message from the president - cummings · pdf file8 the electrical connection building...

THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION 3

Thanks for opening up this issue of The Electrical Connection. With the largequantity of inputs we receive in life today, I’m delighted that you’re checkingunder our hood. The economy continues to be a challenge for our countryand for each of us in our daily business lives, but good companies with greatpeople continue to make forward progress … and we feel blessed to beincluded in this group.

You may have noticed on the cover that Governor Rick Perry recentlyattended the ribbon cutting of the Data Center Park in Richardson developed by Digital RealtyTrust. We are proud to have been their electrical team member. There is a great article about theproject in the pages that follow.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a major component of most complex projects todayand we have a good article from Joe Evans P.E. and Paul Rosales explaining exactly what BIMmeans. On the renewable energy front we have some information about the recently completed“Little Pringle” Wind Farm. The 2010 ALCS Champion Texas Rangers allowed us to take partin the installation of their new high definition outfield video boards and wow, are they impressive.We utilize Safety Net as the tool to help us stay focused and track our safety programs andPredictive Solutions has a good article about this great tool.

I hope some of these articles educate, update and interest you. May 2011 be a great year forall of you personally and professionally. Hope to see you soon,

Best Regards,

Tim Cummings

A publication from:

Cummings Electrical, Inc.14900 Grand River Road, Suite 124Fort Worth, TX 76155(817) 355-5300 (817) 355-5355 faxwww.cummingselec.com

Tim CummingsPresident

Todd RuddellVice PresidentPreconstruction Services

Randy WrightDirector of OperationsRenewable Energy Division

Jim ThompsonSales & Marketing ManagerRenewable Energy Division

Scott SmithBusiness Development Manager

Mickey ClarkChief Estimator

On the Cover:Ribbon cutting ceremony at Digital Realty Trust’s DataCenter Park in Richardson, Texas.

From left to right:Richardson Mayor,Gary Slagel; TexasGovernor, Rick Perry;

Digital Realty Trust CEO, Mike Foust.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 2

The Electrical Connection is a resource for industrial endusers, property managers, building owners and operators,facilities managers, general contractors, architects,consulting engineers, as well as potential and existingclients of Cummings Electrical. Designed to feature topicsaffecting the electrical and construction industries. TheElectrical Connection also highlights Cummings Electrical’sachievements and capabilities.

The Electrical Connection is published by Oser-Bentley CustomPublishers, LLC, a division of Oser Communications Group, Inc.,1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone (520) 721-1300, fax(520) 721-6300, www.oser.com. Oser-Bentley Custom Publishers,LLC specializes in creating and publishing custom magazines.Editorial comments: Karrie Welborn, [email protected]. Pleasecall or fax for a new subscription, change of address, or singlecopy. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in wholewithout the express written permission of Oser-Bentley CustomPublishers, LLC. To advertise in an upcoming issue of thispublication, please contact us at (520) 721-1300 or visit us onthe Web at www.oser-bentley.com. May 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

Forest Park Medical Center Phase ICoordination creates efficient process............................. 4

Cummings’ Home RunTexas Rangers High Definition Video Board .................... 6

Building Information ModelingContinues to evolve at Cummings Electrical ................... 8

Communicating Construction The Digital Realty Trust Datacenter.................................. 12

Predictive Safety SoftwareSupports Safety Culture Change ..................................... 16

Everyone Makes a DifferenceWhether good or bad; we all make a difference............19

Little Pringle Wind Farm Stinnett, Texas ..................................................................... 21

THE ELECTRICAL

CONNECTION

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

FOREST PARK MEDICAL CENTER

4 THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

Forest Park Medical Center Phase ICoordination creates efficient processBy Brad Samardzija, Senior Project Manager

Brad SamardzijaSenior Project Manager

orest Park Medical Center Phase I is a122,000-square-foot, four-story, state-of-the-art hospital with 54 patient beds

and four operating rooms. The project wasawarded to Cummings Electrical, Inc.(Cummings) by the General Contractor,Adolfson & Peterson Construction and thedeveloper, The Neal Richards Group (NRG).NRG is also an owner-in-partnership withForest Park Medical Center.

At the onset of the project Cummingsteamed with the architect, Ascension Group;the electrical engineering group, Meinhardt;and the General Contractor to beginidentifying and resolving potential issues. Thesemeetings helped all parties to fully understandthe design intent, meet the owners’ expectations

and deliver a successful project on time andwithin budget. To facilitate that goal, regularon-site meetings with Meinhardt and all majorsubcontractors were scheduled. This helpedanticipate issues and put corrective actions inplace to avoid any issues during construction.This significantly reduced the need for RFIs,and helped keep the project on schedule.

