fbpx
ILLUMAGEAR
ILLUMAGEAR

Critical Thinking:

Linemen must determine the cause of operating errors and use logical reasoning to identify solutions. From equipment selection to installation, using sound judgment is critical. Each day will bring new challenges. When faced with a problem, the ability to think on your feet is necessary. Working with high voltage leaves no room for mistakes. Others will rely on you to evaluate a situation and communicate what needs to be done. Adapting to each new situation and using prior knowledge to develop and implement solutions will be imperative to your on-the-job success. 

Physical Vitality: 

For a career as a lineman, you must be strong. This is a very demanding line of work mentally and physically. Athleticism is an important asset that can make many aspects of the job easier. You will be required to scale great heights, haul heavy gear, and work grueling hours. If you are not physically at your best, this job will be challenging to maintain. 

Thrill Seeker:

Are you naturally inclined to attempt activities others may see as dangerous? Being a lineman is one of the most challenging jobs one can have. It may seem like a no-brainer, but a lineman must be comfortable working high off the ground. Linemen are typically rushing into natural disasters that others are fleeing from. The men and women who choose this job will be taking risks each day. From working in severe weather to working over a hundred feet off the ground, thriving in unique environments will set you up for success.

Hands-on Learner: 

While many linemen receive training from a community college or trade school, only so much can be learned in the classroom. Many companies require you to be hired as an apprentice first. You must be able to take what you have read and put it into practice. Many skills can only be perfected through frequent repetitions and time in the field completing work. A large portion of the scenarios you face will not be covered in a book. You will have to take in new information while working and adjust your decision-making for each unique situation.

Being a lineman is a very demanding job, but it is also gratifying. So many times, you will be coming in during a stressful time in another’s life and restoring some sense of normalcy. Without lineman, our society could not function. It takes a solid individual to fulfill this role, and we are so thankful for those that step up to do it.

Fitness is an essential element. Working on the line means hauling gear, pulling thick cable and wire, and Linemen must be able to climb all day long. A normal Electrical pole is 35 feet tall. Some electrical poles can reach up to 120ft from the ground. Linemen must climb that pole until the task at hand is completed. If the individual is not taking care of themselves, they aren’t safe and could set themselves up for failure or injury. Climbing poles is no easy task. 

Here is an example of an equipment-free workout you can do at home a few days a week to maintain fitness. The goal is not to take a break and move on to the next movement without stopping. 

Total time: 30 minutes 

3 sets
1-minutes squats 
1-minute jump squats 
1-minute forward and backward lunges (30 seconds each side) 
1-minute calf raises (30 seconds each side) 
1-minute burpees
1-minute push-ups 
1-minute back extensions 
1-minute crunches 
1-minute bicycle kick crunches 
1-minute plank
 
Please consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Lineman safety should always be the top priority. Creating a lineman safety equipment list to help protect the workers is essential. The list must be comprehensive enough to include everything lineman workers need to stay safe. In this blog post, our goal is to help you create an effective lineman safety equipment list to increase safety in the workplace. 

Consider comfort when creating your list. Make sure your employees have access to all the PPE they need, such as: 

  • Advanced illumination gear such as the Halo SL 
  • Safety glasses 
  • Safety gloves 
  • Safety helmet such as a hard hat 
  • Steel-toed boots 
  • Rubber sleeves 
  • Flame resistant clothing 
  • Hot stick 
  • Climbers 
  • Climbing belt 

These PPE examples perform crucial roles in preventing injuries. It is good to involve workers in the planning to identify any gaps in your safety equipment list. Being open-minded and receptive by involving workers allows you to offer more comprehensive protection. Seeking workers’ input to build a safety equipment list that reflects their needs and meets their goals will help reduce mistakes on the job. 

Monitor workers as they perform their different tasks to try to identify things that can be easily overlooked. For example, their gloves may not fit correctly while handling specific tools, or a face shield would be more suitable for a particular job than safety glasses. Reducing the risk of distractions and ensuring PPE fits correctly and is ideal for the job is paramount in creating a safety equipment list. 

Significant factors to consider when building your list. First, make sure you and your crew have sufficient lighting. It is crucial to have enough lighting to detect potential threats and be seen when on the job. Our Halo SL offers visibility for a quarter of a mile, a 50 ft spotlight, rechargeable, cord-free, and is compatible with the standard hard hat. Sufficient lighting is a critical factor for any high-risk, low-light job. 

Another factor to consider is temperature. Uncomfortable temperatures may also affect a team’s ability to work at their best. Try to keep your crew comfortable in extreme temperatures. Consider materials for the minimum and max density for the job. 

A good safety equipment list benefits everyone. Creating an effective list helps protect your linemen crew from injuries and employers from costly and damaging issues. 

