EB - December 2018

All on page 5.

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from the EDITOR PETER SAUNDERS

The end of an experiment

cover PHOTO courtesy WPE

I

n 2009, a large-scale experiment, unique within all of North America, began with the passing of the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act. A decade on, that experiment is set to end, with the dissolution of the often-controversial Ontario College of Trades (OCoT).

Having passed its Making Ontario Open for Business Act, the province’s new government is taking steps to cut regulations affecting its skilled trades and apprenticeship system, set all journeyperson-to-apprentice ratios at 1:1 and implement a moratorium on trade classifications and reclassifications. In early 2019, it intends to develop a replacement model for the OCoT’s unpopular regulation and enforcement of skilled trades and apprenticeships, as part of a commitment to reduce what it calls “unnecessary regulatory burdens.”

“The original intent of the college—to promote skilled trades, protect the public and provide self-regulation—was a good one,” says James Barry, executive chair of the IBEW Construction Council of Ontario (CCO). “Unfortunately, it was mired in politics from the moment it launched and was unable to achieve its mandate.”

The OCoT’s previous responsibilities will now be uploaded to the provincial ministry of labour. (Its regulatory and administrative oversight was already transferred there in 2016 from the ministry of training, colleges and universities, but that change had no impact on day-to-day operations.)

“Moving forward, it will be important for the government to work with all stakeholders, including groups like the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), to ensure proper mechanisms are in place to prevent anyone from doing dangerous electrical work without the proper training and certification,” says John Grimshaw, executive secretary treasurer for IBEW CCO. For that matter, not everyone is happy about the change.

“Skilled trades workers fought hard for the establishment of the OCoT to ensure high-quality workmanship,” says Naureen Rizvi, Ontario regional director for Unifor, a private-sector union. “Apprentices need a united, independent OCoT to maintain safety and excellence.”

The new bill and related regulatory changes were announced on Oct. 23 and passed on Nov. 21. The law will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2019. Stay tuned …

psaunders@ebmag.com

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2018 || VOLUME 54 || ISSUE 10

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8 12 14 16 19

2019 work truck preview

Electrical contractors who depend on pickups or vans for their day-to-day business operations will benefit from the addition of more bells and whistles.

New challenges for cargo vans

Ongoing progress in cargo van design has led to changes in industry best practices, to the point where some commonly held myths need to be debunked.

Canadian Electrical Award winners for 2018 A street bridge replacement in Victoria and an arc-flash safety specialist in Stoney Creek, Ont., are the big winners in our award program this year.

Opportunities for electricians in renewable energy

With more wind and solar power capacity being added, the balance of power generation across Canada—and the corresponding electrical work—is shifting.

Working safely with photovoltaic generation systems

Hazards associated with installing and maintaining solar panels need to be recognized, assessed, controlled and, if possible, eliminated.

COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

20 Level Up As an electrical contractor, do you own a business or have a job?

4 Industry news 13 Personalities 20 Calendar 21 Products & solutions 22 Code conundrum

22 Code File Safety updates for pools and hot tubs.

EBMAG.COM

16

December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

3

LETTERS

Always test before touching

I read the news item in Electrical Business (September 2018) about CBRE being fined $80,000 by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour.

I would have to totally disagree with the decision. At what point are workers held responsible for their own actions and safety?

The rule of thumb is never trust electricity and always test before touching. The workers should have checked the light fixture for power even after switching off the breaker and locking it out. The breaker panel could have been marked wrong or, over time, the breakers and wires in the electrical panel could have been shifted around to make room for new equipment.

A $25 pen voltage tester could have notified the workers there was still power to the fixture.

These things happen and that key step of not testing the equipment after lockout is the action—or lack of action—of the employee. Sadly, he was injured.

I am assuming the workers were given instruction on testing the equipment for power, as they locked out what they thought to be the power for that particular ballast.

This is just my opinion based on the limited facts.—Scott W., master electrician, Ont. Ed: Thanks for writing in, Scott. To show our appreciation for taking the time, we will be sending you a special prize pack (pictured) in the mail!

INDUSTRY news

Technical Safety BC’s awards honour electrical contractors

4

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS is the #1 Canadian resource for electrical contractors, maintenance & engineering professionals, distributors, manufacturers and their agents, and associated stakeholders.

Editor Peter Saunders psaunders@ebmag.com Associate Publisher Anthony Capkun acapkun@ebmag.com Media Designer Elena Novinskiy enovinskiy@annexbusinessmedia.com Account Coordinator Kathryn Nyenhuis knyenhuis@annexbusinessmedia.com Circulation Manager Urszula Grzyb ugrzyb@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-442-5600 ext. 3537 Executive Publisher & VP Tim Dimopoulos tdimopoulos@annexbusinessmedia.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks

a younger generation of professionals as they join the industry. He won in the ‘exceptional contribution to technical safety (contractor)’ category.

WPE (wpe.ca), meanwhile, won in the ‘data and digital technology in technical safety’ category. The company uses collaboration software to record safety statistics for its work sites, then leverages that data to mitigate future incidents. This way, employees across the organization can work together to make safety a top priority.

Lumen opens new branch in Montreal On Nov. 7, Technical Safety BC presented its 2018 Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards at Parq Vancouver. Two of this year’s recipients were electrical contractors: Canem Systems (canem.com) manager Dale Risvold (pictured) and, as an organization, Western Pacific Enterprises (WPE).

The annual awards program recognizes individuals and organizations across British Columbia for demonstrating exceptional leadership, achievement or innovation in technical safety. Recipients are selected by a committee that includes a member of Technical Safety BC’s senior leadership team.

Risvold was honoured for promoting electrical installation safety throughout his nearly 40-year career, particularly in terms of sharing his expertise with

December 2018 || Volume 54 || Issue 10

Electrical product distributor Sonepar Canada’s (soneparcanada.com) Lumen subsidiary opened its 38th branch in Montreal’s Hochelaga neighbourhood. The 74,000-sf facility, located at 3044 rue du Rouen, is managed by Jean La Haye.

The branch’s six associates serve a customer base ranging from electric contractors to institutional and commercial facilities.

“There’s a lot of business potential in this area,” says La Haye. “We’re all very excited

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Printed in Canada ISSN 0013-4244 Publication Mail Agreement #40065710 Circulation Email: blao@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-442-5600 ext.3552 Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400 Toronto, ON M2H 3R1

Subscription rates Canada: Single issue $7.00 12 issues: $37.00 USA: $65.00 (US) International: $78.50 (US) per year Annex Privacy Officer Email: privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 Occasionally, Electrical Business will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

The contents of Electrical Business are copyright ©2018 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent. Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication.

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about this new opportunity.”

Like other Lumen (lumen.ca) branches, the Hochelaga location is supported by a new distribution centre.

Thomas & Betts rebranded as ABB Installation Products Thomas & Betts (T&B), which designs and manufactures electrical connectors and components, has been rebranded as ABB Installation Products (tnb.ca).

The company will continue to market T&B product brands in Canada, including Steel City, Iberville, Star Teck, Color-Keyed and Ty-Rap. The realignment reflects ABB’s ownership of T&B over the past six years and is part of the parent company’s ‘next level’ strategy, along with 19 other rebrandings around the globe.

“Aligning T&B under the ABB brand, while keeping the product names customers know and trust, helps us become leaner and more market-focused,” says Nathalie Pilon, president of ABB Canada (new. abb.com/ca). “ABB offers a combined 250 years of innovation and expertise of keeping the world’s electricity flowing.”

AD honours 2018’s top Canadian members and suppliers

Photo A. Capkun

The annual North American Meeting of AD’s (adhq.com) Electrical Supply Division (NAM ESD) was held in late October in Grapevine, Texas. As in past years, one of the highlights was the AD Spirit of Independence awards dinner.

Below are this year’s Canadian winners.

(Please note an AD ‘member’ is a distributor, while a ‘supplier’ is a manufacturer.)

Canadian Member with the Highest Dollar Growth for 2018 • WINNER: Franklin Empire (feinc.com), Quebec [pictured] • 1st runner-up: EB Horsman & Son (ebhorsman.com), British Columbia • 2nd runner-up: Ideal Supply (idealsupply.com), Ontario 6

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

Canadian Member with the Highest Percentage Growth for 2018 • WINNER: Beaulieu Lamoureux (beaulieulamoureux.com), Quebec • 1st runner-up: Lumisolution (lumisolution.com), Quebec • 2nd runner-up: Western Equipment (westernequipment.com), Ontario Canadian Supplier with the Highest Dollar Growth for 2018 • WINNER: Stelpro Design (stelpro.com), Quebec • 1st runner-up: Siemens Canada (siemens.com/ca/en), Ontario • 2nd runner-up: Stanpro (stanprols.com), Ontario Canadian Supplier with the Highest Percentage Growth for 2018 • WINNER: Watt Stopper/Legrand (legrand.ca/wattstopper, Ontario • 1st runner-up: Rittal Systems (rittal.com/ca-en), Ontario • 2nd runner-up: Marcus Transformer (marcustransformer.com), Quebec

EHRC to research new and changing jobs in Canada’s electricity sector

Ottawa-based Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC)—a partnership between business, labour, education and government, formerly known as the Electricity Sector Council—has launched funding for a new National Occupational Standards (NOS) and Career Portal project, which will research changing and emerging occupations in the electricity sector.

As ‘smart grids,’ automation and other technological innovations transform the traditional electricity industry, EHRC (electricityhr.ca) suggests new skill sets will be needed. Based on the project’s labour market research, the following occupations’ national standards and essential skills profiles will be revised or further developed, to better prepare tomorrow’s job seekers: • Electrical engineering technician/ technologist.

• Power protection and control technician/technologist.

• Power systems operator.

• Solar photovoltaic (PV) installer.

• Power station operator.

• Wind turbine technician.

• Geothermal heat pump installer.

• Solar thermal installer.

• Utilities project manager.

• Heat pump designer.

• Small solar system designer.

• Energy storage technician.

• Smart grid specialist.

(Two additional occupations are yet to be determined.)

The project is funded in part by the federal government’s Sectoral Initiatives Program (SIP) and supports its goal to address current and future skill shortages.

Captain Electric among 2018 Ontario Electrical Safety Award winners

Captain Electric (captainelectric.ca), a licensed electrical contractor serving the eastern Greater Toronto Area (GTA), won a 2018 Ontario Electrical Safety Award in the consumer and home category from the province’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

ESA (esasafe.com) held the award presentation during its annual meeting in Mississauga, Ont. Captain Electric was recognized for its dedication to raising community awareness of electrical hazards.

The company has shared safety information with consumers through its website, seminars and a series of YouTube videos.

It also actively advocates for the use of ground fault interrupters (GFIs) to prevent electrical fires.

This year’s other honourees included: • Simeon Go, manager of health, safety and wellness for Energy+ (energyplus. ca) in Cambridge, Ont., who provides power-line safety training to licensed electrical contractors, first responders, electrical distribution employees and consumers.

• The municipal facilities division for London, Ont., whose preventative maintenance program supported a rapid response to a Thames River flood earlier this year and ensured safety while staff repaired damaged equipment.

• The Ontario Fire Marshal’s (OFM’s) public fire safety council working group for stovetop fires, which spent 10 years developing a revised standard requiring built-in safety features for new electric coil element stoves, to prevent the coil from heating beyond the flashpoint of cooking oil.

The awards were established in 2010 to formally recognize contributions of individuals and organizations toward achieving ESA’s vision for safety from electrical harm.

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Work Truck Roundup

2019 WORK TRUCK PREVIEW

Today’s models come with more bells and whistles. / BY MARIO CYWINSKI

N

ot long ago, pickup trucks and vans were seen only as dedicated work trucks. Those days are long gone, as with the rise of ‘crossovers’ and SUVs, many consumers want bigger vehicles. Now, for many, a pickup truck is simply ‘an SUV with a truck bed.’

For electrical contractors and other professionals who depend on pickups or vans for their day-to-day business operations, what this trend has meant is today’s work trucks now come with more bells, whistles and options than did those of the past.

In another trend for the 2019 model year, light-duty pickups are taking centre stage.

General Motors (GM) has introduced allnew versions of its GMC and Chevrolet 1500 variants, Ford has added a diesel-fuelled truck

8

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

to its F-150 lineup, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has a new version of its Ram 1500 and Toyota and Nissan are offering updated versions of the Tundra and Titan, respectively.

In the mid-size segment, which has seen an increase in interest over the last few years, Ford is bringing the Ranger to market, with many other options still available from a variety of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). And on the van side of the equation, Mercedes-Benz has introduced a brand-new Sprinter.

Here, Electrical Business looks at what is available and what is new in Canada’s van and pickup truck market for 2019.

FORD

F-150 Ford has been the top-selling pickup truck

Ram ProMaster. Photo courtesy FCA

brand in Canada for many years with its F-series. Not one to rest on its laurels, the company has added a diesel engine to the F-150 lineup offered the Raptor model’s engine on the limited trim.

The 3-L power stroke V-6 diesel engine offers 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. It is capable of 11,400 lb of towing and 2,020 lb of payload.

The high-output EcoBoost 3.5-L V-6 offers 450 hp and 510 lb-ft. Four other engine choices are also available: 3.3-L V-6 with 290 hp and 265 lb-ft, 2.7-L EcoBoost V-6 with 325 hp and 400 lb-ft, 3.5-L EcoBoost V-6 with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft and 5-L V-8 with 395 hp and 400 lb-ft.

There are three box size (5.5, 6.5 and 8 ft), three cab sizes (regular, supercab, and supercrew) and seven trim levels (XL, XLT, Lariant, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited and Raptor). The maximum payload is 3,270 lb and trailer towing capacity is 13,200 lb.

Ranger With the mid-size segment growing, Ford has brought its Ranger nameplate back to the market. New to North America for 2019, it mates a 2.3-L EcoBoost engine to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

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Ford F-150. Photos courtesy Ford

Ford Ranger; see video at tinyurl.com/y7t4umzd.

XLT and Lariat trims and in supercab or supercrew sizes. An automatic start/stop, four cargo box tie-downs, a quick-release tailgate and a variety of safety features— including trailer sway control, rear-view camera and automatic emergency braking—come standard.

An FX4 off-road package adds offroad-tuned shocks, all-terrain tires, a frame-mounted heavy-gauge steel front bash plate and skid plates and FX4 badging. It also features the Terrain Management System, which offers four drive modes: normal; grass, gravel and snow; mud and ruts; and sand.

A new Trail Control feature, meanwhile, works like cruise control, but for low-speed, rugged terrain. It can take over acceleration and braking for each individual wheel.

Transit Connect

Ford Transit Connect.

The 2019 Ford Transit Connect compact van offers a new, standard 2-L in-line-four gasoline engine and a new, optional 1.5-L EcoBlue diesel engine. Both come with automatic start/stop and eight-speed automatic transmission. A third option, a 2.5-L I-4 engine with six-speed automatic transmission and compressed natural gas (CNG) or propane gaseous fuel pre-package, is available exclusively for fleets.

Many safety features are standard on the Transit Connect, such as side wind stabilizations, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection and rear-view camera. Other available features include a lane keeping system, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert.

Ford also offers a full-size Transit van in a plethora of configurations and trims. A stripped chassis and Econoline cutaway are available for order.

GM

Chevrolet Silverado; see video at tinyurl.com/y7x7m4kv. Photo courtesy GM 10

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

Chevrolet Silverado Like the GMC Sierra 1500, the Chevrolet

Silverado 1500 has been redesigned for the 2019 model year.

Of its six engine options, four are new: 2.7-L turbo-charged I-4 with active fuel management and eight-speed automatic transmission; 5.3-L V-8 with dynamic fuel management and eight-speed automatic transmission, 6.2-L V-8 with dynamic fuel management and 10-speed automatic transmission, and a 3-L I-6 turbo diesel with 10-speed automatic transmission. The other available engines are 4.3-L V-6 and 5.3L V-8, both with active fuel management and six-speed automatic transmission.

The new Silverado is bigger, stronger and lighter. It offers up to a 100 mm longer wheelbase, is 41 mm longer, has more cargo and interior room, is up to 204 kg lighter, has a 14% higher payload for crew cab models and features 12 stronger tie-downs with 227 kg of force before bending (doubled).

There are regular, double and crew cab configurations, each with all-wheel drive (AWD), along with three cab lengths (8, 6.5 and 5.7 ft, depending on model) and eight available trim levels (work truck, custom, custom trail boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country).

MERCEDES-BENZ

Sprinter

Completely redesigned for 2019, the Sprinter van now offers a gasoline engine option, in addition to the previously available diesel, on the 1500 and 2500 models. The 2-L gas four-cylinder engine offers 190 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, with nine-speed automatic transmission. The 3-L diesel six-cylinder engine offers 190 hp and 324 lb-ft, with seven-speed automatic transmission. Both engines are available in cargo vans, crew vans and passenger vans, but the cab chassis is only available with diesel.

The Sprinter’s cargo volume now reaches a maximum of 533 cf on diesel models, and 488 cf on gas models. The diesel models offer a maximum payload of 3,010 kg and towing capacity between 2,268 and 3,402 kg, while maximum towing for gas models is 2,268 kg. The load floor is metal on cargo van models and an electrical sliding door and step, as well as MasterUpfitter solutions, are also available.

In addition, the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) is now available on Sprinter with a 7- or 10.25-in. display. MBUX can be accessed via touchscreen, voice, touchpad or steering wheel controls.

The Sprinter is loaded with safety features, including blind spot assist with rear crosstraffic alert, active lanekeeping assist, park assist, traffic sign assist, crosswind assist, EBMAG.COM

attention assist, active brake assist with crosstraffic alert and adaptive cruise control.

Metris Mercedes also offers a smaller cargo van, the Metris (not pictured), which is powered by a 2-L four-cylinder engine offering 208 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque with start/stop technology and seven-speed automatic transmission. It is available in two trims: a 126-in. wheelbase with a length of 514 cm and 1,135-lb payload; or a 135-in. wheelbase with 537 cm length and 1,110-lb payload.

The door opening height is 126 cm on the rear and 125.2 cm on the side.

NISSAN

NV200

Nissan’s compact cargo van (not pictured) offers 131 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque from its 2-L four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT). It has 3,474 L of cargo space, a payload of 1,450 to 1,480 lb and seating for two.

Titan Changes to the Titan and Titan XD for the 2019 model year include offering NissanConnect (with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and a rear door alert as standard features.

FCA

Ram 1500 The all-new 2019 model Ram 1500 is available in three configurations: quad cab with 6.3-ft bed, crew cab with 5.6-ft bed and crew cab with 6.3-ft bed. All are available in either two-wheel drive (2WD) or 4WD. Engine options include a second-generation 3.6-L Pentastar V-6 with 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque and a 5.7-L HEMI V-8 with 395 hp and 410 lb-ft. The eTorque mild hybrid system is standard on the V-6, adding 90 lb-ft of supplemental torque, and available an option on the V-8, to add 130 lb-ft. Both engines come with eight-speed automatic transmission.

New features include a fourth-generation Uconnect system with available 12-in. touchscreen, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with active braking. Air suspension provides more off-road capability, easier loading and enter-exit with four ride heights.

The maximum payload is 1,043 kg and trailer towing capacity is 5,783 kg. An exclusive RamBox stores and secures items at the side of the bed.

Ram continues to sell the earlier 1500 model as the Classic, available with a V-6, V-8 or V-6 diesel engine.

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Ram ProMaster Ram’s full-size ProMaster van has received a few upgrades for 2019, including a towing capacity increase of 30% (up to 3,084 kg), interior lighting and fleet telematics. Highroof models can now be purchased with polycarbonate side rear windows, while low-roof models can come with steel grates.

The standard payloads are 1,814 kg for the ProMaster 1500, 1,918 kg for the 2500 and 2,123 kg for the 3500. The standard engine is a V-6 Pentastar with 280 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, with six-speed automatic transmission.

The ProMaster City compact van adds fleet telematics and a Ram grille for 2019. It offers a payload of 862 kg, cargo volume of 3,729 L, cargo width between the wheels of 1.2 m and a step-in height of 546 mm. It is available in cargo van or wagon configurations, offers 907 kg of towing capacity and runs on a 2.4-L engine with 178 hp, 174 lb-ft of torque and nine-speed automatic transmission.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz

Nissan Titan. Photo courtesy Nissan TOYOTA

Tundra

The 2019 TRD Pro grade version of Toyota’s full-size pickup offers 18-in. forged alloy wheels, 2.5-in. internal bypass shocks, rigid fog lights, hood scoop and black chrome exhaust tip.The SX package includes glossy black 18-in. alloy wheels, body coloured bumpers, black grille, footwell lighting, fog lights and privacy rear glass. A power tailgate lock has been added to the Platinum and 1794 models.

Two engine options are available: a 4.6L V-8 with 310 hp and 327 lb-ft of torque and a 5.7-L V-8 with 381 hp and 401 lb-ft, both with six-speed automatic transmission. The Tundra comes in three bed lengths (5.5, 6.5 and 8.1 ft) and two cab sizes (double and crew max).

Ram 1500. Photo courtesy FCA

Tacoma The mid-size Tacoma is available with a 2.7-L in-line four-cylinder engine with 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque or a 3.5-L V-6 with 278 hp and 265 lb-ft, both with six-speed automatic transmission. Also, a V-6 with six-speed manual transmission is available on TRD off-road models.

Two cab sizes are available: access and double. Updates for 2019 include TRD Pro grade desert air intake, JBL premium audio system, black chrome exhaust tip and updated TRD skid plate. All trims now offer dual USB ports, while the Limited trim gets a power tailgate lock.

Mario Cywinski is editor of Machinery and Equipment MRO Magazine, a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and a judge for the Canadian Truck King Challenge, with more than 15 years’ automobile industry experience. He can be reached at mcywinski@mromagazine.com.

Toyota Tundra. Photos courtesy Toyota

Toyota Tacoma.

December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

11

Cargo Vans

as those for interior or side impact, roof crush and ejection mitigation, can make compliant cargo van modification a tricky exercise in terms of planning, engineering and design.

By way of example, both ejection mitigation and side impact requirements have resulted in the incorporation of side curtain and driver/passenger seat air bags, located in the outboard sides of the seats.

Adding seat covers

Photo courtesy Ford

NEW CHALLENGES FOR CARGO VANS Greater versatility has introduced additional complexity. / BY BOB RAYBUCK

W

hile cargo vans are already a staple for many commercial vehicle fleets, including those used by electrical contractors, today’s cargo van has evolved, with many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offering a variety of roof heights, lengths and towing capacities.This variety translates into increased flexibility in terms of the functions these vans can perform.

Getting inside your vehicle to gather your tools is an easier task with a high-roof van, for example, while larger cargo capacity vans are used for more than just carrying parts and tools. Some professionals are now using their vans as mobile workshops or combin-

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ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

ing functions to include the transportation of both personnel and cargo, transforming them into ‘do-everything’ work trucks.

Industry best practices have adapted significantly to match such progress for cargo vans. In fact, some commonly held myths now call for a debunking, given the market’s new requirements and challenges.

Complying with safety standards The evolution of van design has triggered advances in vehicle safety regulations and vice-versa.

Challenging safety standards apply to most commercial vehicles with a 10,000-lb or lower gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), many of which are cargo vans. Safety standards, such

Previously, fleet managers often added covers on top of the chassis manufacturer-provided seats for improved durability.

Today, however, with seat air bags coming out of the sides, the chassis manufacturer’s seating material is designed to rip open, allowing each air bag to deploy and protect the occupant in a side crash. So, an aftermarket seat cover might not be designed to meet the OEM’s specifications that allow the air bag to properly deploy through the side of the seat, which means the addition of such a cover could comprise vehicle occupant safety.

With this in mind, before adding any aftermarket seat covers to your cargo van, be sure to ask your supplier or manufacturer if it has been tested in combination with the specific OEM seat to confirm proper air bag deployment compliant with Transport Canada’s safety standards for vehicles.

Installing partitions Side curtain air bags that deploy from the roof, meanwhile, are used for side impact protection and ejection mitigation. They are typically configured specifically for cargo vans and only cover the front driver and passenger seat locations. As such, they will affect partition installation.

Side curtain air bags in passenger vans will typically cover the entire glass area and rear seating positions. For this reason, the location and installation of any partition within the vehicle will need to be carefully planned, so as to avoid interference with the deployment of the side curtain air bags, while still meeting interior impact dimensional requirements.

Though partition installation may seem to simply require fastening to the cargo van interior, there are actually specific positioning and attachment locations that will help a completed cargo van meet and maintain interior safety regulatory compliance, with consideration of the potential effects of roof crush, interior impact and ejection mitigation. Improper partition installation could jeopardize the function of other interior safety systems that are used to protect the vehicle’s occupants.

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Increasing seats and side windows Many electrical businesses and other organizations are interested in the flexibility today’s cargo vans can provide in transporting both cargo and people, so they elect to add seats behind the front row. Adding seats to a cargo van requires careful planning and engineering, however, so as to accommodate the extra safety standards that become applicable when carrying passengers.

All passenger seats in a vehicle, after all, are subject to safety standards that apply to seat belts, seat belt anchorages, seating systems (i.e. the seats themselves and how they are attached to the vehicle) and the flammability resistance of the seat materials.

Seat structures and belts are subject to pull tests, which require the use of certain attachment systems that are designed to interact with a specific OEM’s van floor design. Any modifier or seating system supplier should have specific instructions about the seat and seat belt attachment points and the method used to affix the seat to the vehicle floor, all based on testing of the specific cargo van model.

If side windows are added to a cargo van (which is usually only done at driver and passenger locations), care must be taken to ensure the extra windows meet ejection mitigation requirements. Passenger vans typically use side curtain air bags to meet these requirements, which cover most of the side interior, but any cargo management systems that attach to walls in the rear of a cargo van—such as shelving systems—can

Seat structures are subject to pull tests to comply with standards.

Photo courtesy Mercedes Benz

interfere with side curtain air bag deployment. It is therefore very important to understand and follow the OEM’s recommended attachment scheme, to preserve side curtain air bag performance. Indeed, specialized glass that meets pre-breaking and ejection mitigation requirements will need to be used if a cargo van is modified by installing additional windows with new seating systems.

Typically, a total systems approach must be used when adding seats and side windows to a cargo van to assure it meets all safety standard requirements after modification.

Planning ahead Hence, when electrical contractors plan to purchase and modify a cargo van for their particular needs, it is important to plan for full use before choosing the specific vehicle model and add-on options. If additional seats are desired, for example, you must

ask how they will be integrated and ensure all associated safety standards will be met.

This may require the purchase of additional options not formerly ordered.

Many modifications that were typically performed in the past have now become more complex, due to new safety standards and system options. Asking questions about how a modified cargo van will align with the relevant standards will help you determine which component systems and installation partners can deliver compliant vehicles for you and your employees to operate and perform their tasks.

Today’s cargo vans have been designed to support a wide variety of uses, but careful planning is required to ensure correct modification.

Bob Raybuck is director of technical services for the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA). For more information, visit www.ntea.com/canada

PERSONALITIES Priority Wire and Cable hired Dorothy Tully-Petersen as national sales manager for Canada. In her new role, she will manage the company’s sales repreDorothy Tullysentative network and Petersen inside sales team. She brings 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the electrical industry. Reporting to Robert Strahs, the company’s vice-president (VP) of national accounts and marketing for the U.S., Tully-Peterson will be based at Priority’s Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ont. Siemens Canada appointed Nat Traverso EBMAG.COM

Nat Traverso

Syndie Nadeau

Canadian director of sales and promoted Syndie Nadeau to national marketing manager for its low-voltage and products (LP). In his new role, Traverso will develop and execute key sales strategies. He will report directly to Jim DeViney, Siemens Canada’s vice-president for LP. Nadeau, meanwhile, will lead the company’s product management, pricing and marketing communications teams. She joined Siemens in 2007 as a product engineer and was subsequently

promoted to product manager in 2010 and supervisor in 2016.

Tom Artinian was named Southwire Canada’s new vice-president (VP) of sales. He will lead the organization’s six sales channels across the country. Artinian joins Tom Southwire from Electrical Artinian Cable Supply (ECS), where he served as senior VP (SVP) and general manager (GM). With more than 20 years’ experience in the wire and cable industry, his career has involved leadership roles in both Canada and the U.S. December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

13

Canadian Electrical Awards

CANADIAN ELECTRICAL AWARD WINNERS FOR 2018

Photos courtesy WPE

BY PETER SAUNDERS

A

n eye-catching street bridge replacement project in Victoria and an arc-flash safety specialist based in Stoney Creek, Ont., are the big winners in Electrical Business Magazine’s 2018 Canadian Electrical Awards (CEA) program.

CEA is the first and only program of its kind to recognize electrical professionals for excellence in their work across Canada, with conspicuous attention paid to the health and safety of electrical workers. We congratulate the winners and thank everyone who took the time to participate this year!

Johnson Street Bridge This year’s winner in the Special category (over $1 million) was submitted by Morgan Gibson-Wright, co-ordinator for Western Pacific Enterprises (WPE), which served as electrical contractor for the project.

The Johnson Street Bridge (JSB) project was a major undertaking to replace the ex14

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

bascule bridge in Canada.

From an electric perspective, the bridge features a complex motorized system, an innovative hydraulic ring and cradle lifting mechanism that ensures nearly silent bridge control and movement, a decorative lighting system (e.g. WPE worked with Marcon to integrate handrail lighting) and both pedestrian and vehicle traffic control devices.

WPE’s work for the bridge was competitively bid and had to meet a variety of expectations with regard to project outcomes.

“The original electrical contract was valued at $3.2 million,” explains Gibson-Wright.

“The final value with $700,000 in change orders was $3.9 million. The project team faced challenges during construction due to barge access and material logistics.There were also challenges with public interface, vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, as well as co-ordinating with a consultant situated in NewYork.”

Also, an occupational health and safety (OH&S) program was implemented on the project and audited by WPE’s corporate safety officer throughout the five-year duration. At its peak, manpower included six workers for electrical alone. Job hazard analyses and site-specific work procedures were prepared and implemented regularly for all tasks executed over the water. And compared to its predecessor, the bridge is equipped with improved safety features and accessibility. It is designed to serve its community for the next 100 years.

“It showcases WPE’s sustainable, safe and innovatively designed quality of service,” says Gibson-Wright.

To watch a fly-through video of the new bridge, visit bit.ly/2qJdxj6

Jim Pollard

WPE worked with Marcon to integrate handrail lighting into Victoria’s new Johnson Street Bridge.

isting blue bridge that spanned the narrows of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. A replacement was necessary because the existing bridge was not built to current seismic codes and was reaching the end of its useful life.

Built from May 2013 to March 2018, the new bridge includes three vehicle lanes, on-road bike lanes, multi-use trails and a dedicated pedestrian path. At 46 m long, it boasts the largest span of any single-leaf

This year’s winner of the Electrical Safety Champion award, Jim Pollard, was nominated by one of last year’s winners, Terry Becker, senior vice-president (SVP) of electrical safety for Jim Pollard has Danatec Educational dedicated his career Services, a division of to electrical safety.

Yardstick Training.

Photos courtesy Jim “Jim is making a big Pollard impact on electrical safety in Canada,” Becker says. “He has been extremely dedicated over the last 10 years to putting the CSA Z462 workplace electrical safety standard into play, ensuring arc flash and shock risk assessments are understood and applied correctly.”

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Pollard started down this path 13 years ago. He was working for a distributor of personal protective equipment (PPE) for general safety purposes when a client company approached him for specific recommendations after an arc flash incident had badly burned some of its employees.

“Within a year, I was thrust into arc flash safety,” Pollard recounts.

“The CSA Z462 committee was formed shortly after that incident, taking direction from a 2004 U.S. standard. They published the Canadian standard in 2008 and invited me to join the committee in 2009. I was quickly humbled by the challenging process of standards development!”

Specifically, he provided guidance to help readers of the standard apply it to their workplaces. His clarifications were added starting with the 2012 edition.

In the meantime, Pollard had started his own company, Unlimited PPE, in 2008, serving as an agent for various vendors of products and services.

“I chose that name because, while I knew I would focus on electrical safety with regard to arc flash PPE, I didn’t want to limit myself,” he says.

And indeed he did not. Rather than only focus on PPE as what he calls a worker’s “last layer of defence” against electrical hazards, he provided broader recommendations and solutions to help companies understand their full obligations to comply with CSA Z462 and how to move forward.

“Jim has devoted his professional career to electrical safety,” says Becker. “He educates his clients first and sells to them second. He goes out of his way and spends countless personal hours to ensure he

Pollard trains both electrical and non-electrical workers on how to prevent arc-flash incidents, along with how to use PPE in the face of such hazards.

maintains his subject matter expertise and shares it with the industry freely. He even recently presented a four-hour tutorial in Australia, where the industry continues to review arc flash and shock hazard management.”

“The rest of the world is still catching up,” Pollard says. “Some countries have standards that are similar to ours, but not as well-defined. With 90% of arc flashes resulting from human error, there’s a lot of work still to do.”

He also sets his sights well beyond electrical workers.

“Electrical hazards are ever-present and more than 70% of fatalities are non-electrical workers,” Pollard says. “So, for example, I’m now working with a telecommunications firm to train not only its 350 electrical workers, but also its 12,000 non-electrical workers. I plot out the steps to make electrical safety less confusing for everyone.”

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December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

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2018-09-20 2:02 PM

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELECTRICIANS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY Wind and solar power require a licensed electrical contractor’s expertise. / BY PETER SAUNDERS

O

n Oct. 31, National Energy Board (NEB) chair and CEO Peter Watson introduced a new outlook report with a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Discussing the report’s projections for future energy supply and demand at a national level (through 2040), he explained Canada’s ‘electricity mix’ is becoming greener, as renewable sources experience significant rates of growth and play an increasingly important role.

Specifically, given past and current trends, NEB’s analysts predict the sources that will meet Canada’s energy demand will become less carbon-intensive. While this mix will

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ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

50% of Saskatchewan’s power generation should be from renewable sources by 2030.

continue to be led by hydroelectric power generation, the board expects wind capacity to double and solar to nearly triple over the projection period.

As more of this capacity is added, the balance of power generation across Canada will shift—and has the potential to create not just electricity itself, but also new opportunities for professionals in the electrical business.

The answer is blowing in the wind By way of example, earlier in October at the 34th annual Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) conference and exhibition in Calgary, the provincial governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan reiterated their

support for wind energy.

“We’ve secured record-low prices for wind power, created thousands of new jobs and attracted billions of dollars in private investment,” said Margaret McCuaig-Boyd, Alberta’s minister of energy. “The wind sector is helping drive our province’s renewable energy goals.

Jessica Littlewood, Alberta’s member of the legislative assembly (MLA) for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreveille and parliamentary secretary to the minister of economic development and trade for small business, explained in a plenary session how her government has committed to tripling the percentage of Alberta’s electricity demand to be met by renewable sources—from roughly 10% to 30%—by 2030. She expects cost-competitive wind energy to provide the majority of this 5,000 MW of power.

Dustin Duncan, Saskatchewan’s minister of the environment (who is also responsible for SaskPower), went even further by committing to see renewable energy make up 50% of his province’s electricity generating capacity within the same time frame, with a plan to add about 1,900 MW of new wind energy to the grid.

“As an environmentally sustainable source, wind power will be an important part of our generation mix,” he said. “We are taking steps to increase its role in meeting our needs.”

“There is a bullish outlook for wind energy,” says Phil McKay, operations and maintenance (O&M) program director for CanWEA, “and electrical contractors are looking to be part of that.”

He cites examples beyond Western Canada in Quebec, which is now Canada’s second-largest producer of wind energy, and the Maritimes, where communities invest in small wind farms and, in Prince Edward Island, wind can account for 100% of power generation on certain days of the year.

As McKay explains, the structure for developing a new wind farm starts with owners and investors, who then connect with local go-to providers, including contractors, specialists and experts. While the wind turbines themselves are usually designed in the U.S. or Europe, they only become EBMAG.COM

Photo courtesy IHSA

Renewables

practical once local electric crews with specific skill sets can integrate them with other systems.

“A lot of the people who attended our conference have already been involved in projects throughout the energy sector,” he says. “There are really localized benefits for journeymen.

There is a full range of voltages to handle throughout a wind park, from substations to pole-mounted or underground transmission, from fibre optics for data to high-voltage (HV) breakers at the switchyards.”

It is not certainly work for junior technicians. Each turbine generates much more power than, say, a single solar panel.

Further, to catch as much wind power as possible, the turbines must be spread out over some distance, so as not to interfere with each other.

“A solar farm, in comparison, ties together lower-voltage panels with smaller connections and then builds up the power to a substation,” says McKay. Communities have invested in small wind farms across the Maritimes, such as this one in North Cape, P.E.I. Photo courtesy Maritimes Energy Association

EBMAG.COM EB_Dec_Leviton.indd 1

Here comes the sun That said, the solar industry also offers opportunities that are well-suited to licensed

electrical contractors’ expertise.

“The question for each task is whether or not it poses an electrical hazard,” says Patrick D. Bateman, director of policy and market development for the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA). “While innovations in the past few years have made solar panel installations faster and easier, to the point where technicians can connect ‘plug-and-play’ panels on residential roofs, the industry also relies on equipment that definitely require the skills of an electrician with solar-specific training.”

These tasks include: establishing new electrical connections between combiner boxes, panelboards and micro-inverters that are not assembled with factory-installed connectors, utility switch lockouts, rapid shutdowns and meter bases; grounding systems; bonding frames to ground; and adding a separate ground or bond wire where it is a requirement for the photovoltaic (PV) system.

“While there are some differences in local legal and regulatory requirements from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, these are cases where the failure to hire licensed electrical

December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

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2018-11-26 11:15 AM

Renewables

contractors and Red Seal electricians could result in injury, death, loss or property or denied insurance claims,” Bateman explains. “Electrical work is dangerous and best left to those with the training, expertise and equipment to do the job safely.”

As such, he says there are many options for electrical contractors to bring their relevant skill sets inhouse, subcontract and partner with dedicated solar companies.

“The role may change depending on the customer, but there’s always a role,” he says, “and as solar is a very scalable technology, it brings widely distributed opportunities for contractors, including many in densely populated areas.”

The need for such roles is only increasing as nationwide demand for ‘clean’ electricity, including solar power, continues to grow.

“By 2020, the cost of solar-generated electricity will have dropped by more than 90% in 10 years, becoming cost-competitive with other grid sources,” says Bateman.

“Thanks to these reductions, solar is now growing in every Canadian province and territory, across residential, commercial and institutional applications. Other factors driving demand include voluntary and mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. People want to avoid the cost of compliance with carbon pricing and demonstrate they are environmentally conscious.”

The hottest market, he says, is Alberta, which is phasing out more than half of its coal-generated electricity by 2030. The province’s government recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for large-scale solar energy provision to meet about 55% of its annual ‘green power’ needs. To accomplish this, it plans to replace existing renewable energy contracts with solar deals.

“Alberta has the best solar resources in Canada and it is time to take advantage of them,” said Shannon Phillips, minister of environment and responsible for the climate change office.

Through the RFP, the government has committed to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) equivalent to 135,000 MWh of solar-generated electricity—enough 18

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

While technicians can connect ‘plug-and-play’ solar panels on residential roofs, there are still many connection tasks that require the specialized skills of electricians. Photo courtesy IHSA

to power 18,750 homes—annually for the next 20 years. The new contracts are expected in place before spring 2019 and, Bateman highlights, could see Alberta pay less for solar than it previously did for natural gas. The province also has dedicated solar programs for homes, businesses, schools and municipalities.

“Energy Efficiency Alberta is training electricians for solar,” he adds. “Meanwhile, Nova Scotia has a new solar homes program and Saskatchewan and New Brunswick are also phasing out coal. By 2025, solar will be cheaper than the alternatives.”

This vertical-axis turbine was installed in Cap-Chat, Que. Photo courtesy Spiritrock4u at English Wikipedia

100%

of P.E.I.’s electrical generation, on some days, comes from wind.

Change the world All of this does not mean, however, that Canada’s electrical contractors should rush into specialty work for the renewables industry on the assumption it will supplant traditional means of production. Recent experiences in Ontario, where large-scale projects have been announced and then cancelled, help point to the issues that can affect widespread reliance on—and expectations for—wind and solar power.

“The problem is the focus on central power grids,” says Ron Bergeron, who provides engineering services with Bergeron Electric in Cornwall, Ont. “There’s a lot you can do to collect energy, but then you’ve got to have the capacity to store it—and that part of the technology is years and years behind the collection part.

There is an extreme focus on lithium ion batteries that deters research into

2025 is when solar is expected to become cheaper than alternatives.

better, more viable options.”

The uneven supply of wind and solar power, Bergeron points out, lends itself better to distributed energy. This is a model whereby electricity is collected, stored and used locally, rather than fed continually to the grid.

“To me, this is the future of our society,” he says. “Renewables should be distributed. Each home will have three modules: one for collecting, one for storing and one for distributing.

When that happens, electrical contractors will find both AC and DC systems in buildings.”

“Many people are now supplying their own energy with a distributed model,” CanSIA’s Bateman agrees.

“Technologies like battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are also growing in popularity, which can be closely linked to renewable sources.”

“Canada’s energy future will depend on how the country can remain competitive in a global context,” says Jean-Denis Charlebois, NEB’s chief economist. “Technological innovation is key.”

With files from NEB, CanWEA, CanSIA and OEL. For more information, visit www.neb-one.gc.ca, www.canwea.ca, www.cansia.ca and www.oel.org.

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Photovoltaic Panels

WORKING SAFELY WITH PHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION SYSTEMS

Installation and maintenance are high-risk work. /BY MARK ELIAS

P

hotovoltaic (PV) solar panel systems have become increasingly popular in residential and commercial sites for providing a primary or backup source of electricity. With the proper hazard assessments and safe work practices, they present a safer option for power generation in comparison to traditional sources of electricity.

That said, the installation and maintenance of PV systems are categorized as high-risk work.

The hazards associated with such work need to be recognized, assessed, controlled and, if possible, eliminated.

Photo courtesy IHSA

A duty for precaution With the rapid growth of the PV industry, occupational hazards have increased for workers involved in installing and maintaining PV systems.

Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), by way of example, employers have a duty to take every reasonable precaution to ensure supervisors and workers are aware of the hazards associated with the handling, use and transport of the equipment in PV systems. This duty applies whether systems are installed on the ground or a rooftop, at an industrial or residential site. And as part of that duty, it is important for employers to establish safe procedures.

One of the problems with new EBMAG.COM

technology is the tendency for a mindset that the labour involved in its installation is somehow new as well, such that old safety procedures do not apply. In the case of PV systems, they are installed primarily on rooftops or on the sides of buildings, yet not all installers will be trained for working safely at heights.

Also, PV panels may seem harmless upon inspection, but they generate electricity at all times, except in complete darkness. So, anyone working in proximity to a PV panel must respect, understand and take precautions to avoid electrical contact.

Common hazards for PV system installation and maintenance include some of the most deadly known to the construction industry, including electrical contact shocks and burns, falls from heights, extreme weather-related hazards and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) related to material handling.

The need for training Another common misconception suggests PV systems can be easily installed or maintained by a single worker. This leads to a temptation to carry out the work alone, which would nullify most emergency response plans in the case of an incident.

Another aspect to take into consideration is how PV panel installers and maintenance workers will not be the only ones working

on and around the systems. Indeed, just about anyone working on a roof or a side of a building could be working in proximity to the panels and, thus, to their potential hazards; hence the need to put in place policies, procedures and additional training.

Such training may include the fundamentals of electrical hazards and controls, fall protection requirements, safe limits of approach to electric utilities, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and power tools, traffic planning and staging and the safe handling, hoisting and transportation of materials, ladders and other access equipment. There are specific hazards to understand before working on a sloped roof, at the edge of a roof and around skylights and roof openings, along with exposure to extremely hot, cold or windy weather. MSDs can be caused by poor lifting techniques and static postures. Pre-installation checks, emergency planning and first aid are all very important.

Implementing safe practices With all of this in mind, Ontario’s Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA) and its roofers trade labour management health and safety committee recently established a new photovoltaic subcommittee to address concerns for

those working on and in proximity to PV power generation systems. After identifying a need to educate employers and workers about these hazards, the subcommittee developed guidelines and published them as a new resource, titled ‘Safe Practices for Working On or Around Photovoltaic Systems.’

With training and education now readily available through such resources, electrical contractors and other professionals who work with or near PV systems can update their health and safety policies and safe work procedures accordingly. By completing a job safety analysis (JSA), they can address hazards early on, saving time and effort down the road, and they can equip their workers with the knowledge they’ll need to navigate PV system installation and maintenance safely.

Mark Elias handles media relations and communications for the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA), based in Mississauga, Ont. For more information, including further details about ‘Safe Practices for Working On or Around Photovoltaic Systems,’ visit www.ihsa.ca.

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December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

19

level up ANDREW HOUSTON

Do you own a business or have a job?

T

hink about this for a minute: why did you get into owning your own business? Over time, we tend to forget our answer to this very important question. Take a moment to pause and reflect on this, as your answer is a bit like a compass: either it will lead you to your goals or you will eventually get lost.

My experience has taught me there are three core reasons contractors decide to own their business: • You want more control—Perhaps so you can have things run the way you want them to run.

• You want more freedom— Perhaps so you can do things you want to do, when you want to do them.

• You want more money—Perhaps so you can enjoy the lifestyle you want.

The specific definitions of each of these three reasons will be different for everyone, but in all cases, the reality is that to obtain more control, freedom and money, you will need to work to scale up your business beyond yourself.

If you can’t get your business to grow beyond you, then all you

really have is a job—which I like to say is an acronym that stands for ‘just over broke.’

You see, with a job, you get paid so long as you show up; but if you don’t show up, you don’t get paid and, eventually, you’ll run out of money and go broke.

Ideally, a business owner is paid for being the CEO, the leader, the goal-setter and the one who focuses on building the business with high-value tasks.

The biggest difference in having a job and being a business owner is the shift that is needed in your mind set, so you can transition from being on the tools to making profitable moves and decisions as only a CEO can.

So, how do you scale your business up? How do you get it to grow beyond you? The answer is to build the right structure for your business. Just like in the world of construction, having a solid structure is important to prevent everything from crashing down.

To do this requires a four-step process:

1. Draw up an accountability chart This is a picture of each role in the business, arranged in order of who reports to whom, from the

bottom to the top. If you don’t identify the hierarchy of the roles in your company, then you will never achieve the level of communication necessary to scale your business up further.

Get your team in involved in developing and modifying this chart to best fit your company.

Then print off your chart and stick it up on a wall.

2. Define the roles This starts with you as the CEO of your business. Don’t try to break down all of the various roles at once or it will become too overwhelming and take up too much of your time. Instead, start by outlining all of the tasks the business handles; this will help you define the corresponding roles. Define the results that are needed for each of these tasks and the rules that need to be followed. These are the three Rs: roles, results and rules.

Again, get your team involved in the process. One of your own core roles as CEO is to leverage other people’s help!

3. Identify room for improvement Once you have defined all of the roles, it will be easier to see

at a glance which department offers the biggest opportunity for improvement. Where there is an issue, 90% of the time, it is because that department is not being led properly.

4. Build on your progress Work to optimize each department, one at a time with laser focus. This will involve getting the right people into the right roles and creating systems so they have the proper tools and support to do their jobs.

“Is this going to take a lot of time?” you might ask—and the answer is yes, it is, but these exercises in continual improvement of the structure of your business are just part of your own journey to become a champion CEO. Either you put in the time now or you pay the price of having your business depend on you fully, constantly and forever.

Andrew Houston is owner and founder of Profit for Contractors, an industrial controls licensed electrician and an electronics engineering technologist. He helps entrepreneurs with trades-related companies improve their business skills, so they can enjoy more control, freedom and money. If you have any questions about this column’s topic, email support@profitforcontractors.com with the subject line ‘EBMag Accountability.’

CALENDAR

IAS Electrical Safety Workshop IEEE March 4-8, Jacksonville, Fla. Visit ewh.ieee.org/cmte/ias-esw Work Truck Show & Green Truck Summit 2019 National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) March 5-8, Indianapolis, Ind. Visit worktruckshow.com PowerTest 2019 InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) 20

March 11-15, Grapveine, Tex. Visit powertest.org

ICT Canada BICSI April 8-11, Toronto Visit bicsi.org

MCEE 2019 Mécanex, Climatex, Expolectriq, Éclairage April 24-25, Montreal Visit mcee.ca

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

EV/VE Conference & Trade Show 2019 Electric Mobility Canada May 6-9, Quebec City Visit emc-mec.ca/ev2019ve Lightfair International May 19-2, Philadelphia, Pa. Visit lightfair.com ECAA Annual Convention ECA of Alberta May 30 – June 2, Jasper, Alta.

Visit ecaa.ab.ca

EUFMC 2019 Electric Utility Fleet Managers June 2-5, Williamsburg, Va. Visit eufmc.com CSA Committee Week 2019 CSA Group June 17 -21, Ottawa Visit tinyurl.com/hyb9l4u

Indicates EB will be there.

Visit EBMAG.COM for an extensive list of upcoming industry events.

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products and solutions

Universal Lighting Technologies adds Everline emergency LED drivers

Universal Lighting Technologies has expanded its product line with Everline emergency LED drivers for classrooms, offices, warehouses and other commercial applications. Available in four models (ELD10UNVL, ELD10UNVLPL, ELD7UNVCL and ELD20UNVL), the new drivers are designed to meet North American buildings’ emergency lighting requirements. Rather than installing separate emergency lighting fixtures, electrrical contractors can specify the drivers to be installed in LED luminaires that require emergency battery backup systems.

Compatible with Universal’s existing Everline LED drivers, the emergency drivers offer 90-minute illumination time. unvlt.com

MIT485/2TC-LG2 insulation tester from Megger tests up to 500V

The MIT485/2TCLG2 replaces Megger’s original MIT480 range tester. The instrument features fixed test voltages of 50, 100, 250 and 500V, as well as variable test voltages from 10 to 500V. Insulation testing can be performed up to 100GΩ at 500V. A grated access feature to 500V prevents the accidental application of high voltage to sensitive equipment. With a three-terminal connection for tip, ring and ground testing, users can select the measurement pair from the new T-R-G button the front panel, omitting the need to connect and disconnect leads to perform the full range of testing on a cable pair. The MIT485/2TC-

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LG2 also offers fast continuity testing with a user-selectable test current of 20 or 200mA. Continuity testing covers 0.01 to 1 MΩ without the need for manual range switching, megger.com

Leviton redesigns Powerswitch disconnect switches

Leviton recently added redesigned Powerswitch non-metallic disconnects to its line of watertight safety disconnect switches. The complete product family is NSF certified for hygiene requirements in food and beverage processing and IP69K rated.

The Powerswitch line includes non-metallic versions available in 30, 60 and 100A, fused and non-fused, and stainless steel versions available in 30, 60, 80 and 100A, non-fused. All disconnect enclosures feature an over-mould handle in red and yellow with three provisions for padlocks. The new handle is longer, which Leviton says ensures strength, easier grip and durability for industrial environments. leviton.com

Vacuum Interrupters’ multifunctional VITS60M vacuum integrity tester

The VITS60M performs standard go/no-go tests on vacuum interrupters and includes a 2.5/5/10kV megohmmeter for insulation resistance testing with automated polarity index and absorption radio testing routines. Additionally, the device can serve as a stand-alone

60kV DC high-potential (HiPot) test set for most types of insulation. The set generates a visual go/no-go result when testing vacuum integrity and the dielectric strength of various vacuum breaker components during regular maintenance.

It also offers programmable leakage current thresholds and test durations. CE certified, the VITS60M comes with a failure indicator LED, which displays a green light for ‘pass’ and a red light for ‘fail.’ vacuuminterruptersinc.com

Cementex announces protective UltraLite series arc flash PPE task wear

Liteline’s Luna series eliminates the need for housing

According to Liteline, its Luna series directional downlights are engineered for maximum heat dissipation and eliminate the need for housing entirely.

The series provides users with a variety of sizes, trim styles and colour temperatures. The light is suitable for general-purpose and design-oriented lighting, as well as in-unit and corridor lighting for multi-tenant residential spaces. With fixed, tilting, round and square options, the downlights can be used in new construction or to retrofit traditional can-light housing.

Providing up to 1,100 lumens, Luna is rated for wet locations, suitable for air handling spaces, dimmable and Energy Star certified. liteline.com

Cementex recently updated its UltraLite series of arc flash personal protection equipment (PPE) task wear, available in 11and 12-cal/cm2 and 40 cal/cm2 varieties. The UltraLite features a standard grey colour, which reflects sunlight for heat reduction in outdoor applications and allows for easier identification of contamination, as well as any dirt or debris that may compromise the garments’ safety.

The line includes a coat/coverall, pants with a bib, a 40-cal hood and a balaclava-hooded long-sleeve T-shirt. Kits are also available that include gloves, a helmet and a face shield, as well as a basic tool kit. The technology used to create the 40 cal/ cm2 UltraLite joins two materials to produce protective garments that are 37% lighter than typical 40 cal/cm2 garments. cementexusa.com Visit EBMAG.COM for the latest news, stories, products, videos, photo galleries and industry events.

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December 2018 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS

21

CODE file

CODE conundrum

DAVID PILON

Safety updates for pools and hot tubs

T

he 2015 CE Code saw a number of changes to Section 68: Pools, Tubs, Spas.The 2018 CE Code also added a few more changes, but you might just wonder, what is really new with pools from the past few years?

Well, as inspectors, some of the most important issues we have to address include a pool’s proximity to electrical equipment, the equipotential bonding of the equipment (along with non-electrical equipment, such as diving boards, ladders and fences) and the locations of overhead and underground conductors.

A common concern is the proximity of conductors to pools, tubs and spas. Often, the installer or owner of a new pool has not done the necessary research on where their underground or overhead service conductors are located. In numerous instances, we have had to force the relocation of hot tubs because they had been situated directly under an overhead service conductor. In a couple of other cases, it was actually easier to relocate the conductors instead.

Equipotential bonding is also a very important requirement when installing a permanent or in-ground pool, The reinforcing steel, ladders, diving supports and fences within 1.5 m of the pool must be bonded together and to the non-current carrying parts of any electrical equipment. This will ensure the pool and the equipment are at a substantially equal potential to all other equipment within that 1.5-m range, so as to reduce or eliminate any touch or step potential from transient voltages, lightning strikes or other issues that could impose a fault on metallic equipment.

Ground fault interruption (GFI) protection was added to the CE Code in 2015 for luminaires installed below or within 3 m of the pool surface. Specifically, the standards or supports for the lumin-

22

aires cannot be located within 3 m of the pool unless the luminaires are GFI protected. (The standards may also be required to be connected to the equipotential bonding of the pool steel, as they are non-current-carrying metallic parts of electrical equipment.)

Another change that came into effect in 2015 was a requirement for pumps for storable swimming pools to be supplied by receptacles located not less than 1.5 m and not more than 7.5 m from the pool; and for those located within 3 m of the pool and not suitably separated to be GFI protected.The concern here is about how portable and storable equipment is not subject to permits or inspections in a number of jurisdictions. Safety education is very important on behalf of each authority-having jurisdiction (AHJ) and in conjunction with pool suppliers. Handouts and instructions are key.

In 2018’s CE Code, for hydro-massage bathtubs designed to operate with more than one circuit, the outlets must be located under the tub, 300 mm above the floor and unreachable for the tub’s occupant(s). These outlets are also required to be GFI protected, accessible and labelled to indicate they do not feed any other equipment. Further, if the tub is located in a dwelling unit, both circuits must also be arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) protected.

There is nothing like relaxing in a hot tub, but be sure the installation is safe, so leaving the tub is not your last trip!

Always consult your AHJ for more specific interpretations.

TACKLE THE CODE CONUNDRUM IF YOU DARE! Answers to this month’s questions will appear in the February 2019 issue of Electrical Business.

Compiled by Ray Yousef, code engineer

Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority • esasafe.com

QUESTION 1 Fuses permitted to be used for overcurrent protection, where circuit overload protection is provided by other means, are: a) Class C fuses. b) HRCII-MISC fuses. c) Class H fuses. d) A & B

QUESTION 2 Does the CE Code allow two supply services of the same voltage from the same system of any supply authority to enter a building if one will only be used for supplying a fire pump? a) Yes. b) No.

QUESTION 3 Rigid main contact conductors for an electrical hoist shall be supported so there is an air space of not less than between conductors. a) 16 mm. b) 21 mm. c) 25 mm. d) 35 mm.

ANSWERS Electrical Business, October 2018

Question 1 For a mobile home, the minimum length of #6 AWG power supply cord, measured from the attachment plug to the point of entrance to the unit, is: d) 7.5 m. Rule 70-108, CE Code 2018.

Question 2 When communication flat cable (CFC) type wiring is used, it shall be covered with abrasion-resistant tape and secured to the floor, so all cables, corners and bare conductor ends are completely covered. a) True. Rule 60-328, CE Code 2018.

Question 3 What size of tap conductor is required to connect a metal fence around an outdoor substation to the station ground electrode? b) 2/0 AWG. Rule 36-312, CE Code 2018.

How did YOU do?

David Pilon is currently the training co-ordinator for electrical inspectors with SaskPower and has himself served as an electrical inspector with the utility since 2000. He is vice-chair of the Canadian Certified Electrical Inspector (CCEI) committee of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors’ (IAEI’s) Canadian Section.

He can be reached via email at dpilon@saskpower.com.

ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · December 2018

3 • Master Electrician 2 • Journeyman 1 • Apprentice 0 • Bricklayer ?!?

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