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View Full Version : a good one for you troubleshooters



reppy007
04-24-2012, 06:06 PM
I know that this doesnt happen too often,and I know the feeling a guy can get when this happens,but i wanted to ask anyway.....it makes me laugh thinking of some of the stuff that can be found when working alone like going up a pole at night cause the customer had flickering lights.....you cant see the connections from the ground so you decide to get up there and have a look when you see this you think to yourself(just my luck) the connections cant be seen cause a tree or a tree limb has grown in or around the spot your looking for....maybe even around some hardware like bolts.some of these limbs can be huge,so that means you might have to fetch a hand saw,anyone seen that lately?

lewy
04-28-2012, 06:40 AM
I have to ask what happens at night if while your up there & you get yourself in trouble. Do they find you there the next morning or if they know your in trouble is help hours away. I just don't get doing this kind of work alone.

T-Man
04-28-2012, 07:34 AM
I have to ask what happens at night if while your up there & you get yourself in trouble. Do they find you there the next morning or if they know your in trouble is help hours away. I just don't get doing this kind of work alone.


Lewy you may not get it but that's the way trouble was handled back in the day. I'm not bragging just saying it was expected you go back there take a look, get the gear you need go up with the proper PPE and get the job done.( on secondary problems only) Now a days anytime you need rubber gloves and sleeves on there should be a second person to make a rescue, but back then it wasn't the way it worked we didn't even have cell phones to call for help if we needed to or could. Evolution I guess.

We used a man aloft system. You would call the troubls clerk and let them know you would be off the air for 20-30 minutes and they would set an alarm on their pannel and it would go off in the precsribed time then they would call you. If you answered OK if not they would try to find a guy to go look for you. . . .

I can remember tying a pipe hitch to a phase of downed secondary main, Putting a #2 jumper on a bare spot near the end but enough room so a sleeve and a permanent jumper could be installed.
Coil the short jumper and tape it to the down line. Then take the other end of the line up with me. wearing rubber gloves and sleeves put the rope over the secondary cross arm and hoist the down wire up close enough and high enough off the ground to tie off and grab the jumper. Then cut the tape and install the jumper to the hot main to pick up the customers temporary, in the dark alone and it was expected we do it that way. Things have changed time marches on.

lewy
04-28-2012, 07:39 AM
We did stuff in the past that is not allowed now also, I got the impression that he was talking about today.

reppy007
04-28-2012, 09:02 AM
I am still talking about today,,here if you need help all you need to do is call for it,otherwise if you feel like you can handle it ,theres nobody thats going to stop you......Its not that we have he/men here it just comes natural to anyone that was brought up that way.........kind of like an older lineman climbing,we never would let someone older climb if there was someone younger that could do that same job..............it was simple....like get your tools on and get your a$$ up that pole......but never did let someone older climb.

Lineman8641
04-30-2012, 07:18 PM
I Like the way you think Reppy. However, if I'm on the job and ask for help, I insist I do the work even if I'm the oldest one on the job. Climb or bucket work. I tell them I didn't call you to "bail" me out. Just to give me a hand. I'm sure you're the same way.

reppy007
05-01-2012, 05:56 AM
yea Im the same way,I dont need to be hearing somebody repeatedly saying that they bailed me out,lol its ok if I say it to someone else.........guess thats nationwide,the bailing out saying......when you need help you need help,but I remember being a young apprentice,and it was a respectful thing that you would tell a older lineman that you would catch the pole,we took care of the older hands.........now days everyone is the same age,so its old man bailing out another old man,laugh.

Lineman8641
05-02-2012, 05:23 PM
Well if I call you for help, we'll flip the coin for who does the work!!

reppy007
05-02-2012, 06:40 PM
Well if I call you for help, we'll flip the coin for who does the work!!

my backs hurt.

