Welcome to this year’s Lineman supplement, which celebrates what’s ahead for the line trade — a more diversified workforce, bridging the knowledge gap and monitoring and working on infrastructure from the sky.
Over the last 14 years I have covered the line trade for T&D World, I have seen more women topping out as journeymen linemen and an increasing number of utilities investing in drone programs. In addition, linemen are becoming specialized to serve on aerial work crews nationwide.
Bridging the Gap
Through the years, more linemen are also hanging up their harnesses and stowing away their work boots as they move into retirement. While some of these experienced linemen move out of the field and into roles in safety and training, others leave the line trade — taking their years of experience and wisdom with them.
To ensure linemen’s knowledge and skills don’t get lost along the way, utilities have explored many different strategies and technologies. For example, Duke Energy has captured the data from its veteran lineworkers in its circuit mapping software.
“Up until about 20 years ago, switching locations, the locations of fuses along the line, and the driving directions for how to get to each was part of a vast information storehouse locked in the memories of older line workers,” said Barry Anderson of Duke Energy. “Today, that vital encyclopedic data resides in circuit mapping software and GPS tools that are accessible to all line workers, regardless of their home territory. That is invaluable information for crews who travel in from different areas to help restore power after storms.”
Eye in the Sky
Speaking of storms, drone technology has expedited outage response and damage assessment for many companies nationwide. The “Eye in the Sky” story in this year’s supplement looks at how companies are using drones to capture imagery of destruction in the aftermath of severe storms.
In the past, linemen had to “walk the line” and encounter the possibility of hidden hazards during the damage assessment process. Today, operators can fly drones over the storm-damaged areas and then quickly send the imagery to the field supervisors, who can then line up materials and prioritize work for the line crews.
“A drone team can capture the entire area remotely avoiding all hazards while still collecting imagery from above, which can provide details not even seen from the ground,” said Chris Sorrentini of BHI Energy/D&D Power.
Women in Line Work
This year’s Lineman supplement also highlights women in the line trade. As the utility industry works to increase diversity, more women are becoming aware of the opportunities to work as linemen.
For this year’s supplement, I talked to six female linemen at different stages of their careers — from an apprentice lineman up to a power line maintainer with 34 years in the trade. The women share their stories about how they got inspired to work in the line trade and what it’s like to work as a woman in a male-dominated occupation.
When they topped out in the trade, they all had different views of the title of “journeyman.” For example, Rae-Lynn Hawco of Voltage Power prefers the title, “linewoman” because she says it feels strong.
In contrast, Lorrie Reece of Southern California Edison (SCE) says she preferred the designation, “journeyman lineman” because she believed there should be no gender specification to the position.
“When I was hired with SCE, my supervisor asked me what I preferred, and I said, ‘there is no journeywoman classification because it is not needed,” Reece said. “Gender has nothing to do with it. You either have it or you don’t.”
Aerial Linemen
Along with women in the line trade, I am also profiling the adventurous lives of aerial linemen. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to see a human external cargo (HEC) crew in action at the 2019 Transmission & Distribution Maintenance Management Association conference hosted by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. While I didn’t have the opportunity to fly with the HEC team, I was able to sit in an Air Chair, check out the personal protective equipment and observe a live demonstration.
Rather than solely working from a bucket truck, these linemen use the HEC or long-line method to access hard-to-reach structures and perform line work. Through specialized training, the linemen learn how to safely and efficiently work with the helicopter pilot and their team on the ground to get the job done.
I hope you enjoy reading these feature stories about the lives of linemen as much I did writing them. I look forward to welcoming the T&D World readers and their families to Kansas City for the International Lineman’s Rodeo this October. While we had to celebrate virtually last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I think linemen are ready to compete at the Rodeo and enjoy the camaraderie of the line trade.
Pick up your free copy of the 2021 T&D World Lineman Supplement at the T&D World/Utility Products table outside the Exhibit Hall at the Overland Park Convention Center during the Lineman's Expo.
