Blog

The topic of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) presents a target-richenvironment with regard to the topic of safety. As installers, we may only be concerned with the tools, personal protective equipment, liquids and chemicals, and electrical hazards from a safety perspective. We have to also consider that HVAC equipment could play an important role throughout its life for the contents (including people and goods) of the structure or area it serves. The fact that HVAC systems account for 39 percent of the energy used in commercial buildings in the United States means that we probably see a lot of these types of applications.
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If you have been involved with the electrical construction industry for even a short period of time, you have probably heard the National Electrical Code® (NEC) referred to as the minimum standard. Electricians, engineers, inspectors, and others use this phrase to describe a standard that details guidelines and requirements for safe electrical installations. This standard organizes these requirements into a single resource, updated and published every three years.
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In the world of electrical contracting, we rely heavily on our suppliers and vendors to support us, but we typically don’t take the time to support them, to help them help us be successful.
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American manufacturing has become a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, with many companies using both domestic and international sources to create a finished product. This situation makes it very difficult for contractors to track down where different tools are made and by whom.
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When thinking about the “supply chain,” one rarely thinks about labor, rather it’s about getting the product to the jobsite at the right time with the right specifications. The steps of this product supply chain are often well thought out, including establishing relationships with both distributors and manufacturers that one feels they can trust and rely upon when the time comes.
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There are some things that are best left to the experts. You choose the best surgeon in town to operate on a family member. You trust major car repairs to a certified mechanic. Similarly, you should allow specialists in distribution to optimize your supply chain.
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"All for one and one for all, united we stand, divided we fall." The classic quote by the Three Musketeers is appropriate to the construction industry and is at the heart of supply chain management. Any discussion of supply chain management requires the term to be defined. While many people use the term, far too often they misuse it. They think of supply chain management in terms of cost or functions such as purchasing, transportation, or warehousing. Unfortunately, that is not supply chain management.
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Robert A. Jones, former Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the IEC, has been appointed to serve as one of only seven employer representatives on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA).
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IEC is pleased to welcome eSUB Construction Software as its newest Bronze Industry Partner. eSUB is the fastest growing cloud-based construction software targeting the unique needs of self-performing contractors.
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