Like most high profile, fast-paced projects,the project came with its share of opportunitiesfor improvement. One of the first challengeswas the vast number of systems required in thelimited space above the operating rooms andthe hallways surrounding them. Weekly BIM(Building Information Modeling) meetingswere scheduled to coordinate and use everyavailable square inch of space above the ceilings

to install HVAC duct, electrical conduits, cabletrays, light fixtures and support systems for the operating room (OR) lighting—all whilemaintaining the clearances required by localand national codes. These meetings were verysuccessful because the entire design team waspresent at each one of them. Potential“collisions” above the ceilings in the operatingrooms, and eventually, the rest of the complex,were identified early in the process, well beforethe actual installation began. Most solutionswere determined and put in place during themeetings. Immediately following the meetingsthe new routings were added to the drawingsand issued to the field the next morning. Thisvirtually eliminated delays, RFIs and changeorders, which kept the project running on time

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FOREST PARK MEDICAL CENTER


and within budget. Each week the tradesreceived updated drawings. This kept theminformed not only of the new routings, but alsoof the order of installation and system priorities.

In taking the 3-D modeling effort to the nextlevel, we were able to produce detail drawingsfor prefabrication purposes, along with quality2-D installation drawings for the field. Byassigning specific point coordinates to locationsin our CAD model, we were then able, throughthe use of our Total Station surveyingequipment, to take the CAD coordinates andtransfer them to the exact location in the fieldin just a few hours. Our ability to use thistechnology to go from a fully coordinated 3-Dmodel to installing J-boxes, equipment, andlight fixtures exactly where it was modeled,limits mistakes and rework, and increasesproduction, allowing us to stay on schedule andprovide a quality product to our customer.

This strong coordination effort andteamwork with the general contractor,engineers and subcontractors—even beforeconstruction began—made for an efficient andsmoothly run project that met all of the owner’sneeds, including an on-time completion thatwas well within the allocated budget. Emergency Room

Cafeteria

TEXAS RANGERS

Cummings’ Home RunTexas Rangers High Definition Video BoardBy Troy Brainard, Account Service Manager

Troy BrainardAccount Service

Manager


TEXAS RANGERS

ho would have thought that making it to the World Seriesin 2010—the first time in the franchise’s history—wouldhave a downside for the Texas Rangers? Yet it almost did.

During the 2010 Season, the Rangers announced plans to install anew 5,040-square-foot, High Definition (HD) video board on the roofof the home run porch in center field and a 725-square-foot HD videoboard in right field. The unveiling was scheduled for March 29, 2011,just three days before the season opener at the Rangers Ballpark inArlington. In a normal off season, the installation would not have beenwithout its challenges. Unfortunately, the American LeagueChampionship Series (ALCS) playoffs and the World Series, along withtwo back-to-back weeks of ice storms in North Texas, shortened theavailable installation window by almost a month.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex also hosted its first ever Super Bowlat the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, which is only a few hundredyards from the Rangers Ballpark. Due to heavy traffic and very tightsecurity, the project was delayed for an additional three days in themiddle of the installation.

The installation consisted of removing the existing signs on either side ofthe home run porch and bracing the roof structure to support the additionalweight. The new HD board was then placed on the roof with a crane. “Justgetting the crane on the field through one of the access tunnels, all the whileavoiding sprinkler heads and preventing long term grass damage and ruts inthe outfield, was just another of the many challenges we faced.” said JustinBruckner, Cummings Electrical, Inc.’s Account Service Superintendent incharge of the installation. “The new right field board is larger than the oldsigns, so the superstructure for it had to be modified as well,” he added.

Both boards required running new fiber optic cable back to the controlroom, which is located near home plate. The home run porch board alonerequired a 1,600 amp service to power it and a 1,000 amp processcontroller, as well as 30 new branch circuits from the process controllerto the board sections. The center field board required a new 800 ampprocess controller and six branch connections to power it. Fifty additionalfluorescent fixtures and 27 additional receptacles for general power needsin the catwalk levels behind the board completed the installation.

Because the schedule was so compressed, the boards were installedwell ahead of the arrival of the electrical switchgear. In order to installthe gear behind the board, catwalks and railings had to be modified toaccommodate having a crane lower the components into the electricalequipment area at the base of the scoreboard. This was just one moreexample of the excellent coordination effort Cummings Electrical, Inc.had with The Texas Rangers Organization and the other subcontractors.

