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Message From The Editor
A tour to start the year
Our industry is starting a new year. Like the one that's just ended, the stakes are high and the challenges numerous. We cover various aspects of our industry that touch your everyday reality, or almost. We're talking about safety, codes and standards, and the electrical code in particular because it is the essence of professional practice. We also talk about human resources and marketing because many of our readers have businesses to manage. Over the coming months you will also read extensively about new technologies because it's important to stay informed. In this first issue of the year, here is a roundup of articles published on these different topics during the year that just ended. On behalf of EIN's team, I wish you all an excellent and prosperous 2019. Good reading!
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Human Resources
Supporting Next Generation Talent
By Michelle Branigan
With the electricity sector experiencing changes on so many fronts — technological, demographic, political — it is no surprise that the careers traditionally associated within the sector will also be affected. That's not to say that jobs will disappear overnight — we're still going to need powerline technicians to keep the wires working — but the increasing digitalization of the sector will see some of the tasks associated within job classifications evolve. Some jobs will indeed become redundant, but others will emerge to take their place, and still others will merely be redefined. Rather than see this is a negative, it proves a wonderful opportunity to engage the next generation of talent, many of whom may not have thought of the sector as the most innovative and creative sector in which to kick-start their career.
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Codes & Standards
Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I — Instalment 38
By William (Bill) Burr
Section 76 — Temporary Wiring. Sometimes it is impracticable to follow the rules for permanent installations when installing temporary wiring for construction or demolition projects. In many instances the wiring needs to be portable, flexible, and easily modified. In addition to this section, Appendix G references Section 5.6.1.9. (3) of the National Fire Code of Canada, 2015, Temporary Electrical Installations on Construction and Demolition Sites. Rule 76-000 notes that this is a supplementary or amendatory section of the code and applies to temporary wiring installations for buildings or projects under construction or demolition and experimental or testing facilities of a temporary nature.
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Lighting Networks
Networking Basics for Lighting Professionals
While designing and installing a network sounds daunting, it is easier once you understand the basics. In this post, we talk about networking basics for smart lighting. Networks connect computing resources that are local, geographically distributed, or in the cloud. Some organizations such as universities, government agencies and multi-national corporations have combinations of these networks to facilitate communication between employees, vendors and partners, and the community. Here are four types of networks.
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Lighting
The Lumen Maintenance Gap
Test results of lumen maintenance in conventional and LED light sources differ considerably. This is known as the lumen maintenance gap. These tests are performed to determine the useful life of a light source. But how do we compare lighting technologies satisfactorily if test results of a same designation do not mean the same thing? These lumen maintenance measurement distinctions are what we will examine in this article, as a clear understanding of this gap will have a significant impact on the installation, maintenance and replacement cost calculations of lighting products.
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Codes & Standards: Li-Fi
IEEE Task Force Works on Standard for Light Communications
By Kathy Pretz
Soon enough, experts say, we'll be getting secure, high-speed Internet access from our LED bulbs: in desk lamps, ceiling fixtures, streetlights, and vehicle taillights. The light-communications systems, relying on nanometer waves in the infrared and visible-light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, are expected to transmit data generated by a microchip fitted into each LED. Li-Fi technology needs no licensing, as it uses the unregulated light spectrum. However, a few issues must be resolved.
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Human Resources
7 Keys to a Successful Drug & Alcohol Policy
By Wayne St. John
Your drug and alcohol policy sets the stage for a successful fit-for-duty program. Having a well-documented policy provides a framework for dealing with the difficult and often times sensitive issues surrounding substance abuse, medical conditions, and related stress and fatigue. So what makes a good policy? CannAmm Occupational Testing Services has over 20 years of experience partnering with companies from many industries across Canada. We have witnessed 7 keys that our partners with successful policies share. They include…
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Lighting Controls
Avoiding and Resolving Issues with Products That Don't Dim as Expected, Part 1
By Kevin Willmorth
With the right combination of dimmer and solid-state driver for LED products, dimming performance can achieve excellent results from 100% all the way to dark, smoothly and predictably. However, when the combination is wrong, many undesirable effects may occur. Flickering, flashing, and stumbling are a few of the most annoying issues. Truncated dimming, where dimming runs to a point, then simply stops or cuts off completely, is another issue that might result. Investigating the reasons for these poor performance issues is a necessary evil that requires basic understanding of where issues can arise. Here in Part 1 of 2: understanding the issues.
