The Rules

10. Get a hammer. If you own a single tool it must be ball peen hammer, and you must not be afraid to use it. Go one step further and carry a small chunk of 2 by 4. Makes a great cushion when you don't want to mar that thing you're smacking.

9. Don't be THAT GUY. Oh hey, that's great that you fixed that one thing that was really hard to do that one time, but nobody wants to hear about it for the rest of their lives. Get over it. We all overcome obstacles.

8. Electricity is your friend, and it can just as quickly kill you dead, blind you, or create a horrible fire that will make you mentally unable to function in that kind of environment again. If you have to work on a live circuit, make sure everyone around you knows it, take the correct precautions. Or better yet, don't work on live circuits. Disconnect them and go nuts.

7. Horseplay is stupid. Feel the need to grab-ass with your buddy? Take it outside and preferably off the job site. Bad enough things happen when people mind their own business and pay attention. No need to create a situation that could potentially injure someone.

6. GO HOME! Do not stay on a job and be the walking dangerous zombie if you can't keep your eyes open. Do not neglect your breaks in order to get things done that a reasonable person couldn't, or wouldn't. Practice saying "NO." Stand in front of a mirror and say it until you feel comfortable to do it when it matters.

5. Shortcuts are bad. My favorite example of this are the contractors that want to bypass a boiler safety in order to run a piece of equipment. Just because I know how to do all kinds of stupid, dangerous things doesn't mean I'd do them, especially for a guy I've just met. If a safety fails, most likely it's protecting you from an unsafe situation. You jumper around it, you're taking yours and other folks' lives into your hands. Assess the situation, take the means to correct it and come back later when you can do it right or have the right part.

4. Know your limitations. It's impossible to know everything. Knowing what you don't know is just as important as recognizing what you do. Find the people that can answer the questions you don't know, remember their names, and respect their abilities. You'll never suffer for it, and you'll learn from it.

3. Don't over explain. I cringe when people ask me what I do, because I like to talk about it way too much. Most people really don't care where their heat or whatever technical thing you work on comes from. Keep that in mind when someone asks you what it's going to take to get something done. In other words, know your audience and tailor the conversation accordingly.

2. You are smarter than the equipment, because equipment for the most part is a big hunk of inanimate parts assembled by another human being. Don't be stupid and try to lift heavy objects when you don't have to. Find someone to help, use chains, hoists, come-alongs and whatever else you can get your hands on. Pride goeth before a bad back.

1. Never lie. Don't tell people what they want to hear just because it's going to get you off a job quicker. You will just end up having to come back and spin another tale. If you can't make something work and you don't know why, document what you see and share it with wiser heads. Don't ignore a bad situation because you think an installer is your buddy. People's allegiances can suddenly change when the equipment that you touched last is not doing what you said it was going to do.

If you want people to respect you, say what you mean, say what you see, stand behind your work, and admit your mistakes. You will go much further if people understand that you are a person of your word and are not saying things to play the blame game or hiding behind your own lack of understanding of a problem.

What do you guys have to add to this?