First Lineman’s Rodeo Showcases Skills
four-year-long apprenticeship
program combines 8,000 hours
of on-the-job training with almost
600 hours of related instruction.
Graduates of the program receive
a nationally recognized journey¬
man’s certificate as a certified
electrical distribution lineman.
Chuck Hardin of Pike Electric
narrated as Andy Cleary and
Bud Bondurant demonstrated on
a specialized vehicle Pike
designed. Hardin emphasized that
safety always comes first when
working around electricity. This
“live line” demonstration vehicle
The linemen from Pike Electric stand in front of the “live line" demonstration 'S a
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used by the
vehicle. Pike designed the vehicle louse as a training tool for its employees and
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S safety department to
as an educational too l in demonstrations.
By Neal
О
'Briant
Public Information Officer
Participants in the first N.C.
Lineman’s Rodeo demonstrated
the variety of skills needed by
today’s power line technicians.
The event took place June 7 at
the N.C. State Fairgrounds in
conjunction with the Got to Be
N.C. Festival sponsored by the
N.C. Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services.
Other rodeo sponsors included
the N.C. Electric Membership
Corporation, Pike Electric and
the N.C. Department of Labor.
"The N.C. Department of
Labor is proud to partner with
these companies and fine workers
to showcase the skills of today’s linemen,”
Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said.
"There is a critical need for qualified trained
linemen in our state, and 1 hope watching
these demonstrations will inspire others
to investigate a career as a lineman.”
Nash Community College is a leader in
providing training to prospective power line
technicians. Its Electric Lineman Academy
is a 12-week course that introduces class¬
room training in electrical theory and
troubleshooting, circuit analysis, power
systems components and operation,
personal protective equipment (PPE) and
protective grounding, substation operation
and components, as well as a general
overview of overhead and underground
line work.
The field component of the training
includes framing and building single- and
three-phase overhead lines, pole top and
bucket rescue techniques, bucket truck
operation, and underground systems. The
course also provides extensive training in
free climbing, hitch-hiking and using the
Buckingham buck squeeze system.
Each area of the training emphasizes
the overriding requirements of safety and
teamwork in every aspect of power line
work. Graduates of the program receive a
third class lineman certificate, which
qualifies them to begin work as an
apprentice lineman.
The continued need for qualified power
line technicians is reflected in the starting
salaries. Recent graduates of the 12-week
course have averaged starting salaries of
about $30,000. Graduates with five years
of experience can expect annual salaries
of $65,000, and linemen with 10 years of
experience can earn more than $100,000
a year.
Pike Electric has developed a career
development program in conjunction
with the N.C. Department of Labor’s
Apprenticeship and Training Bureau. This
teach employees, customers,
paramedics, firefighters and the
general public what can happen if
electricity is not respected. It has a
transformer that is used to back feed the
three pole distribution line to 7,200 volts.
The demonstration included personal
protective equipment, animals in live lines,
and trees and limbs in live lines. A hot dog
was used to simulate human contact with
a live line. The arc when an aluminum
ladder touches a live line can reach
1 1,000°F in less than a second.
Tommy Greer, statewide safety director
for N.C. Electric Cooperatives, explained
how teams of linemen worked together
during four demonstrations of skills used
by power line technicians. Linemen
demonstrated changing a pole-mounted
transformer; removing and then replacing
horizontal cross arms and bracing on a
utility pole; setting, connecting and
removing a pad-mounted transformer;
and rescuing an injured lineman from a
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