EC&M On Air

In Episode 34 “EC&M On Air,” Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M, is highlighting some of the most popular technical content we’ve been running recently in audio-only form. In case you missed it, this content was originally brought to you in our EC&M Asks Q&A video series. This week, we’re featuring subject matter expert Randy Barnett, who addresses some of our readers’ most pressing questions about PPE requirements and disconnect switches, including whether or not you must wear electrical PPE to operate a disconnect switch, applicable NFPA 70E tables, the probability of an arc flash, and what you need to do to be safe when working on this equipment. 

In Part 2 of Episode 33 of EC&M On Air, EC&M Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson continues her conversation with four of this year’s Under 30 Electrical All Stars. In Part 1, Ellen introduced the guests: Luke Snow, Toth & Associates; Maria Ellis, M.C. Dean; Ian Smith, CDM Smith; and Jordan Emch, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In Part 2, they continue to discuss industry trends, learning from older generations while embracing new technologies/methods, challenges faced as a young leader in the electrical industry, and the best advice they have received. For more information on all of the EC&M 30 Under 30 All Stars highlighted in our July 2023 issue, read the original report. 

In Episode 33 of EC&M On Air, EC&M Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson sits down with four of this year’s Under 30 Electrical All Stars. Their conversation went so great that we decided to split it into two parts. In Part 1, Ellen introduces the guests: Luke Snow, Toth & Associates; Maria Ellis, M.C. Dean; Ian Smith, CDM Smith; and Jordan Emch, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. They describe how they became interested in the electrical industry and what contributed their success at a young age.  Stay tuned for Part 2, which will be released later this month. For more information on all of the EC&M 30 Under 30 All Stars highlighted in our July 2023 issue, read the original report. 

In Episode 32 of “EC&M On Air,” Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M, highlights some of the most popular technical content we’ve been running recently in audio-only form. In case you missed it, this content was originally brought to you in our EC&M Asks Q&A video series. This week, we’re featuring subject matter expert Harold De Loach, who addresses some of our readers’ most pressing questions about the most common mistakes apprentices make when referencing the National Electrical Code. This includes how the Code book is structured, tips for navigating this massive book when an apprentice is in the early stages of his or her career, how to find the information you need fast, and how to deal with “special permissions” and exceptions.

In Episode 31 of “EC&M On Air,” a podcast series from EC&M magazine that shares industry intelligence, insights and opinions on all topics electrical, Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M, sat down with a few top executives whose engineering firms made our Top 40 Electrical Design Firms list in 2023: Jason Wollum of Henderson Engineers; Brian Leavitt of IMEG; and Darin Anderson of Salas O’Brien. Not only do they cover some of their firms’ secrets to success, but they also talk about the latest trends they’re seeing in the industry as well as the biggest challenges they’re facing in the next few years. For more information, read the full Top 40 special report. 

In Episode 30 of “EC&M On Air,” Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M, highlights some of the most popular technical content we’ve been running recently, but this time brought to you in audio-only form. In case you missed it, this content was originally brought to you in our EC&M Asks Q&A video series. This week, we’re featuring subject matter expert Tommy Northcott, who addresses some of our readers’ most pressing questions about arc flash hazards and personal protective equipment (PPE), including whether it’s ever safe to work above 40 cal/cm2, how to choose the right PPE for your specific situation, how to determine the required PPE when electrical equipment is arc rated or arc resistant, and arc flash hazards for systems less than 480V.

On Episode 29 of “EC&M On Air,” a podcast series from EC&M magazine that shares industry intelligence, insights, and opinions on all topics electrical, Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M sits down with Gregg Schoppman, Principal at FMI, to talk about his firm’s latest talent study, specifically how these results relate to construction and engineering firms. To read the full report, visit this link. 

In this special edition of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson sat down with the product managers representing the Platinum, Gold, and Silver winners of EC&M's 2023 Product of the Year competition to learn more about the products’ applications, development process, and end-user benefits. The Platinum Award went to the MegaFlex UL, represented by John Goosseff, global product manager of ABB Inc.. The Gold Award winner is the NFPA LiNK software, represented by Kyle Spencer, director of subscription services for the National Fire Protection Association. The Silver Award went to the M12 cable stapler, represented by Sean Kelley, director of product management for Milwaukee Tool. This year’s competition featured products introduced to the market between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022. A hand-picked panel of judges narrowed down the 110 entries to 34 category winners for the first phase of the competition. These category winners were then narrowed down to our three finalists through an online poll available to EC&M readers, who cast their votes to determine the three award-winning products.   For more information on all three of the 2023 POTY winners and the history of the EC&M Product of the Year competition, read the report by Freelancer Amy Fischbach. 

In Episode 28 of “EC&M On Air,” we're bringing to you one of our most popular EC&M Asks Q&A video series in an audio-only format. It features subject matter expert Randy Barnett, who addresses some of our readers’ most pressing questions about all things grounding and bonding, including whether or not the main grounding electrode conductor can be spliced, 3-pole vs. 4-pole automatic transfer switch grounding and separately derived systems, grounding diesel engine driven backup generator as compared to natural gas generators, and understanding auxiliary electrodes.

On Episode 27 of “EC&M On Air,” Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M sits down with Rocky Rowlett, vice president of safety for Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI), to talk about all things electrical safety, specifically how FTI treats safety as a culture at their company.