AU Blogspot

               Thanks to Todd Euhlers for permission to use this Photo. 

One of the most important components of a commercial or industrial project is the blueprints and specifications, usually called the “plans & specs.”  The plans for a large commercial project will be far more complex and detailed than a residential blueprint.  The electrical section alone can contain 40 or more drawings for a ten-story building.  These plans are the “instructions” for constructing the electrical distribution system in a building.  Your ability to read and understand detailed blueprints is paramount for a successful career in this industry!  I know many electricians in this industry who are very skilled at installing equipment, but who are not very good when it comes to reading blueprints.  They still earn a good living, but the lack of this one skill almost always prevents them from advancing into other areas of the industry, such as estimating, project management, project supervision, and even owning their own business.

Imagine how difficult it would be to develop a successful business if you have difficulty understanding the blueprints for all of your projects.  This skill is not hard to master; it requires only the desire and willingness to learn how to do it correctly and efficiently.  In the future it might be possible for you to obtain some old prints for completed jobs from your employer.  You could then study them in your spare time in an effort to become more familiar with different types of blueprints.  When I say different types, I mean that the blueprints were drawn by different engineers.  No two jobs are the same, nor do any two design engineers draw their plans in exactly the same manner.

Reviewing different sets of electrical plans will help you see various ways of portraying electrical installations.  One thing that you are sure to notice is that nearly identical electrical installations can be drawn differently on two different sets of plans. The drawings may look similar at first glance, but the way in which each one conveys information will not be exactly the same.  Most of the time it will be up to you to interpret the intent of the electrical plans.  Sometimes there will be details for you to install something in a specific way, while most other elements of the installation will be designed just enough for you to understand what to do without a great amount of detail. Otherwise, you would have 200 drawings for that ten-story building instead of just 40.

Specifications are another critically important part of any commercial or industrial project.  These are the written construction documents that accompany a set of blueprints.  The “specs” contain information about the contractual portion of the project, code compliance, quality assurance, documentation, and a host of other important pieces of information about the job.  Unless specifically stated otherwise in the contract, the specifications govern the installation of a project, not the plans.  The plans are to be followed, but if there is a discrepancy between the plans and the specs, the specs govern. 

Specs are easier to follow than the plans because they are in a written document, usually resembling a very thick notebook.  As you read them, you’ll see things like “this type shall be provided” or “testing will be performed in the following manner.”  The trick here is to review the specs on a periodic basis throughout the life of the project.  You cannot remember everything contained in the specs.  Realize that it gets quite costly whenever you provide and/or install equipment that doesn’t comply with the specifications, simply because you forgot to or didn’t read what the specs called for in the way of approved equipment or installation practices. 

David T. Ronan
Electrician Training Instructor
Ashworth University School Of Skilled Trades