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Page 5 Business leaders pledge support for workplace health and safety.
Page 13 Cross-country contractors: EB’s look at several unique contractors from across the country.
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AD-FREE TRIAL/CFLPAR/42 www.standardpro.com 26/05/05 INFO NO. 3 FROM THE EDITOR// Energy evolution versus revolution
ELECTRICAL BUSINESS is the newspaper of the Canadian electrical industry. It reports and comments on the news and couple of months ago, I had the Cansfield again told us we should vacu- I know the Liberal government is all happenings in the industry in a manner that is informative, knowledgeable and constructive. opportunity to sit in on Electro- um our refrigerator coils. Keeping to the excited about its conservation efforts, Federation Canada’s annual topic of refrigerators and how wasteful “doing the right thing” and issuing Editor general meeting. As AGMs go, they can be, she mentioned how great it RFPs for sustainable generation but, in Anthony Capkun - [email protected] A this one was pretty good. Sure, there was would be if all the refrigerators in the the interim, there is nothing that can Contributing Editors-Canadian Electrical Code the usual seconding of motions and vot- province were replaced with more ener- realistically fill the gap left behind by ing on matters that didn’t concern me, gy-efficient models—provided, of abandoned coal-fired plants. Ted Olechna, P.Eng. Les Stoch, P.Eng. but all that lasted just a short while. The course, someone first figured out how to Windmills? Not enough of them, and rest of the day was packed with excellent dispose of them in an environmentally NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) propo- Art Director speakers addressing energy subjects of responsible manner. This approach nents don’t like the way they look or Hélena Kletochkina - [email protected] both provincial and national interest. makes sense: figure out a responsible sound. The NIMBYs aren’t that keen on Production Manager (Now, because the AGM was held in way of dealing with the old before new nuclear plants either, let alone the Nevin Nenaa - [email protected] Ontario, the speakers admittedly bringing in the new. refurbishment of existing ones. The way Publisher focused their topics more on Ontario Ms. Canfield then reiterated her gov- I see it, Ontario will just have to import Bill Begin - [email protected] issues—which can be a lesson to, or the ernment’s decision to do away with even more of the electricity it needs; elec- Manager, Circulation butt of jokes for, the remaining coal-fired generating stations. tricity that will likely come from some Vesna Moore - [email protected] provinces and territories.) Hmm. That doesn’t make quite as coal-fired plant down in the States. Manager, Production One speaker particularly stands out in much sense as the refrigerators. If we are But this is what you get when a gov- Lisa Drummond - [email protected] my mind: Donna Cansfield, MPP in an energy crisis, why on earth is the ernment chooses to react to the present Etobicoke Centre and parliamentary provincial government removing much- rather than plan for the future. I’m all Creative Director Einar Rice - [email protected] assistant to the minister of energy, needed generation from an already belea- for windmills, run-of-river and other Dwight Duncan. I had listened to her guered system? Shouldn’t it first figure forms of sustainable generation, but last fall at an industry stakeholder event out what will realistically take coal-fired everything in its own time. Ontario, or where a number of Liberal government generation’s place before it is scrapped? any other province/territory for that dignitaries, including Duncan, dis- Gunars Ceksters, the president and matter, doesn’t need an energy revolu- cussed some of their plans for solving CEO of Enersource Corp., showed us a tion but rather an energy evolution. No Ontario’s energy problems while graph of electricity generation in the government should arbitrarily shut encouraging a climate of conservation. province, then another graph showing down or dismiss whatever doesn’t fit
240 Edward Street, Aurora, ON L4G 3S9 Ms. Cansfield spoke about the various how much of that generation suddenly with its agenda simply so its candidates Tel: 905-727-0077 Fax: 905-727-0017 ways we could conserve energy, such as disappears when you take coal-fired can boast they “did something” when vacuuming the coils behind our refrig- plants out of the equation. Trust me, next they hit the campaign trail. President erator. (I vacuumed my coils shortly there’s a big difference... a gaping hole, Stuart Morrison thereafter.) At EFC’s AGM, Ms. in fact, with nothing to fill it. Vice President, Media, Publishing Niel Hiscox Vice President, Finance/Corporate Development Kent Milford Vice President, Human Resources Susan Bishop Vice President, IT and Operations CONTENTS // David Overall Director, Sales and Marketing Frank Shoniker June/July 2005 // Volume 41// Issue 6 Director, Editorial and Production Jackie Roth Director, Facility Management and Logistics Steve Dale 7// COVER STORY DEPARTMENTS Director, Human Resources Denise Desrosiers Director, IT 4// Industry News Michael Cunningham Creating Member, CLB Media Management Committee Tony Chisholm a gridless home 5// Think Safety SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One electrical contractor begs off the Business leaders pledge support Canada: Single issue $7.00 • Ten issues: $35.00 for workplace H&S (including tax) utility and goes it alone. USA: $59.00 (US) and International: $75.00 (US) per year United States Second Class Postage Paid at Lewiston, NY 8// Meet the Players (USPS-741-470) US POSTMASTER: send address changes to FEATURES ELECTRICAL BUSINESS, P.O. Box 8145, Lewiston, NY 14092 Bob Brews The contents of this publication are copyright ©2005 by CLB 20 // Personalities Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or in part with- 10// Increase profit through out written consent. Any portion of this publication may be repro- duced on a not-for-profit basis as long as credit is given to enhanced productivity 21 // Trucks for the Trade Electrical Business and CLB Media Inc. Requests for missing issues are not accepted after three months from publication date. In a competitive industry where margins are low, Work Truck Show delivers the news We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of you have to look to productivity gains to improve Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program toward our mailing costs. profitability. 21// Calendar CLB Media Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, complete- ness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all lia- 22 // Product Showcase bility in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance 12// Is there such a thing upon information in this publication. PAP Registration No. 10774 as an ‘electrical’ fire? 22 // Code Conundrum The vast majority of fires in which ‘Electrical’is 24// Library Send address changes to: blamed should really be deemed ‘Undetermined’. ELECTRICAL BUSINESS 240 Edward Street, Aurora, ON L4G 3S9 25 // Marketplace Return Postage Guaranteed 13// Cross-Country Contractors Canada Post - Canadian Publications Mail Sales Products 26// Code File Agreement 40063602 ISSN 0013-4244 EB profiles several unique contractors Printed in Canada from across Canada. Multimeter accidents and ‘user error’
www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 3 INNOVATIVE LIGHTING INDUSTRY NEWS// SOLUTIONS FOR CANADA'S COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL MARKETS Vimar Electrical fined SaskPower and Honeywell Kingsbridge Wind Power Project (currently $75,000 for H&S violation partner for energy efficiency under construction near Goderich, Ont.) Vimar Electrical Group Ltd., a Richmond SaskPower and Honeywell have renewed their “Through our experience with Hill, Ont.-based electrical contractor, was strategic alliance for the delivery of [Kingsbridge] we know that this area has one fined $75,000 for a violation of the SaskPower’s Energy Performance Contracting of the strongest wind regimes in Ontario,” Occupational Health and Safety Act that (EPC) program. said Paul McMillan, senior vice-president, resulted in the death of one worker and seri- Part of SaskPower’s Energy Solutions Epcor Ontario. “The strong support shown ous burns to another. portfolio, the EPC program is an energy by the community for wind power, combined On June 26, 2003, two workers were management service offered to commercial with other technical attributes, makes this an upgrading electrical service at a mall when an and institutional customers to help them outstanding location to further develop explosion occurred. The incident occurred reduce energy-related operating costs Ontario’s wind power potential.” after one of the workers was directed to do a through the implementation of energy-effi- final hook-up of a 600-V electrical panel in cient upgrades to lighting, heating, cooling Canada supports development the main electrical room. The other worker, a and ventilation systems. of alternative energy project fourth-year apprentice electrician, was SaskPower and Honeywell have provided The Hon. Joe McGuire, Minister of the assigned to assist the first worker. The first joint EPC services since 1999. To date, 11 Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, on worker inserted a fuse into a disconnect switch projects valued at $21 million have been deliv- behalf of the Honourable David L. Emerson, while the power to the switch was live. This ered, with associated customer utility savings Minister of Industry, announced a $5.1-mil- resulted in the explosion. The first worker of $2.3 million annually. lion contribution to support the development received third-degree burns to 80 per cent of of the Prince Edward Island Wind-Hydrogen the body and died the next day. The appren- Enmax grows Village Project. This Hydrogen Early tice electrician received first- and second- green power portfolio Adopters (h2EA) program contribution is degree burns to the face and arms. Enmax Corp. plans to increase its green power part of a $10.3-million project undertaken by A Ministry of Labour investigation found portfolio through the acquisition of a run-of- Hydrogenics Corp. and PEI Energy Corp. to the power should have been disconnected river hydro electricity generation facility and a demonstrate energy solutions and economic and all potential sources of power locked business venture to develop more hydro facil- growth opportunities for local communities. out before any work was done on the elec- ities in British Columbia. To that end, the Based at the western tip of P.E.I., between trical panel. The ministry also found the company is acquiring 99 per cent of the Furry Seacow Pond and North Cape, the project The Standard Advantages: electrical work should have been performed Creek run-of-river hydroelectric facility. The will use wind energy as the primary energy by a certified electrician. As well, the Squamish First Nation will retain the remain- source and produce hydrogen to provide apprentice was required to work under the ing one per cent. This 11-MW facility is locat- back-up and primary electricity for industrial, Innovative high quality products supervision of a certified electrician. ed 40 kilometres north of Vancouver. farm and household needs, as well as hydro- Full range of specialized energy However, the first worker was not a certified In addition, Enmax and Vancouver-based gen fuel for transportation solutions. A range saving, long life, security coated and electrician and Vimar Electrical Group Ltd. Eaton Power Corp. have announced a busi- of engine technologies will be showcased, premium performance products made no inquiries of the Ontario Ministry ness venture to develop run-of-river hydro including fuel cells, purpose-built hydrogen Complete line of lighting solutions: of Training, Colleges and Universities, electricity generation facilities in B.C. Under and retrofitted internal combustion engines. lamps, ballasts and optical products which is responsible for the administration the agreement, Enmax and Eaton will hold 65 Phase One of the project includes the instal- Exceptional technical support of the trades’ certification legislation, to and 35 per cent interest, respectively, in a new lation of a hydrogen energy station, a hydro- Wide availability at lighting and ascertain whether the first worker was a cer- company called Hydromax Energy Ltd. gen storage depot, and a wind-hydrogen and electrical wholesalers tified electrician, nor was any certification wind-diesel integrated control system to documentation provided by the first work- Epcor acquires rights power a number of homes and buildings er to the company. for 270-MW of Ontario wind power within North Cape. The next phase is expect- When you are looking for Vimar Electrical Group Ltd. pleaded guilty, Epcor has reached an agreement for the acquisi- ed to include the expansion of the wind- the combination of as an employer, to failing to ensure an electri- tion of Ontario-based Port Albert Wind Farms hydrogen village to allow for a farm operation innovation, quality and cian certified under the Trades Qualification Ltd. (PAWF). The purchase agreement provides and hydrogen transportation solutions, such service specify Standard! and Apprenticeship Act, or a person with EPCOR with the development and intercon- as shuttle buses and fuel-cell utility vehicles. equivalent qualifications, connected the elec- nection rights for over 270 MW of wind power The final phase of the project will involve the trical equipment. The court also imposed a near the western shores of Lake Huron, as well introduction of a hydrogen-powered tour LEADERS IN LIGHTING 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, which is as a 660-kW turbine currently in operation. boat. The boat will be retrofitted with an www.standardpro.com credited to a special provincial government The 12,000-acre land base covered by this engine that has the ability to run on pure fund to assist victims of crime. agreement is close to Epcor’s 39.6-MW hydrogen (with a diesel back-up system). For more info, contact [email protected] INFO NO. 59
