Room for Improvement in Workplace Safety
“Safety first!” If you work in the manufacturing sector, you’ve probably seen and heard that phrase a million times. And there’s nothing wrong with that. No one wants to work in a facility that puts them at risk of serious injury or even death.
Unfortunately, too many workers do suffer workplace injuries every year. The number and severity of these injuries remain a constant reminder that there’s always room for improvement when it comes to workplace safety.
In a recent EHS Today article, author Adrienne Selko notes that “US businesses need to ‘do significantly better’ in supporting workplace safety, according to a recent survey from BSI.” BSI’s Xavier Alcaraz notes that “[w]e’ve normalized a culture where…’safety first’ is promoted but supervisors look the other way when deadlines are at risk.”
Things don’t have to stay that way, however. Workers deserve better. BSI offers some practical advice for manufacturers seeking to improve workplace safety:
- “Safety culture: Foster an environment where safety is a systems-driven core value, encouraging reporting of potential hazards and near-misses without fear of reprisal. This contributes to both physical safety as well as psychological safety.”
- “Adopt a management systems approach for health and safety that emphasizes continuous improvement.”
- “Align safety goals with business goals.”
- “Safety training: Provide comprehensive safety training, including proper use of equipment, emergency procedures, and hazard recognition.”
That last suggestion is an important one that too many companies ignore. Of course, not all companies prioritize safety like they should, but even those wanting to improve don’t always know how to go about adequately training workers.
For companies looking to improve their safety training, partnering with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time will help ensure the continued safety of the workforce.
For example, DAC Worldwide offers two safety training systems specifically designed to give employees the hands-on experience they need to master lock-out/tag-out skills:
- DAC Worldwide Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System
- DAC Worldwide Electrical Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System
Be sure to check out these training systems and contact a DAC Worldwide representative to learn how you can improve your training today!
- Published in News
DAC Worldwide Offers Hands-On Electrical Generation Fundamentals Training
Industrial facilities know how important electrical skills are to ensuring that things run smoothly and safely. What many people don’t know, however, is how diverse electrical skills can be. While basic electrical skills, such as wiring a circuit or troubleshooting a transformer, are extremely valuable and quite common, some facilities require specialized advanced electrical skills, such as those relating to power generation and managing multiple power plants on an electrical grid.
For example, one industry that’s currently booming will likely lead to a need for workers with advanced electrical skills related to power generation. Which industry are we talking about? Semiconductor manufacturing!
According to a recent article in The Register, author Tobias Mann notes that “AMD president Victor Peng addressed [at the recent Hot Chips Conference] one of the biggest challenges facing the semiconductor industry as it grapples with growing demand for ever larger AI models: power.”
How big is the challenge facing the semiconductor manufacturing industry? Mann points out that “AI’s seemingly insatiable thirst for power has gained considerable attention over the past year – so much so that some operators have begun setting up shop next to nuclear power plants. And the problem isn’t going to get easier.”
According to Mann, Peng has expressed worry about “finding enough power sources and being concerned about the grids and the distribution.” In fact, Mann notes that Peng has “noted that these [AI] models have very quickly gone from requiring hundreds of megawatt hours to train to hundreds of gigawatt hours.”
How do you address such a large-scale challenge? “Peng argues that the semiconductor industry needs to focus more attention on making the infrastructure not only more performant, but more efficient.” Indeed, the burgeoning semiconductor manufacturing industry must bring together all the players necessary to craft large-scale infrastructure solutions that ensure that the electrical grids of tomorrow will be able to support the demands of new technologies.
Addressing fundamental electrical generation challenges will require highly skilled workers who possess advanced electrical skills related to power generation. Hands-on training in electrical generation fundamentals can elevate workers’ skills to the next level.
For example, DAC Worldwide’s Electrical Generation Fundamentals Training System (490-000) represents a true simulator depicting multiple power plants on a grid. The unit basically acts as the control center for a generating station and simulates four separate generating units. The system demonstrates the principles of generator operation and represents the relationships that an operator must master in order to confidently operate generators.