Hebrew
03-18-2013, 01:15 PM
I am a troubleman but we don't work alone.I am one of the youngest guys working trouble though,at 48.At what age are you guys not required to climb?A workmate told me the supervisor told him not to climb,he's 58.I asked him if the supervisor tells him what he can do or the other way around.So are you told not to climb or do you decide you've had enough?

reppy007
03-18-2013, 01:32 PM
You brought up a good subject....start a thread on that Hebrew....it used to be normal here for a supervisor to tell the older lineman to take it easy,not to climb....let the young ones do that....but theres not many younger ones anymore....or ones with experience.....I remember when I was 47 and we built a line....I had to catch 8 poles ...all 55s.....that is when my body missed its youth and I thought it was crazy....Companies should have the money and common sense to hire youngsters.....Back in the day as apprentices and young Jys...it was natural tto catch a pole for the older guys....expected is the correct word....but times have changed,people have changed....and now climbing has changed with the squeeze and all.:nightmare:

Hebrew
03-21-2013, 08:48 PM
I will start it in the linework forum.Thanks for the tip.

Brotherskeeper
05-27-2013, 02:56 AM
If you are not on the primary.... i dont see any prob with climbing alone. if sec still hot... just drop the xfmr. not worth the risk. I could care less to drop 10 cust. to make sure i dont get cross ways in some sec. Working primary alone is just stupid and dumb. your taking your life in your own hands and you dont have back up.

Gridhotstick
11-24-2013, 09:45 AM
You can talk about the old days all you want, but the fact is, you climb alone you break OSHA rules, and all company rules of climbing. Of course the companies love a troubleman that'll do whatever it takes to get the power on and willing to look the other way as to how you got that power on. But sometime when you do get hurt, or worse, you have to think about your family. You climb alone and cut out and hurt yourself to the extent you can't work, watch how fast the company you work for for tosses you out the door for breaking all the rules. Or god forbid you kill yourself on that climb? See how fast they whisper to your widow, "He knew the rules, he should have known better", sorry about your loss, and sorry we're not paying you a dime. Just the facts gentleman.

reppy007
11-24-2013, 11:28 PM
your right ...but a good lineman doesnt use ifs.....he thinks about that because he knows he is alone....your going to tell me that a good lineman needs help on everything ...a good lineman can do his job at 3am ,,with no help whats your age? yes its good to have another man present but a good lineman doesnt worry about OSHA HE JUST GETS THE JOB DONE AS SAFE A POSSIBLE ....tell us what you needed help on ...as far as climbing ..you most likely climb differently that we did ...your safer ..so tell me what the deal is ..........I WANT TO KNOW.

reppy007
11-24-2013, 11:40 PM
IM just going to be me...a lineman doesnt need help if he forgot a couple of clamps while he is on a pole 21-15 feet up...yes he is alone....when he climbs back down and goes back to the truck to get those clamps it teaches him to be a better lineman....next time he doesnt forget .....we learn that way .I know its the holidays but dont ask me to baby you.:D

reppy007
11-25-2013, 12:09 AM
lets let the other good lineman that has worked in this trade say what thay want to say ....no guys that has spent 15 years in hooks or less this should be GOOD:D.........do we need OSHA to tell us about linework.........i wouldnt think so.

lewy
11-25-2013, 05:31 PM
lets let the other good lineman that has worked in this trade say what thay want to say ....no guys that has spent 15 years in hooks or less this should be GOOD:D.........do we need OSHA to tell us about linework.........i wouldnt think so.

Working alone in the air is just plain stupid in my opinion, having a second man doesn't mean the first guy can't do the job, it's just covering your ass. Don't let the company off the hook make them pay a second man.

