State may take over inspections in Kentucky
Glasgow Daily Times
The Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction may soon take over operations of all statewide electrical inspections. The department currently utilizes nearly 300 certified inspectors and contractors, and it plans to employ only around 100 after the takeover is complete. More

Many willing to trust unqualified electricians
Metro News
A new study shows a large percentage of Ontario homeowners think it’s okay to let unqualified people do their electrical work for them. A recent Leger Marketing survey found that 45 percent of Ontario homeowners wouldn’t bother to check the credentials of contractors before hiring them to perform electrical work and up to 70 percent of Ontario homeowners would hire a neighbor, friend or handyman to install a new light fixture, repair an electrical outlet or wire an outdoor timer -- all potentially dangerous tasks if not performed properly.More

Trade talk
Electrical Times
A little known statistic, trumpeted by all the main 'competent person's schemes' is that: 'Electricity is the second-largest cause of fires in commercial and industrial premises in the U.K'. Insurance companies are increasingly alarmed at the spiraling costs associated with continually paying out on claims for seemingly insured buildings that are damaged by fires traced to electrical faults. In this article, Chris Atkin of Total Electrical Training in Harlow, Essex, gives his view on the importance of up to date knowledge on testing and inspection. More

Why compliance-based electrical safety programs fail
Occupational Health & Safety
Many safety managers exhibit a kind of carelessness when developing their electrical safety programs. Instead of focusing on safety (i.e., the avoidance of employee injury), many are focused on compliance (i.e., the avoidance of regulatory action taken against them). To put it another way, compliance-first is a mindset that asks, "What do I need to do to stay safe in the eyes of the government?" while a safety-first mindset frames the issue more simply: "What do I need to do to stay safe?" More

NEMA announces consensus legislative proposal on outdoor lighting standards
NEMA
In a press conference held this week at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced ground-breaking consensus legislation, which will, for the first time ever, set federal efficiency standards for pole-mounted outdoor lighting. The consensus proposal is the result of input from lighting manufacturers, designers, energy advocates, and utilities. More

Offshore-made cables still fail on fire safety, says CCCA
Interconnection World
The Communications Cable and Connectivity Association, Inc. (CCCA) announced that the prevalence of offshore-manufactured communications cable products which fail to meet industry fire safety requirements continues to plague the industry and marketplace. In July 2009, the CCCA commissioned an independent test laboratory to again analyze whether eight offshore-manufactured cable samples met National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum requirements for fire safety. All of the failing samples exhibited catastrophic results, indicating an unacceptable public safety hazard still exists. More

Solar power when the sun goes down?
The New York Times
The holy grail of renewable energy is a solar power plant that continues producing electricity after the sun goes down. A Santa Monica, Calif., company called SolarReserve has taken a step toward making that a reality, filing an application with California regulators to build a 150-megawatt solar farm that will store seven hours’ worth of the sun’s energy in the form of molten salt. Heat from the salt can be released when it’s cloudy or at night to create steam that drives an electricity-generating turbine. More