Lineman Jobs: The unsung public service heroes 

There are a good deal of professions that require workers to work in high-risk environments. But there is a profession that is frequently overlooked, and that is the work of a lineman. A lineman’s job is one of the essential jobs. Electrical linemen are the first people on the scene during and directly after a storm when the power goes out. They are often required to work with live power lines in challenging environments to have our power up and running as quickly as possible. 

Linemen work to keep the power on. This keeps us comfortable, safe, and we can enjoy our conveniences with the electricity that we all have come to rely on. Electricity is a comfort and convenience we have come to expect. Linemen work in hazardous circumstances, in extreme temperatures and weather conditions, carrying heavy gear and working with hot wires. Linemen are tasked with maintaining our energy source. It’s a huge responsibility that is often overlooked. 

We see how essential linemen are to keeping our country going and that they keep the lights on. Hospitals, emergency services, and the general public wouldn’t have the convenience of electricity for these essential workers. That is why we created the Halo SL to help these virtual workers illuminate their task at hand, see and be seen, and keep them safe so they can go home when the job is done. Our founder wanted to be on every job site when he was a kid, and the Halo SL gives him the ability to be a part of every task where a hard hat is worn. Linemen are essential workers and need essential gear. 

Safety is the top priority in any job. Linemen are maintaining power lines and working in stressful conditions. Our mission is to illuminate these people working in high-risk situations, making them safer in any environment. A couple of ways our Halo SL’s help in these low-light high-risk environments is the brake light halo, which indicates the wearer’s direction. 360-degree visibility for a quarter of a mile and the 50 ft task light. 

A top priority for linemen is safety for them and their crew and keeping our electricity on, so our ultimate mission is to help create a safer environment. We are here to illuminate the individual so they can be identified in any environment. We are making them safer in any situation. 

So please, if you see a lineman, thank them for their help. If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t survive the storm. 

How to become a lineman

What is a lineman? 

Linemen perform essential services sometimes in dangerous conditions to connect or repair electricity to homes and businesses. A lineman is an electrician who works for utility, telecommunications, or energy companies to maintain, repair and install power lines. They can work on power lines that are strung on poles aboveground or power lines buried underground. 

What does a lineman do? 

The list of duties and responsibilities include: 

  • Drive utility vehicles to work sites
  • Climb poles to service power lines
  • Service transmission and distribution lines from power plants to buildings
  • Plan and supervise installation projects
  • Install electrical equipment for power systems
  • Repair aboveground and below-ground power lines
  • Maintain power lines through regular inspections
  • Manage apprentices and groundsmen
  • Ensure job site follows government and company safety rules

How to become a lineman

Now that you know what a lineman is, their duties and responsibilities. The next question is how to become a lineman. 

  • Earn a high school diploma or GED
  • Get a drivers license
  • Attend a trade school

Here are some of the skills you can learn in a trade school:

  • Equipment repair: You can learn to fix and replace damaged or aging electrical equipment.
  • Climbing: You can learn to climb poles safely.
  • Tools: A trade school can also teach you how to use the tools linemen use correctly.
  • Cable splicing: A trade school can also teach you to splice cables together to form longer lines or repair existing electrical networks.
  • Reading voltages: You learn to use tools to read voltages in electrical systems.
  • Line tension: You can learn to calculate the tension of a line before hoisting equipment to ensure a job’s safety.

Begin an apprenticeship program

Once you’re accepted into an apprenticeship program, you can begin working as a paid apprentice under journeyman lineman who can teach you the knowledge and skills you need to pass your apprenticeship. Here are some trade skills you can learn in a lineman apprenticeship:

  • Job safety: You can learn the government safety regulations and best practices for linemen during an apprenticeship. 
  • Line assembly: An apprenticeship can teach you how to build and install power lines and towers.
  • Pole building: In an apprenticeship, you can also learn how to frame and assemble wooden poles for utility lines.
  • Maintenance: During your apprenticeship, you can learn how to properly maintain conductors, telephone lines, street lights, and elements of traffic control systems, like traffic lights.
  • Installation: A journeyman lineman or master electrician can teach you to install wires and other hardware into energy, telephone, traffic control, and street light systems.
  • Wire insulation: You can also learn to insulate wires safely during a lineman apprenticeship.
  • Conductor use: During an apprenticeship, you can learn to remain safe while using conductors.
  • Hot stick work: You can learn to use a fiberglass hot stick to stay a safe distance away from high-distribution voltages.

Become a journeyman lineman

Once you’ve completed the required hours of experience in an apprenticeship, you can be eligible to become a journeyman lineman. Some states require you to get a license to become a lineman, so you can use your knowledge from your apprenticeship to obtain a license and begin working independently to repair, replace and maintain power infrastructure.