Members of the National Assn. of Electrical Distributors have been offered the opportunity to cut their training costs without cutting the quality of their training.

NAED— the trade association for the electrical distribution industry—offers discounted pricing as part of its online training on the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration policies.

Through the NAED Learning Center, members have access to 22 Web-based OSHA safety courses designed to help members stay compliant with the OSHA safety standards relevant to their industry.

“An Internet-based learning center is easy for our employees to use for training, testing, and documentation,” said Chesley Harvin, safety and loss control manager, WESCO Distribution Inc. “We value the NAED online training tool, which meets the requirements of OSHA for our business and utilizes Internet technology.”

The online curriculum, available through the NAED Learning Center, provides safety instruction in the following topics: accident prevention; electrical safety; fire prevention & protection; flammable & combustible liquids; respiratory protection and walking-working surfaces, among others.

The OSHA courses are complete with tracking and record-keeping capabilities of each person's progress.

To view the association's online curriculum, go to www.naed.org and follow the “NAED Learning Center” link.

NAED also announced that Richard Williams, president and CEO of the Dominion Electric Supply Co. Inc., Arlington, Va., is the vice president-elect of its Eastern Region Council.

“I believe, as leaders, we have a deep responsibility to serve and help others reach their goals,” Williams said.

“NAED, in the past handful of years, has done a tremendous job transforming itself and thereby adding a great amount of value to its members and to the industry.”

For information, log on to www.naed.org

John Estey, president and CEO of S&C Electric, has been elected chairman of the board of governors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Assn.

In his new role, Estey said he will emphasize the importance of NEMA's efforts to pursue environmentally sound manufacturing methods.

NEMA recently adopted a call to action that will establish worldwide hazardous substance restrictions for virtually all NEMA products by July 1, 2014.

By 2010, NEMA manufacturers will also have met standards established for certain products by the European Union Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS).

“NEMA has long recognized the need for sound energy and environmental policies,” said Estey. “What we are attempting to do is get ahead of those who would institute well-intentioned, but ill-advised, scientifically unsound and anti-competitive policies.”

Late last year, NEMA presented its 2006 Bernard T. Falk Award to GE vice chairman Lloyd Trotter.

Trotter served 13 years on the NEMA board of governors and was its chairman for one year.

“Lloyd Trotter has been a highly visible champion of NEMA's mission,” said NEMA chairman Tim Powers. “He served with distinction as chairman of the board in an important juncture in the association's history.”

For information, log on to www.nema.org