Message From The Editor
Why put safety measures in place if…
If the company complies with all the requirements of construction and electrical codes? If we employ only experienced and safety-conscious workers? These are low voltage devices, so the risks are less important... Excuses for doing nothing are always easy to come up with, until an injury occurs and you have to justify why such measures had not been put in place. Why, but because the error is human and that predictions (everything will go well, we have planned everything) in terms of safety at work are not worth much more than those of a psychic. Spring is a season where travel is common in our industry. Different safety practices can be observed on residential, commercial or urban sites. The measures taken vary from one province to another, from one country to another, and probably from one site to another. Here are seven good reasons to think about safety even if you don't talk about high voltage, and more. Good reading!
Line Goyette Managing Editor
linegoyette@kerrwil.com
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Changing Scene
- June 10-12: 2018 National Apprenticeship Conference, Montreal, Quebec
The 2018 conference will highlight initiatives, programs and strategies that contribute to Canada's world-class apprenticeship system…
- Volunteer at ECAA's Red Deer and Edmonton's Career Fairs
The Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta is looking for volunteers to staff a booth at the Career Expo, April 26 in Red Deer, and 2018 Skills City Alberta's largest trade and technology career exploration experience, May 31-June 1 in Edmonton…
- FortisBC Contributes $42,000 to Okanagan College's New Trades Training Centre
FortisBC's $42,000 gift for the new Vernon campus Trades Training Centre will support the facility, provide students with state-of-the-art equipment, and help the college deliver training on the latest techniques in energy efficient construction…
- Gerrie Sisters Receive Distinguished Entrepreneurs Award
Heather Gerrie Kwant and Elaine Gerrie-Valentini, Co-Presidents of Gerrie Electric Wholesale Limited, were presented earlier this month with the Burlington Chamber of Commerce's 2018 Distinguished Entrepreneur Award…
- Schneider Electric, Danfoss and Somfy to Create a Connectivity Ecosystem
Schneider Electric, Danfoss and Somfy's planned connectivity ecosystem aims to accelerate the adoption of connectivity in residential, mid-size building and hotel markets…
- Alberta Opens Competition for 2nd and 3rd Rounds of Renewable Electricity Program
Bids will be considered to provide a total of 700 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough to power nearly 300,000 homes…
- May 3: WiRE Vancouver Meet-Up with Surespan's Meridith Sargent
WiRE meet-ups present a welcoming and casual opportunity to meet peers, share ideas and opportunities, and educate colleagues about projects and initiatives of interest to the group. All women working in a field related to renewable energy are invited, as are students and developing professionals…
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Lighting Contractors Will Want to Know This
Did you know that Philips InstantFit LED lamps are proven to work with 220 ballasts? Many LED tubes claim compatibility, but Philips InstantFit proves it with a 50% greater compatibility than our competitors offer! But the performance doesn't end there. Our family of InstantFit LED lamps also feature flicker-free even light output, and industry-leading energy savings and lifetimes. So, when you think InstantFit, you can be confident you're getting performance, compatibility and reliability. Philips makes your choice simple - discover more here.
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Electrician Forum Brought to You by Schneider Electric
Master Electrician Steve Beeby Discusses the Market and Challenges Facing Small Electrical Contractor Companies
Sponsored by Schneider Electric
Electricians are highly trained individuals within their field. They receive significant hands-on training in trade school, but that training does fail to fully provide an understanding of the business portion of running a company. Surviving in the residential electrical market involves a lot of out of the box thinking and as we have said and can't stress enough, hard work. To gain insight into the various challenges faced by small electrical contractors EIN sat down with Steve Beeby, Master Electrician, and owner/operator of Beehive Electric, a small residential electrical contracting company based in Elmvale, Ontario.
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Safety
Safety and Risk in Electrical Low-Voltage Installations, Part 1
By Alfred Mörx
Taking adequate measures when planning and making equipment (e.g., low‐voltage switchgear assemblies) ensures that any risk that remains after the application of protective measures is as low as possible. The highest acceptable risk, often called "limiting risk," must be achieved with every switchgear assembly; in this respect, all measures that contribute to achieving this limiting risk constitute minimal risk reduction measures. Here in Part 1 of 3: the relationship between risk and safety, seven reasons for implementing safety precautions, consequential damage, and its costs.
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HR:Michelle Branigan
Are the Robots Taking Over?
By Michelle Branigan
Much media coverage during the last year has focussed on the emergence of robots, artificial intelligence technologies (AI), and the threat this poses to a significant number of Canadian jobs. So does this mean we need to hit the panic button? No, not yet. But should you as an individual be paying careful attention to the role of technology in your job or organization? Absolutely.
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Economy
New Home Prices Dropped 0.2% in February
Lower prices for new homes in Toronto were the main reason for a national price decline in February. Following two consecutive months of no change, new home prices were down 0.2% nationally. This was the first decrease at the national level since July 2010. Recent mortgage rate increases along with tighter mortgage regulations are likely contributors to the decline.
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Q & A Brought to You by Britech
We are installing a pipe trace system on plastic piping in an underground parking garage. What concerns should I be aware of?
First of all you need to be aware of Section 62-308 of the Canadian Electrical Code. Heating cables on non-metallic pipes require a thermostat on each pipe…
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Survey Says
Electrical Contractors' Most Popular Benefits
Electrical contractors often receive one or more benefits from their employers. Company cell phones are ranked the most popular perk by 27% of survey respondants, with a relatively even split among 6 other perks offered by employers.
