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I finally attended an IAEI Northwest Section Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska after 14 years. This one was a big one and the NFPA hurried their publishing date so the 2008 NEC would be there and for sale. The IAEI also had the Analysis of Changes for sale and given out to paying attendees. We had one half day on the CFR’s and application of NEC70E for employee safe work practices and two days of NEC changes taught by excellent instructors.
Now let’s get real. The seminar cost $340 plus travel and plus housing plus lost wages. Attendees could stay at the Hilton where the seminar took place for $150 a night. That would be 5 nights or $750. Then there is travel to and from Anchorage for those that do not live there. For some that comes to about $400 unless you bring your wife. So now we are up to $340+$750+$400 or $1490. Add to this your shopping and buying a few IAEI books and we are up to about $2000. Of course if you are working add lost wages so we now have about 3 grand into a sixteen hour code class for the 2008 NEC.
This is why I embrace the Internet online learning courses. They simply are the best and the most practical for most of us.
There were several code making panel members at this meeting and that was an enlightenment. I heard such remarks from them as we didn’t have time to really work this change out so we did the best we could and put in what we had, it will need further work. I was appalled. When I think about the number of inspectors and electricians that have put their jobs on the line for this NEC rule or that, and when you learn how casual the code panel members talk about the new rules, I wonder if they realize the consequences of their actions. I for one will never take the NEC to be the ultimate word as I once did. Common sense has to be applied. I have seen inpectors make a contractor tear out and completely rlocate a panelboard over a one inch clearance violation. That is simply wrong! On big projects for big companies I have seen inspectors work relentlessly to enforce the rules in the NEC to the "T" but after a company gets into serious trouble, who do they hire to supersede and intimidate the very inspector that tried to enforce the rules, no one but a distinguished Code Making panel member who comes in for $1200 and day plus per diem and who for that price tries to put the "bad" inspectors in place. I have been there and witnessed the events. That is simply wrong too. What is needed is a code of conduct for inspectors so they learn that the NEC is approximately correct, and in every case of enforcement a practical tolerance must be applied.
electrician2.com
I finally attended an IAEI Northwest Section Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska after 14 years. This one was a big one and the NFPA hurried their publishing date so the 2008 NEC would be there and for sale. The IAEI also had the Analysis of Changes for sale and given out to paying attendees. We had one half day on the CFR’s and application of NEC70E for employee safe work practices and two days of NEC changes taught by excellent instructors.
Now let’s get real. The seminar cost $340 plus travel and plus housing plus lost wages. Attendees could stay at the Hilton where the seminar took place for $150 a night. That would be 5 nights or $750. Then there is travel to and from Anchorage for those that do not live there. For some that comes to about $400 unless you bring your wife. So now we are up to $340+$750+$400 or $1490. Add to this your shopping and buying a few IAEI books and we are up to about $2000. Of course if you are working add lost wages so we now have about 3 grand into a sixteen hour code class for the 2008 NEC.
This is why I embrace the Internet online learning courses. They simply are the best and the most practical for most of us.
There were several code making panel members at this meeting and that was an enlightenment. I heard such remarks from them as we didn’t have time to really work this change out so we did the best we could and put in what we had, it will need further work. I was appalled. When I think about the number of inspectors and electricians that have put their jobs on the line for this NEC rule or that, and when you learn how casual the code panel members talk about the new rules, I wonder if they realize the consequences of their actions. I for one will never take the NEC to be the ultimate word as I once did. Common sense has to be applied. I have seen inpectors make a contractor tear out and completely rlocate a panelboard over a one inch clearance violation. That is simply wrong! On big projects for big companies I have seen inspectors work relentlessly to enforce the rules in the NEC to the "T" but after a company gets into serious trouble, who do they hire to supersede and intimidate the very inspector that tried to enforce the rules, no one but a distinguished Code Making panel member who comes in for $1200 and day plus per diem and who for that price tries to put the "bad" inspectors in place. I have been there and witnessed the events. That is simply wrong too. What is needed is a code of conduct for inspectors so they learn that the NEC is approximately correct, and in every case of enforcement a practical tolerance must be applied.
posted by Gerald Newton at 8:54 PM
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