Electical Contractor

You have been hearing it for years—invest in safety and the money will come. There is a direct positive correlation. If you purposely risk the safety of employees to save a couple of bucks, you will probably lose much more in the long run. Why risk it?

It’s an exciting year for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine as we prepare to launch our survey for the next Contractor Profile. Two years ago, we published in-depth research that delivered some keen insight on how wireless technology and e-commerce were being embraced by the electrical contractor.

What does it take to be an estimator? I am frequently asked what type of courses would help prepare someone to become an estimator.

The education market has gone through many changes over the years. Advances in technology seem to have provided the biggest differences. Just think about it: computers are more commonplace than ever and many kids don’t even know what a typewriter is.

I generally choose to leave predictions of the future to “psychics” and tarot card readers. They rely on special powers of divination, and I give them credit for trying. After all, it’s a daunting task to predict the future of anything these days.

I read an article in the Birmingham Business Journal recently where the control of company inventory was compared to Goldilocks’ evaluation of the three bears’ porridge. If you have too little, your customers will disappear. If you have too much, your profits will vanish.

North America received an earsplitting “wake-up call” last month when the biggest blackout in U.S. history darkened eight American states and two Canadian provinces, driving millions out in the streets and closing more than 100 power plants across the country.

Design/build has been with us for thousands of years––probably since the 15th-century Incas built their great empires in Peru. As meticulous workers who knew how to build structures that would last an eternity, they worked as a unified team to deliver impenetrable fortresses.

I still remember the bewildered look on my nephew’s face after watching an episode of “The Flintstones.” Fred had been working at his quarry in Bedrock and sawing off a giant piece of stone with a live swordfish.