Teamwork has long been a hallmark for the Rangers—both on the fieldand off. This teamwork approach resulted in close coordination amongthe various trades and The Rangers expediting many of the componentsin order to meet the new deadlines. “Everyone knew what needed to bedone and the amount of time they had to do it.” Bruckner said. In fact,the process went so smoothly that the entire project was completed a fullfive days ahead of schedule—allowing the Rangers to fully focus on thenext, and more important challenge at hand—the 2011 World Series.

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Building Information Modeling Continues to evolve at Cummings ElectricalBy Paul Rosales, BIM Coordinator and Joe Evans, P.E., Chief Electrical Engineer

hat if there was a threedimensional computer softwaresystem that allowed you to see

what an installed layout of electrical equipmentand conduits w ould look like long beforeanyone lifted a tool or purchased theequipment? What if this software could show you not only electrical items, but also the building architecture and structure, the mechanical ductwork, piping and othersystems, as they would be constructed—all inthree dimensions and precisely to scale? What ifthis computer-constructed model could bemanipulated virtually to significantly reducethe number of field coordination issues? Finally,what if this software could generate a bill of

materials that lists the lengths of required sizesof conduits and all necessary fittings?

Believe it or not, this system exists. It’scalled BIM, or Building InformationModeling. At Cummings Electrical Inc., weare already using it with our projects.

Simply put, BIM is a 3-D, object-orientedapproach to computer-aided drafting. Morespecifically, BIM is a building development toolthat creates three-dimensional, virtual models fordesign, construction and facilities management.The resulting files are embedded withinformation that can expedite and reduce errorsin the build process. The information is sharedamong design team members and makes thedesign, construction and operation of buildings

more efficient. BIM can also use a 5-D modelingconcept, modeling not only the three spatialdimensions of x, y and z, but including two moreimportant considerations—time as the fourthdimension and cost as the fifth.

The most important thing to realize aboutBIM is that it allows us to communicate designand/or construction intent through a virtualplatform prior to actual construction. The levelof this communication differs. In someapplications, the basic size, shape and locationof the project will be all that is required. Inothers, the amount of information requiredwill be greater and may include materials, cost,delivery time and equipment data (e.g.,manufacturer, model number, voltage,

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BIM

Box rack model Box rack pre-fabricated


horsepower). BIM designs can provideconstruction and facilities management withclear, exact visual examples of the design. Thisallows all personnel involved to see preciselywhat the finished project will look like, how itwill function and how much it will cost, longbefore the ground has been broken.

For obvious reasons, this software ischanging the way the construction industryapplies technology to building design,construction and management. In order toremain competitive in the market,Cummings has already embraced this newtechnology. From architectural, structuraland MEP (Mechanical, Electrical andPlumbing) design to construction andfacilities management, it is now a necessityto use BIM in order to remain a sought-aftercandidate in construction’s increasinglycompetitive market.

How does Cummings use BIM?Since the early 1990s Cummings has beenusing Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) to create two- and 3-D models to use for pre-fabrication and construction. A typicalexample is the conduit rack shown as a modeland as actually constructed.

As the construction industry progressesinto the 21st century, this effort has becomemore complex and has grown into what isknown as BIM.

Our design build, pre-construction andconstruction teams have been using somecomponents of BIM for most of the lastdecade. In the early stages of schematic designand design development, the virtual model is

Joe EvansP.E., Chief

Electrical Engineer

BIM

Paul RosalesBIM Coordinator

Baylor McKinney Hospital CUP -Overhead Conduit Rack Model

Baylor McKinney Hospital CUP - Installation

Baylor McKinney Hospital CUP - Combined Systems Model

BIM

The goal of the BIM team is to maximizethe return on our investment. This willoccur as more information is added to thecomponents of the model. From conduit to electrical equipment (switchgear,switchboards, transformers, generators,panel boards, etc.), the level of informationincluded in Cummings’ model is one of themany facets of BIM that sets the companyapart from our competitors. The team willbe devoting time and money to the overalldevelopment of BIM. The return on thatinvestment will be a team of professionalswho are constantly improving by takingadvantage of the BIM model.

BIM will continue to grow and evolve atCummings. Its use in our projects willreinforce our reputation as a provider ofexcellent services to our clients and positionus as the electrical contractor of choice in theDallas/Fort Worth construction industry.

