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ILLUMAGEAR
ILLUMAGEAR

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. 

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.

Lineman Skills

When thinking about lineman skills, some essential things to keep in mind are that a lineman must understand electrical and power equipment and knowledge of electrical currents, voltage, and resistance. Linemen also need to possess strong problem-solving skills, particularly when assessing power cables for repair, replacement, or troubleshooting defective equipment.

Skills for a lineman

Whether you’re considering a career as a lineman or you want to improve your job performance, here are some hard and soft skills you can use in a career as a lineman:

Hard skills for a lineman

Below is a list of hard skills linemen can use on the job:

  • Physical strength: A lineman can climb to reach electrical lines as you haul heavy gear, so physical strength can help you perform your duties as a lineman.
  • Comfort at heights: Linemen work from 100 or more feet in the air to service electrical lines, so comfort at heights is an asset to aspiring linemen.
  • Math skills: You can use math skills to pass an apprenticeship aptitude test and to solve everyday problems you face on the job as a lineman.
  • Reading skills: Linemen can use reading skills to interpret wiring diagrams. You can also use reading skills to pass a lineman apprenticeship test.
  • Tree trimming: A lineman can trim branches away from power lines to prevent electrical outages or injuries, so experience with landscaping equipment is a plus.
  • Equipment maintenance: Linemen can care for their equipment with regular maintenance to ensure it’s ready for use.
  • Project management: A lineman can use project management skills to develop and oversee large installation projects.

Soft skills for a lineman

In addition, here are some soft skills that linemen can use in their careers:

  • Critical thinking: Linemen can work with electricity in dangerous conditions like rain or snow. Critical thinking can prevent accidents during these situations.
  • Time management: Deadlines are common in the lineman profession. Time management can help you meet deadlines.
  • Detail orientation: Being detail-oriented can help you learn the complicated electrical knowledge needed in your apprenticeship and apply it to your lineman duties.
  • Independence: A journeyman lineman can work without supervision, so independence can help you thrive in this career.