Practice in paralleling machines of various sizes is easily accomplished without tying up the plant simulator. The synchroscope display includes a phase angle display, representing the phase difference between running and incoming.
A graphic representation of how load is shared, by two machines of various sizes, is shown by a house curve. The relationship between real load and reactive load is displayed by meters and by a pictorial diagram of the power triangle on the graphic display. Inductive, resistive, and capacitive loads can be turned on and off reinforcing the effects of reactive load and demonstrating how power factor can be changed.
Users will study topics, such as AC generators, reactive power control, loss of load, and trainer operation. They will also practice hands-on skills, such as correctly performing paralleling operation, generator responses to inductive/resistive/capacitive loads, calculating power factor, and observing a diesel generator autostart and load. The Electrical Generation Fundamentals Training System is only one of DAC Worldwide’s many electrical training systems. Visit DAC Worldwide online to learn more about its many other electrical training systems!
- Published in News
Sustained Demand Boosts Manufacturing Equipment Orders
As consumers, it’s easy to see the effects of a prolonged battle with inflation. It seems like everywhere you go, it costs more these days for the things you need. From grocery stores and restaurants to gasoline and utilities, the consumer dollar just doesn’t stretch as far as it used to.
Are manufacturers experiencing something similar? If you watch the news, it’s pretty much been doom and gloom for some time now, even though many key economic indicators reflect a recovering economy that’s more robust than it’s been since the COVID-19 pandemic.
While it’s true that inflation and high interest rates can affect businesses just like they do consumers, there’s evidence that manufacturers see the light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, it appears that many manufacturers are ready to resume capital investment in the form of new manufacturing equipment orders.
A recent American Machinist article notes that “[a]n uptick in demand from machine shops and OEMs may indicate manufacturers are overlooking the high interest rates that have restrained new orders through the year to-date, recognizing sustained consumer and business demand for finished products.”
The article reports that “U.S. machine shops and other manufacturers increased their demand for capital equipment during May, with new metal-cutting and metal-forming and fabricating machines rising 21.8% from April to $386.7 million for the month. That represents a 6.5% increase in new orders from May 2023.”
“These figures are supplied by AMT – the [Association] for Manufacturing Technology in its U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report, a monthly review of new orders for machine tools (i.e., ‘manufacturing technology’), that serves as an indicator of future manufacturing activity because it quantifies machining operations’ investments in preparation for new production programs.”
In its report, AMT notes that these developments represent “a realization by manufacturers that capital investment is necessary ‘to meet the sustained demand for goods and machinery from consumers and businesses,’ in spite of the ongoing strain of high interest rates that have weighed against new-order activity since January.”
AMT also observed that “[d]emand for manufacturing technology among OEM is notably strong among electrical equipment manufacturers and power-generation and transmission equipment manufacturers. ‘These industries undoubtedly benefit from the government investment authorized by the CHIPS and Infrastructure acts and are therefore less sensitive to interest rates than others.’”
This is good news for electrical power generation and transmission equipment manufacturers. New equipment often means increased capacity, which in turn means new employees. Ensuring that new employees – and current employees – have the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the workplace remains a top priority.
How do companies and schools train the next generation of professionals with the electrical skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? A thorough review of training systems is a great place to start. Do employees and students have access to hands-on training with actual components they’ll encounter on the job?
If not, partnering with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time will help ensure a competent workforce. Be sure to check out DAC Worldwide’s variety of hands-on electrical training systems that feature the real-world components workers will encounter in the field!
- Published in News
Electrical Safety is no Joke
Did you hear the latest parental advice on how to keep kids from chewing on electrical cords? You ground them until they conduct themselves properly!
OK, we may have started this article with a (terrible, absolutely awful) joke, but we did so to make a point: electrical safety is no joke, especially in the workplace. In fact, bad dad jokes are the only time electrical safety is a laughing matter.