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4 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com INDUSTRY NEWS//
Hydro One tomer billing, as well as integration to the drain and set up a boom in the station’s out- in the country. “We fill an average of 22 trail- selects smart meter suppliers company’s customer information system. flow to contain the material. ers a day with product and buy 14 million Hydro One of Ontario has chosen Rogers Hydro One owns and operates Ontario’s pounds of steel per year.” Wireless Inc./SmartSynch to provide 25,000 28,400-km high-voltage transmission net- Canlyte celebrates With its expanded facility, Canlyte is well smart meters as part of a pilot program that work as well as a 122,000-km low-voltage dis- facility expansion grand opening positioned for continued market expansion. will roll out in selected communities across the tribution system. The Canlyte facility in Cornwall had a prob- province in May and June. lem. Growth had been better than anticipated As part of the pilot, Hydro One will test a Bruce B Unit 6 and the company had literally run out of range of technologies in support of the overall taken offline following fire room. President Rene Marineau tells EB the program. Suppliers chosen for this work Unit 6 at the Bruce B generating station was facility was bursting at the seams before com- include: Enbridge Commercial Services, shut down following a transformer fire out- pletion of the $5.5-million expansion. Itron/Cannon, OZZ/Nertec, Redline side the generating station. No one was During the grand opening celebration, enti- Communications and Capgemini. injured by the fire, which was extinguished tled “Realizing the Dream”, Marineau gave us In early March, Hydro One issued a by an automatic sprinkler system. As a the goods on the expansion: “We’ve added Request for Proposal (RFP) for supply of result, some insulating oil has entered Lake 67,500 sq. ft. to our original 80,000-sq. ft. Photo A. Capkun Photo product, service and pricing for smart meters, Huron, likely through a storm drain. The facility. Manufacturing and office spaces have telecommunications and downstream process- insulating oil contains no PCBs or radioac- all been expanded.” Marineau points out this Canlyte team members are all smiles because of the facil- ing, including automated meter reading, tive material and consists primarily of min- is now the largest fluorescent manufacturing ity expansion, in which 67,500 sq. ft. were added to the original structure’s 80,000 sq. ft. meter management, retail settlements and cus- eral oil. Bruce Power crews plugged the facility in Canada, shipping the most products
THINK SAFETY// Business leaders pledge support for workplace H&S Cable Bus Feeder System number of business leaders jointly pledged to make workplaces safer by signing the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter Aat the 88th annual health and safety confer- ence and trade show of the Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA) in Toronto. Established by Duncan Hawthorne, president and CEO of Bruce Power, the charter is based on the principle that effectively managing health, safety and wellness is essential for a business to succeed. Photo courtesy Bruce Power. Photo by Kat McCulloch. Kat by Photo Power. Bruce courtesy Photo FULL POWER RANGE • Engineered to carry phase current loads up to 7000 amps in a voltage Duncan Hawthorne (at the podium) is surrounded by CEOs who range of 600V to 230kV. signed the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter at IAPA’s 88th annual health and safety conference and trade show. REDUCED POWER LOSSES • As a result of the ultimate balance of electrical fields, system impedance is lowered and load sharing is optimized. “This initiative creates a vehicle to allow compa- LOWEST COST SYSTEM nies to share in many good safety practices,” said • Lower cost alternative to bus duct, open tray, direct burial, underground duct and conduit cable systems. Hawthorne, adding, “In this way, new levels of safe- EXPANDABILITY ty performance can be achieved and strong safety SUPPRESSED EMF’S • An existing MAXIAMP system can be expanded easily Virtually eliminates interference created by power to accommodate future increased load current requirements. alliances forged. Engaging the senior leadership is • cable generated electromagnetic fields. ENHANCED ENCLOSURE key in ensuring that real change occurs.” SIMPLIFIED INSTALLATION • Advanced ventilation design maintains consistent heat By signing the charter, the CEOs committed to: • The System design for indoor applications facilitates exchange throughout the enclosure while providing effortless installation and replacement maximum mechanical protection. • Integrating health and safety into business strate- of circuits. gies, processes and performance measures, and MAXIAMP APPLICATIONS recognizing that good health and safety perform- ance supports good business results. Typical Users Typical Applications Meets Industry Standards • Striving for continuous health and safety • Power Plants • Power Plant to Substations • UL • Automotive Plants • Within Substations • CSA improvement and providing the leadership and • Mines • Primary Feeders • ICEA means to make this happen. • Refineries & Petro Chemical Plants • Localized Distribution • NEMA • Sharing information among CEOs to promote • Pulp and Paper Plants best practices. United Wire and Cable offers a complete turnkey solution from site engineering assessment to complete installation resulting in the most feasible and reliable system at the lowest cost. “This event is a milestone in the history of health and safety,” said Maureen Shaw, IAPA’s president and Tel.:(905) 771-0099 or 1-800-265-8697 1 West Pearce Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario, or email to: [email protected] CEO. “I have never seen so many CEOs and busi- Canada L4B 3K3 www.unitedwc.com ness executives come together to spend the amount of time that these leaders did this week to discuss an initiative and make the pledge to take action.” INFO NO. 21
www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 5 INDUSTRY NEWS//
AESO to strengthen Alberta’s The second component will see a new major transmission corridor 330-km, 500-kV line built from the ATCO employees raise The Alberta Electric System Operator Genesee generating station to the existing over $1 million for charities (AESO) received the green light from the Langdon substation east of Calgary. The More than 340 Alberta charities will benefit from Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) exact route of the new transmission line ATCO’s employee-led fundraising campaign. Through to proceed with a significant transmission within the approved corridor will be individual contributions matched by ATCO compa- development. developed over the next several months. nies, employees have raised more than $1.2 million to The approved project has two compo- The anticipated in-service date is 2009 support non-profit and community service organiza- nents. The first will see the operating volt- with cost estimated at $300 million. tions across the province. age of two existing transmission lines ATCO celebrated the success of its companies’ latest upgraded from 240-kV to 500-kV opera- A-D hosts first-ever fundraising drives in a ceremony involving several ben- tion. These lines connect the Keephills Canadian marketing summit eficiaries of its charitable campaigns. and Genesee generating stations west of Under the direction of the A-D Canadian In recognition of National Volunteer Awareness Edmonton, and the Ellerslie substation Marketing Committee (CMC), Affiliated Power of One”. Week, ATCO also announced the results of the south of Edmonton. This work would Distributors hosted its first-ever Canadian The affiliate and supplier attendees 2004 ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric Employee also include upgrades at the Keephills, Marketing Summit exclusively for selected their top three marketing initia- Volunteer Recognition Fund. More than 200 Genesee and Ellerslie substations. The Canadian Affiliates and Suppliers. As a tives to implement this year, while CMC employees registered approximately 36,000 volun- anticipated in-service date for these facili- result of the workshops, a new marketing selected one ‘new’ marketing idea that teer hours in 2004, and were each eligible to donate ties is 2007 with an estimated cost of $40 message has been developed for A-D came out of the workshops: an A-D $150 to the charity of their choice. More than million. Canada: “The Strength of Many: The Scholarship for Contractors’ Kids. $33,000 was donated to charities across Alberta. This fund has been in place since 2001 for ATCO Electric and 2002 for ATCO Gas. Each year has seen an increase in employee participation, hours volunteered and dollars donated. The completeIT. Soft Start line. S811 Best “It’s great to have the company support our com- munity involvement,” said Jerrold Lemko, ATCO Electric employee and Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. “ATCO Electric promotes and encourages vol- S801 Better unteerism in addition to matching the spirit of employee giving.” S752 Good Process to increase power plant output under development Encore Clean Energy Inc. announced an Eliminator™ technology prototype is being constructed at the com- pany’s test facility in Pass Christian, Mass. The Eliminator is designed to be used instead of a liquid pump for the Rankine steam cycle used in existing nuclear and coal-fired power plants. It is expected to improve plant output efficiencies and reduce emissions intensity (pollution per MW). AccelRate and Hawker solidify license agreement AccelRate Power Systems Inc. has signed an exclusive license agreement with Hawker Powersource Inc. for the manufacture and marketing of battery chargers incorporating the former’s patented technology throughout North America. Under the agreement, Hawker will manufacture a private label line of chargers for AccelRate, to be sold through aftermarket distributors to the motorized The IT. S801 The IT. S752 The IT. S811 materials handling industry. Hawker will also have a five-year exclusive license to manufacture and sell bat- . . Eaton’s Cutler-Hammer IT. S801 The IT S752 is very compact, The Cutler-Hammer IT S811 tery chargers incorporating AccelRate’s technology revolutionized the reduced voltage multi-functional, easy to install and offers all of the popular features of control marketplace with its easy to program. The device is the S801, but adds enhanced func- throughout North America. AccelRate claims its tech- advanced feature set and small available in configurations to be tionality with the new DIM (Digital nology charges all battery chemistries and sizes in 80- size. Designed to control the accel- applied either in the line of the Interface Module) and communi- per cent less time than conventional chargers. eration and deceleration of 3-phase motor, or in the delta windings of cations capabilities. Designed to motors up to 690V, the S801 is the motor. The in-line device is control the acceleration and decel- Ballard partakes in drop down fuel cell available from 11 amps through available for current ranges from eration of 3-phase motors up to ceremony in Japan 1,000 amps. Choose from Type 1, 0.25 to 50 amps at 600Vac. The 690V, the S811 Soft Starter is A public ceremony for the delivery of the world’s first 12, 3R, 4, 4X and 7/9 enclosures. inside-the-delta device is available available from 11 amps through commercial fuel cell power generator system was for current ranges from 0.44 to 78 1,000 amps and comes in your amps. The S752 is available as a choice of Type 1, 12, 3R, 4, 4X and held at the Japanese Prime Minister’s new official res- component for panel mounting, in 7/9 enclosures. idence in April. Tokyo Gas delivered a unit manufac- Motor Control Centres or in tured by Ebara Ballard Corp., the key component of Enclosed Control (NEMA 1, 3R, 4, which is Ballard Power System Inc.’s MK1030 1-kW 4X, 7/9 and 12). fuel cell module. Brascan Power acquires two hydroelectric plants For all of your Aggregate, HVAC, Conveyor, Brascan Power has completed the acquisition of two Pumping and Wastewater needs. hydroelectric generating stations totalling 48-MW of capacity from Reliant Energy for $42 million US. For more information please visit us at www.eatonelectrical.ca or call The Piney station is a 28-MW facility located on our Customer Service Centre 1.800.268.3578. the Clarion River in Pennsylvania while the Deep Creek station is a 20-MW facility located on the Youghiogheny River in Maryland. The combined average annual output of the facilities (together with capacity and ancillary products) will be sold into the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland electricity markets. INFO NO. 22 6 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com Creating a gridless home One electrical contractor BY ERHARD HERMANN begs off the utility and goes it alone
hen my wife and I decided to build a new house behind our existing 60+ year-old home in Didsbury, Alta. (about 60 kilometres north of Calgary), we wanted it to be as energy Wefficient and maintenance free as possible. It would boast double-wall construction, an insulated concrete foundation and two feet of glass fibre insulation in the attic. We moved into our new home in Fall 2000. At that time I ran an electrical contracting business providing mainly commercial, residential and agricul- tural service. Shortly after the move, a customer asked me about wind power. After researching the subject for him, my wife and I decided we would also give wind power a try, as it should help us reduce our expenditures and reliance on the utility. Another fac- tor influencing our decision is that the grid is easily affected by weather, glitches and overloading, not to mention susceptible to vandalism. Going it alone Early on we realized that reducing consumption was key to our energy strategy: we managed to go from Hermann © Erhard Photos using 8 kWh/day of power to just three. In sizing the
Continues on page 9 I had plenty of help getting this wind turbine tower set up and erected on my property. Thanks guys!
