Career Progression

It seems there is a natural progression to everyone's career and the electrical field is no different. We all start out as helpers and work our way up. Hopefully we pass the journeyman's exam, then on to the master's. Some will choose management in an established company while others will attempt a shot at ownership. But there are those who are quite content to be mechanics. These guys wear their tools everyday building America.  They continue on into their sixties twisting joints and bending pipe. Is it the satisfaction of doing a day's work for a day's pay or the fear they can't handle management responsibilities or fear their co-workers will no longer be friends with them that keeps them stalled out? Maybe they don't want to wear business attire or cut their hair in a more appropriate style. 

Are these the workers that companies want? They can't keep up with the younger guys, their break time and lunch time seem to stretch out more and more. However they do offer an enormous amount of knowledge they can pass along. How do they affect the bottom line? 

It's my opinion they become a drain on the company. Good electricians know 90% of what they are going to learn in the first 15 years, after that they will pick up a few things here and there to stay up with code or current with technology. These younger veterans are quite capable of passing along this information to the helpers. Most guys in their 50's and 60's are just too slow to be profitable. Their "don't hurry" attitude is infectious too. Everyone starts to get into the relaxed flow and production drops off. 

Construction is a hard life and ranks in the top ten most dangerous professions. If we don't set goals and achieve them, then we become a burden. Continue to learn the latest changes to tools, materials, methods and code. Strive to become a leader. Those with ambition tend to be better electricians and therefore more valuable to the company. Remember, in the rat race of life it is survival of the fittest.

Homeowners and Electrical Work

Why is it we have all these rules and regulations for electrical work? We require licensing for electricians and contractors, yet any homeowner can do the wiring on their homes.

It is argued that the work will be inspected by an AHJ, so it should be up to code. If this is a valid point, then why do we require licensing at all? Isn't all electrical work supposed to be inspected and shown to meet code?

Electrical work is dangerous to install, to maintain, to use. If it is installed improperly it can cause property damage or loss of life. If we allow unqualified individuals to perform electrical work and something slips by the inspector there could be dire consequences. It may not happen right away either, it could be after the house is sold.

I have an example I'd like to pass along. I was wiring a house for a friend of mine (I am a licensed contractor by the way) and when I returned to wire his stand alone garage, I noticed the sprinkler company had been there. Both pumps that were installed during original construction were wired 220V. The sprinkler company installed a Rainbird system that required 120V supply to a step down transformer with 24V output. They decided to tap off the wiring on the pump pressure switch. They connected the live wire to one of the hot wires and tied the neutral and ground both to the ground lug. This is a very dangerous arrangement. There is now current flowing on the pump casing. If the pump were to leak water all over the floor and a barefoot person walked in, they could potentially be electrocuted.

We have all seen poorly installed electrical work. We wonder how someone could even do such stuff.

What if the do-it-yourself centers no longer sold electrical supplies to homeowners? It would surely limit the number of untrained people trying to wire an addition to a house, or connect a new hot tub, etc. Sure there are books out there that give the basics to residential wiring but how many really buy and read these books? We definitely have enough crackpot electricians working for legitimate companies that we don't need homeowners helping out.

OSHA's Top Ten for 2010

Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards
for Fiscal 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010)

The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA. OSHA publishes this list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards addressed in these and other standards before OSHA shows up. Far too many preventable injuries and illnesses occur in the workplace.

1. Scaffolding, general requirements (29 CFR 1926.451)

2. Fall protection, (29 CFR 1926.501) 

3. Hazard communication standard, (29 CFR 1910.1200) 

4. Ladders, (29 CFR 1926.1053) 

5. Respiratory protection, (29 CFR 1910.134)

6. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), (29 CFR 1910.147) 

7. Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, (29 CFR 1910.305) 

8. Powered industrial trucks, (29 CFR 1910.178)

9. Electrical systems design, (29 CFR 1910.303) 

10. Machines, general requirements, (29 CFR 1910.212)




The above was taken directly from the OSHA website. I'd like to discuss what this means to employers and employees.


I addressed PPE in an earlier discussion, now we need to move on to workplace safety. The employer and employee are both responsible for workplace safety. A well written safety plan is only as good as the people who follow it. Take a look above, 2 of the top 10 are electrical related and the other 8 still affect most companies. 


