General Summary
The Powerline Specialist – Trainee is a seasonal position that has been created to provide additional labor resources during high volume construction seasons. The Powerline Specialist – Trainee will be required to operate, maintain and construct the electrical plant systems including overhead lines, URD lines and substations. The Powerline Specialist –Trainee’s exposure to the different types of construction and maintenance practices of the co-op will coincide with the trainee’s skills and experience.
Responsibilities
Comply with established Dakota Electric Association safety and operating rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines. Be responsible for reporting any un-safe practices and/or hazards to a supervisor, manager or Vice President. Visibly committed and actively involved in Dakota Electric’s safety programs, initiatives and performance.
- Is responsible for the enforcement and observance of safety rules and should follow safe working practices and methods, as well as normal operating practices and procedures.
- Responsible to see that tools, equipment and truck stock are sufficient to complete assigned work. Accounts for all material, equipment, and tools issued to crew personnel.
- Reports needed maintenance and repair on the electrical/lighting system as observed
- Becomes familiar with sectionalizing, switching procedures and operation of DEA system.
- Performs the operation, construction and maintenance work on DEA lines, substations and equipment.
- Will be given appropriate assignments according to his or her ability during emergencies and or storm damage.
- May be required to work overtime or be called out 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
- Receives direction from the Crew Chief for daily assignments. Works closely with other crew members as an effective team.
- Attends safety meetings and seminars to enhance job knowledge.
- Performs inspections and checks line segments/street lighting for hazards and sees that work complies with DEA specifications.
- Regular and punctual attendance is an essential function of this position. Variations to the work schedule need to receive the supervisor's approval.
- Prepares a daily timesheet and other documents as required.
- Observes all traffic rules and regulations while operating company vehicles.
- Perform related work as apparent or assigned.
Supervision/Direction of Others
Works with crew members to obtain maximum crew performance and to maintain good working relationships.
Position Specifications
Educational Experience
High School education or equivalent required. Vocational school graduate in a lineworker course or in-house apprenticeship program to become an apprentice powerline specialist required. Experience in linework with another utility or line construction contractor may be considered.
Key Competencies
- Must have knowledge of DEA specifications, basic electricity and electric system operations.
- Must hold a current commercial driver’s license (C.D.L.) and health card with applicable endorsements.
- Must have basic computer skills including but not limited to GIS, Go-Sync, Cityworks, and Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
- Must have the ability to follow directions and follow through accurately.
- Must have thorough knowledge of basic math and algebra.
- Must be able to use computerized maps to find correct addresses.
- Must have a thorough knowledge of the NESC and DEA specifications as they apply to our overhead and underground construction practices.
- Answers customer's inquiries effectively by providing accurate, meaningful, and courteous responses to questions, in a timely manner.
- Supports teamwork by providing effective participation, cooperation and communication.
- Must be innovative in order to creatively develop new solutions to problems. Seeks, recommends, develops, supports and encourages new ideas.
- Must annually pass pole top rescue certification test.
- Comply with established Dakota Electric Association safety and operating rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Be responsible for reporting any un-safe practices and or hazards to a supervisor.
- Visibly committed and actively involved in Dakota Electric’s safety programs, initiatives and performance.
- Must have knowledge in construction and operation of overhead and underground lines, tools, trucks, and related equipment.
Working Conditions
- The employee will spend approximately eighty percent of their time outdoors exposed to the outdoor environment and occasionally severe weather.
- The employee may be exposed to chemicals and fumes such as paint from a spray can and exhaust from moving machinery at construction sites.
- In the winter, the employee is frequently walking through snow and ice along un-shoveled paths. In the summer, the employee is frequently walking through sand and muddy areas. The employee is expected to have good walking ability and a good sense of balance.
- The employee is exposed to many types of moving machinery while working at construction sites, ditches, and road sites near moving traffic.
- The employee may be required to work in a stressful environment and potentially stressful situations while working on high voltage equipment, while working above ground, and other potentially dangerous situations. The employee is required to be very alert due to working in a high risk environment where there is no room for error.
Physical Demands
- Employee must hold a Commercial Driver’s License. Employee required to operate vehicles that include but is not limited to:
a) Aerial lift
b) Trencher
c) Digger derricks
d) Cranes
e) Dump trucks
f) Forklift
g) Backhoe trucks
h) Cable plow
- Employee uses a variety of hand tools, machines and special equipment that include but is not limited to:
a) Chain saw
b) Air hammer
c) Tree trimmer
d) Boring tools
e) Snowplow
f) Crimping tools
g) Hydraulic tools
h) Compressor
i) Torches
j) Portable generator
k) Shovel
l) Chipper
m) Variety of hand tools
n) Climbing hooks and belts
- Lifting/Carrying:
a) On a frequent to continuous basis, employee is using a variety of hand tools throughout the day, weighing approximately 10 to 50 pounds. On an occasional basis, up to one-third of the day, employee is lifting and carrying 10-50 pounds of cable equipment and tools. The heaviest weight a worker is required to carry is conductor, weighing up to 50-100 pounds. This is lifted on an average of several times per week, usually with assistance of another employee.
