Today's Technology Transforms Line Work

Sept. 1, 2012
Field crews demand tools that help them to improve productivity and increase safety.

Electric utilities must invest in tools and technology to keep their employees as safe as possible and to enhance production, said Craig Froh, a transmission line specialist for Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The 39-year industry veteran said with smaller crew sizes and more work to accomplish, linemen must prioritize work and consolidate with other crews.

BPA is maximizing its crews' efficiency and improving their safety by investing in new styles of hard-hats, gloves, safety glasses and fall protection/rescue harnesses. The utility also is designing self-passing spacer carts, track-mounted digger derricks and new man lifts.

“We can't live without any of these tools,” said Froh, who specializes in hot-sticking and bare-hand work.

Other utilities also are turning to technology to modernize their infrastructure and improve customer reliability. In turn, these tools often help to improve ergonomics, prevent injuries and maximize the productivity of their workforce.

John West, manager of line construction and maintenance for NV Energy, said investing in technology is critical due to the aging field workforce. The advent of the bucket truck, battery-operated tools, advanced fall protection and computer technology has changed the face of line work.

“This used to be a young man's sport, and now there's not as many young ones doing it anymore,” said West, a 20-year veteran of the utility. “Technology makes everything easier.”

With a technology-savvy generation of line workers entering the workforce, investing in the latest tools is critical for utilities to stay competitive, said George Patrick, central area transmission lines supervisor for Santee Cooper in South Carolina.

“We have a generation who understands the full capabilities and benefits of these tools,” Patrick said. “We need to understand what is needed and then create a system that allows us to manage our workforce to accomplish the things that need to be done in a timely manner.”

Investing in Heavy Equipment

Not long ago, linemen drove around in standard transmission trucks with tough-to-shift gears, a rough and bumpy ride and no air conditioning. Now they are driving bucket trucks with automatic transmissions, air-ride seats, suspension and smoothly running hydraulically operated buckets.

Because bucket trucks often have to withstand adverse conditions and rough terrain, Lakeland Electric equipped its fleet with the Tire Boss system from TPC International. This system enables the operator to lower the pressure of rear tires from inside the cab. That way, if the Altec bucket truck's back eight wheels are stuck in the mud or sand, a lineman can hit a button to lower the pressure. Then before they drive on the asphalt, they can hit the button again and check the gauges to see when the tires are fully inflated.

“The Tire Boss is one of the greatest technological improvements that we've had in the last five years,” said Robert Padgett, Lakeland Electric's head of lineman training who has been with the utility for 24 years. “You may not have to buy a truck with a front-drive axle.”

Today's bucket trucks also feature plenty of storage so linemen can be prepared for any job.

NV Energy's bucket trucks are equipped with a variety of different tools of the trade, like crimpers, cutters, hammer drills and rattle guns. To allow linemen to charge their tools while driving to a job site, NV Energy partnered with Altec to build battery-charger stations right inside the bucket trucks.

Electric utilities not only are investing in the latest technology for their bucket trucks, but they also are purchasing other types of heavy equipment, machinery and accessories to help their linemen get work done quickly and efficiently.

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) uses the Hydraulic Intensifier from Alcoa Industries to press dead-ends, sleeves and splices. In the past, linemen had to lug a 400-lb motor on the platform, which could cause a back injury. The new device only weighs 20 lb, and it works right off the truck's hydraulics.

NPPD also purchased one rough-terrain crane from Link-Belt Construction Equipment Co. and two Mantis crawler cranes, which are able to navigate muddy or snow-packed terrain. The crews use these machines to set poles, hang conductor, set steel towers and set heavy equipment. The heavy machines replaced the cranes with wheels that always got stuck in the mud. The new machines feature tracks on the bottom, so they have a lesser impact on the land than the wheeled vehicles, said Scott Walz, NPPD's district transmission superintendent, who has been with the utility for 25 years.

Another innovation that has helped linemen to improve productivity is the invention of remotes for digger trucks from Terex Utilities. At FortisAlberta of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, operators can do everything from the remote that they can do at the control station, like digging holes, putting in anchors and setting poles. American Electric Power (AEP) also has invested in this technology as a way to improve both safety and productivity.

“Our line mechanics used to have to be on the seat or stand behind the truck to direct the auger to where they wanted to dig,” said Natalie McCord, director of transmission region operations for AEP's Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Shreveport, Louisiana, regions. “Now that they can stand back from the truck and use a remote control, they can get a better position to see where they are digging, and they don't have to look over their shoulders and operate the truck controls for a better ergonomic body position. Also, in some cases, it frees up a worker from being a spotter and allows him or her to do another task.”

