There’s a future for electric cars that involves more than driving. Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) occurs when electric vehicles (EV) and charging stations interact with the electrical grid. This interplay could be one more...
Every work day on U.S. construction sites, there are more than 1,100 incidents that damage underground utilities, according to Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) 2019 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT), released in October...
In 2017, Heather Escalante’s husband Chris, a traveling apprentice, fell 35 feet on the job. He injured his hip and wrist and sustained a traumatic brain injury. The doctors informed him that it may take years for him to...
You only have to look at recent California wildfires to understand why line contractors and electric utilities are more interested than ever in managing their line infrastructure. In several cases, fires have been linked...
Performing an arc flash study can be complex enough, but the latest edition of IEEE 1584—IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations has taken it to a whole new level. A lot has changed since arc flash studies...
When the lights are off and no one is in the office, your business is still open. Even during regular business hours, most of your customers probably visited your website before calling. With the internet at most people’s...
The news of a reviving economy continues to gain currency. By year’s end, a gross domestic product (GDP) of 6% or more is expected. While recognizing we are climbing out from a –3.5% GDP low in 2020, the economy seems ready...
Just when you thought the office space has evolved, it changes again. Highly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, think of a world where the central office is supported by a workforce that toggles between on-site, at home and...
A shift is underway as factories reset facilities to provide more flexibility, automation and efficiency to meet the needs of a changing world. Contractors across the country are deploying renovations and upgrades that help...
2020 set records for multibillion-dollar, weather-related disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual tally of hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and wildfires since 1980...
When lightning strikes a building, facility owners are either grateful for their lightning protection system, or wish they had one. That is more true today than ever—as weather gets more extreme, lightning strikes more common...
Keeping workers safe has taken on new meaning since the pandemic began. While traditional hazard protection requirements remain, the need for infection control added a new level of complexity. Contractors have adjusted work...
17% of the U.S. population is age 65 or older, a figure projected to reach 22% by 2050. In addition, seniors age 80 and older represent the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population—one that’s expected to be more than 19...
Today’s global concern about germs and germicidal treatment makes it a fortuitous moment for disinfectant LED lighting. While it remains a nascent area as research continues, markets are broadening and companies with...
Safety audits or comprehensive safety management program assessments can help determine the efficacy and thoroughness of a company’s hazard abatement and overall safety and health strategy. They can also check an organization...
As the safety leader of your organization, understanding the Host Employer/Contractor Information Transfer requirements of 29 CFR 1910.269 is critical to maintaining a safe work environment for your employees. OSHA experts...
With the emergence of new approaches to office layouts combined with the changing demands on work settings during the pandemic, office environments have been a hotbed of re-evaluation and transformation, and so have the needs...
In a single year, electrical contractors have redefined job-site safety—minimizing the risk of disease transmission while maintaining efforts to protect workers from injury. Indoor work, tasks that can’t be done while social...
Wiring to ensure quality and constant connectivity in commercial developments has become a larger part of the job for electrical contractors. A road map for success would be helpful. WiredScore may be one solution. Begun in...
President-elect Joe Biden’s administration likely will make major shifts in philosophy and direction at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employers and employees can anticipate seeing a bigger emphasis on...
