EAST RUTHERFORD--The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ (IBEW) Code of Excellence is yielding desirable results at the new Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford– which is five months ahead of schedule and significantly under budget.
The new code, which was implemented by Local 164, based in Paramus, was developed in collaboration with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to define overall expectations for skilled electricians, telecommunications workers, shop stewards and those in supervisory/management roles.
Targeted for completion in April 2010, the $1.5 billion, 2.1 million-sf Meadowlands Stadium features the latest in electronics, including high-tech scoreboards, video screens and overhead lights that change color based on which team is playing home. Hidden within the stadium structure are miles of conduit and wire installed by Local 164 which converge at nine substations and more than 37,000 circuit breakers.
According to Dressel, the IBEW Code of Excellence was instituted at Meadowlands Stadium during the earliest stages of planning and construction. Local 164’s Ray Manfred was appointed shop steward and charged with the task of providing an in-depth orientation program to the more than 500 electricians and telecom workers who have worked at the site to date.
According to Manfred, the code also enhances project-related relationships. Not only do the guidelines promote a sense of teamwork and respect among electricians and telecom workers, it also strengthens the bond with general contractors, building owners and developers, end-users and the surrounding community-at-large.
While the Code of Excellence serves as a benchmark, Local 164 is extending these philosophies even further. For example, the local instituted a Drug-Free Workplace Program last year as part of the code’s commitment to promote alcohol- and drug-free projects. The program includes mandatory substance abuse testing that involves a random sampling of the entire membership and travelers from other jurisdictions.
IBEW Local 164
www.ibewlocal164.com
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