POSITION SUMMARY

The Powerline Helper is an entry-level field position that supports qualified powerline personnel with the safe and efficient construction, maintenance, repair, and restoration of overhead and underground electrical distribution and related infrastructure. Working under the direct supervision of a Powerline Foreman and qualified line personnel, the Helper prepares work areas, handles tools and materials, assists with equipment setup, provides spotting and traffic-control support, maintains orderly jobsites, and performs other assigned ground duties.

This position is intended to develop foundational knowledge of powerline operations, electrical hazards, tools, materials, equipment, and safe work practices. The Helper must follow instructions, remain alert to changing conditions, and stop work when a task, hazard, system status, or required authorization is unclear. The Helper may not perform energized, elevated, equipment-operation, rigging, switching, grounding, or other restricted work unless properly trained, qualified, supervised, and specifically authorized.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Jobsite Setup and Ground Support

• Report to the designated location on time, fit for duty, wearing required clothing and personal protective equipment, and prepared for the assigned schedule and conditions.
• Participate in pre-job briefings, job hazard analyses, tailboards, emergency planning, and daily work assignments; ask questions when instructions or hazards are not understood.
• Assist with establishing work areas, staging zones, exclusion zones, barricades, signage, grounding-material staging, pedestrian controls, and equipment-access routes as directed.
• Set up and remove cones, signs, flagging stations, mats, fencing, lighting, spill-prevention supplies, and other jobsite controls in accordance with training and direction.
• Keep work areas, vehicles, trailers, laydown yards, and access routes organized and free of avoidable trip hazards, trash, loose material, and unnecessary obstructions.
• Protect customer property, roads, gates, fencing, landscaping, utilities, and facilities and promptly report damage or unusual site conditions.

Tools Materials and Equipment Support

• Load, unload, stage, count, secure, and transport tools, materials, hardware, conductor, cable, conduit, grounding components, poles, anchors, and other supplies as directed.
• Inspect hand tools, cords, ladders, slings, tag lines, personal protective equipment, and other assigned items before use; remove defective items from service and notify supervision.
• Maintain tool and material organization, return items to designated storage, and report shortages, damage, loss, or maintenance needs promptly.
• Clean and perform basic care of tools, trucks, trailers, and equipment within training and assigned authority; do not attempt unauthorized repairs or defeat safety devices.
• Assist qualified personnel with equipment setup and breakdown, including pads, outriggers, chocks, barricades, tag lines, and work-zone controls, while remaining outside established hazard areas.
• Use hand and power tools only after receiving instruction and authorization and only for the purpose and within the limitations established by the manufacturer and company procedures.

Powerline Construction Assistance

• Provide ground support for overhead and underground powerline construction, maintenance, repair, replacement, line-extension, service, and restoration work.
• Assist with measuring, marking, material preparation, hardware assembly, conduit placement, cable handling, pole and anchor staging, backfill, compaction, cleanup, and site restoration as directed.
• Support pole-setting, framing, guying, conductor or cable installation, pulling operations, grounding-material handling, and equipment installation from assigned safe locations under qualified supervision.
• Assist with excavation and trench activities by hand digging, potholing, spoil placement, shoring-material handling, access control, dewatering support, and restoration only as trained and directed.
• Maintain separation from moving equipment, suspended loads, tensioned conductor or cable, open excavations, energized systems, and other restricted areas unless assigned duties and controls specifically permit entry.
• Never climb poles or structures, enter an aerial device, operate specialized equipment, connect electrical components, apply grounds or cover-up, or perform linework unless trained, qualified, supervised, and authorized for the specific task.

Spotting Traffic and Work-Zone Support

• Serve as a spotter or ground guide for vehicles and equipment only after receiving task-specific instruction and while maintaining clear communication with the operator.
• Watch for overhead lines, underground utilities, people, traffic, structures, uneven ground, swing radius, blind spots, and changing conditions and signal the operator to stop when safe movement cannot be confirmed.
• Perform flagging and traffic-control duties only when appropriately trained and assigned; wear required high-visibility apparel and follow the approved traffic-control plan.
• Prevent unauthorized persons from entering controlled work areas and immediately notify the Foreman of public, customer, or contractor activity that may affect the work.
• Do not position within equipment pinch points, blind areas, swing zones, suspended-load paths, line-of-fire exposures, or minimum approach boundaries.