That’s a lesson that a plastic and resin manufacturer with facilities in Georgia and Alabama learned the hard way recently. According to a recent Plant Services article by Alexis Gajewski, “[a]n [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] OSHA investigation has determined that Crown USA Inc. could have prevented the death of a 37-year-old maintenance technician…if they were following required safety rules designed to keep machines from starting up during maintenance.”
Gajewski notes that “[t]he worker was inside an unlocked hooding palletizer, servicing the machine, when they suffered fatal crushing injuries.” OSHA Area Director Jeffery Stawowy said, “Employers must understand federal workplace safety regulations exist to help prevent tragedies like the one that occurred at Crown USA Inc.”
The resulting OSHA investigation revealed “eight serious and six other-than-serious violations. These violations include failing to implement adequate machine guarding, a lack of training on energy control procedures, exposing workers to serious respiratory hazards, and failing to provide proper personal protective equipment (PPE).”
Not only did a maintenance worker needlessly lose their life, but the company also “faces $98,699 in penalties.” Other companies would be wise to learn from Crown USA Inc.’s shortcomings and institute rigorous safety training, including adequate training on energy control procedures.
Manufacturers can always benefit from a regular audit of safety training. The best way to improve a workplace’s safety culture and teach workers to prioritize safety is to implement a quality safety program that teachers workers the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe in the workplace.
As previously mentioned, one of the most basic—and important—areas to focus on is the control of hazardous energy, often known by its more popular moniker “lock-out/tag-out or LOTO.” According to OSHA, “[e]nergy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.”
That’s exactly the lesson that Crown USA Inc. learned too late. Fortunately, “[p]roper lock-out/tag-out practices and procedures safeguard workers from hazardous energy releases.” Teaching workers hands-on LOTO skills will help them to understand how to properly control hazardous energy and maintain a safe work environment.
For companies looking to improve their safety training, partnering with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time will help ensure the continued safety of the workforce.
For example, DAC Worldwide offers a safety training system specifically designed to give employees the hands-on experience they need to master lock-out/tag-out skills. Be sure to check out DAC Worldwide’s Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System and contact a DAC Worldwide representative to learn how you can improve your training today!
- Published in News
Foundational Electrical Skills Remain Essential in the Modern Industrial Workplace
Do you remember the good old days of the COVID-19 pandemic? Me neither. Empty store shelves devoid of your favorite products. Supply chain disruptions affecting every aspect of your modern life. No, those were not fun times.
Anyone shopping for a new or used vehicle during the pandemic probably remembers the lack of vehicle supply leading to huge price increases. In some cases, thousands of new vehicles sat in parking lots waiting for one tiny, but critical component—usually a semiconductor or “computer chip”—before they could be shipped to dealers for sale.
The fact that our auto industry relied almost exclusively on foreign suppliers for such key components did not go unnoticed by the federal government. In a recent IndustryWeek article, author Sarah Shinton notes that “[i]n 2022, the White House signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law, a bipartisan effort to increase domestic advanced semiconductor manufacturing. The legislation made a historic $52 billion investment in American semiconductor research, manufacturing and workforce development.”
Is your area one of those lucky enough to have acquired a new semiconductor manufacturing facility? If so, you may not have heard a lot about it yet. Shinton points out that “new projects are facing construction delays and permitting issues.”
More problematic, however, is the fact that there’s a larger issue looming: “the country might be unable to generate enough electricity to power new fabrication plants, leaving billions of dollars in federal funds stranded and one of its most critical supply chains vulnerable.”
Shinton notes that “[w]hile manufacturing semiconductors has always been energy-intensive, the process is becoming even more so as chips are developed to be smaller and more powerful. The most advanced semiconductors require extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which use ultraviolet light produced by rapid-fired lasers to burn fine details on silicon wafers.”
Unfortunately, “these machines consume 10 times as much power as earlier generations of equipment.” How much power is that? A lot. Shinton points out that “the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer,…now consumes more electricity than some U.S. states.”
