advanced search

Capital equipment; operational materials; software

Nov 30, 1995 12:00 PM

Included in this category are trucks, trenchers, and construction trailers; ladders, scaffolds, and work platforms; storage bins and boxes; lubricants, cleaners, inhibitors; safety items; and software.

The average jobsite will have a wide variety of vehicles, equipment, and safety items that are used in the process of construction. Without them, progress would be much slower and a lot less safe. Of course, OSHA requirements have forced the development of many new products for personnel safety. Nevertheless, any construction project will require the contractor to include in his contract price the cost of operating these vehicles and equipment, and of providing the necessary safety items. As a result, many new time and labor saving products, both capital and operational, are constantly being introduced.

Capital equipment

Vehicles fitted with specialized equipment play very large roles in the installation and maintenance of electrical systems. Panel trucks and those with custom bodies that contain compartments for tools and parts are a part of all electrical contractors' fleets. Larger trucks with an insulated bucket have become essential tools in high work such as on polelines, the setting of light fixtures, and similar tasks.

Certain specialized equipment, such as equipment for digging and setting poles, can be made additions onto vehicles. Trenchers and cable-laying equipment tend to be more custom designed for that purpose. Large trucks for transporting and paying out large reels of cable also play important roles, as does motorized equipment for pulling large cable through long runs of undergound duct.

Similar equipment for the installation of long continuous lengths of fiberoptic cable is specialized due to the critical importance of maintaining the correct and allowable pulling tensions when working with that medium.

Construction trailers are often the first items that appear on a jobsite. They function as the onsite offices for supervisory and design personnel, in addition to serving as a contractor's field office. Other trailers are fitted with storage racks for the construction materials and parts that will eventually be needed on the project.

Auxiliary equipment

Scaffolding and ladders are two items that are especially critical in the construction and maintenance of electrical systems. Fiberglass ladders are increasingly used because of their light weight, strength, and inherent safety when used near potentially energized circuits. Scaffolding is essential to reaching lighting fixtures, busways, and other components of electrical systems that are located overhead. Often they must be tailored for access through narrow aisles, or for exceptional heights.

In addition, self-powered work platforms perform much the same function. They are usually powered either by battery or LP gas, and telescope up to the desired working height. Some can even be operated from the platform. Performance characteristics vary with manufacturer. Typical motors include scissors-type and knuckle-arm variations.

Safely equipment

Safety is a prime concern when working around electrical equipment. Protective garments, such as safety glasses, nonconductive hard-hats, and insulated gloves and blankets, are essential. However, warning signs, tags, and padlocks play equally important roles at the jobsite. Danger tags are just as effective as padlocks in preventing a system from being unexpectedly energized, as long as a meaningful program ensures that everyone obeys the rules.

The recent revision to OSHA's lockout/tagout rules point out the importance of these safety devices. As a result, many new products are available, including tagout tags with photos of the electrician who is tagging out the respective circuit.

Marker strips to warn of underground electrical services, barriers and other means of defining areas from which nonqualified persons are to be excluded during testing or other operations, are all a part of required safety programs which should be followed.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue EC&M Magazine | April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters