America’s power demand is increasing at a staggering rate, requiring more infrastructure and, with that, the workforce to ensure it is built, tested, and maintained to the highest standards. However, this is at odds with America’s shrinking labor market, a problem previously highlighted by Steve Park in his NETA World article titled “Workforce Development for NETA Testing Companies.”[1] This deficit …
Before joining Hood Patterson & Dewar (HP&D), I worked in the luxury automotive industry, where I managed an instructional design team for an organization responsible for the distribution, marketing, and customer service for their brand of products in the United States. Our team was responsible for all online and in-person sales and leadership training curricula for their dealerships in the …
As the world increasingly turns to renewable energy sources and grid-scale energy storage, understanding the various battery technologies available is beneficial. Each type of battery offers unique characteristics that make it suitable for specific applications, from grid stabilisation to backup power systems. This article explores the main types of stationary batteries, their underlying chemistry, typical applications, and the pros and …
Whether the path you are forging in the electrical industry leads you to a role as an engineer, electrician, or inspector, one commonality is that your education will be based heavily on NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®). But does the NEC provide all that is needed to achieve comprehensive electrical safety? Electrical safety based on NEC requirements must be …
In an uncertain economy, every dollar counts — and for utilities and industrial firms, the temptation to cut training budgets is strong. But when it comes to electrical systems, that’s a gamble few can afford. Electrical failures cost U.S. facilities over $1.5 billion annually in direct damage, not to mention the ripple effects of downtime, safety risks, and regulatory penalties. …
A low-voltage distribution system is the final stage of the electric grid. It is the infrastructure that moves electric power inside buildings and dwellings. Let’s define a low-voltage distribution system. These systems rely on transformers (Figure 1) to step utility voltages down to usable levels. The most common voltages in such systems in the United States include 120, 240, 208, …
Partial discharge is a poorly understood phenomenon, made harder to understand because many different units are used to measure it. Making matters worse, sometimes you have to calibrate a test setup, and other times you don’t. This article explains the various units, when and how they are used, and why we calibrate (sometimes). MEASURING PARTIAL DISCHARGE Partial discharge is a pulsed …
When we left Rob in the Summer edition of Training Talk, he and John, the safety program Manager, had made excellent progress on developing a safety plan that was inherent in every employee. John even acknowledged, “I am starting to understand what you meant by culture change by deepening employee understanding, involvement, and ownership.” “We have a lot of work …
A 2019 EY Belong Barometer study found that over 40% of U.S. respondents reported feeling physically and emotionally isolated in the workplace. This feeling crossed generational, gender, and ethnic lines. Creating a caring workplace is essential for establishing an environment where employees feel valued and supported. But how can this be achieved? It requires intentional effort; such an environment doesn’t just develop …