# linemen jobs



## knowledge29 (Nov 6, 2010)

there is underground linemans/overhead also. you typically wont go 90' unless you are in distribution. Lineman is a great career.must always think of safety and know that you'll work in all types of climate conditions.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

Northfloridaguy said:


> I am not afraid of short heights maybe like 90 feet but extreme hights would probally be a problem.


I would rather fall from 2 or 300' rather than 90' if you catch my drift. :whistling2: Although 90' would probably do just as good of a job.


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

I watch some video of guys removing wood poles and replacing them, digging trenches, running lines etc I am just not sure about those towers. But it looks like my kinda work.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

I don't think there is much climbing anymore?? Everything seems to be done from bucket trucks.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

8V71 said:


> I don't think there is much climbing anymore?? Everything seems to be done from bucket trucks.


 
Probably true , but I think the basic training still requires the basic climbing skills !

I learned to climb as part of my electrician apprentice course (Late 60s Early 70s) . I took my apprenticeship while I was working at an open-pit iron ore mine.

Rarely used my climbing skills.

Any skill you learn is good to know, I M O.


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## knowledge29 (Nov 6, 2010)

Yes, Climbing is a requirement. There moving towards more underground services,But, there still remains a large amount of over head services that must be climbed to be serviced. Lineman career is very rewarding and can take a toll on the body also.Not meant for everyone.


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## DIRT27 (Aug 25, 2010)

Northfloridaguy said:


> Are there jobs where linemen work on just the short poles like you see beside the road and ground work? I am looking into a career in electrical work but not sure what exacly I want to do, reason I ask I am not afraid of short heights maybe like 90 feet but extreme hights would probally be a problem. I would love to travel and be outdoors and I like hard work thats why linemen work appeals to me.


Really tall poles are 90' short poles are 35'. If you have any questions about heights I don't think it would be the right career move for you. It is different when you are in your hooks way up in the air with nothing to hold on too.

I did for almost a year and decided it was going to be too hard on my body and didn't enjoy it very much. After I finished climbing school I was on a pole for an average of 5 hrs a day. We were replacing sirens for a power plant on 55' celon (hard as a rock) poles. Where I worked the apprentices climbed all the time and the linemen also climbed just not as much. 

Bucket trucks are nice, but they are not practical all the time. There are still a lot of limited access areas where you can get a bucket truck too. They also have jobs like reconductor jobs where you set up 2 man crews and walk from pole to pole and hang rollers and come back and tie the wire back in and drop the rollers. Bucket trucks are not practical in cases like these or where the bucket truck isn't tall enough to reach. 

I enjoyed the experience and even enjoyed climbing at times. We did tower exercises at school where we climbed over 100' and then climbed on to the insulators and sat on the wire, it was a blast. It wasn't for me and it is not for most people. I saw a bunch of people not make through the climbing school including experienced tree climbers. 

If you think its for you than go for it. If you don't want to climb are have any hesitation about heights then I wouldn't recommend it


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## DIRT27 (Aug 25, 2010)

knowledge29 said:


> Yes, Climbing is a requirement. There moving towards more underground services,But, there still remains a large amount of over head services that must be climbed to be serviced. Lineman career is very rewarding and can take a toll on the body also.Not meant for everyone.


We had a job classification called cable that was for underground high and medium called a cable splicer. They were only in very large cities and most areas there job would be handled by a lineman.

It can be rewarding and a lot of lineman have a little ego but it a way they earned it. I think it is the only job where you do a ton of physical labor and can easily make over 100k a year. I like the electrician side better because you get to do more thinking and it doesn't take the same toll on your body.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Try looking here...

http://www.line-man.com/


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## jimmy21 (Mar 31, 2012)

If I could go back, I think I would have been a linemen. They seem like they have a better thing going. It seems like we are working closer to poverty all the time. People wanting electricians off craiglist for 20/hour


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## DIRT27 (Aug 25, 2010)

jimmy21 said:


> If I could go back, I think I would have been a linemen. They seem like they have a better thing going. It seems like we are working closer to poverty all the time. People wanting electricians off craiglist for 20/hour


Although I don't make as much as I would have staying with line work, I haven't done too bad for myself even through these tough economic times.I also don't work as much overtime and my hourly rate is close to what I make as a lineman. If you are motivated and resourceful it can be a good trade.

Linework is also good and has its advantages the work is in infrastructure and the work is always there.

I think they key is to find a niche and be the best at it and the money will come. I have stayed busy the last few years working on mostly government projects. I think I am going to jump ship soon and I would like to focus more on instrumentation and controls. I know I need to make a change and have a couple of aces in my pocket with some other contractors if I need too.


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

Any insight on Underground lineman?


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## Nildogg (Jul 29, 2010)

8V71 said:


> I would rather fall from 2 or 300' rather than 90' if you catch my drift. :whistling2: Although 90' would probably do just as good of a job.


 
HAHA! Don't OSHA say 6 feet does the trick?


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## knowledge29 (Nov 6, 2010)

insight as in?....Underground lineman usually also do overhead..What it is that has you intrigued to become a lineman"north florida"?


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

knowledge29 said:


> insight as in?....Underground lineman usually also do overhead..What it is that has you intrigued to become a lineman"north florida"?


The type of work that lineman do, climbing poles, working out doors, good money, construction and the labor I love to get down and dirty.


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

But also I am looking around at the different careers in electrical work commercial and industrial seems interesting too, hard thing right now is I can not find an apprentice job anywhere near Tallahassee where I live and moving is not a real option at the time but over night travel would be ok even for extended amount of time.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

Some utilities really break down or specialize the lineman roles, but regardless if you're concerned with heights it's not the job for you. Once you get high enough, the distance becomes essentially irrelevant. You might want to consider an underground lineman/splicer program though.


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

Legion said:


> Some utilities really break down or specialize the lineman roles, but regardless if you're concerned with heights it's not the job for you. Once you get high enough, the distance becomes essentially irrelevant. You might want to consider an underground lineman/splicer program though.


Yeah seems like the underground linemen utilize a lot of heavy equipment and I would love to do that also.


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## Northfloridaguy (Mar 25, 2012)

I put an application in for PIKE electric corporation, thanks for all insight here you guys share alot of knowledge thanks again.:thumbup:


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