AEP also uses backyard machines in tight neighborhood easements and difficult-to-access locations. The machine uses a remote control station like the one for the digger derrick. The backyard machine improves efficiency and frees up a few workers who would otherwise be required to perform work using the manual method. Using the backyard machine requires less rigging and pinch points. In addition, stored energy and line-of-fire issues are greatly reduced, McCord said.

Showing Linemen the Way

To make their vehicles even more efficient, electric utilities are increasingly purchasing GPS units for their fleets. Beyond helping linemen to reach a street address, these units have access to a utility's infrastructure data, enabling linemen to locate equipment within seconds.

GPS units have proved to be invaluable for the field crews at Santee Cooper. The utility uploaded all of its transmission pole, substation and switch-point assets. This allows crew members simply to click on the “where” screen, scroll down to “extras” and then choose from a dropdown menu to receive guidance directly to the site. This cuts down on travel time for new employees as well as traveling crew members.

The Santee Cooper crews just started using GPS technology about three years ago. The Garmin units are now installed in about 25 vehicles belonging to crew supervisors and first responders. Patrick said these units are helping not only with productivity but also with improved customer service. During outages, crews can find stations or switch out transmission assets more safely and more quickly any time of day or night. So far, the field managers have positively responded to the GPS technology, Patrick said.

Like Santee Cooper, NV Energy also has equipped some of its trucks with the latest technology. The utility's trucks feature ruggedized laptops with system mapping as well as a GPS overlay. When the system is enabled, it will show where a foreman is in relation to the equipment on the utility's system.

The GPS units in the trouble trucks allow the trouble-response team to be dispatched to specific addresses and pieces of equipment more rapidly. NV Energy also uses an automated after-hours, callout system for crew response. This has proved to be indispensable as crews are trying to respond to middle-of-night outages and repair damaged padmounted transformers. Oftentimes, NV Energy's customers try to hide transformers with plants and, even with a map, it sometimes can be challenging to find this equipment, especially in the dark.

“It is invaluable to be able to follow in our system when our dispatchers give us orders,” West said. “It's a huge safety advantage. Instead of just the dispatchers having a clear view of the system that needs to be switched or operated, the field crews have it as well.”

Enhancing Ergonomics

While utilities are improving productivity through GPS units and computer technology, they also are increasing efficiency by purchasing battery-powered tools for their linemen. When NV Energy first started investing in battery-powered tools, its linemen loved them, but the utility had an issue with quality. The tools broke all the time, and the batteries would not hold their charge. Since then, manufacturers have come a long way as far as battery technology and the durability of the tools, West said. For example, the newer cordless tools run off of 24-V to 32-V lithium batteries.

“We have a lot better success rate, and the end result is a better procedure, a lot less setup and less downtime,” West said. “This leads to better ergonomics. With the price coming down on these tools as well as better warranties, we are starting to buy more of them.”

Since NV Energy's linemen need to cut 1,000-MCM cable and frequently make splices inside manholes, they rely on battery-operated tools. For example, they are increasingly relying on battery-operated crimpers and cutters from Huskie Tools, Makita and Greenlee.

Wayne Holmen, a FortisAlberta work methods specialist, said, with an aging workforce, the utility was seeing a lot of repetitive strain injuries about six or seven years ago from using manual presses and cutters, especially in the live-line work environment. The utility then moved to battery-operated tools and test drove a few on the market. Ultimately, it settled on those that were economical, would last and were reliable. For example, the utility buys Huskie battery-operated cutters and presses.

“Our guys love that when they do repetitive compressions when they're on the pole, their elbows and shoulders don't ache at the end of the day,” he said. “Instead of doing repetitive squeezes, they just have to hold the tool and press the trigger.”

Roy Arms, a lineman and foreman for Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), said one tool making his crews' lives easier is the 36-V cordless impact FANUC Robodrill, which can last a week on one charge. The crew has been using the drill to tighten bolts, break out old poles, remove hardware quickly and connect sockets for a wood drill bit. Crews use the tool daily and have one on each of the bucket trucks.

All of the tools used by TVA's linemen on job sites are cordless. For example, the linemen use a Makita impact tool, which features an 18-V lithium battery, to loosen, tighten or remove conductor shoes. In the past, they had to use regular socket wrenches, but the new tools are a lot faster and put less strain on the linemen's sockets.

Vincent Flores, a line crew foreman for Black Hills Energy, said his utility is moving toward battery-operated squeeze tools, which makes it easier on linemen's shoulders. He had to go into surgery two years ago, and it cost the utility about $35,000 for the operation and therapy. In the end, he said, the utility would save money if it purchased battery-powered squeeze tools instead of hand squeeze tools.

