City of Healdsburg
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July, 2009
LINEMAN APPRENTICE
DEFINITION
Under general supervision, this classification learns and assists in the installation, maintenance
and repair of a municipal electrical utility system and its related facilities. The position may
require the performance of other related work as assigned.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
This is the entry-level class for this skilled technical trade. Initially, under the close supervision
of management and journey level Linemen, incumbents learn and perform basic aspects of the
trade. As experience is gained, assignments are performed under more general supervision and
become more complex, preparing the incumbent to perform journey level work; however, the
apprentice may not work on high voltage distribution or transmission lines except under the
direct and present supervision of a journey level Lineman.
Apprentice Lineman may be considered “Hot” or able to work on energized distribution circuits
of both secondary and primary voltages under direct and present supervision of a journey level
Lineman upon the review and concurrence of Management, the Electric Crew Foremen and the
journey level Linemen with whom the apprentice has worked during the course of his/her
indenture. An apprentice may be considered for training in the rubber glove work method only
upon completion of two years in the program, one of which having been as a “hot” apprentice
and again only upon the review and concurrence of Management, the Electric Crew Foremen and
the journey level Linemen with whom the apprentice has worked during the course of his/her
indenture.
The indenture of a Lineman Apprentice under the City’s Apprenticeship Program is for four (4)
years, however, a Lineman Apprentice employed by the City of Healdsburg may be considered
eligible for journey level status at the “D” step of the Lineman classification after completing
his/her third year of said apprenticeship, upon the review and concurrence of Management, the
Electric Crew Foremen and the journey level Linemen with whom the apprentice has worked
during the course of his/her indenture. This three-year period must include a minimum of two (2)
years of supervised experience working with high voltage energized circuits.
The apprenticeship criteria are as follows:
Apprentice Lineman Work Processes:
1. Climbing poles, hole digging, hauling material, loading, unloading, storage, framing, basic
construction practices, anchoring and guying, line hardware, wire sizes and sagging, and
equipment operations. Approximate hours: 2,500.
2. Stores, inspecting and testing materials brought in from the field, record keeping, ordering
materials, truck stocking and housecleaning. Approximate hours: 500.
3. Overhead and underground line operations, line transformers, taps and inspections of
equipment, grounding, routine line patrolling, load and voltage testing. Approximate hours:
500.
4. Overhead line maintenance, trouble shooting, relocation of poles and structures, adjusting
guys, relocating or replacing cross arms, testing and treating wood poles, transferring
conductors, transferring facilities and equipment, line clearance, testing and repairing line
equipment. Approximate hours: 1000.
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July, 2009
5. Overhead installations and maintenance of transformers on both existing and new
construction. Approximate hours: 500.
6. Underground construction installation and maintenance of conduit, cable and related
facilities. Approximate hours: 500.
7. Underground terminations, 600-amp, 200-amp and underground transformer installation.
Approximate hours: 500.
8. Streetlight construction and maintenance. Approximate hours: 60.
9. Safety and job related training. The academic portion of the apprenticeship is to be
performed utilizing the Power Delivery Program offered by the Northwest Lineman College
and provided by the Employer. * Approximate hours: 600.
10. Substation training and operations. Approximate hours: 80.
11. Electrical meter installations and reading. Approximate hours: 80.
12. All live line (hot-stick) methods for overhead and underground. Approximate hours: 500.
13. Rubber gloving methods for overhead lines (only after 4,000 hours or two years in
apprenticeship). Approximate hours 500.
14. Miscellaneous duties not covered by above items. Approximate hours: 260.
* This academic curriculum is comprised of four (4) “Modules”, each containing 150 hours of
training annually for a final total of 600 hours.
The City retains the right to obtain its academic portion of the apprenticeship from sources other
than those mentioned should the need arise. All academics shall meet best industry practices for
education in the given field.
This class is distinguished from Lineman in that the latter is the journey level of the craft,
competent to perform the full range of skilled duties.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Essential Duties:
 Learns and assists in the installing, maintaining and repairing of both overhead and
underground primary and secondary circuits and related equipment.
