Just noticed how many new guys ignore grounding rods on residential jobs

Last week I was on a new build in a suburb outside Austin and I saw two different apprentices skip the full grounding rod install. They just drove it in a few inches and called it good because the inspector wasn't coming for another week. I had to stop and show them how to use the clamp properly and make sure the rod was all the way in. This is the third time in the last month I've caught someone trying to rush through this step. I get that we're all under pressure to finish fast but grounding is one thing you don't cut corners on. Have you guys noticed more of this slipping through on newer crews?

3 comments

3 Comments

terryk2823h ago

Man, that Austin thing doesn't surprise me one bit. I did a service call last month in San Antonio where some new guy had the rod barely 3 inches into the dirt and just piled rocks around it to hide it. Homeowner's tv kept getting fried during storms. Had to dig everything up and start over. It's like these younger guys watch a youtube video about how to half-ass a job and think they're being clever. Honestly I blame the pressure from the foremen too, always yelling about time and costs before quality. But grounding is one of those things that bites you in the ass later when you least expect it.

nancythomas23h ago

Haven't you ever been told to do it faster by a boss who doesn't care how it looks in five years? I'm not saying the kid was right to bury a 3 inch rod, but most of these guys are just following orders to get to the next job. The real problem is the company culture that rewards speed over doing it right. Grounding takes time and nobody wants to pay for that extra hour of labor.

hayes.joel21h ago

You got me wondering though, is the problem really the kids watching youtube or is it the old-timers who stopped giving a damn about teaching them right because they're burnt out themselves?