Electrical Gear and Conduit Risers + Level 3 StructureElectrical Gear and Conduit Risers + Level 2 Structure

Electrical Gear and Conduit Risers + Level 1 StructureElectrical Gear and Conduit Risers

analyzed by our engineering staff. Ourconstruction team also reviews the model toensure constructability. This gives theengineers the opportunity to make changesduring the early stages of design, thus savingtime and money. Preliminary models ofequipment and conduits for a Cummingshospital project currently in the design stage,are shown above.

Pre-construction takes advantage of anintegrated engineering and construction teamwho use the BIM model as a designcommunication and educational tool. This hasresulted in each team having knowledge andadvantages that are much easier to visualize,which consequently raises the overall value ofour services. Engineering and pre-construction efforts that come together in thisway provide a distinct advantage to our pre-fabrication component. Information exportedfrom our BIM model is used to produce

schedules and details that are sent to our pre-fabrication shop. The BIM model, in additionto shop drawings and installation plansprovided from the fabrication shop, areavailable to our construction team. Pointsexported from our BIM model are used by ourconstruction team using Total Station Layoutto locate and install components of ourelectrical system, which are provided by ourpre-fabrication shop.

Future of BIM There is no doubt that BIM will remain animportant part of the construction industry.Refining the process of internal work flow andBIM from design to installation for eachproject is a primary goal at Cummings.

Continuing education is another highpriority of our BIM team. Incorporatingnew technology and training reflects thecollaborative efforts of all our departments.


DIGITAL REALTY TRUST DATACENTER



Communicating ConstructionThe Digital Realty Trust DatacenterBy Karrie Welborn

ommunication is the key to success in business. It doesn’t matter which industry or whatthe ultimate purpose may be; what matters is that without positive communication,results become problematic. In the construction industry, the interaction between

Cummings Electrical Inc. (Cummings), Digital Realty Trust, and the General Contractor, TurnerConstruction Company (Turner) exemplify how this key is best used and what it unlocks forthose involved, in terms of respect and prosperity. In particular, the 16-week data center projectsare excellent examples of communications at its best.

The last several decades have seen technology affect every aspect of the culture. One result isthat digitally based work methodologies have moved to the forefront of business. This newparadigm in work processes, communication protocols and scientific advances heavily influencesthe way companies do business. With advanced software programs such as NavisWorks, theinformation provided by the various trades can be compiled into one integrated file that showsplacement of all materials and allows the internal configuration of the building to be graphicallydisplayed. This compilation highlights where there might be trouble spots or conflicts within thedesign before they are literally in process, which then saves time and money by eliminating theneed to “re-do” a section. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a visual bridge that facilitatescommunication between the trades, thereby allowing each discipline to see what the others areplanning. Integrated information is the name of the game. Flawless process is the goal.

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Conducting BuildsDigital Realty Trust is a business that takes the “digital” in their namevery seriously. Although they are a real estate company, they specializeexclusively in building and operating data center facilities. Their flagshipproduct is the Turn-Key Datacenter (TKD), a modular configurationfor data centers that are built out incrementally using Digital RealtyTrust’s unique POD architecture. TKDs feature a dedicated (versusshared) power and mechanical backplane, and are available inincrements from 1125kW to 8100kW. These TKD facilities are locatedin all of Digital Reality Trust’s nearly 100 data center properties inNorth America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Digtal Realty Trust’s modular design is instrumental in allowing afast, aggressive build, but the real key to the 16-week build-out iscommunication. Buddy Varney, Project Manager for Cummings said,“The typical construction schedule/format does not apply in thesebuild-outs. The entire team needs to be fluid enough to ‘work out ofsequence’ in order to finish portions of work to allow two or three othertrades to get their portions complete.”

Because the modular centers are electrical-intensive, it makes sense forCummings to lead the build-out and coordinate the interaction with theGC and Owner. The electrical contractor has the majority of the tasks,and 50% more personnel than other trades in this type of project. Ittakes discretion to work between the general contractor and the other

trades without causing offense in either direction. Cummings has beenable to do this, and do it well, for 11 TKDs, with more to come. Varneysaid, “There has to be confidence among all involved. It remains a workin progress.”

Jay Forester, Digital’s Senior Director of Construction, North America,likened Cummings’ leadership in the communication processes to anorchestra where the integration of instruments is directed by a conductorto create a pleasing sound. The conductor follows a score, whichincorporates the various instruments, their placement in the music, thetempo changes and the levels of sound that are set forth in that score. Inconstruction, and particularly in these fast-paced communication-intensedata center projects, Cummings is the conductor to the “music” of thevarious trades. The score is a blueprint in a BIM format.

