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Safety in Our States
Living in a silo can limit your success and the success of safety in our industry — the activity of breaking down silos and building healthy bridges can elevate and strengthen your safety message. Every year, and pretty much each month, there is a state somewhere that is either reviewing or actively meeting to adopt a building code. We in the electrical industry are called to action every now and then in various states that decide adoption of the latest National Electrical Code without amendment is just not an option.
The market activity in PV has driven many new products into our markets, making the inspector’s job difficult as technology can change from one job to the next. You will be faced with new products and configurations that will require you to do your homework. A heightened sense of awareness is an asset in this changing market.
Local jurisdiction code adoption varies from area to area and some have placed more stringent requirements around financial impact analysis for not only new building codes but for any new law or changes to existing laws. This is typically called a fiscal impact analysis or statement and through the code adoption process over the years we have experienced this analysis requirement in various states including Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and others.
New electrical contractors enter our markets every year; these individuals perform work that electrical inspectors ultimately review. Involvement in activities in which these individuals participate, using the opportunities to educate, is getting to the grassroots of electrical safety.
Our industry is experiencing a challenge that jeopardizes safety: growth of counterfeit products. Worldwide, counterfeiting is estimated to be 5 to 7 percent of world trade or about $600 billion each year. In the United States alone, that figure is $200–$250 million.
Flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to safety is not a good idea. A good safety plan can add value to your inspection program.
The question of how to conduct an inspection may seem trivial to a person who has been inspecting for more than twenty years but be not mistaken—remember back when you first began—this is not as easy as it seems.
Many owners of older homes have experienced “small” renovation projects that have morphed into much larger projects due to identification of safety related issues. Existing structures can present challenges to homeowners, as they make changes over time.
Keeping up with local codes can pose serious challenges for electricians and inspectors, as some states adopt codes locally — not statewide. In some cases, regulations can vary from county to county, which makes keeping track of local policies difficult at best. This edition of Safety in Our States provides an update on the code [...]
It is impossible to know the answers to all of the questions we are faced with on a regular basis; each job site will have unique and nuanced requirements. That said, it is critical to know appropriate and knowledgeable resources. Early in my career with Eaton Corporation, I worked in a technical application call center [...]
