The Challenge of Increasing Electrical Safety, Part 3
from IAEI Magazine
The common thread throughout this series has been the need for electrical inspectors to be armed with the facts to counter challenges to electrical safety. Knowing the facts better enables inspectors to perform high-quality inspections that benefit the installer or electrical contractor, end users and the local jurisdiction. It also allows them to be prepared for virtually any contingency, including everything from a concern expressed by an installer or contractor about an installation to hard questions from the town fathers about the value of inspections. More

Church Fire Caused by Electrical Malfunction
from the Boston Globe
The fire that ripped through the landmark Central Congregational Church in Middleborough, Mass., early last week was caused by an “electrical malfunction,” a joint investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s office and the Middleborough Fire Department found. More

Brewton, Ala., Changes Building Code
from the Brewton Standard
Building codes for the city of Brewton, Ala., have been in a holding pattern since 1997. However, following a presentation by Community Development Director Steve Yuhasz, council members agreed to move to a new set of codes for the city. “We have been using the 1997 edition of the standard building codes from the Southern Building Code Congress International,” Yuhasz told the council. “That is obsolete; it doesn’t even exist anymore.” Yuhasz encouraged the council to consider adopting an ordinance that would allow the current building codes to be updated to the 2006 edition of codes as set forth by the International Code Council. More

NEC and Standby Gensets
from Consulting-Specifying Engineer
Generators were not the major point of focus when the National Electric Code was written. As a result, engineers must reference multiple sections of the NEC Handbook when designing power generation systems. I will reference some key code sections, while answering some typical generator code-related questions. More

Qualified or Just Experienced?
from Occupational Health and Safety
You're a Journeyman electrician, or maybe a Master. You've been in the trade for 15 years and know the NEC front to back. Co-workers constantly ask you questions on the proper method to install electrical circuits and components. Here's a blast for you: You're probably not qualified! More

Recession Hit Employers Avoiding Safety Laws Could Get a Real Shock
from Scottish Property
Employers putting workers’ safety at risk to cut overhead spending have sparked calls for tighter legislation on electrical safety in the workplace. A survey carried out by the British Safety Council (BSC) revealed that one in 12 workers feels under pressure from management to take risks with people’s safety in order to save money, with 10 percent of workers admitting they are fearful of raising health and safety concerns in the current economic climate. More

Change in the Air?
from The Associated Press via The Detroit News
When it comes to new sources of electricity, few things have moved faster over the past decade than wind. But the wind-power industry is looking for a bit of stability: a commitment from the federal government that could help pull it out of the doldrums of the past six months by guaranteeing it a place in the country's long-term energy mix. And industry officials are cautiously optimistic that they'll get their wish. More