This presents a huge problem for future chip fabrication plants in the U.S. According to Shinton, “semiconductor manufacturing creates large pockets of demand in the areas where fabrication plants are located. A rapid increase in load presents challenges for grid operators who maintain the delicate balance between electricity supply and demand, preventing curtailments or worse, blackouts.”
The phasing out of coal-fired power plants in favor of alternative sources, such as natural gas, solar, and wind, could also be problematic. “The vast amount of electricity needed to onshore this new manufacturing comes at a time when America’s power grid is increasingly unreliable as the country undergoes rapid changes…many regulators are raising alarms that power plants are being retired faster than they are replaced, leaving the country at risk of electricity shortages.”
Moreover, “[t]hese mass retirements are also happening while electricity demand nationwide is increasing from data center growth, expansions in manufacturing and intensifying weather conditions…Over the past year, the five-year load growth forecast nearly doubled, jumping from 2.6% to 4.7%…Without expanding the high-capacity transmission system, our grid will struggle to meet this demand.”
What do these problems mean for the future workforce? Not only will dozens of semiconductor manufacturing facilities need highly skilled workers for their plants, but the industries supporting these new ventures will need thousands of workers with fundamental electrical skills as public utilities work together with industry to ensure a stable electrical grid for the future.
How do companies and schools train the next generation of professionals with the electrical skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? A thorough review of training systems is a great place to start. Do employees and students have access to hands-on training with actual components they’ll encounter on the job?
If not, partnering with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time will help ensure a competent workforce. Be sure to check out DAC Worldwide’s variety of hands-on electrical training systems that feature the real-world components workers will encounter in the field!
- Published in News
Electrical Safety Training Sets the Stage for a Secure Workplace
My neighbor asked me to install a new electrical outlet in his master bathroom. He was eventually shocked to learn that I’m not a licensed electrician! OK, that’s an old—and terrible—joke, but it does underscore the importance of safety when it comes to working with electrical current.
In the modern industrial workplace, there are a whole host of skills that workers need to know. No matter how highly skilled a worker might be, however, nothing will matter if the fundamental basics of safety aren’t mastered.
When it comes to safety, one of the most important skills that workers must learn is how to work safely with electricity. According to a FacilitiesNet article by Ashley Beebe, “[w]hen working with electrical distribution systems and components, frontline maintenance technicians and engineers often face the potential for serious injury or death from electrocution or arc flashes, but knowledge of safety tips, procedures, codes and regulations can help technicians and engineers lessen the risk and potential for serious injury or death.”
That’s why, “[a]ccording to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employees must not work near an electric current, any equipment, or a part they may come in contact with while on the job, unless it has been de-energized. If an electric current has not been de-energized, employees must be protected by isolation, insulation, warning signs or other methods.”
In safety training, the control of hazardous energy is often known by its more popular moniker “lock-out/tag-out or LOTO.” According to OSHA, “[p]roper lock-out/tag-out practices and procedures safeguard workers from hazardous energy releases.” Teaching workers hands-on LOTO skills will help them to understand how to properly control hazardous energy and maintain a safe work environment.
For companies looking to improve their safety training, a thorough review of current training materials is a great place to start. Do employees have access to hands-on training with actual components they’ll encounter on the job? If not, partnering with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time will help ensure the continued safety of the workforce.
For example, DAC Worldwide offers a safety training system specifically designed to give employees the hands-on experience they need to master lock-out/tag-out skills. Be sure to check out DAC Worldwide’s Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System and contact a DAC Worldwide representative to learn how you can improve your training today!
- Published in News
Learn Essential Motor Control Skills with DAC Worldwide’s Hands-On Training Systems
Industrial machinery requires a wide variety of different types of motors to function efficiently and effectively. Whether they’re powering a compressor, pump, fan, or conveyor, three-phase induction motors keep operations at industrial facilities moving steadily.
