Oregon Building Codes Division says joint PEARL-IBEW training sessions, scheduled for May 15 and 16, 2011 during PEARL's annual meeting in Portland, qualify for four (4) CEU credits towards electrician license.

Training at PEARL Conference

AURORA, CO - The State of Oregon's Building Codes Division (BCD) recently agreed to grant attendees of the Low-Voltage Disconnect Manual Trip Fused and Bolted Pressure Switch training hosted by PEARL and the Local Portland IBEW Union with four (4) Continuing Education Units (CEU), which can be applied towards state requirements for an electrical license. The 1-day training program will be held at the Local IBEW 48 Union facility on both May 15 and 16 to allow electricians the choice of training on a Sunday, or Monday, depending on their work schedule.

"The CEU's are issued by the State of Oregon and are valid throughout Oregon," explains Stephen Reames, President of Oregon Breakers Inc. (Portland), PEARL Director and training organizer for the Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League's (PEARL) 14th Annual Electrical Safety, Reliability & Sustainability Conference and Exhibition. "Other states may recognize these credits, but that is a state by state issue and best left to individual electricians to pursue. The training information is relevant to electricians throughout North America, and even though PEARL is co-hosting the training event with the local IBEW chapter, the Local Union has graciously agreed to open its doors to all electricians - union and non-union alike. You do not need to be a IBEW member to experience this training program."

Each day of training will be split into two parts. The morning training will focus on issues relevant to PEARL's Standard #1134: Low-Voltage Disconnect Switches, Manual Trip Power Fused, while the afternoon training will include hands-on training and reconditioning of bolted pressure switches and other panelmount style switches (PEARL Standard #1174). Integral to this specific training, PEARL Standard #3110, which applies to fuses, will also be covered during the session. Both sessions will emphasize the importance of following industry best-practices as captured in the PEARL Reconditioning Standards.

The PEARL annual conference, held at The Benson Hotel in Portland, OR, will run simultaneously to the training at the IBEW Local Union 48 facility. Presentations start on Sunday, May 15, with Dennis Knutz of the Investment Recovery Association (IRA), who will explain how to build relationships with larger companies to support their sustainability efforts with reconditioned electrical apparatus.

Knutz is followed by keynote speaker, Katrina Shum Miller of the U.S. Green Building Council -- the group that oversees the U.S.' Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, a program that offers tax credits for building designs that use recycled materials. Miller will discuss how electrical reconditioners can help customers get LEED credits by recycling electrical apparatus and ways that LEED regulations might be expanded to give tax credit for customers that use reconditioned electrical equipment.

Industry expert presentations continue through Sunday, concluding Monday afternoon with the PEARL Membership Meeting.

Interested attendees and exhibitors should contact the PEARL office at (877) 287-3275, send an email to pearl@pearl1.org or visit www.Pearl1.org. Corporations that join PEARL within 30 days of the conference will have their conference registration fee applied to their new membership dues.

Editorial Contact Winn Hardin Marketing Director Tel: 904-246-8958 winnhardin@pearl1.org

Association Manager Mark Stone Tel: 877-AT-PEARL Fax: 888-996-3296 pearl@pearl1.org