Electical Contractor

Backing up your backups—aka redundancy—is critical Having backup for the backup to the backup is the only way to go in power and systems. For the healthcare market, which provides critical and comprehensive care 24/7, it’s a necessity.

When my 4-year-old son required hospitalization in March, the parent in me was happy with the facility. But the editor in me paid close attention to security systems and procedures, seeking holes—ways intruders could dodge the system and gain access.

A system assessment is essentially a comprehensive overview of the structure, layout and functionality of any given system. In the world of electrical contractors, we are more often than not referring to networking systems, even though the same methodology applies to electrical systems.

Are fire alarm system requirements for healthcare facilities different than for other occupancies? Are the requirements for fire alarms different from one code to another? Today, there are two new building codes available.

Known as a city of high winds and equally blustery politicians, Chicago and its surrounding suburbs are also hailed as a nucleus of distinguished healthcare institutions.

Working with conflicting standards In the 13 years since Congress signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) into law, contractors have experienced confusion over exactly how the law affects fire alarm systems and what role they must play in complying with the law.

A little innovation goes a long way More than 25 years ago, Rexel’s Upper Marlboro (Md.) Regional Distribution Center came up with a value-add to improve service to contractor customers. Among the first to take advantage of Rexel’s wire cutting and paralleling service was Dynalectric Co.

Because we all want to feel safe and secure, the prevalence and necessity of security systems has always been a driving factor in business and industry. The tragic events of Sept.

If you’re involved with security systems (procurement, design or installation), this article looks at what market segments they may fall in and where you can go to learn more about the “standards” that apply to a product or its installation.