broken underground conduit(egc)

[T-Rope]

i consider myself highly qualified as a journeyman caliber apprentice electrician, however the company i now work for refuses to recognize this, so i am forced to work with a highly under qualified, 1st year apprentice caliber journeyman. anyways they cut the concrete floor at this job and cut multiple conduits that were right beneath concrete. the plumbers got a back hoe and ripped the concrete out along with, accidently, the conduits up and mangled them along with cutting threw them. the main feeder conduit was cut and the neutral wire was barely held together and the phase conductors were good. we fixed this conduit and pulled new wires but the remaing six branch circuit conduits were also damaged. we fixed the ones that were completely cut in half but left the ones that were ripped out an mangled. my journey figures the circuits are still on so we will leave it . the conduit isnt even in the panel anymore but the wires are still terminated. the conduit was the egc so now these receptacles have no egc. my journeyman doesnt understand this as a problem an the general is the one that wanted to leave the conduits an my journeyman agreed too not fix them and cover them. i turned away because this company/ electrician is a joke IMO and thinks im a know it all just because i take pride in knowing how to do my job properly to the best of my knowledge. the conduits are barried now n concrete set to poor in bout 3 days. what is one to do in this situation when no one is taking me seriously. the circuits do work, however there is no way to trip the breaker anymore, i am going to put some no egc stickers from a gfi on the receptacles but in no way do i see this as legitimate. how do i get this problem addressed. i have no pictures of the conduit but the panel clearly shows wires coming threw a k.o. with no egc.
ps./ the trench they cut is about 30 feet long inside a armory building in there drill hall and the conduits are spaced apart going to different 120 and 240v receptacles inside there masonry walls

 

[T-Rope]

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[ptonsparky]

Talk to the boss.

 

[ActionDave]

..... what is one to do in this situation when no one is taking me seriously. the circuits do work, however there is no way to trip the breaker anymore, i am going to put some no egc stickers from a gfi on the receptacles but in no way do i see this as legitimate. how do i get this problem addressed. i have no pictures of the conduit but the panel clearly shows wires coming threw a k.o. with no egc.

Welcome to the forum. There is a lot of bad electrical work going on out there. One of the most valuable thing about this forum is the way it helps elevate the trade, hope you stick around.

As far as what to do, all you can do is make your case to the boss, and if you feel strongly enough about it talk to your inspector. (One of the members here is an inspector in Wyoming). It may cost you your job, but if you are not willing to do that then the only thing left is put your head down and do what you are told.

 

[iwire]

To me this is simple with just two choices

1) Do what the person paying you to do tells you too.

2) Quit.



You are not going to change the safety attitude of a grown man / boss as the employee.

 

[K8MHZ]

To me this is simple with just two choices

1) Do what the person paying you to do tells you too.

2) Quit.



You are not going to change the safety attitude of a grown man / boss as the employee.

I know there are more than two choices because I have been in the same situation many times over the years.

Beside your suggestion, another option is to point out the discrepancy and state why it appears action needs to be taken. Do so with no expectation of the suggestion be implemented and then revert to your #1 or #2.

My experience has been that about 1/2 the time my words were taken to heart and stuff got fixed or changed. Also, many times I found out that whatever I was worried about had been noticed earlier and was going to be taken care of later. Sometimes, the powers that be would just let my concern at the time slide, and then later, sometimes months later, a change would be made.

Going back and saying 'I told you so' is a no-no, but expressing sincere, humble gratitude about a suggested change being implemented usually produces positive effects.

I have found that if the above is done in a non-rebellious manner, eventually the powers that be will take notice that I am just trying to keep the skill in the skilled trades by being a little meticulous at times.

 

[iwire]

I know there are more than two choices because I have been in the same situation many times over the years.

Beside your suggestion, another option is to point out the discrepancy and state why it appears action needs to be taken. Do so with no expectation of the suggestion be implemented and then revert to your #1 or #2.

My experience has been that about 1/2 the time my words were taken to heart and stuff got fixed or changed. Also, many times I found out that whatever I was worried about had been noticed earlier and was going to be taken care of later. Sometimes, the powers that be would just let my concern at the time slide, and then later, sometimes months later, a change would be made.

Going back and saying 'I told you so' is a no-no, but expressing sincere, humble gratitude about a suggested change being implemented usually produces positive effects.

I have found that if the above is done in a non-rebellious manner, eventually the powers that be will take notice that I am just trying to keep the skill in the skilled trades by being a little meticulous at times.

To each their own, the OP asked for opinions I gave mine. It differs from others opinions yet I still stand by it.

 

[K8MHZ]

To each their own, the OP asked for opinions I gave mine. It differs from others opinions yet I still stand by it.

For years, the journey in my journeyman's card really meant journey. We would get sent on different jobs all over creation and work for different people and when we would run into each other one of the things we would ask is, 'Is your new boss cool, or is he a 'If you don't like it quit' kind of guy?'

 

[sparkyrick]

This is a very unsafe situation. I would point out what happened to the local inspector and the building owner and let him/her make the next move.

 

[George Stolz]

To me this is simple with just two choices

1) Do what the person paying you to do tells you too.

2) Quit.



You are not going to change the safety attitude of a grown man / boss as the employee.

Agreed. I would add that I have had many apprentices over the years who were exceptional at armchair quarterbacking, and generally they were so concerned about feeling superior to everyone around them that their performance and attitude generally suffered.

To this day I offer polite opinions, I may cajole a bit, but when the boss puts their foot down and their stamp on something I say, "Yes sir."

Take your test, switch companies, and shine for someone else if you're something special; otherwise, shut up and dig.