social and politics Dan Holohan: Are you treating those systems? By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 27 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400 I was wondering about boiler chemicals and how many contractors (if any) were using them on brand-new systems. Do we need them? Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: When luck fails you By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 02 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400 Have you ever had one of those times when you’re trying to figure out some problem and then suddenly the solution comes to you as if by magic? Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: What's inside? By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 This one goes back a bunch of years. The contractor was a good steam man, but he had run out of ideas with this job. It was a typical, five-story, New York City tenement building. Its one-pipe steam system had served generations of tenants for more than 100 years. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Creepy crawl spaces By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 October, being the month for ghosts and goblins, seems like the perfect time to reminisce about those tight spots few want to visit, but many must. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Who gets to work on steam? By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400 How’s that for a title? I’ll give you the answer right up front: Everyone! And the best part is you don’t have to know what you’re doing; you just have to show up. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Does size matter? By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500 A young guy who was about the size of Bruno Mars came to my seminar once, and we were chatting during a break. I asked him how long he had been in the business. It’s good to see young people getting involved. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: The case for radiator covers By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Mon, 03 Jan 2022 13:00:00 -0500 In March 2010, a nine-month-old boy rolled off his sister’s bed in Jersey City, New Jersey, and got stuck between the bed and a cast-iron, steam radiator that was as hot as it’s supposed to be. The radiator delivered third-degree burns to the infant and left him with permanent scars. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: So easy to blame the boiler By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500 A homeowner posted a question on The Wall at HeatingHelp.com about a drumroll sound that was coming from his brand-new steam boiler. What could it be? He included a video so all could hear, and sure enough, it sounded like a snare drum. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Frozen steam coils By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0500 Frozen steam coils always seem to happen at the worst of times, don’t they? You’re busy because it’s cold enough to freeze coils. The place with the frozen coil contains people who are doing things that are so important they can’t possibly be without that particular coil. Not even for a minute. They’re on the phone, and they’re not being reasonable. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: The magic of the simple air vent By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400 Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Good help is hard to find By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Tue, 03 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400 My neighbor, Tony, loves his house. We live in a low-crime neighborhood on Long Island but Tony is always on guard against miscreants. He has a Ring camera on every side of his house, mounted high so they’re protected from spray paint. Some of the cameras turn on klieg lights and alarms if I step outside at night to toss the trash in the can. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Tough job site conditions call for creative workarounds By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400 In the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, which snuggles into the center of the state, you will find Mount Saint James, and upon that steep hill, you will find The College of the Holy Cross. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Why it’s so hard to find workers By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400 My shop teacher was a wiry man who loved hand tools. We spent a week making a buzzer base. He taught us how to saw, sand and varnish. He introduced me to a Brace & Bit hand drill and went on and on about how this was better than an electric drill. “Can you feel the wood? It’s alive!” he said, and I could. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Making mistakes By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 Some years ago, a wholesaler hired me to do a seminar in a New England hotel for about 100 of his contractor customers. After the seminar, the owner of the company invited me and a bunch of his employees out for a nice dinner. There were about 15 of us. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Diagnosing no heat over-the-phone By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400 My iPhone pinged a text: “Hi, Dan. How are you and Marianne, and the family? I’m sorry to bother you. I can’t get my steam heat to go on. I can’t get a plumber to come quickly. I guess they’re busy with the weather. Can I call you later to ask you something about the burner?” Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Pipe stories By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:00:00 -0400 I called the plumber because there’s an immediacy to plumbing; and I’m old enough to know that it’s best for me not to touch pipes. To each his own trade. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Why we use 180 degrees for hot-water systems By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400 Most hydronic systems have the boiler running up to 180° F with water returning from the system at 160°. This rarely happens in real life, but it’s the traditional way we do things. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: The geography of auto-feeders on steam By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 I have heating (plumbing, fire suppression, etc.) shops in New York and New Jersey. This is very much steam country, and we repair and replace steam boilers and systems all week long and have been for decades. All that is fine, but what I find incredibly odd is the polarized perception of the automatic water feeder. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: That seventies show By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500 I began my career in the HVAC business in 1970 as a truck driver for an AC/refrigeration wholesaler. I stayed there just six weeks because my father — who worked for a manufacturers’ rep — told me there was an opening for a clerk at the rep. It paid $110 a week, which was $10 more than I was getting driving the truck. Plus, I’d get to work with him as my boss. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Dry steam is the goal By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500 I love all the advances taking place in the world of hydronics, but I’m still seeing plenty of steam systems out there in our older cities, so knowing about dry steam will help you if you’re replacing a steam boiler. The dryer the steam is, the better you’re going to look to your customers. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Why Congress has no windows By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500 People who knew Capt. Montgomery C. Meigs said he was occasionally pompous, but when the job was done to his satisfaction, he said, “This was the most difficult piece of engineering and construction that I have yet to undertake.” Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Do you miss the T87 By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400 In 1885, when you could still buy a milk cow for $29.70, Albert Butz, a Swiss immigrant living in St. Paul, Minnesota, invented what he called the damper-flapper. He patented it the following year. The flapper opened a damper that allowed outside air to enter a coal-fired home furnace. This increased the oxygen in the furnace and made the fire burn hotter. When the temperature rose to a desired point, the damper closed. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Electrification may become more mainstream, but not overnight By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Morris had me on the phone. It was 1974 and he was calling from Brooklyn, New York. I had a waxed handlebar mustache that year, and my workmates at the manufacturers’ rep were calling me Rollie Fingers because he was pitching for the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: The importance of training and educating yourself on the equipment you work on By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 02 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400 It was one of those days at HeatingHelp.com when the old guys had the floor. One of the regulars, a retired (and understandably crotchety) fella from Canada had this to say: Full Article
social and politics Dan Holohan: Do you prefer educated customers? By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Over the years, I've had many homeowners read my books and then write to tell me they knew more about their system than the contractors that came to their houses. This was particularly true when it came to steam heating. Full Article
social and politics The Wallies hash out advice for younger generations By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Not long ago, Ray asked the Wallies who post daily on The Wall at HeatingHelp.com what advice they would give someone just starting out in this business. Here’s some of what they had to say. There’s a lot of street-smart experience here. Full Article
social and politics Lessons learned cataloging old pumps in the Catskills By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 I spotted a story in the newspaper last year that made me smile with a memory that was bittersweet. Full Article
social and politics Women can work in mechanical rooms By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Another photo appeared and this one had a woman in it. She was holding a long wrench and the business end was attached to one of the risers to the boiler’s drop-header. Full Article
social and politics An important skill for teaching tradespeople By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Kids have a way of dragging us old folks back in time. My grandson, Brendan put me back on the road, 40 years ago, when I was spending most of my time teaching tradespeople about the joys of steam and hot-water heating. Full Article
social and politics Longtime Plumbing Group columnist says goodbye By www.pmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 Hello, old friend. I’m writing today to say thanks, and to say farewell. This will be my last column. Full Article
social and politics Dig deeper into system factors behind at-risk actions By www.ishn.com Published On :: Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Most readers are familiar with the common phrase, “The errors of our ways.“ So why am I talking about the intention of our ways -- not errors – in this article? Full Article
social and politics Coping with the tide of everyday operations By www.ishn.com Published On :: Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Safety professionals work diligently to engage both leaders and employees. But there is often a challenge: leaders wish their employees would just "be careful" without doing diligence to hazard identification, assessment and control. The result: workers claim leaders are only concerned with productivity and budgets. Full Article
social and politics How to deliver in-depth safety learning By www.ishn.com Published On :: Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Deloitte (2014) describes the modern learner in its infographic, “Meet the Modern Learner.” The infographic shows multiple constraints employees face when developing necessary skills. Many writers and training professionals interpret this to say that people today learn differently. Learning has evolved with the office. Full Article
social and politics How to attract, retain & reward employees By www.ishn.com Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Our company has been roofing/remodeling injury-free since inception in 2004. The behavior of people is the predominant cause of accidents and the variable that is most easily changed. Although this article is based on our roofing experiences, the principles are easily applied to any industry, especially those that involve hard labor, high turnover, or dangerous conditions. Full Article