INFO NO. 23 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 7 MEET THE PLAYERS//
From political journalist BY ANTHONY CAPKUN to electrical leader Bob Brews
nce upon a time, Bob Brews (elec- the CBC,” he says. Figuring out where you fit trical industry champion and And though he possesses a degree in Bob was born in Calgary in 1952 and, past-chair of Electro-Federation Philosophy from Queen’s University, a before was 10, was already busily working OCanada [EFC], among other degree in Journalism from Carleton at R.L. Brews, along with his sister and two things) thought he would be a journalist. University and an MBA from the brothers. “My job was mainly sorting the “I was mostly interested in covering the University of Calgary, the Fates dictated paperwork, like sales orders,” says Bob, political arena; in fact, I covered Calgary that Bob’s real place was with the family adding that, as he got older, he started
City Hall news during my five years with business of R.L. Brews Ltd. working in the warehouse. “It’s just some- Canada Electro-Federation courtesy Photo
thing you did as part of the family.” Despite episodes of ‘higher learning’ and that stint with the CBC, Bob experimented with working for the family company full time in 1982, initially in inside sales then outside. Things must have been going well because, in 1997, Bob bought the company from his family. It also turns out Bob had higher aspirations for his company. He explains: “As a small player in the West, I felt we needed to be more ‘connected’ with the industry than we were.” At this point, Bob’s presence began to be felt—not just within Alberta, but across the country. He served on the board of the Canadian Electrical Distributors Association (CEDA) from 1989 to 1992, then on the S&D national council from 1998 to 2003 (which he chaired from June 2002 to June 2003). He also served on EFC’s board from 2002 to the present, serving as chair from April 2004 to April 2005. How to make improvements The only one Besides wanting to be a part of the ‘bigger picture’, Bob’s involvement in industry organizations was also driven by the desire to make things better. He tells me you’ll ever need. the biggest problem facing the industry—from manu- facturer to contractor—is the cost of doing business that, at all levels, “is greater than the end user is prepared We designed Can-Twist™ with all the features YOU wanted: to pay”. The result is constant pressure on everyone’s margin in the supply chain. A one size fits all wire connector, with wings for a better grip. “Ten years ago, the focus of discussion on this prob- Fits all red, yellow and orange applications (3 #22 to 3 #10), yet small to fit in tight spaces. lem was ‘Who is going to take the hit? The manufactur- Expandable side walls that hold two small wires snugly or flex to hold a number of large wires. er or distributor’?” explains Bob, adding, “It has taken a long time, but I believe the attitude has changed in our Extended skirt for overstrip protection. market, with both groups recognizing that the problem Heat set springs that won’t let go. is really about reducing everyone’s costs.” Unfortunately, most electrical products go through And square cut spring wire for quicker pick-up. yet another stage in the supply chain: the electrical con- It’s in a class by itself. No wonder it is the leading wire connector in Canada. tractor. “I have seen no efforts made to try to reduce transaction costs between contractors and distributors,” admits Bob, noting that contractors tell him their over- head cost on material is between 15 and 20 per cent. “That seems high, particularly because they do not have Get it. the inventory and sales costs of a distributor,” whose total costs run about 18 per cent, Bob says. As such, “the market is not going to support a total cost of 30 to 40 per cent to get a product from the manufacturer to the end user.” True enough, but what is the solution? “The long- term solution is to work together to take out costs, but For information call: 1-800-824-3325 it will take a major change in attitude for everyone to work together rather than fight over margin.” Bob says stakeholders must discuss the issues after first figuring out exactly what those issues are. Meantime, as frustrating as all this can be, Bob finds respite in his passions for skiing and cruising the Caribbean islands. Boating is also a top priority. “I own Speaking of quicker pick-ups, a small boat, a 19-ft. fibre glass Bayliner that I use to get here’s your chance to WIN one. to and from my cabin,” he says. Keep your eyes open Drop by your nearest electrical distributor and enter our contest for Bob at upcoming industry events. He may be an to win a brand new FORD RANGER. Better than perfect. It’s... EFC past-chair, but mark my words: this industry play- er is by no means out of the spotlight for good. INFO NO. 24 8 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com Continued from page 7 power system, we figured we needed about 1280-W tallest tower, which is tem, which can easily worth of solar panels and one 1-kW wind generator. presently 80-ft. high.) run you an additional We decided to go with a better quality inverter and bat- This whole process has $15,000. teries as they were expected to last longer. made us something of However, our goal at In Spring 2001, we ordered all the equipment we experts ourselves in alter- the outset was not so needed and installed it by the fall. Late December we native energy technolo- much an immediate called the utility and asked them to remove their meter gies, so I’ve made it a part return on investment and power lines from our home. Needless to say, this of my business. We have but to eliminate our was probably the first time the call centre operator had sold and/or installed sev- reliance on the grid. In ever heard such a request. On December 28, a local eral systems, and will time, as utility rates con- lineman named Gary came by and disconnected us continue to try different tinue their climb and from the grid: we were now on our own. products as they come non-renewable sources As life progressed, we decided to add more solar pan- onto the market with a of energy are depleted, els to our array, as well as try different types and sizes. view toward using as lit- our investment and This gave us the courage to push the self-reliance enve- tle non-renewable fuel as consumption discipline lope once more: in February 2002, we asked the gas possible. These guys put in a hard day’s work helping me get that wind turbine all sorted out, but it was worth it will have made it all utility to disconnect us. Again, the call centre operator As for cost, there is no considering all the ‘free’electricity I’m now able to produce. worthwhile. was dumbfounded. denying that the equip- We installed solar collectors to heat the floors and ment and effort we’ve continued experimenting with different products and put into the house is a lot more expensive than grid power. For ERHARD HERMANN is a master electrician who started in the trade 26 years ago. ways of using the energy. Wood stoves are kept on hand example, a $4500 turbine can end up costing about $15,000 to He has had his own business for over 11 years and does a lot of specialty work for heating when the weather gets really cold but, for $20,000 after you’ve factored in the cost of the tower and installa- and troubleshooting. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected] or the most part, the wind and sun provide everything we tion. This sum does not even include the battery and inverter sys- visit him online at www.erhardselectric.com. need for electricity, domestic hot water and heat. Some information you just can’t get out of a cata- logue, so we’ve gone through a lot of trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t. For example, catalogue information on wind generators and inverters simply does not reveal the whole story. Though similarly rated, wind generators are quite different with regard to noise and output, especially in lower wind-speed areas. Our original turbine, an H80, was rather noisy so we replaced it with an AWP. The original inverter was a Trace SW5548, which we replaced with an Outback FX3048 because it has a good sine wave and motor starting capacity.
It might look like a mess, but all my electrical equipment and meters are actually meticulously organized.
The height of the wind turbine also makes a huge difference. When we first applied for a development permit, we were allowed just one tower up to 50 feet in height. After one year, we applied for three wind gen- erators, and just last year received permission to erect towers up to 100 feet in height. We live in a light industrial area that borders a resi- dential one and our town, thankfully, has been quite receptive to our ambitions. Other municipalities may not be as forward thinking. Is it really worth it? GET THE JOB DONE IN ONE-THIRD THE TIME My wife and I currently enjoy 6.5 kW of solar power WITH WIREMOLD® PREWIRED RACEWAY. and have three of the 1-kW wind generators set up. (We have an enviable view of the Rockies from the Working with your specs, Wiremold will do all the wiring and pre-assembly work for you. You’ll get everything you need, clearly labeled and ready for installation, delivered right to the site. All you have to do is mount the raceway on the wall, connect the feed wires, snap on the pre-cut covers, and you’re done – no wiring, no cutting. And Wiremold Prewired Raceway is ideal for all kinds of applications and décor. Take less time to get the job done right and be more productive, with Wiremold Prewired Raceway. For details, contact your Wiremold sales representative. Or visit www.wiremold.com
Finally, my wife and I can relax (somewhat) after all the work we went through creating a gridless house. INFO NO. 25 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 9 AS FAR AS LIGHTING Increase profit through GOES... Roger Drew Two of your most important con- siderations must be low mainte- enhanced productivity nance and energy savings. SOLUTION: BY EARLE GOODWIN USHIO PULSESTRIKE™ Metal n a competitive industry where mar- tion on work progress for each day... mate- Halides feature formed-body arc gins are low, you have to look to pro- rial and labour on-site, weather conditions, ductivity gains to improve profitabili- problems encountered, solutions found, tubes that extend each lamp’s ty. But achieving productivity reasons for delays, progress made, etc. The Thinking about software? useful life and improve efficacy. improvements in the construction resulting document provides a wealth of Will (Korky) Koroluk, who regularly writes on computers Iindustry (where you rely heavily on human information when it is time to analyze the in construction, suggests several pieces of software and Warm-ups reduced by 50%, input) is not as straightforward as it may be job. It is also invaluable when you have to Web services that could be useful to your outfit. These quicker hot re-strikes and in the manufacturing sector (where the make a claim for delays or justify extras. suggestions are not endorsements: only you can tell more uniform colour are automation of one or more processes can You can also exploit your timesheets, whether they’ll work for your company. valuable bonuses! help you achieve your goals). which you already use to record the hours Before you can improve productivity, your field forces put in to pay them prop- Web TimeSheet© though, you have to determine where you erly. By using codes to have them account www.replicon.com are. Brian Foster, a senior consultant with for their hours based on the activities they Not a big suite of services, but not intended to be. It does construction management consulting firm were doing (i.e. conduit installation, timesheets very well. Customizable. Allows sheets to be ana- Revay and Associates, agrees, and gives wiring, terminating), you’ll have an accu- lyzed and integrated into accounting software. another reason for closely monitoring your rate record of how many hours each work- jobs. “If you aren’t measuring productivity, er applied to each activity. Again, this helps Copernic Desktop Search© you can’t track performance,” he says, you monitor a job and build up data for www.copernic.com adding, “And if you don’t track perform- your averages. A handy utility that quickly searches your computer for a file ance, you can’t formulate a realistic com- Brian also stresses the importance of you’re having trouble finding. Also searches the Web. And the pletion program for the job.” planning, which he describes as “thinking best part? It’s free. out general strategy” (whereas scheduling is Keeping track of the work a list of tasks that have to be completed Construction Office™ 2004 Tracking performance means having some according to a specific a time-frame). www.uniteddesign.com Choose from 70, 100, 150, 250, expectation of how the job will progress: “Don’t confuse the two,” he warns. An integrated suite of services for small- to medium-sized con- 320, 350 or 400 watt lumen you need to know what should be com- struction firms. packages. pleted at each stage in the schedule. Bringing in the hardware Indeed, you may already have a good sense The use of computer drawings allows for Build in the Black© Ask your authorized of job progression because of your many more detailed layouts, greatly improving www.buildintheblack.com USHIO Canada distributor years of experience, but does your good the efficiency of an installation. These A suite of services including built-in accounting. Designed for general contractors but might find application in electrical. for more details. sense have any basis in fact? drawings contain a lot of detail and can be One way to find out is to closely moni- manipulated, allowing you to spot and tor your jobs and plot completion against correct interferences and other problems the schedule when the job has wrapped up. before they become costly work stoppages. an accelerated pace, making ongoing training vital. After doing this for successive projects, you In fact, computer skills are becoming Over the past few years, community colleges, contrac- will have built up a factual database that more important to construction managers. tors’ associations and suppliers have begun offering tells you, for example, that you will have Brian has found that “most of the young courses in construction management, either as full USHIO Canada Inc. five per cent of the work done when 10 per guys know their computers but don’t have courses of study or topic-specific workshops. The 2730 Brighton Road cent of the scheduled time has elapsed and [enough industry] experience, while many information provided is often backed by years of Oakville, ON L6H 5T4 87 per cent done when 80 per cent of the experienced guys don’t know computers research, giving you access to industry best practices. Tel: 905-829-3338 time has elapsed. Now you are able to track well enough”. Essentially, the best results Fax: 905-829-5343 current projects against your average, are achieved when the person using the Impacted schedule Toll Free: 1-877-902-0722 which will alert you to any deviations. computer has a thorough understanding of and overtime work Email: [email protected] A useful tool for capturing this data is the construction means and methods. Construction, however, is done on jobsites, and one of Web: www.ushio.com jobsite journal. These diaries allow the site The reliance on computers is just one of the biggest obstacles to productivity on-site is delays.
INFO NO. 26 supervisor to record all pertinent informa- the changes occurring in construction at Because a lot of electrical work is done at the tail-end of the construction process, delays in the work of any of the other trades will often squeeze your schedule. This means that, at some point, you may have to look for ways to compress your schedule, such as schedul- ing overtime. Work done in overtime can sometimes be more pro- ductive than that done during regular hours, but only in the short term. Long-term overtime is another mat- ter altogether: studies have shown that efficiency drops off with every additional day overtime is worked. When you combine the cost of overtime pay with declining output, it becomes very inefficient. Brian says you are usually better off adding a shift rather than weeks of overtime. And when you are going to double-shift, he finds things work out best when :KHWKHU\RXUHTXLUHSULPHSRZHUZKHQQRXWLOLW\LVDYDLODEOHRUVWDQGE\SRZHU each shift works in its own separate area with its own ZKHQ \RXU XWLOLW\ LV WHPSRUDULO\ XQDYDLODEOH SRZHU JHQHUDWLQJ V\VWHPV IURP supplies, tools and job box. When both shifts have to ''&078 3RZHU *HQHUDWLRQ RIIHU TXDOLW\ DQG GHSHQGDEOH SRZHU DW D do the same work, schedule a half-hour between the PRPHQWVQRWLFH end of one shift and the start of the next, but invest in having the shift supervisors’ time overlap for an hour each day. This helps better mesh the two shifts. )URPN:WRN:ZH·YHJRWWKHSRZHUWRNHHS\RXUEXVLQHVVUXQQLQJ Productivity improvements are incremental. You $VDOZD\V\RXFDQFRXQWRQ+DUSHU'HWURLW'LHVHO$OOLVRQ IRUDIXOOUDQJH have to constantly monitor and adjust your systems RISDUWVVHUYLFHDQGFRQWUDFWPDLQWHQDQFHVXSSRUW6RGRQ WJHWOHIWLQWKHGDUN and processes to achieve them. But, with patience, per- severance and innovative thinking, they can be ''&0783RZHU*HQHUDWLRQ 2UGHU\RXU VHWWRGD\ achieved. The rewards are worth it.
)RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQFDOO RU+$53(5 ZZZKDUSHUGGOFRP HPDLO VDOHV#KDUSHUGGOFRP EARLE GOODWIN is a Toronto-based freelance writer and mar- keting consultant specializing in electrical construction. INFO NO. 27 10 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com ONE SIZE FITS ALL! HERE’S THE NEATEST WAY CO NEW! Pre-Cut Metal Stud Holes TO COVER UNUSED BOXES! NEW! FANVERS PAN & ELECTRICAL BOXES BOXES, F
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INFO NO. 29 INFO NO. 32 Is there such a thing as an ‘electrical’ fire? BY DAVID MONCUR, CFEI, P.Eng. Understanding the fire tetrahedron
t is every electrical contractor’s worst responsible for both the fire and the cost elled at the electrical work, few fires (if any) are nightmare. One of your best customers involved with replacing the building. electrical in origin. This scapegoating is under- calls and tells you his building has just So after digging out all your inspection standable, though, because electricity is so easy to burned to the ground and the fire certificates for the work done at your blame: it is invisible and everyone can appreciate department says the fire is “Electrical”. favourite customer’s site, you wonder who its power. However, the cause of most fires IYour people installed every wire in that to call first: your lawyer, the insurance guy should really be deemed “Undetermined” (some- building, and the fact that the local or your shrink. thing that those who are ready hang someone authority inspected their work does not don’t like to hear). necessarily remove all liability from you. The fire tetrahedron Does electricity cause fires? The short answer In fact, some would argue you are Although accusatory fingers are often lev- is No. In fact, three elements must be available in sufficient quantities to support combustion: • Fuel (something combustible) • Oxygen • Sufficient heat to raise the fuel’s temperature above its combustion point. This trio is referred to as ‘the fire tetrahedron’. Can electricity cause a fire? Electrical energy, when released in an uncontrolled fashion (i.e. a short circuit) can create enough heat to raise the temperature of a fuel above its combustion point. Today’s electrical systems, however, typically boast sufficient safeguards to prevent the uncon- trolled release of electrical energy. Nor does a short circuit exist in a vacuum. Other factors must be at work, such as the mechanical breakdown of insulation. This can happen quite easily, especially in an industrial environment, when a conduit or the exterior armour of cabling is damaged by a table, lift truck, etc. A short circuit could now occur, and if it does, it may be below the threshold level of the first upstream protective device (i.e. fuse or breaker), which may not react to it. The short may create enough heat to raise the tempera- ture of the thermoplastic insulation of the trol of the installing electrician that, when not wires above its combustion temperature, result- done properly, can pinch wiring and cause a fail- ing in a fire. ure of the thermoplastic insulation. Although some may classify it as such, this is The professional electrician can do many not an electrical fire, but a fire caused by things to reduce the risk of fire, such as taking mechanical damage to the insulation on the extra care to ensure all connections are secure wires. In such cases, there is nothing the profes- and all insulation properly protected. Wiring sional contractor or tradesperson can do to pre- expands and contracts at 120 times per second vent the fire. It occurred as a result of some out- (once on the positive half of the cycle and side influence. again on the negative half). Although this Another, classic example of which every con- happens on a microscopic level, constant tractor and tradesperson is aware is aluminum expansion and contraction can chafe the insu- wiring. Aluminum’s co-efficient of expansion is lation against anything with which it comes quite different from that of copper, so alu- into contact. Again, this increases the possibil- minum connections tend to come loose over ity of fire. time, leading to potential arcing problems. With Having investigated in excess of 700 fires over each arc, a small amount of carbon is deposited, the past 20 years, I can assure you there is no such until enough collects under the connecting thing as an electrical fire. There are fires in which screw to provide sufficient fuel for ignition with electrical energy provides the heat energy portion the next arc. of the fire tetrahedron, but most of these are the Technically, this is not an electrical fire. It is a fire result of a mechanical breakdown of the insula- caused by the breakdown of a mechanical connec- tion or connections. tion, which can be avoided through proper main- Coupled with following local codes, taking tenance procedures that include checking these extra care and promoting good work practices connections and maintaining proper torque. go far toward reducing the possibility of “Electrical” fires. Reducing the risk through good work practices Running NMD or similar thermoplastic-cov- ered wires across structures without proper sup- DAVID MONCUR, CFEI, P.Eng., is president of David port is one way to set the stage for the mechani- Moncur Engineering and has been retained as a private cal failure of the insulation on wiring. Similarly, consultant to the insurance industry, legal profession running NMD across a T-bar ceiling without and various ministry officials. He possesses over 29 years supporting it properly can result in a failure that of electrical/mechanical maintenance experience, rang- could lead to a fire. ing from high-voltage installations to CNC computer Installing straps in residential applications is applications. He has been involved in over 700 fire loss another work practice under the complete con- investigations, including origin and cause evaluation. INFO NO. 33 12 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
From hatchback to gas station specialist TJ’s Electric Ltd.
ifteen years have passed since Tim Jones first construction) because its leachate contains heavy metals, which con- underwent NSCSA safety audits in 2000, 2001 and 2002, scoring opened TJ’s Electric Ltd. from the hatchback of tribute to acidification of ground water, lakes and streams. 98, 98 and 96.5, respectively. his Ford Pinto. Today, his Bedford-based business Staying competitive has been, and continues to be, a key challenge Nova Scotia Community College has recognized the company for Fis one of Nova Scotia’s biggest electrical contrac- for his company, Tim admits. Problems include getting paid and its contribution to the skills competition in the college’s apprentice- tors in the gas station installation and repair business. ‘price shopping’. Tim is also faced with managing growth, complet- ship training program. TJ’s supports Partners in Safety (a program TJ’s currently employs 18 people including 11 jour- ing the computerization of the office, upgrading the company’s esti- aimed at elementary and high school students), the Cancer Society neymen, six apprentices and an office manager. It has mating technology and deploying people accordingly. and Red Cross. Tim sits on the board of the Nova Scotia Chapter of five full-sized vans, three half-ton pick-ups and a 40-ft. TJ’s is fully insured with the Workers Compensation Board and the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) where he bucket truck, Tim says, and it takes on everything in good standing with the Nova Scotia Construction Safety serves as membership director. from residential service calls to projects worth up to Association (NSCSA). In fact, TJ’s has a construction safety officer Fifteen years and counting. Congratulations, TJ’s Electric, and half-a-million dollars. who manages and maintains its safety program. The company happy anniversary! About 60 per cent of TJ’s Electric’s business is in the installation and repair of gas stations and terminals for the major oil companies (i.e. Irving, Esso, Petro- Canada, Ultramar and Wilsons) as well as independ- ents. The rest of the work includes water and sewer (i.e. treatment plants, pumping stations, standby gen- erator systems), utilities, commercial/industrial, resi- dential and insurance (i.e. fire and flood restoration). The company maintains a 24/7 emergency repair serv- ice and is trying to further develop its service to the res- idential market. TJ’s is also getting into energy management proj- ects—both independently and in conjunction with Nova Power Systems (see EB May 2005), which rep- resents U.S.-based Energy Automation Systems Inc. (EASI). Nova Power evaluates a business’ needs and presents a plan of action detailing costs and energy sav- ings. TJ’s Electric’s work begins when the business decides to go ahead with the recommendations. Work ™ can encompass power-conditioning equipment, light- PANDUIT provides end-to-end ing upgrades, and electrical loads and motors. Uncovering niche markets like petroleum, insurance connectivity solutions for harsh and, now, energy management has proved an excellent way to differentiate TJ’s from potential competition. industrial environments.
Another key to its success, Tim says, is its people, who ™ have “shown the ability to respond in harsh conditions The INDUSTRIALNET Solution provides IP rated and be open-minded”. connectivity and enclosures with durability and Some of the more unique projects TJ’s has undertak- superior reliability to support critical process en include: control functions on the plant floor. • helping Boeing prepare facilities in Shearwater for aircraft testing; Industrial Ethernet Enclosure • working on clarifier systems and methane gas I IP66 rated — vital for high wash down areas extraction for the landfill site in Sackville; I • wiring aircraft refueller systems; DIN rail equipped for mounting of a hardened PANDUIT ™ is a Global Leader • working with environmental staff on treating Industrial Ethernet switch and power supply Providing Innovative Networking contaminated soils and water; I Solutions to Enable Technology. • automating the Halifax bulk storage facility for Vibration mitigating back plate for improved Wilsons Fuels; switch integrity I Modular Twisted Pair and • control work, including programmable logic I Works with Category 5e IP67 Bulkhead Industrial Fibre Optic Connectors controllers (PLCs); and ™ TX5e Connectors for UTP and STP applications I • working at major petroleum terminals across Fibre Routing Systems New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I Zone Cabling Systems PANDUIT completes the solution set with a wide range TJ’s has also performed shore work for companies I Network Identification Systems (Sperry-Sun, Haliburton) supplying Nova Scotia’s off- of cable management, identification, routing and safety I shore oil and gas industry, and worked on a project at products suitable for use in industrial environments. This Network Cable Ties and Accessories Halifax International Airport addressing one of the truly integrated system provides high performance and province’s environmental challenges: pyritic slate. low overall cost of ownership. I Outlets Pyritic slate is southern Nova Scotia’s bedrock. It I Racks and Cable Management becomes a problem when exposed (typically because of I Raceway Systems Photo courtesy TJ’s Electric Ltd. I Physical Layer Management Systems I Network Grounding Systems J-MOD ™ Cable DOME-TOP ™ Heat Shrink Lockout/Tagout Support System Barb Ty Cable Ties Wire Markers Products I TX Cabling Solutions
TM For more information, reference ad # ie22 800-387-9689 • [email protected] www.panduit/com/ie22 Tim Jones (front row, second from left) poses with his crew as they celebrate the company’s 15-year anniversary.
INFO NO. 34 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 13 CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
From small residential to mega-projects Houle Electric
eeping a company on a steady path of growth is no easy Looking for ways to stand out task in these complex times. However, one of British In addition to building an experienced workforce, Houle pays Columbia’s largest electrical contractors is succeeding by attention to the opportunities for growth inherent in some of Kdelivering quality, providing a safe environment for the emerging electrical specialties. Two examples are Houle’s employees and confronting change head-on. recently formed Integration and Power Quality divisions. With annual sales around $40 million, Houle Electric has The Integration division assumes all responsibility for the come a long way since 1944 when founder and namesake installation and support of a building’s electrical and electronic Lionel Houle opened for business as a small, residential electri- systems (i.e. networks, telecommunications, security and con- cal contractor in Port Alberni, B.C. Today, the company is trols) giving the owner a single point of contact for all his elec- headquartered in Vancouver, with branch offices in Prince trical needs. It serves Houle by giving the company a competi- George, Nanaimo and Victoria, employing about 220 people. tive edge beyond price when bidding many projects. Houle ran the company until his retirement in 1980, when a The Power Quality division responds to a need identified by group of employees got together and offered to buy him out. courtesyPhotos Houle Electric utility companies. Robert says BC Hydro estimates that prob- One of those employees was Robert Lashin, P.Eng. Robert Robert Lashin, P.Eng., president of Houle Electric. lems such as voltage sags and surges, transients, and harmon- joined Houle as a junior engineer back in 1973 and became its ics are estimated to cost businesses in Canada about $1.2 bil- president in 1997. lion annually in lost production ($140 million in B.C.). This regimen. At Houle, this begins with an investment in appren- division, then, aims to reduce these losses through its Exploiting years of experience tices—people the company calls its ‘foremen of the future’. Predictive and Proactive Electrical Service Programs, which Like Robert, the remaining owners (Houle’s management Cross-training and upgrading opportunities are offered to are now part of all major contracts. The programs involve per- team)—along with an increasing number of employees—have other personnel with the knowledge that broadening an forming “thermal and ultrasonic scans to ensure all connec- amassed significant years of service. Twenty-five year service employee’s skill base reduces the risk of having to let them go tions are good,” says Robert, so power is used efficiently and awards are becoming commonplace at Houle’s annual at the end of a project. warranty issues are avoided. Christmas party. This is desirable, Robert says, because the Employee retention is crucial for other reasons: finding good, Houle’s main focus continues to be ICI work, explains “extensive experience” these employees bring to the table makes new people is always a challenge and worker shortages are fore- Robert, but its Service division is growing quickly, accounting project execution more efficient. cast in the near future, Robert says, partly because there are not for about 25 per cent of business. The company will do every- Keeping people for many years necessitates a strong training enough spaces available in the schools. thing from a one-hour service call at a house to the provision of
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INFO NO. 35 14 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
basic power requirements, automated building controls Construction Association. He also serves on the board of the new BC because trade contractors are rarely dealing directly with the owner, or telecommunication infrastructure systems for office Safety Authority. He is a member of the Electrical Contractors and these clauses increase the likelihood of payment problems. buildings, pulp mills and hospitals. Association of BC (ECABC), a council member of the Construction In the fast-paced world of modern construction, Robert says, man- Currently, the company is involved in the $300- Labour Relations Association and a professional engineer registered ufacturers could do a lot to help contractors by improving how they million Abbotsford Hospital Cancer facility, and is with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of communicate late delivery or failures. Manufacturers could also help doing work on the University of British Columbia’s British Columbia (APEGBC). themselves, he adds, by listening to customers. One of Houle’s pur- (UBC’s) Life Sciences Centre—the hub of a new, The company contributes to many charities. Recently, Houle has chasing agents recently told him of a manufacturer of EMT conduit distributed medical education program with the uni- provided support to a Habitat for Humanities project in Victoria, a who had made a flanged end an integral part of the product. “He’s versities of Victoria and Northern British Columbia. Nanaimo basketball team called the Camosun Chargers and the the one who’ll get the business,” explains Robert. “He doesn’t have to In 2004, Houle won in the Vancouver Regional Victoria Hospice Swimathon 2004. sell cheaper; as a matter of fact, he could probably sell it for a little bit Construction Association (VRCA) Safety Award in the more because he’s giving more value by reducing labour. He’s rein- Large Trade Contractor category of 200,000 or more Addressing future challenges vented a product that will make him way more competitive.” man-hours for the sixth year in a row. It also won the Robert says that, in the future, a key challenge facing Houle will be Houle Electric Ltd. has been recognized for outstanding work 2005 Consumer’s Choice Award, which acknowledges the Construction-Manager-At-Risk project delivery system. Project and safe practices, and has created several new divisions in recent the work of the company’s Service department, for the schedules are tighter and electrical is one of the last trades to finish years to address the evolving needs of its customers. The company seventh consecutive time. on a building site, so delays in earlier phases often leave them less has also put a lot of effort into retaining and cross-training experi- In 2002, Houle won major awards for two projects. time to do their work. enced employees. With such a progressive outlook, we can expect VRCA presented the company with its 2002 Award of “Pay-When-Paid clauses are the greatest threat and risk,” he says, to see more great things from B.C.’s Houle Electric. Excellence for “extraordinary proficiency under pres- sure” on a $14-million installation of electrical systems at the Royal Jubilee Hospital Diagnostic and Treatment Centre in Victoria. In the same year, in the same cate- gory, Houle’s Lions’ Gate Bridge project in Vancouver won one of two Awards of Merit. When he’s not running the company, Lashin finds time to be the 2005 chair of the BC Construction FINDING SOLUTIONS, Association and a director of the Vancouver Regional YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW.