- Reaching:
a) For the majority of the day, the employee is reaching below shoulder height. The employee is working below shoulder height while performing maintenance work on substations and while operating a variety of equipment.
b) The employee is also working at shoulder height on an occasional basis; reach out to the side while performing line maintenance work.
c) On an occasional basis, the employee is also reaching above shoulder height while working from the pole, maintaining equipment and working with the conductor.
d) Employee may also be using and reaching from eight, ten and twelve foot ladders to check the connections on a house. This may be done on a daily basis.
- Pushing/Pulling:
a) On a continuous basis, employee may be required to push, pull and lift while using a five foot shovel and while pulling cables which may be lying in a trench.
b) Most often this work is done independently, but occasionally is done with another employee. The cables weigh 2-3 pounds per foot and are in ten to twenty foot coils on large wheels.
c) The employee is also pushing and pulling while loading poles, and while using crimping tools and other various tools and equipment.
- Climbing:
a) On an occasional basis, employee is required to climb out of trenches which may be four feet deep. During the summer months, this is done on a daily basis.
b) On an occasional basis, employee is also climbing an eight to twelve foot ladder to check the connection on a house or trim a tree. This is also occasionally done from a pole. When required to climb a pole, employee is climbing an average of 40 feet.
c) Employee is climbing two to three steps in to and out of the truck on a continuous basis throughout the work day. The employee is required to climb these steps an estimated ten to twenty times per day.
- Twisting/Rotating:
a) Continuous twisting and rotating from the hips, shoulders, and neck is required throughout the work day.
b) The employee is twisting and rotating from the hips and shoulders while shoveling dirt and while operating equipment. The employee is twisting from the neck on a continuous basis while working on the pole.
- Handling:
a) On a continuous basis, finger dexterity is required to operate a variety of and tools and while stripping cable.
b) Simple and firm grasping and gripping is required while using the crimping tools and while operating the bucket. Gripping and grasping is also used throughout the day while shoveling and while using hand and power tools.
- Stooping/Bending/Squatting:
a) Stooping, bending, and squatting are performed on a frequent basis throughout the work day.
b) The employee is stooping on a frequent basis while shoveling. Shoveling with a five foot shovel may be required up to two‑thirds of the work day.
c) The employee is bending while working on cables, conductors, or pieces equipment.
d) The employee may be required to squat for short duration while working on equipment.
- Kneeling:
a) The worker may be kneeling on a frequent basis while working on underground transformers and while performing other underground work.
b) During the summer, working in trenches may be required on a daily basis. This is required less often during the winter months.
- Standing/Walking/Sitting:
a) For the majority of the work day, the worker is standing. The employee may be standing while performing maintenance work on the lines, substations and equipment.
b) The worker is walking approximately thirty percent of the day. Since the employee works outdoors, the worker may be exposed to uneven ground, ice, snow, and mud when the employee is walking to reach the worksite, to move equipment and tools from the truck to the worksite, and while moving cable.
c) The worker is sitting approximately twenty percent of the day while riding or driving in the truck to and from the worksite. In addition, the worker is required to attend meetings and to complete timesheets and reports as required daily.
- Talking/Hearing:
a) The employee will be required to work independently and/or work with other employees as a team, talking is required to communicate with team members. The employee is talking while coordinating work activities with other team members and while communicating with dispatch over two‑way radio.
b) Hearing is required in order to receive instructions and direction from the person in charge. Hearing instructions over a two‑way radio from dispatch is also required on a frequent basis throughout the work day.
c) In addition, talking and hearing while operating and working around potentially dangerous tools and equipment is necessary as a safety concern for the employee and other team members.
- Vision:
a) The employee must have the ability to read specifications, diagrams, map books for work locations, and numbers on parts and equipment.
b) Good eyesight and ability to identify colors, particularly red, white and blue, are used to identify appropriate parts and equipment. Color coding is used on energized cables of the electrical system to identify phases.
c) Depth perception is also used by the worker to recognize distances from the conductor and is required on a continuous basis to maintain safety for the employee.
- Working Above Ground:
a) On a frequent basis, the worker is working above ground in a bucket while performing maintenance work.
b) On an occasional basis, the worker is working above ground on poles. These poles, on average, are 35 to 40 feet above the ground. A variety of climbing and safety equipment is used by the employee while climbing and working on the pole.
- Foot Controls:
a) The employee uses foot controls on a continuous basis while operating a variety of vehicles. Foot controls are used while operating digger derricks, trucks, backhoe, pickup trucks, and forklifts, etc.
(All duties should be considered essential functions per the Americans with Disabilities Act)