About This Role
Working as an A-Lineman involves safely performing skilled electrical work in the construction, maintenance, and operation of underground and overhead electrical distribution or transmission systems. This position may occasionally supervise other roles, ensuring operations are conducted safely and efficiently according to required standards. The work involves exposure to adverse weather and hazards associated with energized lines and apparatus.
Responsibilities
- Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas
- Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs
- Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment
- Place insulating or fireproofing materials over conductors and joints
- Safely construct, maintain, and repair electrical overhead and underground distribution systems and substations, including conduits, cables, wires, and related equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switches
- Identify defective sectionalizing devices, circuit breakers, fuses, voltage regulators, transformers, switches, relays, or wiring, using wiring diagrams and electrical-testing instruments
- Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites
- Coordinate work assignment preparation and completion with other workers
- Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, using reading and testing instruments
- String wire conductors and cables between poles, towers, trenches, pylons, and buildings, setting lines in place and using winches to adjust tension
- Test conductors, according to electrical diagrams and specifications, to identify corresponding conductors and to prevent incorrect connections
- Replace or straighten damaged poles
- Attach cross-arms, insulators, and auxiliary equipment to poles prior to installing them
- Travel in trucks, helicopters, airplanes, boats or air boats, to inspect lines for freedom from obstruction and adequacy of insulation
- Dig holes, using augers, and set poles, using cranes and power equipment
- Splice or solder cables together or to overhead transmission lines, customer service lines, or street light lines, using hand tools, epoxies, or specialized equipment
- Cut and peel lead sheathing and insulation from defective or newly installed cables and conduits prior to splicing
- Clean, tin, and splice corresponding conductors by twisting ends together or by joining ends with metal clamps and soldering connections
- Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks
- Lay underground cable directly in trenches, or string it through conduit running through the trenches
