CSLS Introduces New Solar PV Technical Sales Course

Contractors State License Services (CSLS) has introduced a new Solar PV Technical Sales Course intended to teach the skills necessary to work as a salesperson in the growing solar industry. This course covers important sales skills combined with the technical information that are specific to a solar sales position. The course includes a comprehensive curriculum covering; mining for prospective customers, evaluating the needs of a PV System customer, the technicalities of site analysis and system selection, concept design, performance estimates, economic analysis, financial concepts, proposal formation and building a working relationship with your customers. Robert Srinivas the Regional Green Technology Training Manager at CSLS developed this program to help people in construction or sales related fields transfer their skills to this broadening industry. The first class was held at the CSLS Orange location on October 8th and 9th, 2011. Initial response to the class was very positive. Willy Littlefield, a Solar Sales student shared “Rob had a passion and depth of understanding in solar. I asked many challenging questions and all of my questions were answered fully”. Classes are planned to be held at Contractors State License School locations throughout California. For details on the course schedule interested contractors and sales professionals can contact the corporate offices at Contractor State License Services 800-331-4691.

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Where is yours?
“Hey, watch out, don’t… ”
“Mom, I’m sorry...what do I…”
“Get the wrench so I can turn off the main. Hurry, Run”
Ten seconds later, “it’s not here”.
“Yes it is, look harder. Hurry”
Crying, “Mom, it’s not here…help me, what do I do?”
So I ran into the garage, searched through the tool chest and sure enough, nothing. I ran to the porch and looked in the bucket I sometimes toss my tools, not there. I ran to the other shed and looked…nothing. As the needle on the meter spun into a blur, I could see my water bill adding up the dollar signs. The front walkway was under 2 inches of water and I couldn’t find the stupid wrench.

Ten minutes later the main was shut off and the hunt for pipe remnants, pipe cutter, and PVC glue began. The entire fix which should have taken 15 minutes took 2 hours as I scrounged random tool boxes, drawers and nooks and crannies for the tools and parts I knew I had but couldn’t find and absolutely REFUSED to repurchase.

Rule of the tool: A place for everything and everything in its place.

How many times have you needed a particular tool or piece of equipment and spent hours looking for, or not found at all? The temptation to run to the hardware store and buy a new one is overwhelming, but the cost and waste can be astronomical.

Precious time spent rifling through tool boxes is also value lost. Your time, employee time, the cost of repurchasing, or even worse, compromising with an inadequate, but available tool or part…can ruin a job, be expensive and even dangerous.  There is only one good solution: Put everything back where it belongs when you’re done. The few seconds it takes to return a tool to its place can save you hours of time, frustration and money. When emergencies happen, it is about the job, fixing the problem and not about the money. The result of not having your tools where they belong when you need them can easily result in undue hardship as well as economic loss.

I’m not alone in my bad habit of misplacing tools and companies are cashing in on people like me with ‘Tool box engineers’ who have come up with no-excuse storage. Tool storage has come a long way from peg boards with hooks and wooden boxes. Through technology and time, we now have robotized storage bins and computer software tracking; head-high tool boxes on wheels, magnetic bars and panels, even fashionable tool cabinetry with coordinated colors and choice of finishes. Nothing is too good for a good tool.

The only real secret to successful tool storage is you putting the tool back where it belongs immediately.

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CSLS Honors Greg Daly with a Scholarship
Greg has been working in the construction industry for 22 years but like many in the construction industry has recently been laid off.  With so much experience he has plenty of opportunities for work but needs his license to be able to work his own jobs.  CSLS has awarded the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation Program to Greg to help him get his General B License.  With his license he is hoping to get back on track to continue to provide for his family and to keep thier home.

 

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Leading The Way to a Safer World
Lead (Pb: Latin for Plumbum), overexposure is one of the leading causes of workplace illness.

The characteristics of softness, durability and intense pigmentation along with its low melting point and resistance to corrosion have made lead one of the leading metals in manufacturing and construction industries today. From plumbing to roofing to paints, lead is everywhere.

The wide use of leaded paints within the construction business is of major concern. The housing boom of the 40’s and 50’s saw the prolific use of leaded paints skyrocket. Unfortunately, as years passed and paint chipped reports of lead poisoning drastically increased prompting new legislation and regulation of lead based paints and their uses.  When paint deteriorates and peels, it is easily ingested by small children and leaded dust can be inhaled by adults as well, presenting a dangerous living and work environment.

Unsuspecting children who play on  lead-dust laden carpet or lead tainted dirt are most susceptible but homeowners and contractors who work on and around degraded leaded paint are also at risk; so much so that the EPA and OSHA have implemented regulations, controls and even fines to reduce further infestation of lead toxins into our bodies and the environment.

In 1977 under the Consumer Product Safety Commission Act, (16 Code of Federal Regulations CFR 1303) the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) took action to reduce the risk of lead poisoning by banning the  application of lead-based paint in housing constructed or rehabilitated with federal assistance.

By the 1980’s a significant shift in lead use had taken place, much of it as a result of the U.S. lead consumer’s compliance with environmental regulations that eliminated the use of lead in products including water systems, gasoline, solders and paints. The devastating results of lead poisoning have taken their toll on families, healthcare and the courts. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which facilitates housing for low income buyers, has been inundated by billions of dollars of lead poisoning lawsuits.

The current regulations and restrictions put on lead products and those who work with them are essential to help prevent further poisoning of our children, ourselves, and our planet.  Since April 22, 2010, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all renovators who work in homes built pre 1978 and disturb more than six square-feet of lead paint be trained and certified in safe handling, removal and disposal of Lead based paint.

Mining, processing, designing and building with lead has presented new products and advancements, now it presents another step in the process, cleaning up the mess. The costs, health and lives affected by lead toxins are devastating and it is up to knowledgeable  homeowners and trained professionals to correct the problem and create a safer healthier world.