social and politics Are toxic cultures rampant? By www.ishn.com Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Google “safety culture” and you get about 1,600,000,000 results in 0.95 seconds. Safety and health managers have long known the importance of culture – the organization’s values, beliefs and leadership - on safety, morale, productivity, engagement, presenteeism and absenteeism. Culture has been at the top of safety and health issues for the past ten years at least. Full Article
social and politics Department of Labor issues Mental Health Toolkit By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500 The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new resource to help employers better understand mental health issues, and obtain guidance on how to cultivate a work environment that supports employees with related conditions. Full Article
social and politics For your health & wellness: What is oat milk and is it healthy? By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Nondairy milk may have begun as a lactose-free alternative for vegans or nondairy eaters, but the rise in popularity can be attributed to much more than being a must-have swap. The options are endless: almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk, rice milk, and more. Full Article
social and politics For your health & wellness: CBD- what we know and what we don’t By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Cannabidiol (CBD) has been recently covered in the media, and you may have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout smoothie or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it suddenly so popular? Full Article
social and politics Saving a culture: Going from worst to first By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 U.S. Navy Captain Mike Abrashoff was given command of the USS Benfold at age 36, making him the youngest commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. His challenge was daunting: the destroyer with 310 sailors was a notable loser, with low morale and the highest turnover in the Navy. Many safety and health pros early in their careers face the challenge of establishing their credibility. Full Article
social and politics Hazcom for multi-employer sites By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Today’s workplaces look far different than they have in the past, taking on many shapes, sizes and settings. As a result, more workers from multiple employers are working side-by-side at the same locations, increasing the shared responsibility for worker safety among employers. Full Article
social and politics For Your Health & Wellness: Obesity and the brain By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Obese teenagers can have certain brain differences from their thinner peers -- changes that might signal damage from inflammation, a new, preliminary study suggests. Full Article
social and politics For Your Health & Wellness: Cellphone injuries By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 People distracted by their cellphones are tripping, falling and hurting their heads and necks more often, with such injuries increasing “steeply” over a 20-year period, a new analysis has found. Full Article
social and politics What you should know about ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 OHSMS By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 This is a voluntary consensus standard. It uses recognized management system principles in order to be compatible with quality and environmental management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Full Article
social and politics Material handling hazards By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Material handling consists of the moving, handling, and storing of materials in a facility using manual force, employee-operated equipment (forklifts), and automated equipment (conveyors). The handling and storing of materials inside a facility includes activities like: Full Article
social and politics Eliminating workplace distractions with Joe Boyle, CEO of TRUCE By www.ishn.com Published On :: Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500 ISHN Magazine sat down with Joe Boyle, CEO of TRUCE, to discuss strategies for eliminating workplace distractions. The following are excerpts from that conversation. Full Article
social and politics For ladder safety, focus on surroundings, job hazards, height needs By www.ishn.com Published On :: Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Accidents happen for millions of reasons, but the truth is, they are all preventable. Three major causes are common in almost all accidents; not using the right tool for the job; using a damaged tool that hasn’t been inspected; and not following the basic safety guideline for that tool. Full Article
social and politics Focus on people for sustainable success By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500 A management system has a place within how we can operate to eliminate variation from the processes that impact the operations of a business. Many commonly known management systems are implemented by EHS and risk management professionals. Full Article
social and politics How we lose safety judgment & skill development By www.ishn.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400 Since mind not on task is bound to happen if you know how to do something well, there is much more “leverage” or efficiency in getting people to put more effort than they are currently making (none) into improving their safety-related habits. Full Article
social and politics Risk pattern and the concept of self-triggering By www.ishn.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400 This article is really about putting all of the concepts in the previous articles together to come up with what will hopefully be the most significant change in thinking so far. Full Article
social and politics Are you guilty of these common misconceptions about bad safety habits? By www.ishn.com Published On :: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:03:00 -0400 What’s that one worksite habit that really grinds your gears? Every safety pro has one pet peeve they hate to see but can’t seem to eliminate. Bad safety habits happen on every job site, but breaking those habits isn’t as easy as slapping workers on the wrist or offering them rewards. Full Article