I haven't even reviewed them yet, but know that Mark Hilbert, New Hampshire State Inspector is one of the "Finest and Fairest" on the East coast, also the President of the Eastern Section of the IAEI.

What are your opinions?
http://www.nh.gov/electrician/questions_2005.html

Bump

Ok, I'll get this one going. I for one find this pretty fascinating, but it raises more questions than answers in my mind.

First I commend the state of New Hampshire for compiling this data. I wonder how many other states do it. It seems like NH takes inspections seriously.

New Hampshire, like most New England states, has strict apprenticeship, licensing, inspections, and continuing education. So I am a bit surprised to see the list that was presented. Therefore, one can draw a few conclusions from the data:

1) Even with the best system in place (apprenticeship, licensing, and inspections), many electricians are still making basic mistakes.

2) Perhaps the NEC is not as user-friendly as many of us (particluarly on these NEC related chat forums) might think, and that the average electrician has a hard time using and/or understanding it.

3) Perhaps New Hampshire is not doing a good enough job teaching its apprentices and keeping its license holders updated on the code changes.

4) Perhaps New Hampshire is doing a good job teaching and updating its electrical trade but the trade is simply ignoring the rules. After all, NH is a New England state full of Yankees that don't take correction or change very well. I can certainly say that about myself as I am a native New Englander.

5) Perhaps the contractors installing emergency systems, fire pumps, and generators need to take a crash course on the NEC and brush up on the fundamentals.

-Peter

[This message has been edited by CTwireman (edited 09-29-2005).]

Bump. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? Does this industry need to address this by increasing training above and beyond what we allready have?

Some of the violations are not hazardous.

While one could "train" professionals to follow the code, in some instances it might be easier to simply change the code.

George
That is some concept, could you elaborate some more.


Ct wireman
You should take a drive into NY - training is almost nonexistant. So in answer to your question, I believe that training better be required soon or we will be in big trouble.

Pierre,
In this time of "cheaper is always better", I don't think we will see any increase in the level of training anytime soon.
Don

I am not sure where the training will come from in the right to work states. It seems if someone shows up with some tools and says they are an electrician (plumber or whatever) they get hired. As long as the tasks are fairly routine they seem to survive. I agree simply yanking Romex and making up boxes is a fairly unchallenging job but there are lots of opportunities to screw up and an inspector doing 40 a day is not going to catch them all.
I don't want to start a union debate but I have to agree they do add some structure and training to a trade.

Pierre,

I'm definitely aware of the situation throughout NY State, having travelled extensively there. It was an eye opener from my perspective, being used to the New England way that I described aboved.

I remember visiting a college in southwestern NY (a very rural area) and seeing a sign at a restaurant wired with a piece of extension cord, complete with a flying splice out in the open. I only wish I had my camera.

NY state has the problem of being vast and thinly populated for the most part, as do many other states. It's hard enough to get training programs together, let alone inspectors to travel such long distances for low pay, and consider what gas costs now.

It's bad all around, but I don't see it changing any time soon.

Peter