Electrical standards are an important component of any workplace, not just in the commercial, manufacturing or construction industries. While some outsiders may believe electrical safety only applies to those physical labor jobs, truth is, everyone should pay attention to electrical safety, even office workers. These standards can often help employees set up a safer workplace.
No matter the environment, electrical safety standards are made available to everyone to see and read. The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration has an entire portion of their website dedicated to the topic. Some subsections include information on electrical protective devices, wiring designs and methods and personal protection.
Even electrical manufacturers of lighting or other equipment businesses have specific standards that will ensure their equipment is used properly. That being said, some confusion may arise by some of the involved parties. For example, if you’re in the electrical standards industry, you may believe there’s a better way to get a certain task completed.
According to Electrical Contractor, complaints and second-guessing almost always follow the release of an updated electrical safety standard. The publication stated some of these complaints may center around the standard being not entirely clear, or the wording may be confusing.
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Getting Involved
You may have recently read a new electrical safety standard passage and thought you could write a better one. At this point, consider getting involved in the standard’s world, which may involve you writing updated electrical safety standards. By doing so, you’ll gain an understanding on how passages and articles are written, and use your expertise to contribute better wording and clarity.
However, there’s a certain process to become involved in this standard’s industry, and it all starts with networking.
How to Network
Whether you’re a people person or a bit shy, there are some important networking tips that will help you connect with individuals who will help you enter the electrical standards world.
You’ll first want to start by heading to some industry events. For example, January through March is when the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers hosts its Electrical Safety Workshop. The purpose of this gathering is to change the electrical safety culture. The organization also puts together the Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee conference. Many technical ideas are swapped during this gathering as well.
In an interview with The Harvard Business Review, author Dorie Clark recommended you change your mindset before even stepping foot in a conference. You can introduce yourself by emailing some of the other attendees beforehand, for instance. You may also benefit from creating a plan. This will help you establish talking points and topics you’d like to discuss with other attendees, as well as highlight your own skills and knowledge of electrical safety standards.
Once at the conference, manage your time wisely. Meet the attendees you believe will help you enter the safety standard’s world and focus on them. Ask thoughtful questions, but Clark advised not to talk too much. Be sure to obtain any relevant contact information, such as phone numbers, business cards and emails for a later follow-up.
If you’ve found yourself frustrated by some of the wording or meaning of electrical safety standards, take a proactive approach and enter the industry. A good way to start is to network and cultivate new relationships that will help you highlight your existing knowledge, with the end goal centered around making safety standards easier to understand.
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