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Installation of the muffler on a 2300-kW emergency generator at UBC’s Life Sciences Centre. INFO NO. 36 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 15 CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
An Olympian in its own right Digital Electric Inc.
teve Hibbert became interested in the electrical field while as lead technician in another firm, Steve decided it was time to go still enrolled in secondary school. “In truth, I started off into business for himself. sweeping floors, then my dad volunteered me to go to work,” Digital Electric was born in 1987; its name inspired by Steve’s pas- Ssays Steve (which pretty much sounds like the same way a lot sion for fooling around with electronics. And the timing could not of tradespersons get into their respective fields). He worked part- have been better, as the company opened for business at about the time with an electrical contractor after school and on weekends, time the digital revolution was upon us. “Since then others have tried finding the work relevant and motivating. He decided to pursue to take the name, but I’ve so far managed to protect it,” says Steve electrical full time, and successfully completed his apprenticeship with a smile. The company grew quickly: after just four months, and obtained his Certificate of Qualification in 1980. After serving Steve found himself hiring full-time help. Photo A. Capkun. Photo Steve Hibbert stands proudly by his Burlington operations, which started as one man and has grown to 26 full-time employees.
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Steve bought this new car to get around during the several months 6 , , -1 /- 9"1 /,1-/ - £Èx he was in Greece for the Olympic Games. He put 24 K on the car between April and November. INFO NO. 37 16 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
Bringing power thinking about the long term, so Specifically, he likes to put to remote places we want to take on committed youngsters through two tests: Digital has distinguished itself for a people,” he says. the hacksaw and the drill. In the number of reasons, such as becoming Unfortunately, Steve says, first, he asks students which way the service provider for Petro-Canada government is not doing the blade’s teeth are supposed to car wash systems for over 85 sites. But enough in the way of incentives face. In the second, he gets perhaps one of the company’s most to help employers take on them to figure out which way a interesting niches is providing power apprentices. He thinks it drill is supposed to spin to cre- for remote sites. “This aspect of our should provide some compen- ate a hole. Believe it or not, a lot business started when my neigh- sation to employers to help of those students don’t know bour—a subcontractor looking after them offset the cost of training. the answer to either test. various sporting events for CTV— “Some things do happen on a Is this indicative of a lack of asked me whether Digital does remote local level,” he says, pointing to proper education, or does it power,” explains Steve. He decided to a website like apprentice- underscore the importance of take on what would become the first search.com, “but beyond that, real-life training, as through an of many remote power jobs: the 1989 there’s nothing.” Steve also likes apprenticeship? If you ask Steve,
Canadian Open. © Digital Electric Inc. Photo to visit the halls of academe to he’ll tell you: “We’re all appren- Now the company averages about six see just what up-and-coming tices... just some of us have more to eight events per year, relying almost Good thing Steve remembered his PPE while balancing high atop the Olympic Stadium. apprentices are being taught. experience.” exclusively on Caterpillar product. One of Digital’s proudest, and easily toughest, jobs was setting up power for several venues at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Digital was IMPROVE SAFETY! brought in as a subcontractor by GE Energy Rentals; “they provided all the IT’S ALL WITHIN CLICKING DISTANCE. equipment, while we provided the know-how,” says Steve. Powering the various venues his team was assigned (such as Equestrian and Triathlon) was no mean feat. Furthermore, summer temperatures could easily hit 45°C, local labour could be ‘interesting’ to work with and some days on the job seemed to go on forever. “If it wasn’t for all the external forces brought in, the Games would not have happened,” says Steve mat- ter-of-factly. “In fact, we had to do a lot of stuff ‘on the go’, but we always managed to stay in spec.” Steve was in Athens from April through November 2004. GE supplied him with a car, and despite the fact that all the roads around Athens were under construction, Steve still put 24,000 kilometres on it by the time everything was said and done. “It could easily take us two hours to drive just 40 miles,” says Steve. He and his crew had no days off in June or July, and “Athens had not seen a lick of rain from June through September”. Still, the job got done. And Steve cannot praise the GE people enough. “They were an excellent group of peo- ple to work for,” says Steve. “They took care of housing and held weekly safety www.highspeedj.com meetings, especially for things like heat www.highspeedj.com stroke.” To the best of his knowledge, Steve cannot remember a single reportable incident in the entire time Today’s drives and soft-starters contain sensitive power semiconductors –the majority of these he worked on the project. controllers do not have internal high-speed fusing to protect them. And while branch circuit protection with traditional fuses or circuit breakers meets C.E. Code requirements, it leaves these controllers The shop and apprentices vulnerable to unnecessary damage. Digital has 26 full-time employees, all ® of which are encouraged to partake in That’s why our new Amp-Trap High-Speed J fuse is specifically designed for the operating some form of continuing education. characteristics of electronic motor controllers. With the overload capacity and dimensions of a Class J “We reimburse our employees for the fuse and the performance of a semiconductor fuse, it provides the branch circuit protection required by extra training they take,” says Steve, the C.E. Code and the high-speed protection you need to prevent costly damage and downtime. who feels better-trained people are not To learn more, visit ferrazshawmut.com/hsj and download our article “Caught Unprotected?” only more efficient, but happier overall. HIGH-SPEED J As for apprentices, two are becoming is the only fuse designed Call your Ferraz Shawmut rep or distributor and ask for your “High Speed Class J fuse” bulletin. And keep to meet branch circuit millwrights and four have started the requirements and provide one monster of a problem for destroying your productivity. path toward electrical. “Apprentices are high-speed protection for very important to Digital,” explains electronic motor controllers FERRAZ SHAWMUT CANADA INC. Steve. “We see a generational turn- 88 Horner Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M8Z 5Y3 Phone: 1 800 AMP TRAP Fax: 1 800 FUSE FAX around in our company, so we invest in www.ferrazshawmut.com Your circuit protection resource. apprentices to stay in business.” Steve explains the company is very selective Circle 44 on Reader Service Card when taking on apprentices. “We’re INFO NO. 38 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 17 CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
Alberta’s heavy industrial mainstay Chemco Electrical Contractors Ltd.
hemco Electrical Contractors Ltd. is believe we are a leader in safety,” says Brian. Some safety solutions are developed in- a 100-per cent Alberta-owned com- It’s an effort that has paid huge dividends. house, Brian says. For instance, Chemco pany and a key player in the In 2003 and 2004, the company logged redesigned fall protection harnesses several Cprovince’s heavy construction indus- over four million man-hours of work with years ago, and recently came up with a try. It is run by a hands-on management/ an LTA frequency rate of 0.05, and it con- design for a safer knife—six thousand of ownership team that includes president sistently maintains a WCB rate below the which will soon be made available to its Brian Halina, vice-president and estimat- industry average. workforce. ing manager Terry Milot, general manag- The company has been recognized for its er Dave Harbinson, corporate construc- efforts by clients and industry associations Worker retention tion manager Gary Evans, and construc- alike. For example, Syncrude presented its Like safety, employee retention is very tion managers Len Shankowsky and 1998 and 2002 President’s Awards to the important. “The workforce is aging,” Garry Tkachuk. company for safety innovations, and its Brian says. “Specialty people, such as qual- Currently, Chemco employs 1500 2003 and 2004 President’s Awards for Best ity control, project management and high- workers and is on course for revenues of Overall Environmental Health & Safety voltage testers, are hard to find.”