Forester noted that the crew works in three-week “see aheads” inwhich the use of BIM is invaluable. With BIM consolidating all thetrade information, problems of overlap or inefficient use of space can beseen in time to make appropriate changes. Modeling allows everyone toget the job done faster and with greater accuracy. With that accuracy, thecrew can take measurements ahead of time, order materials and havethem flow to the job as needed. BIM allows the job to be front-loaded,and moves manpower around schedules, saving labor and promotingquality. In a 16-week process there is simply no time for glitches. If onetrade has an unexpected problem, the entire project can become stalled.



Communication is imperative, for with communication comesteamwork and success.

Cummings coordinates the vendors, runs interference where necessary,and keeps the build-out process smooth. It takes discretion to work withthe general contractor and coordinate the trades without causing offense.Cummings handles this challenge well. In part, according to Forester,this comes from choosing the best methodology for the build—such aswhether to build from floor to ceiling or ceiling to floor.

Varney explained that once the data center was complete, Cummingsis able to offer service calls to the owners as Cummings personnel knowand understand the intricacies of the building more completely thanother service organizations. Forester reiterated this, saying thatCummings as a service provider made perfect sense, as Cummings knewbetter than anyone else what would be needed if there were problems.Forester added that it was also a nice way for Digital to participate ingiving Cummings the option to earn more income as a result of theproject, after the build-out was complete.

Economic ResurgenceAt one time the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and the suburb ofRichardson in particular, was known as the “Telecom Corridor.” In fact,the phrase is trademarked and can only be used to refer to the area alongNorth Central Expressway and State Highway 190 in Richardson and

up to Plano. Today, after a number of difficult years economically, the“Corridor” is once again moving toward prosperity. This is due in largepart to the flourishing reality of data centers. Digital’s business is datacenters and they are, therefore, a vital part of the economic resurgenceof the area. Turner and Cummings, in their work with Digital, are alsoa strong part of that new growth. As Varney said regarding Cummings’work on Digital Realty Trust’s Data Center Park - Dallas in Richardson,“It was a very important build-out for the economy of the area.”

At the ribbon cutting for the entire complex, Gov. Rick Perry said,“The ability to rebuild, reinvent and re-purpose entire industries is keyto economic survival in this increasingly competitive world.” WhatDigital accomplishes in purchasing buildings for data centers, andCummings accomplishes in building Digital’s TKDs, is, and willcontinue to be, a vital part of that re-purposing.

Underneath, around and through the building, prospering andgrowing is one basic process—communication. Without it, chaosensues. When corporations provide positive communication processesinternally and then utilize those processes in interactions outside thehome offices, they establish a baseline of behavior that leads to successin all endeavors. Digital, Turner, and Cummings are masters in the artof communication. As a result, they create consistently strong corporaterelationships that produce quality products, which in turn produceprosperity and success for all involved.


PREDICTIVE

Predictive Safety SoftwareSupports Safety Culture ChangeBy Griffin Schultz

ummings Electrical, Inc. (CEI) hasmade tremendous improvementsto its safety program since Tim

Cummings acquired the company in 2002.While safety culture change drove theimprovements, three key elementssupported that change:

• Leadership focus• Operating process changes• SafetyNet, a predictive software solution

SafetyNet was introduced to CEI throughits strategic relationship with PredictiveSolutions Corporation—formerly known asDBO2 or Design, Build, Own, Operate.With a special dedication to maintaining a

safe workplace, CEI was an early adopter ofPredictive Solutions’ SafetyNet after beingexposed to the software solution in 2003.

SafetyNet analyzes and models safety datacollected by CEI personnel. This analysisprovides visibility to CEI leadership regardingwhere their safety culture requiresimprovement, and which process changes arerequired to support those improvements.Once new processes are implemented,SafetyNet provides ongoing monitoring ofreal-time safety data to ensure that theseprocess changes are having the desired effectin driving sustainable, long-term culturechange. Using advanced analytics andpredictive models, the software can even

predict where the organization is most at riskin regards to an injury or safety incident.

Early ChallengesWhen Tim Cummings purchased anexisting electrical company to formpresent-day CEI, he quickly realized theacquired company’s safety program waslimited in its effectiveness based on severalkey challenges.

First, employees had varying degrees ofsafety training resulting in an inconsistentsafety culture. Furthermore, managers hadno way to accurately report on the resultsof safety audits and inspections. When datawas available, it could only be analyzed at a

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Griffin SchultzPredictive Solutions

Corporation


PREDICTIVE

tactical level. As a result, general trendspointing to chronic safety culture issuesrequiring process changes were simply notaccessible.