Scaffolding goes together like grown-up Legos or erector sets. The pieces fit together in varying configurations, mixing and matching to suit our particular needs. We can assemble them to great heights, spanning over holes or obstacles. The problem is, these systems were designed as systems, not as individual pieces to be haphazardly thrown together. They must be erected under the watchful eye of a competent person. They must be inspected daily prior to anyone climbing on them. Training your employees to properly assemble scaffolding will save your company money in the long run. OSHA fines are stiff. Lawsuits from injured workers are even stiffer. 


I touched on fall protection in an earlier post. There's really no good excuse not to use proper fall protection. There are numerous designs and systems for every application. 


Hazard communication is one that slips through the cracks all the time. MSDS sheets get forgotten or misplaced. Employees need to be taught to interpret the information contained in them. Depending on the types of materials used, you will need extra precautions to handle them safely and equipment/materials to handle an accidental exposure. Employees have the right to know what hazards they are going to be exposed to while performing their jobs. 


It seems to me that ladders would have been number 2 on the list. This is the most common infraction I encounter on every jobsite. I always see workers on the top rung or next one down. It takes too much time to find a taller ladder, or we didn't bring one with us, or I will only be up there for a minute are the excuses I hear for this. I also see workers overreaching while on ladders, which leads to them walking the ladder instead of climbing down and properly relocating the ladder. Facing backwards happens all too often. Employers drill it into employees' heads that production is the number one priority. The company needs to make a profit to stay in business and keep it's workers employed. So workers start taking shortcuts to be more productive than their competition. Why climb off the ladder when I can scoot it along or reposition the ladder when I can just spin around and finish my task quickly. The answer is "it only takes that one time for an accident to occur". There are still more ladder infractions to be counted - leaning an A-frame ladder against a wall or something else, not extending an extension ladder to the proper level above the walking platform, not tying off the top of an extension ladder, improper foundation for any ladder, and on and on. How many people actually inspect their ladders daily?


Respiratory protection should be a no-brainer. When working with dust, flyings, chemicals, or fumes wear the right respirator. Train employees to pick the right one for the application intended and how to wear them properly. Quality of life goes down when you can't breathe.


Lock-out/Tag-out has gained ground over the past 20 years. It should be slipping off the top ten list, yet it persists in making it every year. Every company should know how to implement a lock-out/tag-out program.  All government installations have banned working on live equipment, whether these rules are enforced or not depends on each individual facility. Private sector should follow suit. Facility maintenance personnel need to be educated on every aspect of lock-out/tag-out, not just their particular trade. Hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical, mechanical, etc. pose different hazards and require specialized lock-out equipment. Using the right lock-out device is critical also. Just hanging a tag up doesn't provide the level of safety required.


How much is your life worth? How much would you be willing to pay for the life of one of your employees? Employers need to spend the time and money to train their employees and employees need to pay attention during training and learn how to work safer. In construction your safety doesn't depend on just your knowledge and habits but the knowledge and practices of others on the jobsite. What if the crane operator didn't follow the hand signals and swung the load into a group of workers not associated with his lifting operation? Being alert and keeping up to date with training will insure that we all get to go home at the end of the day. 

A Few More Code Changes

There are literally hundreds of code changes each time a new code book is released. Most are just new ways to say the same thing, hopefully making it clearer to understand the intent. Some, however, are adopted to improve the installation of electrical systems. I touched on some during an earlier post and I would like to note a few more here. I'll try to cover the new additions rather than just new wording of existing text.

200.4 Neutral conductors shall not be used for more than one branch circuit, for more than one multiwire branch circuit, or for more than one set of ungrounded feeder conductors unless specifically permitted elsewhere in this code.

So you cannot upsize the neutral conductor to a #8 to use with 6 circuits on a three phase system. You cannot upsize the neutral for a single run in a parallel feeder.

210.52 (I) Foyers that are not part of a hallway in accordance with 210.52 (H) and that have an area greater than 60 ft2 shall have a receptacle(s) located in each wall space 3 ft or more in width and unbroken by doorways, floor to ceiling windows, and similar openings.

