One major study on material handling in electrical contracting came up with a shocking statistic: Around 40 percent of the work electricians do in the construction industry is consumed by material handling. Not cable pulls, installing conduit, or wiring light fixtures: simply moving materials around the work site. Even highly trained, highly paid union contractors end up spending nearly half… Continue Reading
Where do you store electrical materials during a construction project? As just one contractor sharing space with all the other trades, electrical firms can quickly run into storage limitations. Add to that the challenge of sharing elevators, navigating narrow aisles, and the multiple trips usually required, and the scope of the material-handling challenge becomes apparent. You don’t want access to… Continue Reading
During the course of a long, complex electrical installation, the fastest, easiest way to store tools and building materials is to pile them up on the floor. It may be messy, but you can’t argue with the efficiency…or can you? In fact, stacks of conduit, connectors, circuit breakers, light fixtures, and other electrical products may do more harm than you… Continue Reading
We spend a lot of time discussing electrical safety at the jobsite, in the home, and even in schools. But what about safety programs for the workers who make electrical systems possible? Long before electricians begin to observe their strict lockout/tagout protocols or double-check the NEC, the electrical-material supply chain is hard at work, manufacturing, storing, shipping, and distributing the… Continue Reading
There’s no quicker way to save on electricity costs at a commercial or industrial building than springing for a total LED retrofit job. There are plenty of great reasons to switch to LED; they can use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting. They also last 25 times longer. That’s all according to U.S. Department of Energy. These… Continue Reading
Market forces have aligned to create rising construction material prices, and electrical contractors in the industry are faced with a dilemma: Do they pass those prices onto builders, and, ultimately, the customer? Or do they take the hit themselves? A handful of trends combine to create these price increases. There are the tariffs on steel and aluminum, of course. New… Continue Reading
Not every electrical contracting firm can deliver on a short-schedule lighting installation project. However, those who can leverage time-saving strategies, advanced equipment, and robust prefabrication facilities to meet tight deadlines are often the most successful companies in the industry. It is not easy to improve productivity without sacrificing quality. With the rise of fast-track construction and aspirational project timelines in… Continue Reading
Commercial lighting installation is a major part of any nonresidential construction project. It is important to recognize and address the safety hazards associated with the job — especially since these risks are intensified by strong demand for lighting in the commercial sector. The latest Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides a snapshot of… Continue Reading
A major research firm has forecast continued growth for the global lighting fixture market through the year 2025. The growth is fueled by new installations, which are surging due to a variety of circumstances. The installation of energy-efficient LED lighting luminaires is a major driver in the growth. LED lighting luminaires offer a range of benefits over fluorescents and metal… Continue Reading
June 20, 2018 — St. Louis, MO — BHS, Inc., a leading provider of electrical equipment and warehouse solutions, now offers Light Fixture Carts to simplify storage and handling of a particularly awkward component. Light Fixture Carts from BHS cradle 10 standard 4-foot-long light fixtures or twice as many 2-foot-square units within a powder-coated steel frame. Each fixture slides easily into its slot like a sheet pan into a baker’s rack. The abrasion-resistant powder coating protects fixtures and racks themselves for long-term, reliable use. Removable lock bars on either side of the unit provide further protection for stock during travel. “Electrical suppliers have told us they were looking for something just like this and just couldn’t find it until now,”… Continue Reading
