LiveWire Podcast

Asa Dyer, host of the LiveWire Podcast, takes the guest seat to talk about skilled trades, the electrical industry, and standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.On LiveWire Episode 29, "Standing on the Shoulders," the host becomes the guest. After dozens of podcast interviews with linemen, electricians, and leaders across America's electrical infrastructure, Asa Dyer answers the questions himself.Asa explains why it's time to stop calling tradespeople "blue collar" and start calling them what they are: craftsmen. He talks about the skilled trades worker shortage, why so many of us were steered away from the trades, and the opportunity waiting for the next generation. He also looks back at the conversations that stuck with him most, from Derek Sang's three-to-one lineman stat to Jason Brozen's story and Marilyn's path back to the trades. Then he gets personal about his dad, faith, a servant's heart, and the legacy we leave behind."No, you're a craftsman. You're an artist." – Asa DyerListen to more episodes: https://www.livewirepodcast.comIf this episode spoke to you, like it, subscribe to LiveWire, and share it with a craftsman you're proud of.The LiveWire Podcast explores the untold stories behind America's electrical infrastructure: life, safety, business, and innovation. Brought to you by OEL.#LiveWirePodcast #SkilledTrades #ElectricalSafety #Craftsmanship #Lineman #ArcFlashSafety #OEL #TradesCareers #Leadership

How do you move from a career in hospitality into the electrical trades?In this episode of LiveWire Podcast, April Souther of Montgomery Electric shares how an unexpected experience during a workplace remodel sparked her interest in electrical work and eventually led her to pursue an apprenticeship after nine years as a bartender.April discusses the relationship between classroom instruction and hands-on training, what it can be like to enter a jobsite as a woman, and the challenges of finding workwear and PPE that fit the people using them.She also recounts a close call from her first year as an apprentice involving a cord she had been told was off but was still energized. The experience shaped how she approaches electrical verification and why she encourages new apprentices to double-check and triple-check their work.Whether you're considering a career change, supporting an apprenticeship program, or working to strengthen jobsite safety and workforce development, April's experience offers a firsthand perspective on entering and growing in the electrical trades.Visit https://www.livewirepodcast.com.Connect with LiveWire Podcast:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livewire-podcast-49ab32385/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livewirepod/X: https://x.com/LiveWirePod1TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewirepodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6vsiDECeMhdLwO9S7wFcS7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livewire-podcast/id1847925085

How much of your electrical safety program depends on equipment performing exactly the way you expect?

Derek Vigstol of e-Hazard joins LiveWire Podcast for a practical conversation about NFPA 70B, electrical maintenance, arc flash safety, and the decisions organizations are being asked to examine more closely.

Derek explains how NFPA 70B evolved into a standard and why maintenance affects more than reliability. He walks through a hypothetical arc flash calculation showing how changes in protective-device clearing time can dramatically change modeled incident energy.

The conversation also explores how organizations can approach large maintenance programs without getting stuck in analysis paralysis, why equipment condition and environment should influence maintenance decisions, and why EHS and maintenance departments increasingly need to work together.

Derek also shares his perspective on AI in electrical training, education in the skilled trades, and his goal of helping the industry move toward zero electrical fatalities.

Listen to the full conversation at www.livewirepodcast.com.

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Welcome back to LiveWire, the podcast from OEL Worldwide Industries.

Derek Sang returns to LiveWire for round two, and this conversation goes deep into what it really takes to keep utility workers safe on the job.

Derek talks about the quality gap in flame-resistant, arc-rated clothing, explaining why a $40 shirt bought online can carry very different protection than an $80 shirt from a proven brand, and why that difference only shows up the day someone actually needs it to work.

The conversation also covers what it takes to earn trust with linemen who have been in the field for decades, why an outside voice can cut through in ways a supervisor's message sometimes can't, and what Derek looks for when thinking about who could eventually carry his role forward.

Derek also shares what life looks like doing 40 to 55 speaking dates a year, from staying disciplined on the road to keeping the message fresh presentation after presentation.

If you work in electrical safety, PPE, training, or utility operations, this episode is a candid look at the human side of building a career around keeping people safe.

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Years on the job can build exceptional skill, but they can also create a dangerous illusion of invulnerability. In this episode of the LiveWire Podcast, host Asa Dyer sits down with Jason Brozen, CESCP, former master electrician, safety speaker, and arc flash survivor, to discuss the deceptive nature of complacency in the electrical trades and why seasoned veterans are often at the highest risk.Jason shares his personal journey surviving a catastrophic arc flash incident in 2009, how cutting corners on routine tasks changes lives forever, and why standard awareness seminars fail to produce truly qualified electrical workers.