 Learns and assists in the setting, connection and replacing of single and multi-phase
transformers.
 Learns and assists in the construction of pole and cross arm assemblies; setting poles and
replacing crossarms as required.
 Learns and assists in running services; setting meters and providing electrical service to
individual addresses.
 Learns and assists in maintaining, installing and repairing public street lighting.
 Learns and assists in the maintenance and repair of the City’s substation(s) as necessary.
 Learns and assists in the performance of routine and emergency switching both in the City’s
substation(s) and in the field.
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July, 2009
 Learns to drive commercial utility vehicles, fleet vehicles also learning and becoming
proficient in the operation of all aerial devices, digger derricks, tools and equipment related
to such vehicles during the performance of duties.
 Learns and assists in caring for, inspecting and utilizing a variety of tools including, but not
limited to, manual, electric and hydraulic tools and also shows proficiency in the care,
inspection and use of specialized electrical testing equipment.
 Learns and assists in caring for, inspecting and utilizing of all specialized tools and
equipment designed for use on or around energized electrical circuits and apparatus.
 Learns and observes proper safety precautions, particularly when working on or near
energized circuits and with hazardous chemicals.
 Becomes proficient in utilizing all acceptable methods of working on or near energized
circuits and related equipment as needed, such as live-line tool methods, rubber gloving
methods and de-energized line methods of utility maintenance and construction.
 Learns and assists in reading and comprehending drawings and blue prints.
 Accepts and retains instructions and mentoring provided by all management and journey
level workers in all related work methods and procedures, embracing and adhering to safe
work practices.
Important Duties:
 Assists in the performance of required inspections on City electrical distribution facilities.
 Assists in the pruning of vegetation as needed for safe operation of electrical circuits and
equipment.
 Assists in maintaining vehicles, tools, equipment and work sites in a clean and orderly
condition.
 Assists in performing other related duties as needed in the support of other departments.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Basic identification and use of equipment, tools, materials and methods used in electrical
utility installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair work.
Basic principles and theory of electrical generation and transmission systems.
Basic shop mathematics.
Acquire and Comprehend Knowledge of the Following:
The need to become proficient in all safety practices pertaining to the work including
City of Healdsburg
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July, 2009
working from aerial buckets, working with high voltage energized circuits and handling
hazardous chemicals.
The need to learn and be aware of all applicable Federal, State and local codes and
regulations.
The need to learn the basic principles and practices of the electricians’ trade in order to
recognize unsafe and dangerous
Learn to Possess Skills in:
All aspects of the installation, maintenance and repair of overhead and underground electrical
utility equipment and facilities.
The safe operation of all utility aerial and digging equipment.
The safe climbing of wooden or steel poles and structures
The operation of a variety of hand and power tools of both the utility and general
construction trades.
The reading and interpreting of drawings, blue prints and specifications.
The troubleshooting of difficult and complex electrical utility problems and implementing
sound, safe solutions.
The instruction of others in safe work practices and procedures.
The establishing and maintaining of effective working relationships with those contacted in
the course of daily work.
Licenses and Certificates:
Must possess and maintain a valid California Class A Commercial Driver’s License or apply
for and successfully possess a temporary commercial license permit within six (6) months of
employment and the subsequent attainment of a permanent commercial license within the
following six (6) months.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands:
Duties require sufficient vision, hearing and manual dexterity to perform assigned installation
and maintenance duties and sufficient strength and stamina to climb and work at heights and
lift and use equipment within utility safety standards. Incumbents must be willing to work
out of doors in a variety of weather conditions. They must also be willing to work prearranged overtime, emergency overtime and, upon achieving journey level status, be
scheduled for “on-call” duty as necessary for after-hours response.
Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified Incumbents requiring
and requesting such accommodation.
Experience and Education:
Education is to consist of the equivalent to graduation from high school. Successful
attendance and completion of electric utility trade related course(s) and/or prior trade
experience in a similar classification may be considered as credit towards on the job training
hours required for the attainment of journey level status. Such credit will be applied to the
end of the Lineman apprenticeship.