌

Knowledge of exit and emergency lighting systems

signaling

Topic covers types, components, characteristics, applications and operation of exit and emergency lighting systems.

Key Rules
  • identify types of exit and emergency lighting systems and describe characteristics, applications and operation
  • identify exit and emergency lighting system components and describe applications and operation
📌

Procedures to service exit and emergency lighting systems

signaling

Topic covers tools, equipment and procedures used to diagnose, repair and replace exit and emergency lighting systems.

Key Rules
  • identify tools and equipment used to service and describe applications and procedures
  • describe procedures to diagnose exit and emergency lighting systems and their components
  • describe procedures to repair or replace systems and their components
📌

Procedures to maintain exit and emergency lighting systems

signaling

Topic covers tools, equipment and procedures used to maintain exit and emergency lighting systems and their components.

Key Rules
  • identify tools and equipment used to maintain and describe applications and procedures
  • describe procedures to maintain systems and their components

6.E-26.01 Installs fire alarm systems

📌

Position, mount and assemble fire alarm components

signaling

Covers positioning, mounting and assembling fire alarm system components in locations according to electrical drawings and the authority having jurisdiction.

📌

Terminate and interconnect fire alarm components and systems

signaling

Covers terminating and interconnecting fire alarm system components and associated system devices per drawings, specifications and job requirements.

📌

Test fire alarm system components

signaling

Covers testing fire alarm system components so they function according to drawings, specifications and jurisdictional regulations.

📌

Test conductors for opens and ground continuity

signaling

Covers verifying conductors have no opens and that all components are bonded to ground and clear of obstructions.

📌

Conduct initial fire alarm system tests

signaling

Covers performing sensory and spot tests and initial fire alarm system tests per drawings and specifications.

📌

Participate in startup, commissioning and verification

signaling

Covers conducting verification on fire alarm systems, components and associated systems per regulatory standards so devices function as intended.

📌

Knowledge of fire alarm systems and components

signaling

Covers demonstrating knowledge of fire alarm systems, components, their characteristics, applications and operation.

Key Rules
  • interpret codes and regulations pertaining to fire alarm systems
  • interpret information pertaining to fire alarm systems found on drawings and specifications
  • identify types of fire alarm systems, and describe their characteristics, applications and operation
  • identify and describe types of associated systems that are interconnected with fire alarm systems
  • identify fire alarm system components, and describe their characteristics and applications
  • identify considerations and requirements for selecting fire alarm systems and components
📌

Knowledge of procedures to install fire alarm systems

signaling

Covers demonstrating knowledge of procedures to install, upgrade and connect fire alarm systems and components.

Key Rules
  • identify tools and equipment used to install, upgrade and connect fire alarm systems and components
  • describe procedures to install, upgrade and connect fire alarm systems and components
  • describe procedures for testing fire alarm systems and components
  • describe procedures for commissioning and verification of fire alarm systems

7.Glossary of Terms

📌

Grounding

distribution

Defines grounding as a permanent, continuous conductive path to earth sized to carry any fault current and with low enough impedance to limit voltage rise and allow protective devices to operate.

Key Rules
  • Permanent and continuous conductive path to earth
  • Sufficient ampacity to carry fault current
  • Sufficiently low impedance to limit voltage rise above ground
  • Facilitates operation of protective devices in the circuit
📌

High-voltage System

distribution

Defines a high-voltage system per the CEC by its voltage thresholds.

Key Rules
  • Any voltage exceeding 1 000 V AC or 1 060 V DC as per CEC
📌

Low-energy Power Circuit

signaling

Defines a low-energy power circuit based on limited power relative to open circuit voltage.

Key Rules
  • Power limited to 100 VA where V is the open circuit voltage
📌

Low-voltage System

distribution

Defines a low-voltage system per the CEC by its AC and DC voltage ranges.

Key Rules
  • Exceeding 30 V AC but not exceeding 1 000 V AC
  • Exceeding 42.4 V DC but not exceeding 1 060 V DC as per CEC
🔌

Luminaire

wiring

Defines a luminaire as a complete lighting unit that accommodates lamps and connects them to circuit conductors.

Key Rules
  • Complete lighting unit designed to accommodate lamp(s)
  • Connects lamp(s) to circuit conductors
  • Examples: fluorescent, High Intensity Discharge (HID), incandescent
🔌

Raceway

wiring

Defines a raceway as any channel designed to hold wires, cables or busbars, including the range of conduit and enclosure types recognized by the CEC.

