Mike Holt's Rating of the Electrical Industry 2nd Draft

[Rockyd]

Anybody else review the newsletter in it's entirety?




Topic - Safety
Subject - Mike Holt's Rating of the Electrical Industry 2nd Draft
August 6, 2007




Thank you to everyone that provided feedback during the last installment of Mike Holt?s Rating of the Electrical Industry. Based on feedback we received, we revised our report for 2007.



If you disagree with any of the findings (click here or on the link below to see how the rankings were determined) please send us information from your state that can help us update our information.



Inspectors - Per your request we have included Inspectors and Inspector CEU in this report, however we were unable to come by all of the Inspector information we need so we have not factored this into the rating yet. If you can help us to fill in the blanks in any of the ??? areas under Inspector or Inspector CEU we would greatly appreciate that.



Puerto Rico - An additional request was to add Puerto Rico to this report. If you can, help us to fill in the blanks in any of the ??? areas under Puerto Rico.



Congratulations to Arkansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Dakota for their ?A+? rating. These states have set the standard for electrical safety by adopting the most current Code on a state-wide level, requiring licensing for Apprentices, Journeymen, Master Electricians, Professional Engineers, as well as requiring continuing education at the state level for all of these classifications.



Canada - We were told during the last review that Canada meets all of these requirements and have found some support for most of this in the Electrical Licensing Act of Canada. If however, we have a Canadian expert out there that can confirm this that would be greatly appreciated.







Alabama
B

Alaska
B

Arizona
F+

Arkansas
A+

California
B+

Colorado
C

Connecticut
B+

DC
C

Delaware
B

Florida
B+

Georgia
B+

Hawaii
B

Idaho
A

Illinois
F+

Indiana
D+

Iowa
F+

Kansas
D+

Kentucky
B+

Louisiana
C

Maine
A

Maryland
F+

Massachusetts
A

Michigan
B+

Minnesota
A

Mississippi
D

Missouri
D

Montana
B+

Nebraska
A+

Nevada
D+

New Hampshire
A+

New Jersey
B

New Mexico
A

New York
D

North Carolina
B+

North Dakota
A+

Ohio
B+

Oklahoma
A+

Oregon
A+

Pennsylvania
D+

Rhode Island
A

South Carolina
C+

South Dakota
A+

Tennessee
C

Texas
A

Utah
A

Vermont
A

Virginia
C

Washington
B+

West Virginia
C+

Wisconsin
B

Wyoming
A

Puerto Rico
TBD

Canada
A+




Click Here to view the spreadsheet detailing our analysis.

Thought it was interesting in various states, considering the letter grades, I have to agree with the marks in the states I have worked in, even though I'm in Nevada, and it is in the hole, they deserve it. Anyone else agree, disagree, pertaining to their state? Think better craftsmen come from states with high marks, or is it individual, by individual?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Think better craftsmen come from states with high marks

I don't think that govenment rules and regulations have anything to do with the quality of the craftsmen.
Don

 

[iwire]

I don't think that govenment rules and regulations have anything to do with the quality of the craftsmen.
Don

Agreed. :smile:

 

[Rockyd]

These marks were assigned by Mike Holt Enterprises, in a study of the industry, not the government!

At the bottom of the article is a "click here" link. It explains how the results were derived...

 

[peter d]

I don't think that govenment rules and regulations have anything to do with the quality of the craftsmen.
Don

But states that are lacking in regulation tend to have a larger amount of poor quality work, at least from my own observations in my travels (New York state, California, among others). But of course, I agree, the lack of regulation does not mean that such a state is simply full of hacks.

 

[480sparky]

Funny. I'm in Iowa, and I had to be an apprentice (8,000 hours + take test) before I could become a Journeyman, I was required to be licensed as a Journeyman, and I had to maintain CEUs to keep my JW card. I now have a Masters & Contractors license (4,000 hours as JW + take test), and I still need CEUs to keep that as well.
Seems we get dinged just because we do all this on a local level and not state.

