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Foreman responsible for crew's safety

As foreman at a new home construction site, Cleveland Spencer is the first electrician on the job in the morning and the last one to leave at night. He's responsible for a crew of electricians and plays a key role in ensuring all trades can meet their deadlines.

LINDA WHITE
[ 2005-11-09 ]

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Cleveland Spencer

"It's the foreman's responsibility to make sure the crew works safely each day," says Spencer, a foreman with Proto Electric for the past decade. "I have to make sure the job gets done on time. I decide what the crew will work on each day. You are there to represent the boss and to decide if you have enough guys to get the job done."

The first step to wiring a new house is installing the hydro meter. "From that point, everything in the house is my responsibility," Spencer says. "Once the house is framed and the mechanical trades and rough-in carpenters are finished, the electricians come in. We rough in the electrical, which must then be inspected to make sure the wires are terminated properly and so on.

"After that, the rest of the trades -- the insulation and drywall crews, the tapers, trim carpenters and cabinetmakers -- can come in. If the electrical inspector doesn't pass the house, no one can do anything."

Spencer began training to become an electrician as a high school student in Jamaica. When he immigrated to Canada with his wife in 1989, he decided to start back at the beginning.


"The apprenticeships followed basically the same principles ... but I just wanted to start fresh," he says. He apprenticed with Proto Electric and attended George Brown College in Toronto for four years. He spent 10 weeks a year in the classroom and the remaining weeks on the job on sites in Whitby, Thornhill and Mississauga.

Completing his Certificate of Qualification that allows him to work as a commercial, maintenance and communication electrician was a huge achievement. "It was great. After I finished writing my exam, I came home from work and my friends were there," Spencer recalls.

"My wife made a beautiful dinner and during the meal brought out the letter saying I had passed the exam. After four years, it was great to finally get what you had been working so hard for. My training in Jamaica gave me a head start, but it was still a lot of work."

Spencer joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353 Ontario about seven years ago as a low-rise electrician.

"The union means a lot to me," he says. "Outside the union, I wouldn't be able to upgrade my skills through the courses it offers. I've taken courses on fire alarms and computers ... I also enjoy bringing my family to union functions. You get to know a lot of people."

He appreciates compulsory safety training offered through the union. "The union doesn't take any chances when it comes to safety," Spencer says. As a foreman, that training is particularly important.

"You have to make certain you do the job according to the electrical code," he says. "That code changes every four years, so you need to go back to school to learn changes and how they apply to your work. You never stop learning."

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PROFILE


Name: Cleveland Spencer

Occupation: Electrician Foreman

Training: George Brown College, Proto Electric

Years on the job: 10

QUICK FACTS


The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 353 Ontario offers safety training and skills upgrading courses, such as conduit bending, controls, electrical code, fire alarm certificate renewal and more.

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For more information visit: www.ibew353.org, www.greatertorontoeca.org, www.electricalapprenticeship.ca



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