$200 million in 2005. By the end of the Performance & Program. It won Alberta Apprentices are in short supply, as well, Ltd. Contractors Electrical © Chemco Photo year, it will have performed about 2.5 mil- Construction Safety Association (ACSA) with the current shortage expected to last Chemco performed more than 610,000 man-hours of work on the lion man-hours of work—more than a Trailblazer awards from 1997 to 2001. In three to six months, with continuing electrical, electrical instrumentation and heat tracing systems at third of all the unionized electrical work in 2001, the Workers’ Compensation shortages predicted in 2007. Many com- the BP Prairie Rose LAO Plant. the province. Board–Alberta (WCB-A) presented it with panies are importing workers from other Chemco mainstays are heavy industrial a Worksafe Award of Distinction, and in provinces, Brian says, noting that about 20 projects in oil and gas, petrochemical, min- 2003 it was selected as one of the 50 best per cent of Chemco’s present workforce is ing, forestry and electrical power. The proj- companies to work for in Canada in from outside Alberta. ects have vast scopes, often taking years and Hewitt Associates’ annual survey. In 2005, The company is working to address this hundreds of thousands of man-hours to the Construction Owner’s Association of problem in co-operation with other con- complete. For example, Brian says, the Alberta (COAA) recognized Chemco with tractors and the International Brotherhood company has had people working on a their Best Practice Award for Safety of Electrical Workers (IBEW) through series of projects at the Dow Chemical and Leadership and Innovation. apprenticeship programs. Most of Shell Canada plants in Fort Saskatchewan Chemco’s safety success begins with Chemco’s management team actually since 1992, while two projects for HART (Hazard Analysis Review Task), the apprenticed with Chemco at the start of Syncrude’s oil sands facility at Fort company’s version of the Construction their careers more than 25 years ago. In McMurray—the UE-1 Expansion and Owners Association of Alberta’s Field Level fact, almost 350 people started their Aurora Mine—are now nearing comple- Risk Assessment program. HART helps get apprenticeships with Chemco, and 90 per tion after four years. workers into a safety mindset at the start of cent of those have become journeymen a job and as they face each new task. with the company. Safety a top priority Other safety programs include mentor- Providing a good workplace is another Introduced in 1998, Chemco’s stretching program has resulted in a sig- These projects, and others like them, pres- ing, fall protection and stretching (the latter way Chemco minimizes turnover. Brian nificant decrease in the number and severity of strain injuries. ent many risks to workers, who work with of which helps workers avoid muscu- says it is one of the few employers in his high voltages in often harsh and difficult loskeletal injuries). Chemco also has a business that will “move employees from conditions. These realities have led modified work program to help injured one location to another.” It also tries to Chemco to become very proactive about workers re-enter the workforce, and an make life easier for staff by scheduling work the safety and health of its people. “We alcohol and drug testing program. to minimize the time away from home and
209 Brunel Road Mississauga, ON L4Z 1X3 Phone: (905)501-9994 Fax: (905)501-9904
BUY CANADIAN Syncrude Canada Aurora power distribution includes incoming 260-kV power transmission lines, a switchyard, substation and 80-MW on-site WE’RE BACK gas turbine generators. AND WE WANT TO GET INTO YOUR RACKS 1/2” – 4” EMT CSA Listed The Entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Canada. ICON, the new Canadian manufacturer of EMT Conduit, supplying the National Marketplace. Also Available: • 1/2” – 6” RIGID Conduit IN STOCK cUL Listed • Full Line of Elbows, Couplings & Connectors Zinc Die Cast or Steel and Nipples • Smoke Detectors, CO Detectors and Combination Units • Full Line of Electrical Devices • Chime Kits Convenient new pickup facility: Drive in access for fast efficient loading. • Dock Level access also available. • 10 Minutes from Pearson International Airport Chemco contributes significantly to local charities, with employee sug- gestions serving as the primary catalyst for this generosity. INFO NO. 39 18 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com CONTRACTOR PROFILES//
by flying them off a site to see their families. in oil and gas gradually entered the mix. In Chemco’s management is very involved CSA certification, which allows the company The company also provides opportunities for 1978, the company changed its name and with the industry. Brian has been labour to install and wire a variety of components workers to diversify into different areas of spe- began focusing exclusively on heavy industri- relations chair for the Electrical Contractors into a CSA-certified assembly and affix a CSA cialization. He stresses that company manage- al projects in the construction and mainte- Association of Alberta (ECAA) for the past sticker. The company also has a Canadian ment always maintains an “open door policy”, nance disciplines. Today, Chemco’s multi- 10 years, while Milot is the incoming presi- Welding Bureau (CWB) certification to do and invites workers to express their concerns. faceted business encompasses: electrical con- dent. Dave Hagan, environmental health fusion welding of steel structures. The results speak for themselves. Currently, struction; mechanical and electrical instru- and safety manager, sits on ACSA’s and Flexibility is also gained through purchas- 37 employees have been with the company mentation; high-voltage distribution; con- ECAA’s boards and is involved with COAA, ing, Brian says. Chemco can purchase large more than 20 years, 75 more than 10, 200 struction management; electrical heat tracing WCB-A and other safety focus groups. quantities of materials very competitively, and have logged over five years and 700 have com- (EHT) installation and commissioning; elec- One challenge facing the industry is fast- has warehousing facilities on every jobsite to pleted at least a year. trical maintenance; and constructability. track construction, Brian says, where engi- ensure timely supply. The extensive inventory A new area of concentration is fibre optics, neering is completed as a project moves along. is electronically maintained with a customized Looking back where the company has been designated a This approach to construction complicates tracking system that can be modified to meet while moving forward Corning Extended Warranty Program con- logistics, forcing Chemco to find ways to be each individual owner’s requirements for Not bad for a company that started in 1963 tractor. A highlight of Chemco’s Syncrude more flexible. tracking and costing, he notes. Chemco also as Doug Smith Electric with just 10 people. work will be the installation the largest inde- Sometimes flexibility is gained by manufac- owns and maintains a large inventory of Back then most of the work involved schools pendent fibre network in North America, turing products in-house, such as Lamacoids equipment and tools to meet the requirements and hospitals, but some light industrial work Brian adds. and cable tags. As well, Chemco has achieved of its large workforce. Many charities, such as the United Way, Alberta Heart Institute and Habitat for Humanity, benefit from Chemco, says Brian, as do community activities and the appren- ticeship program. Employees are the catalyst for much of the generosity, Brian notes, as they often approach him or other members of the management team with requests. In memoriam Shortly before this story went to print, several Chemco employees were involved in a horrific bus-truck collision that occurred 33 kilometres north of Gibbons (near Edmonton) on Highway 28. Two lost their lives at the scene while several others were taken to hospital. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’families, friends and co-workers, and we Over the past quarter century, Chemco's focus has been exclusively heavy industrial work in the construction and maintenance disciplines, providing quality electrical installations, high-voltage wish those still in hospital a speedy recovery. testing and commissioning expertise. — Ed. NON.41 INFO NO. INFO NO. 40
www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 19 PERSONALITIES//
Win the ideal pick-up! Robert (Bob) Pidgeon has been appointed William joined Leviton in 2000 as a product (CEEA) and is the former president of Ideal customers have a chance at winning a market development manager at Cooper manager in the company’s OEM division. EnerQuality Corp. 2005 Ford Ranger Edge by filling out a ballot Wiring Devices. He reports to Denis at participating distributors. The draw for the Chardac, director of strategic accounts. Bob Mariah Energy Corp. appointed two new The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) grand prize will take place at the Electro- has been with Cooper Wiring Devices for directors: Kevin Gilchrist and Dan reappointed Peter D. Clark executive director Federation golf tournament on August 30. seven years and has more than 20 years of Cloutier. Kevin brings energy sector experi- for another three-year term. He is currently a experience in the wiring device industry. In his ence to the Mariah board. He is an inde- member of the International Electrotechnical Axion Power International Inc. has restruc- new position, he is responsible for the field pendent energy consultant and has been Commission (IEC) Council Board and tured its management team. Thomas training and business development associated involved in the development and operation International Organization for Standardization Granville, a founder and principal stockhold- with data communications products and of energy projects for over 15 years. Besides (ISO) Technical Management Board, and is er of the company, has assumed the post of installations, including end-user certifications joining the board, Dan also joins Mariah’s also a board member of the Pan American CEO. Charles Mazzacato has been named and troubleshooting. senior management team as director, busi- Standards Commission (COPANT). president and COO while John Petersen has ness development. Kevin King, director, customer operations, been appointed chair of the board of directors. Enmax Corp. has appointed Gary Holden Schneider Electric Canada, announced the Dr. Howard K. Schmidt has joined the president and CEO. Gary has been in the Peter Love has been appointed Ontario’s appointment of Arif Dhirani to the position board, replacing Mazzacato. energy industry for over 20 years, possessing first chief energy conservation officer. He will of pricing manager. In this role, Arif will be extensive experience in electricity and gas head the province’s new Conservation involved in developing and executing Ron Stewart, the president and CEO of utility operations in Canada, New Zealand Bureau, a division of the Ontario Power Schneider Electric’s Canadian pricing strategy. Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc., has retired. and Australia. Authority (OPA). Love has worked in the He comes to Schneider from IBM where he In the interim, the board of directors has field of energy conservation for more than 10 also held a position as pricing manager. Arif appointed Rosemarie Leclair as acting Ideal Industries (Canada) Corp. announced years and in the environmental field for over started his career after graduating from the president and CEO for a period of 14 Nick Schkordoff has been promoted to the 20. He is currently executive director of the MBA program at York University’s Schulich months. She took a leave of absence from position of president. Nick has served as general Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance School of Business. her current position as deputy city manag- manager of Ideal Canada for the past four years. er of public works at the City of Ottawa to Get a ‘Kooler’ set of wheels from T&B assume the role. William Fodor has been appointed director of As part of its annual Ty-Rap® cable tie sales with 3000 Ty-Rap cable ties and a chance to NxtPhase T&D Corp., a provider of digital marketing of Leviton promotion, Thomas & Betts has put togeth- win the grand prize: a Day at the Races with relays, recorders and fibre optic solutions, has Manufacturing’s Elec- er a summer promotion package all about T&B on September 14. After a lesson from a entered into an agreement with Beckwith trical Distribution divi- wheels. Running until the beginning of racing instructor, the 18 grand-prize winners Electric for the manufacture and warranty sion. He will focus on September, the will get behind service of the NxtPhase relay and recorder creating marketing, Keep it Kool pro- the wheel of a William Fodor product family. NxtPhase cites strong demand advertising, merchandis- motion features a professional race- and growth for the need to find a new con- ing, promotional, customer loyalty and in- soft-sided cooler car on a profes- tract manufacturer. house and distributor sales training programs. on wheels packed sional track.
We are pleased to announce Les Horswill
has joined Aird & Berlis LLP as an advisor to the firm’s Energy Group.
Les has had an accomplished career in the Ontario government and the electricity sector. For more than 20 years he has helped shape policy, law and organizations in both the public sector and business in a variety of roles, including Assistant Deputy Minister Energy Policy and Environment and as Chief Executive Officer of Hydro One Remote Communities.
A&B’s Energy Group
The Aird & Berlis LLP Energy Group is comprised of lawyers who are recognized as experts in the energy law community. We understand the broad range of issues which you may face, and have assembled a diverse team of lawyers with many years of experience in the energy sector. Our lawyers practice in the areas of regulatory, corporate finance, environmental law, litigation, real estate, municipal and planning law, financial services and tax, and are well equipped to tackle your most complex matter. NON.43 INFO NO. BCE Place, 181 Bay Street Suite 1800, Box 754, Toronto, ON M5J 2T9 T 416.863.1500 F 416.863.1515 W www.airdberlis.com INFO NO. 42
20 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com TRUCKS FOR THE TRADE// Some fancy stuff for your truck Work Truck Show delivers the goods
ack in February, EB told you about the Work Conspicuity markings Truck Show® put on by the National Truck 3M Traffic Safety Systems showed off its Diamond Grade™ conspicuity mark- Equipment Association (NTEA). We’ve ings (Series 983). They are six times brighter than conventional markings, boast Bchecked out some of the products either excellent reflectivity (even at 90° angles) and an aggressive adhesive, and come launched or showcased at the show, and came up with with a seven-year warranty. our shortlist of some ‘must-check-out’ items. Visit www.3m.com/tss
Vans to offer turbodiesel The 2006 Work Truck Show will be held March 1–3 in Atlanta, Ga. General Motors Meantime, keep your eyes open for Canada’s national truck show, Truck announced the World, being held next year April 20–22 at the International Centre in availability of the Toronto. Visit www.truckworld.ca. Duramax 6600 tur- bodiesel engine in the 2006 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana G2500 and G3500 series commercial models. This engine offers great horsepower and torque, as well as a quieter driving experience and better projected fuel economy. It is teamed with the Hydra-Matic 4L85-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission, which is specially tuned for diesel-engine compatibility, giving the Express and Savana exceptional towing and grade capa- bility. The Duramax 6600 also is compatible with biodiesel fuel. Visit www.gmfleet.com Remote AC power Contour Hardening Inc. unveiled Real Power™: a fully-integrated AC generator that can turn a heavy- duty pick-up truck into a mobile power station capable of generating a continuous 12,000-W stream of power. Rather than fuss with a vehicle’s electrical system, Real Power works off of the truck’s existing power take-off (PTO) gear found in the transmission. The generator mounts under the floor pan between the vehicle’s frame rails, so there’s no lost ground clearance. Visit www.realacpower.com
CALENDAR//
Annual Federation Cup Charity Golf Tournament Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) August 30 Milton, Ont. Visit www.electrofed.com Annual Meeting (Canadian Section) International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI)
September 30–October 2 WILL BE THERE! London, Ont. Visit www.iaei.org Edmonton Workshop Northern Canada & Southern Alberta That’s the retail value of the Work-Ready Equipment you can receive when you sections of IEEE * purchase or lease an eligible new GM van through the Business Choice program. October 24–26 Quality Adrian Steel® all purpose storage bin system helps you put all the plentiful Edmonton, Alta. space inside Chevrolet Express/Astro and GMC Savana/Safari Vans to very good use. Visit www.ieee.ca/safetyworkshop05 2618 With Adrian Steel, you know the upfitting equipment is going to be durable, just like your GM van. The right choice for your line of work – Business Choice. It’s Your Business, Electrical Learning Expo It’s Your Choice. Visit fleet.gmcanada.com or call 1-800-866-0313 for more information.