 

[mdshunk]

The spreadsheet is titled "Safest State", yet contains no metrics on fires, accidents, and the like. It only contains information related to licensing and education. While such things may certainly play into the overall result of the installations, it doesn't directly relate to the safest state.

 

[brantmacga]

i think these ratings could be a bit misleading. my state, GA, got a B+. they do require contractors to be licensed, etc. . ., but over half the state is rural, and many of these small towns either don't have an inspector or don't enforce state laws. my home county has 7 licensed elec. contractors (4 active), and 99% of the permits bought are to non-licensed individuals, even on what commercial work is available. its hard to compete w/ guys who don't have to pay for a license, taxes, or insurance.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Rocky,

These marks were assigned by Mike Holt Enterprises, in a study of the industry, not the government!

The marks were assigned based on the existence or lack thereof of government rules and regulations.
Don

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Peter,

But states that are lacking in regulation tend to have a larger amount of poor quality work,

Maybe, but maybe not. Also in Illinois, for example, well over half of the population of the state is covered by electrical codes that are more stringent than the NEC.
Don

 

[JohnJ0906]

I don't think that govenment rules and regulations have anything to do with the quality of the craftsmen.
Don

I hope not! (Maryland - F+)

 

[480sparky]

I hope not! (Maryland - F+)

I know it doesn't!! (Iowa, another F+ )

 

[petersonra]

But states that are lacking in regulation tend to have a larger amount of poor quality work, at least from my own observations in my travels (New York state, California, among others).

I think the only thing you can safely infer about lack of regulation is that there are fewer regulations. I am not so sure it encourages poor quality or unsafe work.

Government regulation often does force the use of more expensive solutions (such as EMT versus Romex), but whether that is safer or of a higher quality is an open question.

 

[iwire]

I am not so sure it encourages poor quality or unsafe work.

That makes no sense.

As I see it when an area starts requiring inspections only one of three things can happen.

1) More unsafe work

2) The same amount of unsafe work as before.

3) Less unsafe work.

1 and 2 just don't make sense unless the inspectors and the ECs are corrupt, that leaves 3.

There is no question in my mind consistent inspections result in fewer unsafe installations.

The fact we have inspectors coming here asking questions about violations proves they are finding violations.

Of course inspections do not catch it all, inspections or not compliance depends heavily on the installer.

 

[realolman]

It's hard for me to imagine a more regulated state in any category than Maryland

 

[mdshunk]

It's hard for me to imagine a more regulated state in any category than Maryland

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I've worked just over the border there, and I've generally regarded them as more strict than my state (PA). We got a better score, somehow.

 

[chris kennedy]

Florida gets a B+. It's more like an E for effort. We adopted 05 around January 07. Thats great. We have manpower in South Fla. but we lack QUALIFIED manpower in every facet of our industry.

I've dealt with at least 10 inspectors over the last year. Half I met for the first time. Hey, got time to discuss 70E. I have 15 inspections today and I don't know what you mean.

I'd like to know if Doug and Bryan feel the same way about the state of the industry here.

 

[ptonsparky]

Over half of Georgia is rural.

Have you been thru Wyoming or Nebraska?

Might be easier to get laws & regulations passed here vs higher population areas.

Doesn't mean the work is any better.

 

[realolman]

Interesting ...Pennsylvania had no statewide building code until a couple years ago and has a higher grade than Maryland, where you have to apprentice for years, and permit, and license to leave a fart.:smile:

 

[mdshunk]

Interesting ...Pennsylvania had no statewide building code until a couple years ago and has a higher grade than Maryland, where you have to apprentice for years, and permit, and license to leave a fart.:smile:

That's what I'm talking about. PA still doesn't even license electricians at the state level. On the surface, our state might seem safer. With regard to the existing installations, we're light years behind Maryland (for instance).

I think the "rating of the electrical industry" white paper has much merit, but I'm not sure that it directly translates into the safety of the state, en masse. It probably does translate into the safety of current construction in the state.