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Security
5 Ways to Prevent Tool Theft and Manage Loss Prevention
Stolen tools hurt your business. Tools are expensive to buy and expensive to replace. Worse yet, if a tool goes missing, you can't do any of the work you need it for. This means a loss in time and money as well. Learning the right tips for tool tracking and job site security can help prevent these losses and keep your business in business. The first step in securing your tools is keeping a record of what you have. A master record should exist and be kept on file at your facility's main location.
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Drive Systems
Knowing and Selecting the Right Drive Motor
By Owen Hurst
There are a lot of things to consider before selecting the right motor for your intended use, particularly with recent advancements in drive system technology and control solutions. With a wide variety of motor types to choose from, all factors and logistics need to be considered. The days of simply buying a standard electric motor and plugging it into your application are gone. With the global push for efficiency, using motors that consume a large amount of energy and run at full speed for prolonged periods of time has been replaced with a plethora of more efficient options. But before considering the necessary concerns regarding motor purchases we need to briefly step back and look at the history of motor development.
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Marketing
DON'T Put That in Writing!
By Jeff Mowatt
In today's workplace, employees spend less time talking and more time emailing, texting, and engaging on social media. Ever consider how those messages are perceived by your customers, coworkers, and even by your employer? To ensure your electronic image reflects your best self, take this mini quiz.
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Safety
Alert: Electrical Lockout Using Manual Motor Controllers
Workers in industrial workplaces such as office buildings, factories, arenas, shops or offices who are required to work on manual motor controllers (MMCs) or other electrical equipment may be at risk of serious injury or death if the electrical equipment is not stopped, de-energized and locked out and tagged before work starts. Manual motor controllers are typically used to control motor driven equipment such as commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning units. They also serve as a motor starter/controller, and sometimes as a motor disconnect. Typically, MMCs should be marked with the words "suitable as a motor disconnect."
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Safety
Shock Risk Assessment and the Detailed Warning Label "Electrical Safety Zone"
By Len Cicero
Does this detailed warning label look familiar? Perhaps you have seen one, or at least one that resembles this in a commercial or industrial facility. With all of the hype and conversation in recent years revolving around "arc flash," it is likely due-time that we all start talking about shock, shock hazard and shock risk assessment. Depending on how you break it down, there are about seven steps in the Canadian Electrical Code for completing a good shock risk assessment. Specific details are in the standard (2015 edition) but in Clause 4.3.4.1 "Shock risk assessment," you will find three basic determinations.
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AC/DC Power
AC vs. DC: Considerations of Industry Trends and Technology
By Panel & Systems Integrator Editorial Team
The rapid rise in new technology, led primarily by renewable energy and electronics, has brought a new focus to the discussion about AC vs. DC and how it will affect the electrical industry. At a time when energy waste is at the forefront of industry conversations, power loss is a major issue and driver of potential further adoption of DC and LVDC power use.
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Industrial Internet
Critical Security Challenges Facing IIoT
By Will Mapp, Kymera Systems
The Industrial Internet of Things, also known as the Industrial Internet, is transforming the way innovative businesses collect and share data. IIoT combines machine-to-machine communication, industrial big data analytics, human machine interface, and data acquisition to drive smarter, faster business decisions and powerful outcomes for enterprises of any size. As the scope of connectivity between devices continues to expand, so does the potential for cyber security events that can carry serious risks. Here we outline the top security concerns organizations should consider when building out their IIoT infrastructure.
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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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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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In The Next Issue
The non-energy benefits of connected lighting |
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