Many induction motors require significant power given their heavy-duty applications. Moreover, they draw a high electrical current upon start-up. In fact, start-up current can sometimes be as much as 5-6 times what they draw at normal operating speed. This is why they require a special device called a motor starter.
If industrial motors relied solely on circuit breakers or fuses, those would trip or blow every time the motor started. That’s obviously unacceptable in an industrial setting. Instead, specialty motor starters start and stop induction motors using manual or automatic switches. They also protect motor circuits from excessive heat caused by overloads during normal operations.
Motor starters consist of two primary parts: (1) an electromagnetically operated set of contacts (called a contactor) starts and stops the motor by beginning or ending the flow of electrical current; and (2) an overload relay that protects the motor from drawing too much current and overheating.
Likewise, motor starters usually consist of two circuits: (1) a power circuit that transmits the primary voltage to the motor via the starter contacts and overload relay; and (2) a control circuit that manages the contactor coil that creates the electromagnetic field that operates the power contacts.
Because there are so many different types of industrial applications that require induction motors, there are likewise a wide variety of different types of motor starters. One common type is the reversing magnetic motor starter. Reversing starters, as their name implies, are specifically designed to efficiently reverse shaft rotation of a three-phase induction motor.
Reversing starters work by interchanging two contactors supplying electrical current to the motor, as well as having both a forward and a reverse starter. To ensure that only one of the starters can be engaged at any particular time, reversing starters feature both mechanical and electrical interlocks for enhanced safety.
Industrial maintenance technicians must be familiar with all sorts of induction motors and their motor starters. Hands-on training in electrical maintenance can elevate your technicians’ skills to the next level.
For example, if you want to ensure your maintenance technicians have the skills to work with reversing magnetic motor starters, DAC Worldwide’s 3-Phase Motor Control Training System with Magnetic Starter (423-000) offers comprehensive training in the operational principles, wiring, fault troubleshooting, and application of industrial three-phase, reversing magnetic motor starters.
The 3-Phase Motor Control Training System with Magnetic Starter is self-contained, allowing for individual study by a single student or a small student group. While often used independently, the training aid can be integrated with other optional products relating to programmable controllers, pilot devices, and motor-driven mechanical systems.
This electrical trainer includes a variety of industry-standard components, including: a three-phase induction motor; reversing magnetic motor starter with auxiliary contacts, mechanical and electrical interlocks, and overload relay; on-board wiring devices including Hand-Off-Auto (HOA) control station, manual control station, and automatic timer; color-coded, shielded banana-jack receptacles for all motor leads, supply connections, and control components; circuit breaker with lock-out/tag-out; keyed power switch; pilot light and emergency stop switch; and four instructor fault switches to create common component faults for troubleshooting instruction.
The 3-Phase Motor Control Training System with Magnetic Starter is only one of DAC Worldwide’s many electrical training systems. Visit DAC Worldwide online to learn more about other electrical training systems, such as the Three-Phase, Squirrel Cage Rotor, AC Motor Training System; 1-Phase Motor Control Training System with Manual Starter; DC Permanent Magnet Motor Control Training System; and many more!
- Published in News
Fundamental Electrical Skills Training: Powering the Path to Success
No matter their experience, skill level, or desired specialty, all individuals aspiring to become electrical professionals need the same fundamental electrical skills. These include understanding the basic principles of electricity and working with common electrical components, such as wiring, motors, and circuits. By mastering core skills like these, learners can help ensure they work safely and efficiently in whatever specified path they choose, whether that is industrial, commercial, or residential electrical careers.
As with any discipline, learning fundamental skills establishes a foundation from which a learner can build more complex concepts and skills. An electrician who now wires entire buildings for manufacturing processes was once a student learning about electric current. Furthermore, that same electrician could choose to expand their skills into more advanced or niche areas, such as performing industrial maintenance for the robotic arms they run power to, which would require that they rely on their understanding of basic PLC operation to progress to the complex coding needed to ensure manufacturing level precision.