They explore the critical difference between theoretical compliance and genuine safety culture, the systemic underreporting of electrical burns, and how normalizing deviations puts entire teams in jeopardy.Watch the full conversation: https://www.livewirepodcast.comFollow OEL Worldwide Industries for updates, industry insights, and safety gear solutions:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oel-worldwide-industries- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oelworldwide- X: https://x.com/oelworldwide- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oelworldwide- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/livewirepodcast- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livewire-podcast#ElectricalSafety #ArcFlashSafety #LiveWirePodcast #OEL #SafetyCulture #NFPA70E

Bryan Brewer, National Sales Manager at Steel Grip, joins Asa Dyer to discuss the values and operating principles behind a family-owned PPE manufacturer. Bryan reflects on growing up around SteelGrip, working alongside his father, and learning how honesty, responsiveness, and long-term relationships shape trust in a close-knit industry.

The conversation covers SteelGrip’s history in molten-metal, arc-flash, chemical, and aluminum protection; the role of custom-built PPE; the practical value of American-made manufacturing; and why product standards cannot be compromised when people’s safety is involved. Bryan also shares how the company is approaching generational leadership, developing future talent, creating an environment where employees can speak up, and maintaining a strong connection to the communities where SteelGrip operates.

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Josh Dyer, CEO of OEL, joins LiveWire for a candid discussion about AI, automation, distraction, and the value of remaining connected to real people.

The conversation looks at the role technology can play in business without allowing it to replace human judgment, learning, empathy, and accountability. Josh explains why OEL sees AI as a tool that may support certain tasks, but not a substitute for people who understand customers, take ownership, and build trust through real interaction.

They also discuss the risks of digital overload, the importance of service and community, and why long-term relationships may matter more than short-term efficiency as businesses adopt new technology.

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Bruno Lucarelli of EV Safety Inc. joins Asa Dyer to discuss the real-world safety challenges surrounding lithium-ion batteries.

The conversation looks at EV charging stations, battery energy storage systems, thermal runaway, off-gassing, emergency action plans, fire-service coordination, insurance exposure, and the risks businesses face when lithium-ion devices are present on their property.

Bruno explains why safety planning cannot begin after an incident. Employees, site managers, property owners, and first responders need to understand where the risks are, how to create distance, when to evacuate, and why local fire officials should be part of the plan.

They also discuss EVs and hybrids in service and collision centers, damaged batteries, charging equipment in parking structures, consumer electronics in public spaces, drone batteries, saltwater corrosion, and the role of practical, affordable mitigation measures.

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Greg Hollingsworth joins LiveWire to discuss the electrical-safety changes contractors, building owners, and facilities need to understand.

The conversation examines the 2026 NEC’s arc flash labeling requirements, the role of NFPA 70E in workplace safety, OSHA’s General Duty Clause, local code enforcement, and how missing labels can affect permits, renovations, and occupancy.

Greg also shares why the proposed two-person qualified-worker requirement is about more than emergency response. A focused standby worker can help identify unsafe decisions before an incident occurs.

They also talk through fatigue, productivity pressure, PPE, assessments, training, insurance, and why electrical safety has to be treated as a practical business decision—not just a compliance task.

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Welcome back to LiveWire, the podcast from OEL Worldwide Industries, a family business built on safety, trust, craftsmanship, and the people behind the work. Some conversations are about what is happening today. Others are about what is coming faster than most people realize.

In this episode of the LiveWire Podcast, Michael Bowers joins Asa for a wide-ranging conversation about utilities, data centers, grid capacity, energy policy, nuclear power, water constraints, space-based infrastructure, geology, leadership, and the future of American energy.

Michael is the CEO of Gaucher and Associates, where he works in utility project management for commercial construction and development. He shares what it takes to help companies expand into new markets, navigate local utility requirements, understand development charges, manage permitting issues, and solve infrastructure problems before they become costly delays.

The conversation also moves into the bigger energy questions facing the country. Michael explains why data centers are creating explosive pressure on the grid, why electrical capacity is becoming one of the biggest constraints in development, and why nuclear energy, geothermal innovation, smarter legislation, and high-yield energy systems may be necessary to meet future demand.

Asa and Michael also talk about water usage, desalination, drought, satellite connectivity, fiber, space-based data centers, asteroid mining, precious minerals, oil and gas, fracking, and the way global resource competition is reshaping the economy. Michael brings a practical but future-facing perspective shaped by geology, utilities, construction, energy policy, and a lifelong curiosity about how systems work.

This episode is about more than utilities or infrastructure. It is about the decisions being made now that will shape the next era of development, technology, energy independence, and national competitiveness.

If you work in construction, energy, utilities, commercial development, technology, policy, infrastructure, or leadership, this conversation will make you think about what it will really take to power the future and why the grid cannot be an afterthought.

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