These challenges contributed to double-digit OSHA recordable incident rateswhich were as high as 10.5 in 2003, lostwork day averages of 177 per year, anExperience Modifier Rate (EMR) of nearly one and lastly, OSHA citations.CEI’s leadership knew it had to driveculture and process change to improve its safety program. To bring consistency to this effort, the CEI Inc. Safety Team was created in 2003. The Team wascomprised of new employees as well asveterans from management, supervisionand the field. CEI’s Safety Team’s firstchallenge was to create a Safety and Health Mission Statement and Goals thatwould become the beacon for their path to improvement.

It was during the early stages of the SafetyTeam’s growth and development when theyenlisted the assistance of PredictiveSolutions to direct and sustain their effortsto develop a better safety culture.

The Path to ImprovementAfter implementing SafetyNet, CEI’sleadership and Safety Team were able toidentify where their safety culture was weakor inconsistent through the collection,analysis and trending of safety audit andinspection data. Rather than focusing onspecific and tactical at-risk safetyobservations, CEI was able to identifybroader at-risk trends that could beaddressed across the entire workforcethrough process change. Instead of simplyinvestigating injuries, they were able toanalyze leading indicator data (real-timesafety observations taken from CEIjobsites) to predict and then preventinjuries from occurring.

However, as is generally the case when newtechnologies and processes are implementedwithin companies, CEI required changemanagement assistance to overcome earlyobstacles and employee resistance. For

SAFETY MISSION AND GOALSCummings Electrical’s Safety Mission is to provide a safe work environmentthat prevents incidents, accidents and injuries. We will accomplish thissafety mission by focusing on these fundamental values:

• Always put the safety of every worker on our jobsites ahead ofproduction and schedule.

• Stand firm that we have a moral obligation to send all employees homehealthy and injury-free at the end of the day…everyday.

• Provide leadership in our industry to continually improve jobsite safety.

• Insure all employees are provided the proper training, education,instruction and personal protective equipment to perform their work safely.

• Identify hazards before the work begins and implement safety solutionsto prevent accidents.

• Never compromise the safety of our employees, regardless of theconditions or influences of our customers or others.

• Promote a culture in which everyone is equal in authority andresponsibility for every worker’s safety.


to monitor their impact and effectiveness.Real-time information driven by regularsafety audit inspection trending andanalysis facilitated continuous safetyimprovement. A “virtual cycle” has beendeveloped where areas of improvement areidentified, change is implemented and itseffectiveness continually monitored toidentify new areas of improvement—thenthe cycle begins again.

Today, a safety department of just a fewpeople is able to collect and report on thecompany’s safety program at the project,regional and corporate level. This data isaccessed and reviewed by all levels withinthe company, including the president,general superintendent, project managersand project superintendents.

The continual sharing of safetyinformation has helped foster a morecollaborative work environment across

several functions,including safety,operations, serviceand customersupport. It also hasenabled projectmanagement to workmore closely withsupervisors. Projectmanagement now hasthe tools to positivelyreinforce employeesin their safetyperformances andensure consistentobservations aremade.

The safety cultureof CEI is muchstronger than the onethat Tim Cummingsencountered in2002—and theresults prove it. CEI’sOSHA recordableincident rateaveraged 1.21 overthe last four years

instance, some employees doubted theeffectiveness of software to help manage safetyprocesses and culture. Predictive Solutionsworked collaboratively with CEI to solve theseearly challenges through its implementationand change management services.

Predictive Solutions’ team members—many of whom are former safetymanagers—provided on-site training andsupport to drive adoption of the technologyand create a sustainable program that couldendure initial resistance. Over time, CEIemployees began to appreciate the increasedsafety awareness and specifically thecollection of safety metrics that highlightedthose areas of their safety processes andculture that were performing effectively.

Sustainable ResultsAfter initial process and culture changeswere implemented, SafetyNet helped CEI

and hit a low of 0.65 in 2009, which is wellbelow the industry average of 3.9. In thelast four years, CEI has averaged 63 lostworkdays per year and recorded just one orzero over three of those years. Additionally,its EMR has dropped nearly 40 percent to0.61. CEI’s Safety Team still uses the datafrom Predictive Solutions reports to set newdirections in their continuing efforts tokeep CEI a leader in the industry.

These results not only lead to lower costs ofdoing business, but more importantly, proveto CEI’s team members and customers that itis committed to long-term, sustainable safetyculture improvement.

