When Pike Electric was hired to relocate a line for a road widening in Cumming, Georgia, north of Atlanta, pole crews encountered an obstacle course. New sidewalks, fences, landscaping, sprinkler systems, water meters and new driveways were being constructed simultaneously along the same right-of-way (ROW) as the new line. Worse, traffic in and out of the area was funneled into two lanes because of the road widening, making the job site even more overwhelming. All the new sidewalks, driveways, and landscaping being installed made it difficult for Pike's trucks to get off the road to handle poles and hang equipment. Traffic had to be flagged when the crews used the trucks, which led to angry drivers on a daily basis. Clearly, some creativity was needed.

Ingenuity

Pike Electric (Mount Airy, North Carolina) was founded on ingenuity. After World War II in 1945, Floyd Pike dreamed of owning his own power line construction company but equipment was a scarce. Like the pole crew in Cumming, he had exhausted all possibilities when he heard about a line truck that had fallen from a barge into the inland waterway close to Beaufort, North Carolina. It had been under water for several months. After checking into the possibility of salvaging the truck, Floyd and a friend headed to the coast and raised the truck from the bottom of the canal. They worked on the truck for a few days, got it running and drove it back to Mount Airy in freezing November weather — minus the windshield. Such was the beginning of Pike Electric.

That's the way we were thinking when we left the job site one evening in Cumming. One crew member said, “There must be a better way.” My brain must have been working overtime, because I woke up the next morning with an idea I thought could make life simpler and safer for both the crew and myself. The idea was to use a small hydraulic jack, designed to lift and cradle the poles while crossarms and other equipment were attached. This would eliminate the extra truck needed to lift poles, and more importantly, would cut down on the time spent flagging traffic.

Like Floyd Pike more than 50 years ago, I picked up some metal pieces and a hydraulic jack on my way home from work and built the first “Pole Danny,” which the crew nicknamed after me. The pole jack was used for the remainder of the job, proving the need for a small, lightweight piece of equipment for pole crews.

After the job was finished, I applied for patents and built three more Pole Dannys, which Pike Electric continues to use. Using the tool, crew production has increased substantially on specific jobs. One man can raise a pole for framing, eliminating the need for crane or boom assistance. In addition, it cuts down on wear and tear to trucks, makes canting a pole easier and safer, and training a new pole crew hand is much easier. In the cradle position, the pole is kept stable while the crew is drilling and attaching material.

Collaboration

Pike Electric is known for working with its customers and others to get the job done right. Last August, our company president, Eric Pike, represented Pike Electric in Washington, D.C., along with four other large electric contractors, in the joint signing of a Strategic Safety Partnership Agreement. This landmark announcement, made at Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) headquarters, represents the collaboration of the five contractors and three key industry organizations — National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) — whose combined membership represents total more than 750,000 nationwide. This new safety coalition has been formed to “reduce injuries and fatalities of workers in the electrical transmission and distribution contracting industry.”

At the meeting, Pike said, “This partnership will enable us to better focus our efforts on the root causes of accidents in our industry. It gives industry competitors the unique opportunity to work with each other and OSHA to improve our business.” That's collaboration at a high level.

After working with the Pole Danny for several months, I also did some collaborating, taking my invention to Sherman & Reilly in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They have been helpful in designing a production version of the tool that is durable and lightweight. Furthermore, they are manufacturing and marketing the production version of the pole jack to the entire pole construction industry. The new item is listed in Sherman & Reilly's product catalogues as Model PD-40 Pole Framing Jack.

Conclusion

Thanks to Floyd Pike's ingenuity and collaboration, there have been many successes at Pike Electric. As a company, we continually look for ways to work safer and more productively. In the case of the pole jack, we have been able to save time and wear-and-tear on pole crews and equipment. The Safety Partnership is being called the “biggest safety-related initiative in 30 years” and Pike is on the steering committee. It's a great time to be working in the utility business.

Danny Clark has worked in the electric utility field operations since 1986 when he joined Pike Electric as a truck operator, setting poles and anchors on an overhead line crew. He is currently line superintendent of overhead line construction, based in Pike's Lawrenceville, Georgia, office.
poledannyinc@yahoo.com

Safety Association Partners

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; Washington, D.C.) is dedicated to assuring worker safety and health. OSHA is responsible for the promulgation and enforcement of safety and health laws. It provides training, outreach and education, and establishes partnerships and encourages continued improvement in workplace safety and health.

• The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA; Washington, D.C.), founded in 1901, is a representative of the electrical construction market comprised of more than 70,000 electrical contracting firms. NECA includes 120 U.S. chapters in addition to others in countries around the world. NECA is dedicated to enhancing the industry through continuing education, labor relations, current information and promotional activities. It is the voice of the electrical contracting industry, working to promote higher standards, quality workmanship and training for a skilled workforce.

• Edison Electric Institute (EEI; Washington, D.C.) is a trade association for U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies, and serves international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. Organized in 1933, EEI works closely with all of its members, representing their interests and advocating equitable policies in legislative and regulatory arenas. In its leadership role, EEI provides advocacy, authoritative analysis and critical industry data to its members, Congress, government agencies, the financial community and other opinion-leader audiences. EEI provides forums for member company representatives to discuss issues and strategies to advance the industry and ensure a competitive position in a changing marketplace.

• The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW; Washington, D.C.) represents 750,000 members who work highly skilled occupations in utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW has members in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Panama Canal Zone.