The crews use tools from Greenlee and an impact wrench from Milwaukee; they keep them stocked on their line trucks. The utility also may be moving toward hydraulic or battery-powered ground rod drivers.

Outfitting Crews in PPE

Another way utilities are protecting their field workforce is through flame-retardant (FR) clothing.

For example, Black Hills Energy buys FR shirts and jeans from Carhartt, and TVA mandates that its linemen wear FR harnesses as well as FR shirts and jeans from companies such as Bulwark. AEP's field workforce wears long-sleeved FR shirts from Tyndale, and they are required to show up on the job site with long-sleeved shirts tucked into all-cotton jeans. The apprentices and journeymen have set allotments for FR clothing, and they can scan the website or flip through a catalog to select their desired shirts, pants, coveralls and jackets.

Over the last couple years or so, manufacturers have started coming out with shirts that not only feature a higher calorie rating but also are more comfortable and wearable, Lakeland Electric's Padgett said. In the past, manufacturers made their FR garments from thicker and thicker material to get a higher calorie rating.

“They figured that they couldn't have a bunch of guys in Florida running around in coats,” he said. “They have gone to some lighter fabric that the material itself is flame-resistant rather than having a coating on it.”

Lakeland Electric's linemen wear Riverside FR shirts and Wrangler FR jeans. While the linemen have been wearing FR shirts for years, the utility mandated that they wear FR jeans since January 2012.

As far as personal protective equipment (PPE), the linemen also wear rubber gloves from Salisbury and dielectric boots and shoes from manufacturers such as Red Wing, Carolina or West Coast. Padgett said he owns lineman boots from all three vendors, with about eight pairs total. He is a firm believer in rubber overshoes, especially when setting poles in energized conductors.

To protect them in the field, AEP also outfits its line mechanics with boots; optional rubber overshoes, or hot boots; clear, amber or sun glasses; rubber gloves; and hard-hats.

Protecting Linemen

While PPE is essential to keep linemen safe on the job, other devices also are helping utilities to minimize injuries and improve safety.

For example, AEP has mandated full fall protection for its line mechanics for the last three years. Before rolling out the fall arrest systems to its field workforce, the utility invited a team of linemen to test different devices on the market. AEP's line mechanics now wear fall arrest systems from Buckingham and JELCO when climbing poles and structures.

NPPD also recently shifted to full fall protection for wood poles. Its linemen are testing three fall protection devices from Cynch-Lok, Buckingham Manufacturing and JELCO to discover the advantages and drawbacks of each device. So far, the linemen are accepting it, and the utility has not received a lot of pushback. Walz said the transition has been fairly seamless. The next step for the utility is to move to fall protection for steel poles.

“They know it is coming, and it will be an OSHA requirement sooner or later,” Walz commented. “They are fine with getting on board with it now.”

In addition, the utility soon will be using the Polymer Insulator Tester, which will be commercialized by A.B. Chance within the next year. The company partnered with EPRI to do the beta testing for this tool, which is new to the industry. It will be part of a procedure to test the insulator prior to doing hot work. It also serves a dual role, because it can be used as a hot-line tool as well as for finding a fault. NPPD received the tool at the end of July, and it will be available in the next year for purchase by other utilities.

As far as safety tools and equipment, NV Energy's crews are relying on two devices: heat guns and partial discharge meters. Linemen use infrared guns to access a vault or piece of equipment, and if one of the splices is hotter than the other two, then they take caution. After a supply failed inside of a manhole, NV Energy also invested in a partial discharge meter.

Another product NV Energy has on order is a V-watch from HD Electric. Linemen or troublemen wear this piece of equipment on their belt or around their neck. The device will alert them in the middle of the night if they are walking near an energized downed power line. AEP also has used this device, especially when working in storm restoration situations. In some cases, the watch has gone off and alerted field workers they were near an energized line, McCord said.

AEP also protects its line mechanics by requiring them to wear a Bashlin Self-Rescue Pack if they are working alone in a bucket. If a line mechanic gets stranded in the bucket, he or she can safely lower down to the ground. Secondly, if the bucket dumps, the field worker uses the Self-Rescue Pack to relieve suspension trauma and pressure on the legs.

By investing in the latest tools and equipment, electric utilities are boosting their crews' productivity and enhancing the safety of their field crews. In turn, they are able to make strides in upgrading aging infrastructure and improving customer reliability, both now and in the future.

“It's beneficial for our company and our employees to use current technology to help our line mechanics do their jobs smarter, faster and safer,” McCord said. “There are many benefits from using the new tools.”

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