Key Rules
  • Channel for holding wires, cables or busbars
  • Includes conduit (rigid, flexible, metal, non-metallic)
  • Electrical metallic and non-metallic tubing
  • Underfloor raceway, cellular floors, surface raceways
  • Wireways, cable trays, busways, and auxiliary gutters
📌

Specifications

occupational

Defines specifications as an explicit set of requirements a material, product or service must satisfy, drawn from codes, drawings, and various authorities.

Key Rules
  • Local and national building codes
  • Documentation holding legal obligations
  • Schematics and manufacturers' specifications
  • Local code and provincial/federal authority
  • Engineered drawings, diagrams and schematics
  • Client requirements and warranty documents
  • Site drawings, shop drawings, company requirements

8.B – Installs, services and maintains generating, distribution and service systems

📌

Installs, services and maintains consumer/supply services and metering equipment

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of single-phase and three-phase consumer/supply services and metering equipment.

Key Rules
  • B-7.01 Installs single-phase consumer/supply services and metering equipment
  • B-7.02 Installs three-phase consumer/supply services and metering equipment
  • B-7.03 Performs servicing and maintenance of single-phase consumer/supply services and metering equipment
  • B-7.04 Performs servicing and maintenance of three-phase consumer/supply services and metering equipment
📌

Installs, services and maintains protection devices

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of overcurrent, ground fault, arc fault and surge protection devices.

Key Rules
  • B-8.01 Installs overcurrent protection devices
  • B-8.02 Installs ground fault, arc fault and surge protection devices
  • B-8.03 Performs servicing and maintenance of protection devices
📌

Installs, services and maintains power distribution equipment

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of power distribution equipment.

Key Rules
  • B-9.01 Installs power distribution equipment
  • B-9.02 Performs servicing and maintenance of power distribution equipment
📌

Installs, services and maintains bonding and grounding, and ground fault protection and detection systems

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of bonding, grounding, ground fault protection and detection, and lightning protection systems.

Key Rules
  • B-11.01 Installs bonding and grounding systems
  • B-11.02 Installs ground fault protection and detection systems
  • B-11.03 Installs lightning protection systems
  • B-11.04 Performs servicing and maintenance of bonding and grounding systems
📌

Installs, services and maintains transformers

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of extra-low, low and high-voltage transformers.

Key Rules
  • B-15.01 Installs extra-low-voltage transformers
  • B-15.02 Installs low-voltage single-phase transformers
  • B-15.03 Installs low-voltage three-phase transformers
  • B-15.04 Installs high-voltage transformers
  • B-15.05 Performs servicing and maintenance of transformers
📌

Installs, services and maintains power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of power conditioning, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and surge suppression systems.

Key Rules
  • B-10.01 Installs power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems
  • B-10.02 Performs servicing and maintenance of power conditioning, UPS and surge suppression systems
📌

Installs, services and maintains power generation and conversion systems

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of AC and DC generating and conversion systems.

Key Rules
  • B-12.01 Installs alternating current (AC) generating systems
  • B-12.02 Performs servicing and maintenance of AC generating systems
  • B-12.03 Installs direct current (DC) generating and conversion systems
  • B-12.04 Performs servicing and maintenance of DC generating and conversion systems
📌

Installs, services and maintains renewable energy generating and storage systems

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of renewable energy generating and storage systems.

Key Rules
  • B-13.01 Installs renewable energy generating and storage systems
  • B-13.02 Performs servicing and maintenance of renewable energy generating and storage systems
📌

Installs, services and maintains high-voltage systems

distribution

Covers installation, servicing and maintenance of high-voltage equipment and cables.

Key Rules
  • B-14.01 Installs high-voltage equipment
  • B-14.02 Installs high-voltage cables
  • B-14.03 Performs servicing and maintenance of high-voltage systems

9.Task A-3 Organizes work

📌

Interprets plans, drawings and specifications

occupational

Covers identifying symbols and scaling, locating equipment/devices, cross-referencing information and verifying currency of drawings.

Key Rules
  • identify symbols and scaling
  • determine location of equipment and devices
  • locate and cross-reference information on plans, drawings, specifications and contract documents
  • visualize finished product based on information in plans, drawings and specifications
  • determine if plans, drawings, schematics and specifications are current
📌

Drawings, schematics and specifications and their applications

occupational

Covers knowledge of drawings, schematics and specifications and their applications.

Key Rules
  • identify types of drawings, schematics and specifications, and describe their applications
  • identify documentation requirements for modifying drawings and specifications
  • describe procedures to document changes made to equipment and wiring
📌

Imperial and SI measurement systems

occupational

Covers knowledge of imperial and SI (système international) measurement systems used in trade documentation.

