Peter Spirito - About On The Job

About On The Job

On The Job contains articles and technical bulletins for both the construction industry and the do it yourselfer. No stories or experiences here. On The Job is strictly all nuts-and-bolts stuff.

I have worked in construction since I was 10 years old. During school vacations and on Saturdays I had a soft drink concession on a housing project in East Hartford Connecticut. I had this Coca-Cola cooler that I towed on a trailer behind my bicycle. With the cooler filled with soft drinks I spent all day on the job site selling soda pop. I still have that Coke cooler.

I also helped out the carpenters, often being at the “dumb end” of the measuring tape or chalk line. I learned about joists and rafters, bricks and mortar, and the meaning of 8 for 8. Eight hours of work for eight hours of pay. My Uncle Joe was an electrical contractor.

In the 70’s I was an electrician, in the 8o’s and 90’s I was an electrical contractor and in 1999 I became a building inspector for the Town of Jupiter Florida.

My work as a building inspector requires that I research a variety of topics for the construction industry. On The Job shares with you much of that work and other useful information for the contractor and homeowner.

When the National Electrical Code (NEC) or the Florida Building Code (FBC) is referenced it is the edition noted in the text. Other references include the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

When the Town of Jupiter is referenced the information is specific to the Town of Jupiter Florida.

However, most of the information provided has universal application. It is recommended that you consult with your local building department or other authority having jurisdiction, as to the codes and standards applicable to your area.