Your many years of field experience and your dedication to exam preparation have enabled you to pass your test. Your dream of financial freedom by owning your own electrical business is about to get started. Now what options do you have?
Electrical contractors come in a wide variety of sizes. Top electrical contractors employ thousands of people and gross hundreds of millions of dollars. Electrical safety is the number one priority, whether you are a large electrical contractor or a six-man shop. Or, is it? Does a two-million-dollar contractor have the same budget and resources as say, a twenty-million-dollar contractor? There are vast differences in electrical safety procedures based on company sizes. Remember, safety starts with you! Whether your employer is big or small, you need to be proactive about safety. Here are some tips on how to stay safe.
By the time the company makes it to the job site, considerable time and money have already been spent on the project. The electrical foreman has many responsibilities and can single–handedly be the cause of a failed project. The foreman needs to be the National Electrical Code guru, assistant to the Project Manager, Human Resources liaison, team coach, and much more. Like other positions in the field, the electrical foreman needs continuous training to keep on top of the game. Here are four easy steps for managing an electrical job site.
Metal-Clad (MC) Cable is used every day in the electrical industry. The true conduit benders hate it. The value engineering people love it. MC Cable is really a great product, has a wide variety of uses, and can be installed to look good. Let’s take a closer look at this industry workhorse: Metal-Clad Cable.
MC Cable Definition
MC Cable, by most common definition, is a factory assembly of one or more insulated circuit conductors enclosed in an armor of interlocking metal tape or a smooth or corrugated metal sheath. The smaller cables should be unsheathed by using an armored cutter like the famous “Roto-Split”. The fittings must be listed and identified for use. If the manufacturer provides anti-short bushings, they can be used. The bushings are not an NEC requirement since the listed MC connectors provide the conductor protection from sharp edges.
Underground electrical installations can save labor hours, material costs, and provide protection to the installation. Sometimes going underground is the only logical path to get service from one point to another whether new construction or remodel work. Overall, there are not many electrical projects that don’t require a little digging in the dirt at some point. Let’s dust off the National Electrical Code (NEC) and review some Code pertaining to burial depths and standard operating procedures.
Under Floor Electric Cable and Cable Mat Systems are a great way to warm or even heat a space. These systems can be a supplemental or even a main source of heat in a variety of rooms. The systems can be installed under many types of floors such as tile, wood, concrete, vinyl, and even carpet. The manufacturers offer a variety or pre-engineered packaged units and even piece-by-piece options. The manufacturer’s step-by-step installation instructions must be used to install the heating cables, mats, spacers, thermostats, and other associated equipment. The instructions will also point us in the right direction as far as the branch circuit size but will most likely not give all of the needed information.
The need for a residential backup generator can vary in different areas of the country. The generator size and installation technique can also vary depending on your level of needed convenience and budget. Let’s take a look at a few different generator installation packages so you can decide what could be the best option for you and your family.
The electrical service change is a very common electrical service job. Your standard residential service electrician could complete one on any given day, and it would be an easy task for him. For the rest of the electricians out there, a quick refresher may be needed before diving into an electrical service change. Let’s review some typical service change details and procedures using the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC).
Each morning your average electrical foreman and crew begin their day with a meeting. This Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) meeting is the most important meeting of the day and can mean the difference between life and death. Many of the workers are barely awake and just halfway through their energy drink. Some foremen will choose to rush through or even skip this event so they can get a jump start on the day. The owners of the company, the safety manager, and the elite crew members want to have this meeting and want it to be meaningful. OSHA says you should perform this JHA meeting every workday to keep your workers safe. Let’s look at how we can start the day off right.
In the electrical industry we sometimes see the term “lead man”. This “leader of men”, or foreman, is the key to a successful project and a successful company. This person can be the most difficult employee to find and the most important person in the field. Today’s company must be prepared and knowledgeable about the foreman hiring processes in order to capitalize on today’s booming electrical industry. Let’s look at how to find your next lead man – your foreman.
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