Alberta Electrical League (AEL) *2287 for Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana or 2618 for Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari. November 17 ®Adrian Steel is a registered trademark of Adrian Steel. Calgary, Alta. Visit www.elecleague.ab.ca INFO NO. 44 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 21 PRODUCT SHOWCASE // PRODUCTS FOR LIGHTING APPLICATIONS
ACSR cable cutter Next generation CFL lamps ronment with enhanced visual comfort. PureFX offers with the use of occupancy sensors or motion detectors. The Standard profession- design flexibility with a range of lamping options and 115 Advance Transformer (div. of Philips al series PAR compact flu- housing sizes: TT5, T8, T5 and T5HO lamping; and 2 x 2- Electronics North America Corp.) orescent lamps are ft., 2 x 4-ft., 1 x 4-ft. and 1/2 x 4-ft. housing sizes. specifically designed as a 112 Ledalite Architectural Products Inc. Solar beacons and luminaires replacement to BR, R (div. of Genlyte Group) A new line of products introduced by BL Innovative incandescent and PAR Lighting combines UV-powered panels that charge halogen lamps. Available Intelligent LED series capacitors, which in turn power low-consumption in an array of colours in The IntelliWhite™ series of solid-state lighting products LEDs. All models charge throughout the day and turn both PAR 30LN and PAR from Color Kinetics extends the benefits of LEDs (i.e. on at dusk. Each unit has a life of seven to 20 years, and 38 shapes, the company claims they offer up to 75-per efficiency and long life) to white light applications, is suitable for roadways and traffic control. Flush- cent energy savings and four times longer life than such as architectural accent, art and exhibit, and hospi- mounted units flash in single and double directions, their halogen counterparts. Applications include tality ambience lighting. The products are also targeted and are designed to withstand 60 tons of weight (for recessed cans, ceiling fixtures, track lights and difficult- for areas where conventional light sources are imprac- intersection and crosswalk applications). Greenlee’s 776 high-performance ACSR cable cutter is to-service areas. tical. Products in the IntelliWhite series include: iW 116 BL Innovative Lighting designed for power utility line crews, utility contractors 111 Standard Products Cast; iW Blast; iW Profile; iW MR; and iW Scene and anyone who regularly cuts ACSR. It is has a patent Controller, iW PDS-150 and iW Data Enabler. Fixtures for linear track system pending, two-speed mechanism that closes the blades Recessed luminaire 113 Color Kinetics Inc. rapidly until they make contact with the cable, then it automatically shifts to a power speed so that handle effort Keyless drum fixture remains low while making the cut. When the cut is com- TCP offers a keyless drum fixture for utilitarian lighting plete, the 776 opens automatically to get ready for the applications, such as garages, basements and laundry next cut. The cutter is only 20-in. long and features a light- rooms. It uses either a Springlamp® or T6 circline com- weight fibre glass handle. pact fluorescent lamp that lasts an average 10,000 118 Greenlee (a Textron company) hours, while the replaceable ballast lasts 50,000 hours. The Energy Star-rated fixture also offers an optional dif- W.A.C. Lighting has introduced QuickConnect halogen Premium hole saws fusion cover. and xenon lamped elements for its low-voltage linear 114 Technical Consumer Products Inc. track system, which is suitable for applications ranging from under-shelf/cabinet and surface-mounted to ceil- Ledalite’s PureFX™ recessed lighting system promises Ballast line expanded ings to suspended from sloped ceilings with suspension controlled brightness and significant energy savings Advance has expanded its line of Centium electronic kits or mounted to walls with brackets. Low-voltage over traditional recessed fixtures via MesoOptics® tech- ballasts with Intellivolt-Hi technology to include a transformers, offered in electronic and magnetic ver- nology: a holographic material that produces diffuse four-lamp model for 54-W T5/HO applications. The bal- sions, are available for surface or remote installations. patterns of pure white light that are highly controlled last’s programmed-start lamp ignition provides The system uses proprietary QuickConnect components, and directed. These optical capabilities minimize shad- extended life in frequent switching applications and making it suitable for use with other W.A.C. systems. ows and glare to create a more naturally luminous envi- supports the frequent lamp ON/OFF cycles associated 117 W.A.C. Lighting
Tackle the Code Conundrum... if you dare Questions and answers compiled by Ted Olechna
So, you think you know the electrical code, eh? Well, we’ll soon find out if you’re an electrical code junkie or downright code-clueless. Klein Tools offers an expanded line (46 new products and Take a look at the following questions and check your answers online at www.ebmag.com, or in August’s Electrical Business. accessories) of professional hole saws designed to cut faster and stay sharp longer. Great White™ hole saws cut through Question 1: A 120-V high-intensity discharge (HID) Question 2: Every outdoor high-voltage station Question 3: Where overcurrent protection is not pro- steel, stainless steel, plastic, wood with nails, drywall, luminaire in a commercial installation shall be per- required to be grounded by a station ground elec- vided for a photovoltaic power source circuit, the rated cement board, plywood and cast iron. Bi-metal hole saws mitted to be connected to a circuit protected by an trode consisting of a minimum of four driven ground short-circuit current of all available photovoltaic feature bi-metal cobalt construction for heavy-duty cut- overcurrent device rated or set at not more than rods not less than 3-m long and 15.8 mm in diameter power sources shall be multiplied by [ ___ ] per cent. ting, and cut deeply through studs in one pass. Carbide grit [ ___ ] amps. spaced at least 2 m apart. a) 300 per cent b) 125 per cent hole saws are designed for smooth cuts with minimal tear a) 15 b) 20 c) 30 d) 40 a) True b) False c) 100 per cent d) 80 per cent out, and will not dull in abrasive materials. The Great White line also includes four hole saw kits with popular sizes: Answers to Code Conundrum Electrical Business May 2005 Electrician, Journeyman Master Electrician and Large. 119 Klein Tools Question 1: What is the maximum distance between former, and 1 m on other sides. Rule 26-242 states nection outlet has been provided for a freestand- supports for a busway that is run horizontally? “Transformers that are protected by an internal ing gas range, one receptacle shall be installed in 10-A micro-ohmmeter Answer: b) 1.5 m. Rule 12-2006(1) states “Busways current-limiting fuse and are equipped with a pres- any convenient location in the space behind the installed horizontally shall be supported at inter- sure relief device shall be permitted to be installed intended gas range location. vals not greater than 1.5 m unless marked as being within the distances specified in Subrule (2), pro- Answer: b) False. Rule 26-712(d)(ii) states “Where a suitable for support at greater intervals”. vided that a working space around the transformer gas supply piping or a gas connection outlet has Question 2: What is the working space required for is at least: a) 3 m on the access side of the trans- been provided for a free-standing gas range, one a three-phase pad mount distribution transformer former and b) On all other sides: i) 1 m for three- receptacle behind the intended gas range location that is protected by an internal current-limiting phase transformers. not more than 130 mm from the floor and as near fuse and equipped with a pressure relief device? midpoint as is practicable, measured along the floor Answer: a) 3 m on the access side of the trans- Question 3: Where a gas supply piping or a gas con- line of the wall space intended for the gas range”. HOW DID YOU DO? 3 of 3 = Not only are you smart, you love to show off. 1 of 3 = Your understanding of these questions is not up to code. 2 of 3 = You’re pretty smart, but you still missed one. 0 of 3 = Did you come up with your answers by playing Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe? AEMC’s 10-A micro-ohmmeter (model 6250) is a rugged, INFO NO. 45
22 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com PRODUCT SHOWCASE //
low-resistance tester designed for both plant mainte- Custom VDV power columns Wire labelling printer cable and features a small footprint. Users can print cus- nance and field use. The 6250 employs a four-lead Post Glover LifeLink and software tom labels with industrial-grade adhesive in 23 differ- Kelvin method of testing, achieving results within 0.05 has introduced a ent colour combinations from 1/6-in. up to 1-in. wide. per cent. Resistance measurements are automatically line of custom VDV Special shrink tube labelling material can be used for calculated, taking into account the measurement value, (voice, data and wire, cable and medical instruments. ambient temperature, metal type and metal tempera- video) power 126 K-Sun Corp. ture co-efficient. Three test modes are available: resis- columns suitable tive (instantaneous), inductive (continuous) and auto for theatres, con- Spray-on silicone product (repetitive). ference facilities Anderson and its new 120 AEMC Instruments and other venues. Aerosol division have intro- The columns pro- duced AeroCure: a silicone Power cable jackets vide power and spray designed to protect For applications involving industrial data connections electrical connections from power cable, Southwire’s Solonon™ for multiple appli- K-Sun’s LABELShop® 2010-PC and MaxiLabel® V2 moisture and temperature power cable promises easier pulling cations, while custom design and construction accom- Windows® software are made for designing and print- variances without imped- and improved mechanical, chemical modate any configuration of receptacles, switches, ing professional labels for applications ranging from ing electrical conductivity. and flame performance. Solonon ground jacks, and data and communication outlets. For safety identification and industrial parts to equipment, The thickness of the coat- non-halogen, low-smoke jacket durability and clean lines, the VDV columns are con- wire and cable. Although the software contains over 600 ing (which can be removed compounds pass UL’s limited smoke structed of anodized aluminum, and custom colour fin- general industrial and office symbols, it nonetheless lets when required) can be test to win an LS rating. The company ishes can be applied to match site décor. users import their own graphics and images into label built up to as much as 2.5 mil. also claims Solonon jackets provide 125 Post Glover LifeLink (part of the Halma Group) designs. The printer connects to a laptop or PC via USB 127 Anderson & Associates LLC higher reliability in conduit installa- tions because of their lower co-effi- cient of friction than CSPE, and the fact that they exhibit lower mechani- cal water absorption than CSPE. 121 Southwire Co. MNC cooling fan
Continental’s MNC cooling fan is designed for quiet and rapid heat dissipation. It employs the patented MF mixed flow impeller, incorporating an adjustable blade geometry to provide a range of performance options. MNC cooling fans have medium-pressure capabilities and are available in nine sizes that can produce airflows Illuminaire™ up to 20,000 cu. ft./min. Custom mounting arms and special designs accommodate numerous applications, The new shape of light.™ which include electronic cabinet cooling, heat exchang- The “Crest” from Holophane ers, refrigeration equipment and computer rooms. 122 Continental Fan Be among the first to use the most dramatic new idea in lighting. With an innovative shape, timeless borosilicate glass optics and proven Holophane performance, the Illuminaire “Crest” Spiral wrap for organizing wires brings a new level of sophistication to your lighting choices. Maintenance is easy, too—simply A full line of spiral wrap—a spirally cut plastic cable remove the bottom piece for access. “Crest” is one of five unique new shapes in the Illuminaire harness that bundles wires and permits breakouts in line and the latest in a 100-year legacy of superior lighting performance from Holophane. any direction—is available from M.M. Newman. Heli- Start your own lighting revolution. Contact your local Holophane Tube® spirally cut cable wrap features a precise angular cut and provides protection against abrasion. The wrap factory sales representative, call (905) 707-5830 applies without tools and comes in a variety of materi- Visit us at www.holophane.com. als and sizes. Available in UV-resistant black polyethyl- ene, polyethylene in colour, fire-resistant white and black polyethylene, natural and black nylon, and PTFE in natural and colour, Heli-Tube® can be supplied in seven sizes (1/16-in. o.d. to 1.5-in. o.d.) for wire bun- dles up to 10-in. o.d. 123 M. M. Newman Corp. EGG CREST TRI-EGG TRI-CREST QUAD * Quad design in large optic only Network documentation and cable management software Brady Corp.’s Web-enabled NetDoc™ network documen- tation and cable management software allows users to manage cabling, network, telephony and legacy con- nections. The software package simplifies the process of documenting horizontal and backbone cables, hard- ware, assets, pathways, locations, users and more. NetDoc integrates directly with Brady’s LabelMark™ label design software. 124 Brady Corp. INFO NO. 46 www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 23 LIBRARY// For more information, enter the number on the card in this issue
The Product Catalogue ICE HALOGEN... SOFT, EVEN LIGHT! Ferraz Shawmut’s new 75-page prod- Clarify the things that mat- ICE Halogen frosted lamps from STAN- uct catalogue boasts more product ter with a Brother P-touch® DARD Products Inc. boast consistent, than previous versions and contains electronic labelling system. even light distribution eliminating more in-depth information. The cata- dark lines and shadows of convention- logue covers fuses and fuse holders of Able to print from 6mm to 24mm, the al halogen lighting. STANDARD ICE every shape and size, including some rugged PT-1650 comes with download- Halogen lamps are ideal for all resi- really innovative products making their able custom templates, the ability to dential, commercial and retail applica- first appearance: FSPDBs (finger-safe print industry standard bar codes and tions where soft, power distribution blocks); HSJ (high- built-in telecom and datacom templates no-glare illumination is desired. speed fuse); US14 and US22 ultra-safe to help keep things clear on the job. holders; RK5 and J fuses with For more information or to locate your Smartspot; and 8.25-kV ferrule-mount- local distributor, please contact: ed, E-rated fuses. STANDARD Products Inc. Ferraz Shawmut Canada Inc. Brother 4 1-(800) 361-6965 Dial option 1 5 6 1-877-BROTHER [email protected] www.ferrazshawmut.com Toll Free 1-800-AMP-TRAP (267-8727) (1-877-276-8437) www.standardpro.com www.brother.ca
Marrette® Twist-on Wire Connectors Industrial, Commercial & Updated catalogue now available Datacom Enclosures on line. Hammond Manufacturing offers thou- Discover the latest developments in the Three new free CD-Roms on Structured Wiring for Installers, Homebuilders and sands of Industrial, Commercial and original marrette® wire connector fami- Datacom enclosure solutions. We can ly on line at www.tnb-canada.com. The Remodelers are now available. 49 The Donway West, Suite 415 cross our products to other major sup- Marrette® Wire Connector Catalogue pliers and provide service and quality Don Mills, Ontario, M3C 3M9 includes product and ordering informa- second to none. tion for the complete marrette® product offering including the all-new Resimarr® Email us today to request our full prod- 833® residential wire connector. uct catalog or visit our website for more information.
