ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (gfretwell), 32 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Job was visited by some 'upper management' types today, who grumbled to the general contractor about some of the electricians spending their time texting.

Only problem is, they were NOT texting. Nope. Rather, they had used their phones to photograph the prints, and were consulting the prints as they worked. Looks like a win-in all around .... until you introduce some troglodite looking for something to kvetch about.

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 827
Likes: 1
J
Member
Many will accuse before questioning. Did anyone get an apology?
Joe

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Well, Joe ... I guess you have just proven that engineers CAN have a sense of humor!

I'm still in 'damage control' mode, trying to make sure the real story makes it up the chain before bad news comes DOWN the chain.

On the plus side .... well, the crew is quite happy to learn that we've stood up for them, rather than simply accusing them, assuming the complaint had merit. Lord knows, I was on the receiving end of many of those kangaroo courts during my time at "Azkaban."

I shall not make an institution of injustice.

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 827
Likes: 1
J
Member
They'll never get it unless they see that it saves them money. I got a call from a substation electrician foreman yesterday, about a pumping battery charger. It's a LaMarche that we never got complete schematics for. (I HATE THAT!) I was tied up on other things so I talked to the electrician, who happens to be a good friend and is extremely sharp. He sent me a couple phone pics and I called him up with a game plan. I checked in with him when I got back from the field to learn that all went well and that the charger output was rock stable. I called him back at the end of the day and the min/max was still a 0.1V difference. Without him and his phone pics, and high tech skills, they would've had to swap in a spare charger. Now granted, I wouldn't have trusted him working on the guts of the charger, if I hadn't worked beside him enough to know how good he is. Electricians like him, with their phones, are fantastic force multipliers.
Joe

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
G
Member
A few years ago I never would have believed how many trips and callbacks get prevented by simply being able to take a photo of the layout, the wiring, the nameplate, etc.

Although nonstop texting during the workday is a time-waster the real advantage of using the smartphone as a tool is undeniable.


Ghost307
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
And yet ....

I was working on one industrial site, tracing data lines. The boss was in the computer room, while I ran about the shop floor with my half of the toner. Separated by acres of noisy machinery and brick walls, communication was an issue. Even conversation was difficult with the ambient noise. Still, our use of texting to communicate ruffled many feathers in this "no cell phone" facility.

Another industrial establishment got absolutely livid when they learned we had pictures of equipment nameplates in their 'no photos' facility. That was rather interesting, as we were supposed to replace / repair their equipment.

With attitudes like these, it's no wonder that certain third-world hellholes are surpassing us in technology.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 7
Member
In some instances, the smartphone is also am inspectors friend.

Pics of nameplates, instead of writing, for one.

Apps with useful tools/info are great also.


John
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
G
Member
We have a "no pictures" policy also; but I always make it clear that pictures are okay if they are directly related to the work. I also reserve the right to delete any of the photos that are too general or show something that shouldn't be photographed.
So far the big guys haven't had any objections to date.


Ghost307
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 264
Member
When used correctly at work, a cellphone is a priceless tool. On the other hand, recently I sat with a parent on a bus for our kid's school ski trip who works at SaskPower. We got on the subject of smartphones at work and he admitted it's getting to be a real concern because too many workers are getting distracted with texting when they should be focusing on the task at hand. I envision this being a hot topic for electrical worker safety meetings in the future, if not already in some locations.


A malfunction at the junction
--------------------------------------
Dwayne

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5