The Path ForwardThe strengthened safety program has notonly benefited the company and itsemployees, but its customers as well. CEIis able to provide its customers with a levelof safety detail that was previouslyunavailable. This detail includes a historicoverview of the safety trends and resultsacross an entire customer project.

As more projects require CEI to provideon-site safety coordinators, the company isconsidering making Predictive Solutionsavailable to all coordinators in the future.

Because the software is user-friendly,flexible and scalable, the company cancontinue to configure the program basedon its current vision, goals and objectives.

“SafetyNet is a seamless and criticalelement to the overall safety program atCEI today and into the future,” said MarkAbernathy, CEI’s Health & Safety Director.“We look forward to the continued use ofSafetyNet to increase the safety of ouremployees and enable us to continue toprovide innovative solutions that meet ourcustomer’s needs.”

To learn more about SafetyNet, visitwww.predictivesolutions.com.

Griffin Schultz is the General Manager ofPredictive Solutions Corporation. He can bereached at [email protected] or(412) 490-1996.

PREDICTIVE


holding the conduit with my left hand.My supervisor then told me, “Sit down and take it easy for a while.”

I sat on a stack of sheetrock for the better part of the day, aching andfeeling like I had the flu; and I questioned my resolve to stay in theelectrical trade.

Now back to the present. Replacement of a lamp in a known liveelectric circuit involves several steps in order to complete the process.The process requires two electricians, one to secure the potentially live

electrical power, in this case a simple lightswitch; and the other to replace the lamp—butnot before testing the circuit to verify power isswitched off. Additionally, the testing metermust be tested on a known “live circuit” toverify the tester is working properly.

Mike proceeded to instruct the twoelectricians on the proper procedures involvedwith the task. He stated repeatedly that theirsafety was his number one priority. He allowedthem to continue the process, halting them

each time they did not follow the correct procedures. I was just abystander during these proceedings, but I learned some valuable lessonsas well … and they stuck with me.

He certainly got his point across to the two field electricians, aftertheir third error, by telling them, “Both of you are fired!” He then said,“I’d rather fire both of you and send you home alive than let you workin an unsafe manner.”

The two electricians were not really fired. It was however, a veryeffective teaching tool. I believe the two electricians were certainlyquestioning their future with Cummings Electrical, and they won’t soonforget the lessons they learned that day.

I wish that someone would have made a difference for me that day,back in 1981, when safety was not the first priority.

Everyone truly does make a difference.Baylor Hospital - McKinney is a ground-up addition to the Baylor

Healthcare System located in McKinney, Texas. When complete, itwill be six stories tall with 95 patient beds and six operating rooms.The new facility will specialize in women’s services and general acutecare. It is scheduled to open in the Summer of 2012. The GeneralContractor is MEDCO Construction, the construction arm of BaylorHealthcare Systems.

am currently assigned to the Baylor Hospital of McKinney projectas Project Engineer. This is a ground-up construction of a newhospital in McKinney, Texas. This project has just begun, and like

any multi-story construction project, the conditions at the site canbecome very dangerous unless proper precautions are taken.

Tower cranes hoist huge bundles of reinforcement bars and pre-fabricated column interior structures into place. The continuouscaravans of concrete and dirt haulers are on the move, “turning browninto gray.” Electrical crews are busy installingthe underground duct-banks, which supplypower to various sections of the five-storybuilding. There are more than 88 miles ofconduit yet to be installed.

It was here that I witnessed an act ofleadership where a co-worker made adifference in several lives. The keyword hereis “lives.” Plural. The event I witnessed wasinformative, as well as memorable. MikeBouchard, the Project Superintendent for Cummings Electrical,requested that a field supervisor and two electricians replace a burned-out lamp in one of the temporary light fixtures attached to the exteriorof the field office. It sounds pretty simple, right? Not necessarily.

This brought to memory an incident I experienced when I was ayoung apprentice with less than one year’s experience in the industry.Let’s go back to the year 1981 for a moment. I was assigned to a crewto demo some existing electrical systems in an office tower in Dallas.

The electrical contractor I worked for at the time was a smallcompany and didn’t have the extensive safety program that CummingsElectrical has in place today. The supervisor for the project proceededto shut down the power to the entire floor where we were assigned todemo the existing power and lighting grid. After some testing, thesupervisor gave us the green light to proceed with the demo. It was atthis time that I removed a bundle of conductors from a conduit, afterclimbing up an eight-foot ladder to get into position for a leverageadvantage. The next thing I knew, I was laying on the ground, justcoming back to consciousness. As I came to, I heard my fellowelectrician ask, “Hey man, are you okay?”

