As a writer covering HVAC and plumbing, I was often the only woman in the room. But that's changing, and more women are finding success in these industries. As Judaline Cassidy said, "Jobs don't have genders."

I reached out to some of the best coaches in the industry for some perspective on communicating clearly and effectively with customers and each other and best practices for how contractors should handle communication breakdowns.

Retaining skilled employees is vital for plumbing and HVAC contractors. High turnover leads to disruptions and decreased customer satisfaction. To address this, many are finding innovative ways to encourage retention, including unique approaches from new companies.

Amazon is doing well, though a volatile political climate threatens small businesses’ growth.

Infrastructure will continue to be an issue in 2018 and beyond.

Don’t make these seven sales mistakes.

If I can learn to be a planner, then you can, too.

Are you being proactive about your marketing plan?

You’ve already paid for the lead, so why not extract its full value?

Selling — even upselling — is a service, and let no one tell you differently.

All three of these elements must be in place for a business to survive.

Don’t let experience turn into complacency and a lack of differentiation.

Why we do what we do” is why I do what I do. My job is to “change behavior.

Sales and marketing aren’t the same thing, but they can be powerful when combined.

By following the tips below, you can mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on your business and lay some groundwork that will make your company more successful in the long run.

According to a white paper authored by venture capital firm ARD Ventures, each fleet vehicle, on average, receives between 30,000 -70,000 impressions daily. 

Life in Ghana: The search for water.

Thermostatic mixing valves and common sense can help prevent injury and litigation.

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? 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

Obese teenagers can have certain brain differences from their thinner peers -- changes that might signal damage from inflammation, a new, preliminary study suggests.

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.

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.

ISHN Magazine sat down with Joe Boyle, CEO of TRUCE, to discuss strategies for eliminating workplace distractions. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

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.

Thousands of Industrial Safety & Hygiene News subscribers jumped online to vote in ISHN’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards between March 1 and May 1, 2013. The results are in, and ISHN Publisher Randy Green has released the list of winning entries.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for today's top safety products in ISHN’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the second-annual list of winning entries.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online March 1 - May 1 in ISHN's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the third-annual list of winning entries. All 42 category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media as well as a glass award commemorating their category achievement!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online in ISHN's 2016 Readers' Choice Awards and the results are in! All category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media and a commemorative award!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online in ISHN's 2017 Readers' Choice Awards and the results are in!
All category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media and a commemorative award!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for the most innovative personal protection equipment (PPE) and occupational health and safety products, and now the results of ISHN's 2018 Readers' Choice Awards are in!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for the most innovative personal protection equipment (PPE) and occupational health and safety products, and now the results of ISHN's 2019 Readers' Choice Awards are in!

Help ISHN recognize innovative safety products by voting in our 8th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting is under way and closes at 11:49 p.m. EST on May 31, 2020.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for the most innovative personal protection equipment (PPE) and occupational health and safety products, and now the results of ISHN's 2020 Readers' Choice Awards are in!