Monday, May 06, 2013BOARDMAN, Ohio i-- As the latest energy-efficient technologies become the norm in construction plans, electricians must be knowledgeable about green products and techniques -- and that begins with a solid grounding in education.
So says Thomas Travers, executive director of the Mahoning Valley chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). The chapter is one of 119 throughout the country and serves “as the bargaining voice for management in collective bargaining agreements and handling workplace disputes” for its member contractors, Travers says. A major part of its mission is providing educational programs to its membership of 13 electrical contractors and other signatory contractors.
NECA works with IBEW locals 64 in Youngstown and 573 in Warren to run the Joint Apprenticeship Training Program, a “very stringent, five-year program” for their apprentices. The program has both classroom and hands-on work at the training centers of both locals.
“Between the two programs, there are about 60 apprentices currently,” Travers says.
Those apprentices can learn from four programs: outside and inside electrical programs “where most of our journeymen are trained”; a residential training program; and a new teledata program that focuses on low-voltage electronics, such as sound, video and security systems.
Most recently, NECA incorporated solar and wind energy systems into its training.
“We just recently had a very centralized study in the installation of electrical charging stations for vehicles,” Travers adds. “Things are heading in that direction and we’re pleased that we have such qualified contractors who are able to do that kind of work.”
As the electrical industry evolves, Travers predicts contractors will take on more low-voltage projects. Among such projects are new LED (light-emitting diode) systems such as those incorporated into the expansion project at the Boardman campus of St. Elizabeth Health Center.
“The whole installation process and the operational process of these new lighting systems is far different than the traditional lighting,” Travers says. “It’s trends like that in many different areas that are continuing to develop and that we believe we are on the leading edge of.”
Some 60% to 70% of the lighting fixtures in the St. E’s expansion are LED, the remainder a traditional fluorescent lighting system, says Eric Carlson, vice president of Joe Dickey Electric Inc., North Lima.
Joe Dickey, the primary electrical contractor at the job site since early March, will be there a year. The company will deploy 15 or so electricians to the site over the next couple months.
“So, we have been able to add manpower to our current staff,” Carlson says. “It’s been a nice addition to our workforce and to our workload.”
St. E’s is “trying to be more energy-efficient,” incorporating the LED fixtures in the project and retrofitting some lighting fixtures at its campus in Youngstown, Carlson says.
LED fixtures require minimal maintenance and offer energy savings of as much as 25% to 30% plus a “much longer life cycle.
“You’ve got 50,000 hours worth of use instead of the normal 10,000 hours in a fluorescent fixture,” Carlson says. “There’s also the ability to dim those fixtures so they’re able to use less power when they need less light.”
When it comes to working with the latest in electrical fixtures, the workers must fulfill the continuing education requirements, Carlson says. Both management and the workers must keep abreast of current technologies, products and installation methods.
“We’re always doing training,” Carlson says. “We’re meeting once a month, keeping up-to-date on things. There are seminars and different classes that we’re able to attend to make sure that we’re seeing what the electrical industry has to offer.”
Working with the IBEW, NECA plays a critical role in that continuing education, offering scheduled opportunities for its membership. Classes are available to member contractors through conferences or local training, “rather than us trying to individually pay for that or individually go out and seek that education,” Carlson says.
Joe Dickey Electric has been a signatory contractor with IBEW Local 64 a half-century.
“[NECA] has helped us reach where we are and will help us grow to where we want to be,” Carlson says. “It allows us to employ some of the best-trained electricians in this area.”
A 10-MVA (million volt amperes) substation to be built on the back corner of St. E’s Boardman campus will power the expansion. Dickey is working to extend the duct bank to connect with two 15kv (kilovolt) feeder conduits that will connect the building and substation.
In addition to electrical wiring, the work requires considerable manual labor, Carlson says. The electricians, who have barely any room to work inside, form and build the fixtures and piping for the networks.
“All of these spaces are extremely tight,” Carlson says. “We have to coordinate with the other trades to ensure everything can fit, and getting it to fit above the ceiling space.”
Workers are sensitive to the fact they are working above active surgical rooms and in a sterile environment. “Infection control is key,” Carlson says. Workers are required to wear shoe coverings to prevent dirt from the job site contaminating hospital floors, and that work areas without doors must be completely sealed off. As they install electrical fixtures in a surgical area, workers wear protective gear, including gowns.
All of these precautions were covered in training sessions before work began to “make sure we’re following all the rules,” Carlson says. Dayton-based Shook Construction and its joint-venture partner, KBJ Inc. of Cleveland, are “taking an active role in safety,” as on-site construction manager of the project. While these precautions add time, St. E’s has been a customer of Dickey Electric three decades, so the company can adapt to the guidelines, he says.
Safety is the most important criterion in all of the training provided to NECA’s membership, says NECA’s Travers. The national safety director of the organization is one of the individuals most responsible for developing the National Electrical Code, a regionally adoptable safety standard for the installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States.
In addition to serving its membership, the local chapter of NECA maintains a strong commitment to the community, Travers says.
In one of its most recent service projects, it’s making use of volunteer work and equipment to construct a demonstration project of wind and solar technology that will be installed at the Mill Creek Park experimental farm, he says.
“We are deeply committed to our local community and believe that we have a real positive impact upon it,” Travers says.
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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