Additionally, an electrical technician’s understanding of basic concepts and their abilities helps build confidence that translates to efficiency. For example, an HVAC technician is able to quickly restore air conditioning to a home because they understand how the circuit board, fan motor, compressor, and other components work both individually and together to create a working system. However, if the technician did not have a knowledge of wiring practices, the job would move much more slowly and, if done wrong, could even be dangerous.
In the same vein, industrial workers that know the do’s and don’ts of electrical practices can help recognize and prevent risky electrical setups. This makes a workplace safer for everyone and can help a company avoid downtime. In essence, fundamental electrical skills help prepare future technicians of many career paths to handle any job they will face in the field and provide the first step in pursuing a successful career in the electrical field.
DAC Worldwide’s Electrical Training Systems
DAC Worldwide offers many training systems that teach learners the fundamental electrical skills they need for a successful career. Each trainer is compact and sturdy, allowing for ease of relocation and longevity of use. By using these systems, learners will practice crucial hands-on skills related to focused electrical topics. Below, we’ve included a sampling of our most popular electrical trainers.
400-PAC – Modular Basic Electricity Training System Plus
The 400-PAC covers basic AC and DC electrical principles, including installation, operation, and troubleshooting for multiple applications. Learners can expect to gain a greater understanding of how electricity is used for power and control in industrial, commercial, and residential settings.
This trainer uses 43 activities to engage learners in lessons covering topics such as terminology, background theory, component examination and testing, circuit design, and more. A built-in circuit breaker, transformer, and internal power supply create working voltages of 24VAC/24VDC. This allows learners to gain hands-on experience with skills like calculating and regulating voltage in a circuit, operating a clipper circuit and full-wave bridge rectifier, loading dry cells, utilizing indicator lamps and toggle switches, and much more.
420-000 – 1-Phase Motor Control Training System with Manual Starter
The 420-000 is a single-topic trainer that allows learners to focus solely on navigating the operation, wiring, troubleshooting, and application of an industrial single-phase AC motor with a manual starter. With redundant safety systems provided and a keyed instructor power switch, learners can safely study individually or in small groups.
The system also comes equipped with a motor, manual motor starter, circuit breaker, electrical interlock, pilot light, e-stop switch, and four instructor fault switches. Learners use shielded banana-jack connections to wire the motor. While self-contained, the trainer may be expanded with supplemental components, such as a piloting switch module and a motor loading device, to teach additional topics.
422-000 – 3-Phase Motor Control Training System with Manual Starter
Like the 420-000, the 422-000 is a self-contained, single-topic trainer that allows for independent or small group study. Multiple components, such as a keyed instructor power switch, permanent internal grounding, circuit breaker with lock-out/tag-out, and a large emergency stop switch, ensure learner safety. All equipped components are UL and CE certified.
This trainer offers 21 activities for learners to practice hands-on skills for operating, wiring, and troubleshooting an industrial three-phase AC motor with a manual starter. Some examples of these skills include wiring a three-pole pushbutton motor starter as a motor controller and employing the instructor fault switches to troubleshoot a drum-type reversing switch manual starter.
429E – AC Variable Frequency Drive Training System Plus
The 429E uses industrial-grade components, such as an industrial 3-phase motor and an Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 40 variable frequency drive, to teach AC drive programming, system troubleshooting, control wiring, and other industry-relevant skills. Various inputs and outputs and a programmable acceleration/deceleration with an on-board PID control loop allow learners further practice in understanding voltage, relay, resistance, and amperage.
Other course content includes topics like minimum and maximum frequency, jog parameters, skip frequency bandwidth, and checking and setting acceleration and deceleration timing. Eight fault insertion switches provide thorough real-time troubleshooting practice.
461-000 – Basic PLC Training System (AB Micro850)
The 461-000 provides a wealth of information for learners to develop a firm understanding of industrial PLCs, with emphasis on the current generation Allen-Bradley Micro850. This trainer features eight DC input switches, eight DC output LED lights, two 25-pin D-Sub input/output connectors, multiple safety components, and more. Eight fault insertion switches are also built into the system to help learners increase their proficiency with PLC troubleshooting.
