Lineman Apprenticeship Program Field Training (REVISED July 2010)
Pre-Apprentice Assessment
The TVPPA Pre-Apprentice Assessment workshop is a 6.5 day class designed to help determine whether an employee or potential employee is suited for the demanding role of lineworker apprentice. Candidates are assessed on their ability to learn the various aspects of linework, especially climbing. Individual sessions focus on the hazards of electricity, grounding and rigging.
Participants stay physically and mentally challenged for the duration of the course and are placed “on call” at night. In addition to classroom discussion and hands-on exercises, students are assigned homework and tested extensively.
· Safety
· PPE and tool inspection
· Climbing – including free climb, hitch hiking, changing positions, circling the pole
- Students climb 40 and up to 90 foot poles
· Positioning (while climbing)
· Pole top rescue
· Rigging
· Handlines
· Knot tying
Managers receive documentation of performance for each day of the workshop with instructor comments and evaluation of the student’s potential to perform linework under stress, their capacity to learn and how well they follow orders. In addition, students may take behavior and values profiles and managers will receive reports on each individual’s results and how closely they align with top performing linemen.
Fundamentals Lab 1
Safety
PPE inspection
Grounding
Rigging
Pole top rescue
Aluminum and copper ties
Minimum approach distances
Testing
Construction Lab 2
Safety
Job briefings
Print reading
Guys and anchors
Minimum approach distances
Overhead construction
Grounding
Sagging
Aluminum ties
Single phase transformer theory
Testing
Operations Lab 3
Safety
Insulation/Isolation
PPE standards
Minimum approach distances
Aerial lift pre-flight inspection/bucket safety
Three phase transformer theory
Energized system maintenance
Testing
Bucket truck rescue
Underground Lab 4
Safety
Cable
Line location/fault finding
Elbows
Terminators
Grounding
URD transformers
URD operations/systems
URD troubleshooting
Tagging
Switching
Testing
Troubleshooting Lab 5
Safety
PPE
Hot line tools
Protective devices
Substation
Meters and instruments
OSHA/NFPA standards
Single line drawing
Test voltage
Testing
Final Exam
The 2.5 day exam consists of a 110 question written test and a series of physical skills lab demonstrations. The written test includes questions covering objectives in Units 1-4 of the Lineman Apprenticeship Program. The skills lab demonstrations include objectives from Labs 1-5 and will vary for each final exam. Demonstration requirements will not be revealed for each exam until students are on the field. Scoring of the overall exam is weighted 40% for the written test and 60% for the skills lab demonstrations.
Other TVPPA Distance Learning Program Field Training
Required lab: Protective Relaying distance learning program. This 5-day lab covers the following: AC theory, inductive reactance, capacitive reactance, power factor, vecros, calculating settings, testing relays, plotting impedance cricles, construction and theory.
Substation Maintenance Introductory Lab A
Required course: Substation Maintnenance correspondence program. This three-day course includes: DC and AC circuits, electrical measurements and equipment, polyphase vectors, power, phase sequence, three phase connections and other exercises.
Substation Maintenance Advanced Lab B
Required course: Substation Maintenance correspondence program. This five-day course includes insulation resistance tests, power factor tests, dielectric strength tests, transformers and transformer testing, circuit breakers and tests, batteries, lightening arrestors, substation maintenance safety, substation drawings and other exercises.
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