Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

Hard hats are a critical piece of safety equipment for those who work in construction. This is especially true for electrical pros, who use the helmets to protect themselves from both accidental impacts and contact with live wires. It’s important to remember, though, that a hard hat isn’t just a hat, it’s a system.

When electrical contractors think of personal protective equipment (PPE), it’s usually in terms of clothing, hard hats and other items meant to buffer a physical impact or the severe burns that could occur in the wake of an arc flash or other catastrophic event.

Smart homes might be getting a lot of attention these days, but much less is being written about how equally smart technologies can be applied to small commercial businesses. Larger businesses have long had building automation systems to help monitor and control heating, cooling, lighting and other equipment, but that approach can be overkill for neighborhood restaurants, hair salons and other small-scale operations.

For small business owners, all the details matter. Whether it’s a neighborhood restaurant, a family-owned convenience store or a local art gallery, tight margins can leave little room for error when it comes to refrigeration temperatures, HVAC equipment operation – and even lights left on when they shouldn’t be.

Okay, maybe I went a little overboard saying that cable management is fun. But it can be enjoyable, using the right tools. And if you're an installer, coming up with innovative and attractive solutions for your customer can definitely be profitable.

In the previous article, we talked a bit about low-voltage cable management. And while I enjoy talking about and using those types of products, my heart remains in a more commercial and industrial setting.

For over 30 years, I've worked in that environment. And cabling and cable management has been a large part of my work background.