Canadian Copper & Brass Development Association Hammond Manufacturing 7 Thomas & Betts Limited 8 Tel: 1-877-640-0946 9 Tel: 519-822-2960 www.tnb-canada.com [email protected] [email protected] www.coppercanada.ca www.hammfg.com
More Options. More Brains. Superior Flexible Conduits, A Canadian The MAXIAMP Cable Bus owned and operated manufacturer of More Brawn. Less Waste. Feeder System BRADY's new handheld labelling system has metallic flexible conduits, prides itself MAXIAMP is a unique and complete on being a company as flexible as its everything it takes to make you an cable bus feeder system package Identification Expert! The IDXPERT is the first products. Superior excels at workman- designed by United Wire & Cable handheld cartridge based labelling system ship and exemplary customer service, engineers which includes technically that can print die-cut labels, self-laminating offering standard and specialized selected power cable and a well ventilated aluminum or steel enclosure, labels and sleeves as well as continuous unique products for the electrical along with all the necessary associated components, tailored to achieve an tapes...You name it IDXPERT prints it! industry. Find out more about our cus- effective and highly reliable system. This cable system can carry phase con- Choose from two keyboard layouts, then tomized product line…. ductor loads up to 7000 Amps for a full voltage range of 600 V to 230 kV select from a wide range of label materials We invite you to contact us with your while providing a lowest comparative cost, reduced power losses, EMF sup- engineered just for your application. That inquiries and visit our website. pression, simple installation and expandability. MAXIAMP offers an ideally includes wire and cable markers; panel, rack simplified end to end power delivery solution for all project applications. and frame ID; facilities labels; and specialty labels for labs and work spaces. United Wire & Cable Superior Brady 10 11 Tel: 1-800-265-8697 12 Tel: 1-800-263-6179 905-355-2959 Fax: 1-800-461-4689 www.superiorflex.com Fax: 800-387-4935 [email protected] www.bradycanada.com
USHIO LINE VOLTAGE RSi SX Series Ruud Lighting Canada introduces a MR-16 LAMPS FOR sleek new dayform in the Aviator site light. Great lines combine with terrific GENERAL LIGHTING The RSi SX series is a family of modu- full-cutoff performance. 7-year finish Pro-Star™ line MR-16 lamps are lar high performance sensorless vec- warranty, 3-year electrical warranty! designed for applications where the tor drives which feature the easiest Ruud Lighting Canada sells only to elec- compact look of an MR-16 is desired programming on the market today. trical and lighting distributors. without the requirement of a low volt- Standard are the Nema 1,12 enclo- age transformer. Pro-Star lamps are sures, Modbus RTU (optional device For catalog information on the Aviator shorter than PAR-16 and JDR Halogen net, metasys communication), built in series and to get information on your lamps and feature "turn-in / turn-out" DB resistor and a wide variety of local Canadian agent for Ruud Lighting locking base for easy installation in inputs and outputs. compact spaces, making them perfect please contact us. for compact lighting designs. USHIO CANADA, INC. Benshaw Canada Ruud Lighting Canada 13 Tel: 905-829-3338 14 Tel: 519-291-5112 15 1-800-473-1234 2730 Brighton Road Fax: 519-291-2595 [email protected] Oakville, ON, L6H 5T4 www.benshaw.com
Wunpeece Duct Spacer Custom Armoring, Now Available in French: Catalogue des Produits Ferraz Shawmut The Wunpeece Spacer is the ideal duct Jacketing and Special At last, those who have been patiently spacer for all concrete encased duct Constructions: waiting can now read all about the bank projects. The Wunpeece replaces Northern Cables Inc. provides custom increased product line in Ferraz traditional base and intermediate duct interlocked armor services on other Shawmut’s new French version of The spacers. With its sturdy one piece con- manufactured cores supplied by the Product Catalogue. This 75-page indus- struction and snap-in design, field customer. The most common materials try premier catalogue for fuses and fuse assembly is significantly reduced and for armor are aluminum or galvanized holders boasts many products and con- labor can be cut by as much as 50% on steel. Choice of material thickness and tains in-depth information. Some cool installation. Additionally, with only one grade can vary depending on the physi- items making their first appearance in item to order, inventory hassles are cal properties required by the end user. this catalogue include: FSPDBs and eliminated. Other materials are available upon 8.25-kV ferrule-mounted, E-rated fuses. request. Underground Devices Inc. Northern Cables Inc. 16 Call (800) 800-2118, 17 18 Ferraz Shawmut Canada Inc. or visit www.udevices.com 888-524-5050 www.ferrazshawmut.com for more information [email protected] Toll Free 1-800-AMP-TRAP (267-8727) www.northerncables.com
24 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com MARKETPLACE // For more information, enter the number on the card in this issue
WANTED Molded Case Circuit Breakers. New & Used, All Brands. Motor Control & MCC. Buckets in A&B, S.D. & W.H. & C.H. Please call, email or fax Ralph Falvo with your list. FALVO ELECTRICAL SUPPLY LTD. 5838-87A St., Edmonton, Alberta 1-800-661-8892 780-466-8078 Fax 780-468-1181 email: [email protected] INFO NO. 47
INFO NO. 48 INFO NO. 50 INFO NO. 51 EB MARKETPLACE Your source to • buy or sell • search for an employee • advertise a course • promote a product • advertise a job opening at great rates! Over 18,000 coast to coast distribution!
EB MARKETPLACE.... your market... covered! Contact Bill Begin at 905-713-4335.
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INFO NO. 49
www. mag.com • JUNE/JULY 2005 • 25 CODE FILE//
Multimeter accidents BY STEVE SMITH, CTech, CFEI, CEI and ‘user error’
hen the 2002 Ontario time of testing, not necessarily where he is Electrical Safety Code came into located geographically. Confusing? You bet, law, it required the reporting of but it is still user error. Wall serious electrical incidents to In most of the accidents investigated, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). This meters either did not have internal fuses or allows ESA to investigate incidents and the fuse was only on the current measure- compile data, and suggest changes to codes ment portion. (And why do most of these or standards when it feels such changes meters have a 250-V fuse when they can could prevent similar incidents from reoc- measure up to 1000 volts?) Typically, a sim- curring. ple mistake with a multimeter would see the ESA courtesy Photo A good example is the common multi- device destroyed, but worse than that, the These images show some of the destruction that can be caused when multimeters are combined with ‘user error’. meter. These high-tech, multi-function distribution system being tested would see gadgets have grabbed the market because of the fault created as a dead short. This would their ability to do almost anything when it be the equivalent of replacing the test 1-04, Safety Requirements for Electrical Safety tips for the interim comes to measuring electricity. probes with a coat hanger then putting it Equipment for Measurement Control Before placing the probes of a multimeter on an ener- Unfortunately, the number of serious right across the testing points. With fault and Laboratory Use (a.k.a. The 1010 gized piece of equipment, check the following: injuries involving multimeters is on the currents in commercial and industrial com- Standard), not anticipate and accom- 1. Use only approved and properly rated equipment. rise. As the 2002 code took hold, ESA was plexes easily hitting the 20,000-A range, it is modate user error? 2. Understand and comply with CAT ratings. (In fact, called to investigate an increasing number no wonder a typical victim receives horrible With the first issue, problems erupt when only use CAT III or better on jobsites to avoid user of serious accidents—a number of them burns to his face, hands and upper body. too many features are packed into a small error.) involving multimeters. In fact, there have Most workers do not realize that the device, each with a specific requirement for 3. Ensure the meter’s settings are correct before testing, been 26 reported serious incidents in introduction of a fault like this into the sys- use. This creates a lot of room for user error. and do not change them while energized. Ontario since 1998. tem being tested will cause a dead short at In fact, if you are involved in a reportable 4. Wear proper personal protective equipment. the test point, then the ionizing, swirling, accident involving a multimeter, chances 5. Replace standard test leads with approved fused test User error conductive, vaporized copper gases will cre- are 50/50 you’ve sustained a critical injury. leads. ESA investigations revealed that incorrect ate a second failure—mere cycles apart— In a survey of electrical contractors con- Remember, CEC states electrical equipment shall be of a settings, applied voltage, CAT areas and involving all phases in the equipment. The ducted for ESA, over 11 per cent of respon- kind of type and rating approved for the specific purpose probe slots were usual causes of the prob- victim is now at the mercy of whatever dents stated they have experienced a violent for which it is to be employed. This means it is your lem. Hence, the most common denomi- energy the system can throw at him. If the failure of a multimeter during use. Would responsibility to know your equipment and how to use nator behind these accidents is deemed expelled molten copper and balls of flames the industry tolerate such a failure rate with it safely. So choose and use your equipment wisely. user error. do not take their toll, the radiation and any other product? Accidents affect us all: like a pebble dropped in a pond, Take the CAT rating system: most users toxic gases will. Among other initiatives, ESA has submit- the ripple effect travels in many directions. have absolutely no idea what CAT means ted a proposal to The 1010 Standard com- or how to apply it (Figure 1). A number of Have we traded convenience for mittee to require multimeters to accommo- incidents investigated involved CAT II critical injury? date user error without consequence to the STEVE SMITH, CTech, CFEI, CEI, is a technical advisor with the meters being used in CAT III areas. So the two main issues at hand are: meter and/or the system being tested. This Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and is also directly involved in Another problem with the CAT system is 1. Why are so many mistakes made with may represent a significant change to the electrical accident and fire investigations. Steve is a member of a that it relies on where the user is located multimeters? way meters are made and may take time to number of CSA Part 1 and Part II committees and sits on the exec- electrically in the distribution system at the 2. Why does CSA C22.2, No. 61010- be realized in the field. utive of the Canadian Section of the IAEI. ADVERTISER INDEX // Advertiser...... Website ...... Page Accubid ...... www.accubid.com...... 12 Acuity ...... www.holophane.com ...... 23 Aird & Berlis...... www.airdberlis.com ...... 20 Arlington Industries...... www.aifittings.com ...... 11 Benshaw...... www.benshaw.com ...... 19 Eaton Electric Corp ...... www.eatonelectrical.ca...... 6 Electro Rent Corp ...... www.electrorent.com ...... 16 Falvo Electrical Supply Ltd...... www.falvo.com...... 25 Ferraz Shawmut Canada...... www.ferrazshawmut.com ...... 17 Fusetek ...... www.fusetek.com ...... 4 GM Fleet ...... www.fleet.gmcanada.com ...... 21 Hammond Manufacturing ...... www.hammfg.com ...... 14 Harper Detroit Diesel Allison . . . . . www.harperddl.com...... 10 Humber College...... www.appliedtechnology.humber.ca ...... 25 Icon International ...... www.iconltd.com ...... 18 Ideal Industries ...... www.idealindustries.com...... 8 L. Stoch and Associates...... www.lstoch.com ...... 25 Legrand ...... www.wiremold.com...... 9 Lighting Solutions ...... www.railite.biz ...... 25 Megger Ltd...... www.megger.com...... 4 Milwaukee Electric Tool ...... www.v28power.com...... 7 Nexans Canada ...... www.nexans.ca ...... 1 Panduit ...... www.panduit/com/ie22 ...... 13 Power Survey ...... www.powersurvey.com ...... 25 Shat -R- Shield...... www.shatrshield.com ...... 19 Standard Products ...... www.standardpro.com...... 4 & IFC Techspan Industries...... www.techspan.ca ...... IBC Thomas& Betts ...... www.tnb-canada.com...... 1 & OBC Ultrasave...... www.ultrasave.ca ...... 20 Underground Devices Inc ...... www.udevices.com ...... 26 United Wire and Cable ...... www.unitedwc.com ...... 5 Ushio Canada Inc ...... www.ushio.com...... 10 VJ Pamensky...... www.pamensky.com ...... 22 Waltech Associates ...... www.waltechassociates.com ...... 25 INFO NO. 53 Weidmuller ...... www.weidmuller.ca ...... 15 26 • JUNE/JULY 2005 • www. mag.com PRODUCT COUNTER For more information, enter the Info. No. on the card in this issue
FERRULES - FERRULES !! FREE WIRE DUCT SAMPLES*
Safer connection of stranded wire Single, Double Wire, Non-Insulated Available in white, grey, wide finger, & narrow finger Full Range of tools to meet each budget and volume CSA approved. Top European quality. PVC or Noryl www.techspan.biz/te/ferrule Accessories- rivets, dividers, cross-arms, label holders
We Sell Through Distributors from Coast to Coast *For CSA approved shops only. Simply type in the web link below, fill in the free sample order form, fax it to us, and we’ll have our 1-800-363-1588 local stocking distributor deliver the samples to you at no charge. Fax: 905-820-6142 Mississauga, ON INFO NO. 54 www.techspan.biz/te/freeduct POWER DISTRIBUTION 1-800-363-1588 Fax: 905-820-6142 BLOCKS e-mail: [email protected]
INFO NO. 56 TERMINAL BLOCKS AND STRIPS
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Huge selection from 14 AWG to 500 MCM CSA approved, tin plated aluminum connectors CSA approved Single and double primary line sides Great selection, price, and delivery Up to 12 secondary outlets on load side Many sizes for various cable gages www.techspan.biz/te/power www.techspan.biz/te/blocks 90% of shipments made same day Cross-reference 15,000 competitor part numbers 1-800-363-1588 1-800-363-1588 Fax: 905-820-6142 Mississauga, ON e-mail: [email protected]
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