This just clarifies a once gray area.

225.70 Substations - Consisting of 225.70 (A)(1)→(5) - An entirely new section devoted to substations concerning signage, disconnecting power before replacing fuses, and backfeed issues.

230.24 (E) Clearances from communications wire and cables shall be in accordance with 800.44(A)(4).

This just reminds everyone there is another section of the code dealing with communications wiring that was often overlooked.

230.44 Cable tray systems shall be permitted to support service entrance conductors. Cable trays used to support service entrance conductors shall contain only service entrance conductors and shall be limited to the following methods:

 (1) Type SE cable
 (2) Type MC cable
 (3) Type MI cable
 (4) Type IGS cable
 (5) Single thermoplastic insulated conductors 1/0 and larger with CT rating.

They just clarified which service entrance conductors were acceptable for use in cable trays.

250.2 Bonding Jumper, Supply Side - A conductor installed on the supply side of a service or within a service equipment enclosure(s), or for a separately derived system, that ensures the required electrical connectivity between metal parts required to be electrically connected.

More clarification of what is actually intended.

250.24 (C)(3) Moved to 250.24 (C)(4). 250.24 (C)(3) now reads:
Delta Connected Service - The grounded conductor of a 3 phase delta service shall have an ampacity not less than that of the ungrounded conductors.

This means no derating for neutral loads on feeders for delta connected services.

250.30 received a large makeover. It spells out new requirements based on the clarification of the supply side bonding jumper definition, and rearranged a bit to walk you through the requirements in a more orderly fashion. It is a rather large section so I didn't quote it.

250.32 (B)(2) Supplied by separately derived systems
 (a) With overcurrent protection, If overcurrent protection is provided where the conductors originate, the installation shall comply with 250.32 (B)(1).
 (b) Without overcurrent protection, If overcurrent protection is not provided where the conductors originate, the installation shall comply with 250.30 (A). If installed, the supply-side bonding jumper shall be connected to the building or structure disconnecting means and to the grounding electrode.

This section points you back to section 250.30 if you have no overcurrent protection on the conductors of a separately derived system. This assures a more effective fault current path and operation of OCD's further upline.

Union V Non-Union

This should spark alot of debate. Union versus non-union. Living in Florida, a right to work state, allows us to have both union and non-union employers. There are pros and cons to both sides of this coin.

Lets start with the union side. Better wages, retirement packages, health care insurance, sick days, vacation days, and apprenticeship programs all fall into the plus column. That's alot of pluses. However, some of the negatives weigh more than most of the pluses. Everyone makes the same wage. There is no competition on the jobsite. If one electrician can install 800' of conduit per day and the other electrician only runs 400' per day, what is going to happen? Will the slower man try to speed up so he is installing 800' or will the faster electrician slow down to the 400' per day pace? Doing better than the guy next to you puts a target on your back. You become a troublemaker. Employees are not allowed to bring in personal tools that will make them more valuable than the next man either. When it's time for lay-offs, it is last hired - first fired. Job stability relies on seniority, not skill level. While union employees may not see this as a bad thing, the employer definitely does. Another negative is paying dues. It doesn't seem like much, just a few dollars per paycheck. These dues go to pay the high salaries of union officials, to grease the pockets of government employees, to support political campaigns. Union employees must strike when told to strike, sometimes coming out on the short end of the stick.

Non-union employment doesn't have many pluses. Hmmmm, you can work for whichever contractor gives you a job. If you are a talented electrician you can earn more than the lesser electricians. Some employers do offer apprenticeship programs, some don't. Some offer health insurance or retirement or vacations, most don't. There does tend to be more job stability in the non-union sector. With lower wages, the contractor can be more competitive in the bidding process. Layoffs generally target deadwood, not longevity on the job.