An optional textbook offers more study for relevant topics, such as introducing Boolean algebra and Veitch diagrams, understanding logic gates, creating subroutines and sequencers, and much more. The trainer can also be expanded by connecting it to other training systems that teach process control, sensors, motor control, fluid power, and more.
Boost Your Electrical Training Program Today
We aim to make training more memorable and effective so future electrical technicians can thrive in their chosen career paths. For more information on which training aide may best fit your needs, contact a DAC Worldwide consultant today.
- Published in News
Hands-On Training Essential for Nation’s Utility Workers
Click HERE to view Hands-On Training Essential for Nation’s Utility Workers as a multimedia presentation.
Do you ever daydream about going “off the grid”? For many, the thought of unplugging for an extended time away from life’s troubles sounds refreshing.
The reality underlying this common dream of escape is how thoroughly tied our lives are to the grid. What would our everyday routines be like without the utilities we so often take for granted?
We don’t give them much thought until Mother Nature intervenes with a foot of snow or an ice storm. When the lights go out, the Internet stops streaming, water freezes in the pipes, and furnaces quit heating, we think about nothing but our precious utilities until they return.
The unsung heroes in these situations are the nation’s frontline utility workers that must brave the elements to do their jobs in the worst circumstances. We wait anxiously and depend upon their expertise and dedication to restore our lives back to normal.
One day soon, though, we could find that wait lasting longer and longer. Why? Our nation’s utilities are facing an unprecedented — and worsening — shortage of workers with the skills necessary to keep the grid functional.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the looming shortage of utility workers across the country. We’ll also examine how one training center in Kansas is addressing the issue. Finally, we’ll discuss easy-to-use training options that any utility can use to provide safe, hands-on skills training to their frontline workers.
The Power & Utilities Skills Gap
Industries of all kinds across the nation are facing a critical shortage of skilled workers, and the power and utility industries are no exception. Demand for workers in these industries remains strong, but finding new workers to replace the many workers ready to retire is proving to be a substantial challenge.
In an Energy Central article, author Karen Marcus notes:
“As older workers retire, many utilities are finding it difficult to replace them, and to attract employees with the skills needed to advance a 21st century industry. According to T&D World, Airswift and Energy Jobline found in a survey of over 17,000 professionals that ‘48 percent of power professionals are concerned about an impending talent emergency, with 32 percent believing the crisis to have already hit the sector and 38 percent reporting that their company had been affected by skills shortages.’”
The shortage of skilled workers is real, and experts predict it’s only going to get worse in the future. According to Marcus:
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) reports that, according to one study, the industry will ‘need 105,000 new workers in the smart grid and electric utility industry by 2030, but expects that only 25,000 existing industry personnel are interested in filling those positions.’ The remaining 80,000 employees in this supply-demand mismatch will need to be filled through recruiting and training. However, the industry is not expected to meet the forecasted need with its current recruitment and training rates.”
Obviously, something needs to change. As the DoE QER states, “Industry hiring managers often report that lack of candidate training, experience, or technical skills are major reasons why replacement personnel can be challenging to find.”
If the power and utilities skills gap is to be bridged, utility companies must find a way to effectively provide safe, hands-on training to equip current and future workers with the critical skills they need to fill frontline positions as quickly as possible. Fortunately, solutions are available, and in the next section we’ll examine an exemplary approach taken by an association of municipal utilities in Kansas.
A Training Pioneer
Nearly two decades ago, Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU), an association of more than 100 public utilities across the state of Kansas, recognized a dire need to effectively train the next generation of field workers. The groundbreaking solution KMU pioneered was finally brought to life a few years ago in the form of a $3.2 million training center.
As author Rick Aguilar notes in a T&D World article, KMU’s 20,000-square-foot training facility was seen as “a way to short-circuit the learning curve so utilities could swiftly prepare new hires to work as effective front-line employees.”
