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March BASSFLASH
Spring has sprung!
You don't have to look far to see signs of spring. From the budding of the trees and the warming of the temperatures
to the animals coming out of their winter hideouts, there seems to be a promise of new birth and color in the springtime air.
The first day of spring is around March 20 or 21, depending on what day the vernal equinox occurs. This is when the sun
sits directly above the equator on its apparent trip northward. Of course this sun isn't moving; Earth is. As Earth revolves
around the sun, the top half, called the Northern Hemisphere, becomes tilted more toward the sun as winter turns to spring.
Meanwhile the bottom half, the Southern Hemisphere, becomes tilted more away from the sun. The beginning of spring for us
is the beginning of autumn for people in Australia and the southern parts of Africa and South America.
Unequal equinox
The word "equinox" comes from Latin and means "equal nights." Around March 20, sunrise and sunset
are about twelve hours apart everywhere on Earth. Because of that, a lot of people think that day and night are of equal
length on March 20. But actually the day is a little longer than the night on this date. There are a few reasons for that.
Sunrise occurs when the top of the sun (not the center) is on the horizon. But the sun actually appears to be above the
horizon when it is in fact still below it. That's because Earth's atmosphere refracts or "bends" light coming from
the sun, so we see the sun a couple of minutes before it actually rises over the horizon. If you add the daylight that persists
after sunset, you'll find the day on the equinox is several minutes longer than the night.
Variety in Spring Weather
In the United States, spring is a time of transition not only for plant and animal life, but for the weather too. It
can mean weather extremes from very cold and snowy days to humid and stormy days. Some of the country's biggest snowfalls
have occurred in March, and the period from March to May is the time of year when much of the south is most likely to get
severe thunderstorms with hail and even tornadoes. This is why the beginning of spring is a good time to put together a plan
for what you and your family would do in case of a severe thunderstorm or tornado.
Click here to see pictures for the Christmas Luau
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5 AMAZING ALLERGY FACTS
1. Sensitive to pollen? Wash you hair before bedtime. Reason: You'll remove any pollen and keep it from settling on pillow
and bedding. Also: avoid irritants such as tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust, hair spray and perfume; wash you hands frequently;
plan outdoor activities when pollen counts are low.
2. The best time to take an antihistamine, which helps block allergic reactions, is before symptoms start. Just remember:
Some allergy medications can cause sleepiness. So never take one when safety requires you to be alert. Suggestion: ask your
health care provider about antihistamines that cause less drowsiness.
3. Dust Mites love to nest in area rugs and make you sneeze and itch. If you're allergic, Australian researchers offer
a simple solution: Place area rugs outdoors in direct sunlight for a few hours until they become warm and dry. Result: Mites
dry up and die.
4. Moving to another location is no guarantee of allergy relief. Why: People usually develop allergies to their new regions
pollens and molds within a few years of moving. Plus; Most allergy-provoking grasses are widespread throughout the world.
5. As many as 20% of Americans believe they have a food allergy, but true food allergies are actually rare. What most
people consider food allergies are usually signs of digestive problems, food poisoning or stress.
Employee of the Month
Construction: Chris Cockrell
Service/shop: Dave Rosenbrock
MONTHLY SAFETY AWARD:
TMCS
SERVICE DEPT./SHOP
TSW2/TCSB
HHEC
S&W RR
GHFH
GE10
Make sure all safety reports are turned in with questions and answer sheet . Make sure a site safety is done once a month.
Andy Bass 3-25
Roger Copeland 3-24
Karen Glascock 3-19
Joseph Garza 3-19
Chris Kocincki 3-19
Steve Millsap 3-25
Kameron Meyers 3-13
Gonzalo Oreilly 3-4
Jimmie Robinson 3-29
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Mark you calendars-
See Linda for tickets
Cen Tex IEC Apprentice Wire-Off Competition
Cook Off & Trade Show
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Travis County Expo Center
Dustin Barr and Felix Hernandez will be completing in the Wireoff Competition.
Good Luck guys!!!!
TO THE DULL MIND ALL OF NATURE IS LEADEN.
TO THE ILLUMINED MIND THE WHOLE WORLD SPARKLES WITH LIGHT
-RALPH WALDO EMERSON
TOP 10-CODE CHANGES IN THE 2008 NEC
1. Article 100- Global revisions to grounding and bonding defined terms and rules where the terms are used.
2. Article 110-26©(3)- Personnel access doors less than 25 feet from the nearest edge of the working space are to open
outward with simple pressure.
3. Article 210.4(B)- Means to simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors of multiwire branch circuits.
4. Article 210.8(A)(2) and (A)(5)- Deleted exceptions No.1 & No.2 has expanded the GFCI requirements in dwellings.
5. Article 210-12(B)- Expansion of combination type AFCI protection to most areas and rooms in dwelling units.
6. Article 250.32(B) and Exceptions- Equipment grounding conductors required with all feeders and branch circuits run
to separate buildings or structures (Exception applies to existing premises wiring systems only).
7. Article 250.94- An intersystem bonding termination means that includes provisions for connections of at least three(3)
grounding and bonding conductors required for communications systems by chapter 8 is required to be installed at one of three(3)
locations.
8. Article 310.15(B)(2)© and Table 310.15 (B)(2)©- Additional temperature adjustment factors required for conductors and
cables installed in raceways on rooftops.
9. Article 406.8(A) &(B) (1)- All 15-and 20-ampere, 125 and 250 volt nonlocking receptacles installed in both damp
and wet locations shall be listed weather-resistant type.
10. Article 406.11- In dwelling units, in the areas specified in Article 210.52, all 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles
shall be listed tamper-resistant receptacles.
*Not intended as a complete list of changes in the 2008 NEC
Effective February 26, 2008-
Drivers Safety Course- Anyone involved in a accident, receives a ticket or get a call in on their driving will be required
to take a Defensive Driving Course. The course will be paid by the company but will be required to take on employees time.
This course will be need to be taken before you can drive our vehicles again unless otherwise approved thru management. No
other exception will be made.
The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field
of endeavor.
-Vince Lombardi
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If you accept your limitations you go beyond them.
-Brendan Francis
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