reppy007
11-26-2013, 12:42 AM
This can go on forever,your right there should be 2 men,the utilities can afford it ,no doubt ,I wasnt raised that way ,all Im saying its not a two man job to replace a insulink ....do you really think if a guy is sent out and sees that a insulink thats 22 feet in the air needs to be replaced ,that would take two people....if so I have no problem with it ....but if it was my company I would have to ask myself what kind of Jy is this.....nobody here has ever said that that needs two people as far as I know...either your a Jy ARE U ISNT ...Im not saying that its smart to send one man crews to climb at night ,,,but that one man needs to know his limitations......its simple if you need help you need help,,,Ive helped guys that were plain old lazy and figured out that I have to climb his pole for him,not that it mattered but he could have just walked away too ...just quit like the other guy .....its just too hard reppy....Ill go to the union and buy a bucket to sit on while U work ....wow another great pumpkin in the making .......kidding this is the holidays so its meant to be sorta funny ......we are all lineman ,anybody knows when or not when we need help.....I THINK:nightmare:

reppy007
11-26-2013, 01:59 AM
Whats your take on this Poot ...I can see a two man crew,but on the simplest things ...catch 22 ...I cant answer everything ,but he does have a point wether we were brought differently or not .

Pootnaigle
11-26-2013, 08:27 AM
Umm I bleve we shudntbe doin that and if the co yo uwerk for is nt puttin their money where thier mouth is far as safety goes

reppy007
11-26-2013, 11:49 PM
I can agree with you.........................but be honest Poot things and times have changed ....Are u going to really tell me that 20 years ago and even now it takes a two man crew to change out one clamp...yes its safe :D...but Is that how you would like your company ran

reppy007
11-27-2013, 12:54 AM
I can agree with you.........................but be honest Poot things and times have changed ....Are u going to really tell me that 20 years ago and even now it takes a two man crew to change out one clamp...yes its safe :D...but Is that how you would like your company ran

the once respect i had for u is gone,,,really a good lineman needs another guy for 1 clamp

Pootnaigle
11-27-2013, 02:50 AM
[QUOTE=reppy007;140053]the once respect i had for u is gone,,,really a good lineman needs another guy for 1 clamp[/QUOTEUmm one of usran across a a catv guy laying cross chain link fence reckon he didnt need any help either

reppy007
11-27-2013, 11:56 PM
[QUOTE=reppy007;140053]the once respect i had for u is gone,,,really a good lineman needs another guy for 1 clamp[/QUOTEUmm one of usran across a a catv guy laying cross chain link fence reckon he didnt need any help either

I see your point ....

reppy007
11-28-2013, 12:20 AM
Im going to stir-up a can of bees ,Im asking you all that have troubleshooted alone.....in how many cases percentage wise did you need another guy right off the bat ....if you needed help didnt you call for help or did the world end because you didnt have that second person......I guess what Im saying is that do you think its wise to have a 1 man..is it or isnt it not efficient.....i could die in a car accident with a expert driver instructor Poot ,would it change things then if there were a second person then.I dont think a guy that doesnt feel safe working alone should be working alone but somehow it all works out .We are all different and thats ok.It in no way bothers me. Thanks for your opinion .

reppy007
11-28-2013, 01:07 AM
Situatation number 1 ...Im around a really good apprentice Do I say to him that I need a real lineman to help me take off a highside when the connection on the hot line clamp burned off cause it wasnt tightened up right ..does that take a two man , for a guy that is a good lineman ,Ive been in those situations ....class when you see that from the ground you bring the extras with you ..a lineman sees that from the ground ...now days Im the one thats wrong ....who the hell trained my ass..i understand that a two man is better but momma isnt always going to be there i wont even put a period on this one

rob8210
11-28-2013, 05:32 PM
Are you getting into the moonshine , Reppy. I really don't care what the trouble call is I do not see the sense in a one man crew. Think about it, if you are alone and need a second man, that's a call in, and the customers out of power have to wait that much longer to get their power back on. Then , if you are alone and have a problem, who do you have to help you? I know of a couple of cases where guys have got hurt and killed on secondary, is that worth it? Not in my book. The only thing being a he-man does is gets fellas hurt. Plus , like someone mentioned earlier, the companies high priced lawyers will tell your family " He was a good lineman, but he broke the rules, sorry for your loss" , and no compensation! Now is that worth it?