KMU’s training center allows for safe year-round training. Not only does the facility feature dozens of wood poles, but it also boasts a variety of industrial-grade components to create the most realistic distribution system possible.
For utility workers, real-world, hands-on training is essential. As Aguilar notes in his article:
“Because safety is an integral part of all utility work, the new training center helps the students learn through hands-on instruction. While they can pick up on key knowledge through sitting in class and reading books, the real rubber meets the road when they are actively participating in hands-on learning.”
For example, KMU’s training center allows workers “to get hands-on training in a controlled environment…[that] mitigates some of the hazards inherent in utility work, and it allows the field workers to make mistakes in a safe environment.”
KMU has found that a combination of classroom work and hands-on training is the ideal training experience. “For example, if KMU offers a workshop on transformer theory and connections, then the linemen can get hands-on experience immediately after they receive classroom instruction to connect their learning to actual work.”
Training Solutions for Everyone
As Aguilar notes in his article, “[m]any of the members of KMU are small in scope, and as such, they don’t have the ability to provide a comprehensive training program or build a facility of their own.” That’s why the KMU training center is such an important and valuable resource for Kansas utilities.
Nevertheless, “every utility needs to have a safe, qualified workforce.” So what are utilities in other states without the benefit of a KMU training facility supposed to do? Fortunately, there are a variety of training solutions that offer any utility the ability to provide critical hands-on skills training.
For example, DAC Worldwide manufactures a variety of unique training systems and industrial component cutaways that teach the essential hands-on skills frontline utility workers need most. In this final section, we’ll learn more about how utilities can use these systems to meet their training needs.
Transformer Wiring Training System (408-000)
DAC Worldwide’s Transformer Wiring Training System (408-000) is a realistic training device that replicates the conditions and circumstances that a utility worker encounters when making common power transformer connections in the field. This convenient tabletop training system provides hands-on training without the danger of full-voltage field experience.
For example, a 208VAC, three-phase source is stepped down, creating a 41VAC, three-phase system. The training system includes two complete sets of three-phase transformers so that paralleling can be explored. Users will also get first-hand experience using banana jacks, ground/primary connections, and secondary connections using both three-phase and single-phase applications.
Learners will study topics like analyzing transformer single-phase/three-phase voltages, identifying transformer turns ratio (TTR), and demonstrating how connections can produce incorrect motor rotation. They will also practice hands-on skills, such as performing transformer connections, interconnecting multiple transformers in Wye or Delta configurations, and simulating a burned-out transformer in a three-phase bank.
Transformer Connections Training System (491-000)
DAC Worldwide’s Transformer Connections Training System (491-000) teaches the key skills that a utility worker must master in order to confidently operate modern generating equipment, such as the paralleling of generators and connecting to a larger power grid. The system replicates the conditions and circumstances utility workers encounter when making common transformer connections in the field.
For example, learners can practice ground connections, primary connections, and secondary connections easily using banana jacks. Both three-phase and single-phase applications are provided, and a 208 VAC, 3-phase source is stepped down to a 41 VAC, 3-phase system for safety.
Users will find that the Transformer Connections Training System provides a safe and efficient, yet realistic alternative to a full-voltage field experience. Standard accessories include patch cords, fourteen (14) transformers, a panel-mounted voltmeter and phase rotation meter.
Industrial Transformer Cutaways
DAC Worldwide’s Single-Phase Transformer Cutaway (273-912) and Three-Phase Transformer Cutaway (273-915) are detailed, professionally-crafted transformer cutaways that depict a shell-type, single-phase transformer and a coaxially-wound, three-phase, delta-wye wired transformer, respectively.
Through careful sectioning, the complete internal configurations of these transformers can be seen. Details shown include the laminated steel core, primary and secondary windings, and primary insulation.
Common transformer brands and models are chosen for sectioning for industrial relevance. Users will gain valuable insight into the inner workings of these transformers that they will encounter on a regular basis in the field.
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