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Survey Says From Recent Issues
- Electrical Market Customer Distribution
Electrical and other contractors dominate the electrical market in terms of purchasing electrical products from full-line electrical distributors. Industrial, OEM, MRO, and Automation follow with a combined market share of 24%.
- Automation & Control Sales Market by Region
Ontario and Quebec rank evenly in the sales of automation and control equipment with 29% each, creating a hub of automation within the two provinces. Western Canada follows with a combined market share of 27%.
- Lighting Distribution Sales by Region
Ontario Leads the country in sales of lighting and lighting equipment with 37% of the market. Quebec follows closely with 31% of the market.
- Lighting Market Mix
The lighting market in Canada is dominated by the residential and commercial sectors, which together account for 88% of the overall market. Industrial follows with just 9% of market share.
- Electrical Contractor Median Hourly Rate by Years of Experience
Electrical contractors' salaries follow a steady trend, increasing with years of experience and plateauing at an average $34.82/hr.
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New Products and Solutions
Rittal Lighting
The new IT LED system light from Rittal is specially designed for use in server and network enclosures. With a light output of 600 lumens, it meets all standard requirements for IT racks such as the Rittal TS IT and TE 8000. A transparent plastic cover that integrates Fresnel lenses provides optimal illumination for an enclosure. The IT system light can be optimally mounted in the IT rack to ensure that no height units are lost within the 482.6 mm (19") level. It can be mounted vertically and horizontally. The light has an IEC C18 connection cable, UL approval and is designed for a wide-range voltage (100 - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz).
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Matthew McCormick Studio Dawn Chandelier
This modular system allows the chandelier to articulate and be configured in countless positions, both in horizontal or vertical orientations that suit the spacial needs. Inspired by the intricacies of delicate jewellery, the Dawn chandelier gleams with a hand-polished finish as custom hand-blown glass tubes provide soft illumination.
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New Leviton e2XHD Universal High-Density Panels Support Shielded Connectivity
Leviton's two new universal panels for its e2XHD snap-in cassette patching system support fibre, UTP, and now shielded connectivity. These flat and angled 1RU panels include the option of using high-performing Atlas-X1 shielded components, including Cat 8, to protect networks from electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI). The e2XHD cassettes quickly snap in and pull out of the panels for easy installation and maintenance. Copper cassettes are available empty for field termination, or can be pre-terminated with UTP or shielded connectors for quick deployment. Panels also accommodate Atlas-X1 shielded Cat 8 pre-terminated trunks.
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Eureka Fleet Luminaire
The Fleet broadens the possibilities of Eureka's powerful Dial projector with a modern and distinctive package. This luminaire is available in two formats: small (2 projectors) or large (3 projectors). Installation is straightforward, with no visible screws. The independent projectors can be oriented without tools owing to their two-axis hinge. The fixture comes with 2 or 3 LED luminaires for a combined 38 or 50W illumination; standard 0-10V or phase dimming.
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Standard LED Tapes and Extrusions
Standard's professional grade flexible LED tapes and extrusions are ideal for a wide variety of applications, such as cabinetry, shelving, toe-kicks, coves, edge lighting, and more. These LED tapes are made of high quality LED chips, and offer durability and high efficiency, as well as constant colour and a CRI above 90. They can be installed on their own with peel-and-stick 3M construction adhesive back or within a covered aluminum extrusion for a diffused effect. Standard extrusions provide a sleek and sophisticated appearance to both residential and commercial applications. Four distinct lens finishes are available: clear, frosted, opal and diffused.
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From Our Last Issue
- Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I — Instalment 35
In this article: Section 70 — Electrical requirements for factory-built relocatable structures and non-relocatable structures. This is a supplementary or amendatory section of the code and applies to the electrical installation of factory-built, relocatable, and non-relocatable structures and includes mobile homes, mobile commercial and industrial structures, factory-built residential housing, and factory-built commercial and industrial structures. These rules do not apply to recreational vehicles covered by CSA Z240 RV Series, which will be discussed in Instalment 36.
- d'Armes Unveils Its New Light Fixture Cé
The Montreal-based brand d'Armes, behind which stands the duo of Alexandre Joncas and Gildas Le Bars, has unveiled its latest creation. Cé audaciously blends fringes and solid bronze revealing a well-rounded wall mounted fixture. The unique movement of the fringes brings a fluid effect, distinguishing this piece from previous collections, all the while remaining faithful to the minimalist look of candid lines present in each of d'Armes creations. Cé will be presented to the public next week at Archiproducts Milano during the Fuorisalone, April 17 to 22, 2018.
- Voice Control for Lighting
Virtual personal assistants provide many services to consumers, such as Internet lookup, playing music and video, and buying products. The most popular platforms are Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft Cortana. These assistants use speech recognition technology to execute user voice commands.
- Value of Building Permits Rose 5.6% in January
Canadian municipalities issued $8.4 billion in building permits in January, up 5.6% following a 2.5% rise in December. The value of permits for three components rose, while industrial buildings (-18.6%) and single-family dwellings (-1.3%) declined. The January increase was largely due to higher construction intentions for multi-family dwellings in Ontario.
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Current Copper Prices
Monitor daily and 6-month $US prices for copper — the preferred electrical conductor for most categories of electrical wiring.
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The Electrical Stock Market
Track the stock market performance of 25 publicly traded electrical equipment suppliers and electrical wholesalers. Updated weekly.
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