Key Rules
  • identify imperial and SI units of measurement used in trade documentation
📌

Interpreting and extracting information from drawings

occupational

Covers knowledge of interpreting and extracting information from drawings, schematics and specifications.

Key Rules
  • interpret and extract information from drawings, schematics and specifications
  • explain how scaling is performed to position devices
📌

Organizes materials and supplies

occupational

Covers identifying, selecting, ordering, loading, storing, receiving, verifying and inventorying materials and supplies.

Key Rules
  • identify and select materials and supplies
  • locate, order and schedule delivery of materials and supplies
  • load, unload and store materials and supplies
  • identify required materials and supplies
  • coordinate receiving of materials and supplies
  • verify shipments for quality and quantity of materials and supplies
  • perform inventory control
📌

Procedures to plan and organize materials and supplies

occupational

Covers knowledge of procedures to plan and organize materials and supplies.

Key Rules
  • identify sources of information relevant to organize materials and supplies
  • describe considerations to organize materials and supplies
📌

Plans project tasks and procedures

occupational

Covers determining job/material/labour/equipment requirements, scheduling, coordinating with trades and sketching layouts.

Key Rules
  • determine job requirements
  • determine material, labour and equipment requirements
  • establish and maintain schedules
  • coordinate work with other trades and end user
  • draw and sketch layouts
📌

Procedures to plan and organize job tasks

occupational

Covers knowledge of procedures to plan and organize job tasks.

Key Rules
  • identify sources of information relevant to planning job tasks and procedures
  • describe considerations to plan and organize job tasks and procedures
  • describe functions of project schedule charts
📌

Prepares worksite

occupational

Covers pre-job assessment, identifying hazards and hazardous locations, wiring/equipment/sealing in hazardous locations, containing work zones and obtaining permits.

Key Rules
  • perform pre-job assessment
  • identify traffic areas and potential hazards
  • identify hazardous locations
  • identify wiring procedures in hazardous locations
  • identify equipment used in hazardous locations
  • identify locations for where sealing is required
  • contain work zone
  • create openings and penetrations in structures and equipment
  • ensure egress, lighting and ventilation in work area
  • ensure required materials and equipment are on site
  • control workplace and storage access
  • ensure surveys are completed and locates are marked-out
  • ensure hot work, building and safety permits are obtained
📌

Procedures to prepare worksite

occupational

Covers knowledge of procedures to prepare the worksite.

Key Rules
  • identify sources of information to prepare worksite
  • identify potential hazards to prepare worksite
  • describe considerations to prepare worksite
📌

Locating elements encased in concrete and soil

occupational

Covers knowledge of procedures to locate elements encased in concrete and soil.

Key Rules
  • identify types of surveying equipment used to locate elements in concrete walls and floors, concrete slab on grade and in soil
  • describe safety requirements when using x-ray surveying equipment in occupied buildings
📌

Hazardous locations classification

occupational

Covers knowledge of hazardous locations and the division system of classification.

Key Rules
  • identify types of hazardous locations and describe safe work procedures
  • identify types of potentially hazardous materials present and procedures to designate an area to be a hazardous location
  • identify equipment and fittings designed for installation and operation in hazardous locations
  • hazardous locations are identified according to division system of classification
🔌

Hazardous locations wiring methods

wiring

Covers knowledge of hazardous locations wiring methods.

Key Rules
  • identify and describe wiring methods in hazardous locations
📌

Finalizes required documentation

occupational

Covers documenting alterations, logging data, compiling maintenance manuals and submitting as-built drawings and O&M manuals.

Key Rules
  • document alterations
  • log data from various sources to assist with maintenance and replacement
  • compile maintenance manuals from installed equipment manufacturers' specifications
  • submit final documentation, including as-built drawings to client
📌

Documentation, its purpose, application and use

occupational

Covers knowledge of documentation, its purpose, application and use.

Key Rules
  • describe and identify types of documentation developed from different tasks
  • describe procedures for finalizing documentation

Ready to practice?

Test your knowledge with exam-style 309A Electrician questions.

Start free practice →

All chapters

← Back to the 309A study guide 2. B-11.01 Installs grounding and bonding systems +63. B-11.02 Installs ground fault protection and detection systems +84. Task D-24 Installs, services and maintains motors +65. Task D-25 Installs, programs, services and maintains automated control systems +86. Task B-9 Installs, services and maintains power distribution equipment +87. C-17.03 Installs lighting controls +78. C-17.06 Installs, services and maintains airport visual aid systems +13

Other languages

Français中文EspañolFilipinoTiếng Việtالعربيةفارسی한국어日本語ਪੰਜਾਬੀहिन्दी