Mobile apps, online training and video conferencing have made managing safety and adhering to OSHA and NFPA requirements for safety documentation easier and more streamlined. What do you know about managing these safety requirements?

Multimode fiber has been around a long time and is still being used in many premises cabling applications. There also are continuous upgrades in multimode technology. How well have you kept up with multimode fiber technology and applications?

Pathway survivability requirements are an often-misunderstood area of fire alarm systems. Test your knowledge of the requirements in NFPA 72, 2016 edition.

These days, multiple power sources can be present in a single building or structure. Many of these are what the National Electrical Code (NEC) calls separately derived systems. Transformers, batteries, fuel cells and generators can supply these systems. An electrical system produced by a generator is either required to be grounded as a separately derived system or it is not, and the key to this is the transfer equipment.

As they say, the devil is in the details. Knowing the little things that count can help get the job done, and save time and money. Let’s look at some little things that matter for fiber optics.

This month, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR is profiling the electrical contractor, so let’s look at a few of the components in an electrical contractor’s safety program.

Per the National Electrical Code (NEC), electrical equipment must be rated for voltage and ampacity, and it is required to carry normal current and the amount of available fault current during ground-fault or short-circuit conditions. Warnings also must be on equipment that is likely to need examination, adjustment, servicing or maintenance while energized.

Now that the 2015 edition of NFPA 4, Standard for Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety System Testing, has been adopted in the 2018 codes, let’s see what you know about integrated systems testing requirements.

May is National Electrical Safety Month, and in honor of OSHA’s annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, which is May 7–11, here are some fall protection questions to consider.

Nothing makes a job easier than having the right tools. The Fiber Optic Association is updating its recommended tool list for trainers. In the process, I have learned about “old reliable” tools and the new tools available to help the fiber technician.

Conductors and equipment covered by the National Electrical Code (NEC)—including prefabricated systems and installations—are required to be approved. NEC tables help Code users accurately apply the requirements. Rules that appear in tabular form and without exceptions provide precise values and information. Use of the tables requires gathering required information and determining the corresponding value within the applicable table.

Check your knowledge of audible and visible notification appliance requirements of the 2016 NFPA 72.

In fiber optics, color codes relay a lot of vital information. They help electrical contractors determine which fiber, cable or connector they are working with and ensure the installation is correct. How well do you know fiber optic color codes?

To comply with OSHA regulations and other standards such as NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, lighting installed in temporary and permanent locations has to meet specific safety requirements.

Article 100 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) contains definitions that are used in more than two articles of the Code. Several revisions in the 2017 version of the NEC include both new and revised definitions. Check your Code proficiency using defined terms. All answers are based on the 2017 NEC.

Many new requirements have been added in the codes and standards for carbon monoxide (CO) detection in the last few years. Test your knowledge of CO gas and detection requirements.

Safety professionals need a vast knowledge of safety regulations and standards, an understanding of electrical industry work and the communication skills to train all levels of employees. Staying up to date is necessary to deliver the safety message and provide assistance to company employees.

We’re all familiar with the usual ways to install fiber—trenching and burying cable or placing cable on poles outdoors and placing cables in trays or conduit indoors. But there are many other ways to install fiber optic cable that are sometimes easier and more economical. How familiar are you with those techniques?

Outside plant fiber optic networks are getting faster. Upgrading older cable plants to higher speeds or testing new installations to ensure they can support future needs requires testing fibers more extensively—a process called fiber characterization. How well do you understand it?

A lot has changed in NFPA 72 regarding fire alarm systems monitoring in the last two code cycles. Here is a chance to review your knowledge of the changes.