On paper the union job looks so much better, but is it better for America? We don't manufacture many products anymore. We simply can't compete with countries like China It all boils down to this.... there has to be a better system. Unions were effective in procuring worker's rights, no one is doubting that.  But it seems they have gone too far now, more so with government employee unions than with private sector unions. They extort the government into paying much more than what is fair and equitable for services rendered. Retirement packages paid for by taxpayers, 4 weeks of vacation per year, and on and on. It sure is nice to have if you are the one receiving it, but if you are just a taxpayer footing the bill it hits a raw nerve. Maybe higher tariffs on imported products. Then what would Walmart sell? Can all working class Americans afford to pay $150 for work boots? Sure they can if we raise their salaries and give them benefit packages. But now, who can afford to build a new house, it will cost twice as much as it did before just for the wage difference in the actual workers building it. But there's more, now we have to pay the deliveryman more to do his job, and the lumber mill worker more to do his job, plus the benefit packages for them and so on and so on. See the dilemma?

So what is the answer?

Cadwelding Tips

Exothermic welding looks very easy and it is, until it isn't. There are times when the welds don't stick, or the weld material all runs out on the ground. There are simple solutions to most of the problems associated with Cadwelding.

A new mold is great to work with. If it is taken care of properly, it will give long term satisfactory use. Do not clean your molds with wire brushes, screwdrivers, pliers or anything that will scratch the mold. These scratches are the start of the deteriorating effects. The weld material doesn't flow properly, the mold doesn't fit snuggly, harder each time to clean it out. The mold manufacturers sell brushes specifically designed to clean the molds. For the price of one mold, you can buy 18 brushes.

Properly cleaning the wire and surface to be welded to are just as important. Impurities have a negative effect on the welds. Make sure all the dirt, oil, grease, water, etc. have been removed.

Pre-heating the wires and/or metal surface before attempting to shoot a weld aids in the welding process. If the wires or metal surface are too cool the welds won't stick.

Sloppy molds are difficult to use, but we have all had to use them at one time or another. To stop the weld material from running out, Cadweld sells mold sealer (looks exactly like duct seal). I have found this doesn't work very well and leaves a sticky mess on the mold. I prefer to get the mold set and then pack moist dirt around the mold. The cool wet dirt makes the weld material cool faster and stops the flow. Duct seal just melts and creates a bigger mess.

Cadweld also sells copper strips that can be used to increase wire size. For example, you have a 4/0 run & tap mold but you need to tap off your 4/0 with a 2/0. These copper strips are wrapped tightly around the end of the wire increasing the 2/0 to the same diameter as the 4/0. Much easier than cutting small strands of wire and trying to fit them in the mold. The strips save time, which saves money.

Rules and Regulations

In our society we have plenty of rules designed to protect stupid people from themselves. We have found the lowest common denominator to abide by. Should the NEC follow suit?

There is another website, a forum for electricians, that I recently joined (a very good website). There have been numerous discussions on multi-wire branch circuits (MWBC). Sharing a single neutral with 2 or 3 phase conductors is perfectly safe if installed properly and maintained by qualified electricians. But there are inherent possible problems. Lifting the neutral at the panel can cause voltage spikes on the phases, damaging connected equipment. Trained electricians know how to avoid this, but what about the guys that don't have a license or apprenticeship schooling. They learned on-the-job from other electricians. These other electricians may or may not have had any schooling either. They may have learned on-the-job too. This leads to a relaxed attitude toward licensing, the "I know what I'm doing, I've been doing it for 20 years" attitude. Doing it wrong for 20 years doesn't make one a qualified electrician. With the growing number of non-licensed electricians performing electrical work, should the code enact stricter rules to safeguard the public? I read numerous statements from opponents on this, "If I install it properly then I have done my job and I can sleep at night. What do I care if some idiot comes along after and screws things up?" I think the real question is how much do we owe the end user. If I install the electrical system per code and another electrician comes in to perform additional work and is either lazy or uneducated concerning the hazards of MWBC's, the end user may suffer equipment losses. This could be very expensive.

Others have stated that we just need to enforce the rules we already have. How do we do this? Is the answer stricter licensing requirements for electricians? Should apprenticeship training be mandatory? If we abolish the on-the-job training only approach we will develop better tradesmen. Requiring apprenticeship training would insure that knowledgeable persons perform electrical work. Those that don't make the grade would be weeded out. Electrical work is dangerous and should only be done by trained people, not homeowners, not plumbers, not A/C techs. If it is done improperly it can , at worst, cost lives or, at least, cause nuisance tripping of ocd's.

Let's hear your thoughts.