Top Nine Reasons Generators Fail to Start
Apr 1, 2007, By Darren Dembski, Peterson Power Systems
With each passing year, our society's reliance on an unlimited supply of electric power continues to increase. The availability of this continuous power...
Taking The Labor Out Of Labor Tracking
Apr 1, 2007, By Tom Zind, Freelance Writer
When systemic problems plague a business, relief is immediate once they're revealed and corrected. At the same time, there's a natural tendency to resist...
Short Circuits
Apr 1, 2007,
Water Works We were called to troubleshoot the sprinkler water flow alarm at an old mill complex, dating back to the early 1900s. Verifying that the alarm...
The Case of the Suffocating Swine
Mar 1, 2007, By James E. Peserik, PE, PLS, FACFEI, CFEI, CFII, DABFET, James E. Peserik Associates, Inc.
It seemed like any other day on a large commercial hog farm. Workers went about their daily chores one summer day, tending to the hogs as usual and leaving...
Short Circuits
Mar 1, 2007,
The plant I recently relocated to uses a complicated HVAC system to deal with chemical fumes and humidity as well as heating and cooling....
Productivity Metrics
Mar 1, 2007, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer
When you're a facilities construction project manager or subcontractor, your job can be as lonely as that of the Maytag repairman, but for an entirely...
EquipmentWatch Launches New Online Fleet Manager
Mar 1, 2007,
EquipmentWatch, a leading provider of online heavy equipment data and sister online property to EC&M, recently launched its new EquipmentWatch Fleet Manager...
A Quick Guide to Making PQ Measurements
Mar 1, 2007, By John DeDad, senior director, editorial and EC&M development
The variety of test and measurement products available today can boggle the mind. From the mundane to the exotic, these instruments can practically lead...
Training for Future Growth
Mar 1, 2007, By Al Levi Appleseed Business
If you've had enough of trying to run a business while running around as a technician, you're not alone. Many managers and owners at small- to mid-size...
Safeguard Your Bottom Line by Ensuring Your Customers' Well-Being
Feb 1, 2007,
The sharp decline in the single-family housing construction market has some residential electrical contractors scrambling for new ways to promote themselves....
OSHA's Top 10 Cited Standards
Feb 1, 2007,
As reported by OSHA, the following are the top 10 most frequently cited standards in fiscal year 2006 (October 2005 through September 2006): 1 Scaffolding,...
Short Circuits
Feb 1, 2007,
The Bubble Machine In the early '70s, I worked for the Navy in a shop that primarily performed maintenance for Navy housing. Neither myself nor my fellow...
In the Ballpark
Feb 1, 2007, By Michael Hughes, CPE, Bergelectric Corp.
Webster's defines estimate as: A statement of the cost of work to be done. For those of us in the electrical world, what this really means is: How much...
The Case of the Surface Miner Electrocution
Jan 1, 2007, By James Angelo Ruggieri, P.E., General Machine Corp.
There was no question how the accident happened that day. On a cold winter afternoon in northwestern Ohio, a dredge operator was electrocuted when he...
From the Forensic Files of NIOSH
Jan 1, 2007,
Even the most experienced electrical industry employee is susceptible to on-the-job hazards. Case in point: A journeyman electrician with 20 years of...
The Troubles with Dialing in Proper Circuit Breaker Protection
Jan 1, 2007, By Bill Bardsley, Square D/Schneider Electric
If a motor isn't adequately protected, a short circuit will likely result in premature replacement. Then there's the problem of nuisance tripping upon...
Short Circuts
Jan 1, 2007,
A Shocking Ending Right after I got involved in the electrical trade, I was paired with an older journeyman to learn the tricks of the trade. We were...
Short Circuits
Dec 1, 2006,
Balancing Act The office we were running conduit in about 30 years ago was of typical wood-frame construction, about 9 feet high, inside a 25-foot warehouse....
Streamlining the Energized Work Permit Process
Dec 1, 2006, By Larry Ayer, P.E., Biz Com Electric, Inc.
Filling out paperwork for electrical permits and inspections and submitting a drawing to the local building department for plan review is already time...
Post-Electrocution Acts that Save Lives
Dec 1, 2006,
While most electrical safety plans make every effort to ensure no one is ever electrocuted, electrocution is an ever-present danger for those in the electrical...