My coworkers told me that I was unconscious for about three minutesafter grabbing hold of a 277-volt emergency lighting circuit, fed froma different panel in a different electrical room, with my right hand, while

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Everyone Makes a DifferenceWhether good or bad; we all make a differenceBy John E. Wasson, Project Engineer John E. Wasson

Project Engineer

MAKING A DIFFERENCE


LITTLE PRINGLE

Little PringleWind FarmStinnett, TexasBy Keith Croll, Sales and Marketing

n early 2008, Cummings Electrical Inc.entered into preliminary discussionsregarding several potential wind farm

developments in the Texas Panhandle. TheLittle Pringle Project was one of them. Manydifferent scenarios with several differentturbine manufacturers were explored. Whenthe smoke cleared, it was determined thatDeWind Turbines would be installed. WhileDeWind was well known in other parts of theworld, they were virtually unknown in theUnited States. At that time there were noDeWind turbines installed in any U.S. windfarms. However, their technology was verygood and they were extremely interested inintroducing their turbines to the U.S. market.

The developer, Higher Power, selected theteam of Balfour Beatty, Balance of Plant

contractor; AUI, tower bases and roads; KRWind, tower erection; and CummingsElectrical for the project. The project consistedof two 10MW wind farms located adjacent toeach other, each having its own utilityinterconnect site. The project was constructedin two phases with the north site developedfirst and the south quickly following.

Cummings Electrical’s scope of workincluded the complete engineering, design,procurement and construction of all electricalportions of the project, including thefoundation grounding and conduit system,underground collection system, tower wiring,fiber-optic system and utility interconnects.

Because this was the inaugural project in theUS for DeWind Turbines, the engineeringprocess was rather lengthy and presented

numerous challenges. Cummings’ engineeringpartner for the project was MSE Technologyout of Albany, N.Y. It took numeroustelephone conferences and engineeringmeetings with the DeWind engineers and localutilities to iron out the details and finalize adesign that was acceptable to all parties.

The construction process began in late2008, and was then placed on hold for over ayear. The final release for constructionoccurred in early 2010. In order to meet therequired completion date, some of the largerpieces of electrical equipment such as 35kVpad mount switches, 2250KVA transformersand 35kV gang operated switches had to beexpedited in order for them to be available,on-site, in time to meet the completion dates.

During the final design process, it was

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Keith CrollSales and Marketing

DeWind 2 MW wind turbine at the Little Pringle wind farm in the Texas Panhandle

LITTLE PRINGLE


discovered that several pieces of equipment,normally provided by the turbinemanufacturer and installed in the base of thetower by the tower erection contractor, werenot accounted for in the DeWind design.After many conference calls, a final design wasapproved and the equipment ordered.Cummings Electric submitted a design toSpecialty Electric Products, an electricalprefabrication contractor. They installed andpre-wired the equipment on racks in theirshop. Because of their prefabricationcapabilities, Cummings Electric was able toget the assemblies to the project in time forthem to be installed in the proper sequence ofthe tower erection process.

There were no installation manuals todelineate how the down tower wiring was to beperformed. It was a “learn as you go” processfor the first several towers. However, with theassistance of on-site DeWind personnel, thedown tower wiring went relatively smoothlyand was completed on schedule.

The installation of the undergroundcollection system and utility interconnectspresented some significant issues. The mostchallenging of these issues revolved aroundthe bores that needed to go under theburied utility lines and the more than 200abandoned oil and gas lines from the1940s. Cummings Electrical, Inc. workedclosely with the local land owners toidentify and locate them, completing theboring process without incident. Theinstallation of the 35kV cable, groundingconductor and fiber optic cable wentextremely well. Cummings’ new, largecapacity, all terrain wire trailer, partiallydesigned and modified by CummingsElectrical, Inc.’s Renewable EnergyDivision, played a significant role in theefficient and safe placement of the cables.

The Little Pringle project was completed in-budget and on-schedule, in large part due tothe hard work and safe processes of the entireCummings Electrical team.

The end result? DeWind has now listedCummings Electrical, Inc. as a preferredinstaller for their wind turbine systems in theUnited States.

Cummings Electrical, Inc. crew loading cable reels on the cable installation trailer

Cummings Electrical, Inc.’s custom made renewable energy cable installation trailer

Cummings Electrical, Inc.14900 Grand River Road, Suite 124Fort Worth, TX 76155

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