Safety and Electrical Hazard Awareness

• Follow company, customer, site, and job-specific safety rules, procedures, permits, personal protective equipment requirements, and instructions from qualified supervision.
• Treat all electrical lines, conductors, equipment, vehicles, structures, grounds, and customer systems as energized unless their status has been established through authorized procedures by qualified personnel.
• Maintain required approach distances and respect barricades, grounding zones, equipotential areas, excavation limits, traffic controls, and other established boundaries.
• Recognize and report hazards involving electrical exposure, induced voltage, backfeed, step and touch potential, lifting, rigging, trenches, traffic, severe weather, wildlife, pressure, chemicals, and moving equipment.
• Exercise stop-work authority when conditions appear unsafe or instructions, equipment condition, system status, or authorization are unclear; immediately seek direction from the Foreman.
• Immediately report injuries, near misses, electrical contacts, flashes, utility strikes, spills, property damage, equipment defects, and unsafe conditions and assist with emergency actions within training.
• Do not perform switching, testing for absence of voltage, grounding, energized work, electrical connections, live-line-tool work, or any task reserved for qualified electrical workers.

Housekeeping and Environmental Responsibilities

• Collect and properly segregate trash, scrap, damaged materials, packaging, conductor, cable, and regulated wastes and place them in approved containers or staging areas.
• Use spill kits, secondary containment, drip protection, and other environmental controls as trained and immediately report leaks, spills, stained soil, or improper disposal.
• Minimize unnecessary disturbance to soil, vegetation, drainage, wildlife, cultural resources, and customer property and remain within approved access and work limits.
• Assist with final cleanup, backfill, compaction, erosion controls, surface restoration, removal of temporary controls, and return of unused materials as directed.

Documentation and Communication

• Accurately record and submit time, job numbers, equipment or material information, inspection forms, training records, and other assigned documentation.
• Communicate clearly through verbal instructions, hand signals, radios, and established emergency signals and confirm instructions when noise, distance, or conditions may cause misunderstanding.
• Report completed tasks, material needs, delays, equipment concerns, changing conditions, and unresolved hazards to the Foreman promptly.
• Interact professionally with coworkers, customers, inspectors, landowners, other contractors, and the public and refer commitments or disputes to supervision.

Training and Development

• Complete company-provided orientation, safety, customer, electrical-hazard-awareness, first-aid, equipment, tool, traffic-control, and task-specific training as assigned.
• Learn common powerline tools, materials, hardware, equipment, terminology, work methods, hand signals, and jobsite controls through classroom and supervised field instruction.
• Demonstrate safe work habits, reliable attendance, attention to instruction, care of equipment, teamwork, and progressive task competency.
• Perform new or higher-risk tasks only after required training, evaluation, supervision, and authorization have been completed and documented.
• Maintain required certifications, customer credentials, and training status and notify supervision before any qualification expires or becomes restricted.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience may be considered.
• No prior powerline experience is required; prior construction, utility, electrical, oil and gas, industrial, excavation, or outdoor labor experience is helpful.
• Ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions, safety rules, signs, hand signals, basic work plans, and equipment-use limitations.
• Ability to perform basic measurements and arithmetic and accurately complete timekeeping and routine field documentation.
• Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record consistent with company requirements.
• Ability to complete company-provided and customer-required training, medical evaluations, fit testing, and site-access requirements.
• Ability to travel to remote job locations and work extended shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, emergency call-outs, and irregular schedules as business needs require.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience on construction, utility, electrical, pipeline, oil and gas, industrial, civil, excavation, or roadwork crews.
• Current first aid/CPR, OSHA, flagger, defensive-driving, H2S, excavation, or similar job-relevant training.
• Commercial driver's license or ability to obtain one when required for assigned driving responsibilities.
• Experience safely using common hand tools, power tools, trailers, material-handling equipment, and basic construction equipment.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Maintain attention to electrical hazards, equipment movement, suspended loads, traffic, excavations, weather, and other changing field conditions.
• Follow instructions precisely, work within assigned limits, ask questions, accept coaching, and avoid performing tasks beyond training or authorization.
• Work effectively as part of a crew, communicate respectfully, and respond promptly to directions and emergency signals.
• Handle tools and materials carefully, maintain an orderly work area, and recognize obvious defects, shortages, and unsafe conditions.
• Demonstrate dependable attendance, punctuality, adaptability, sound judgment, and willingness to learn the powerline trade.

PHYSICAL AND WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

This position performs physically demanding field work in rights-of-way, roadsides, yards, customer facilities, construction sites, industrial locations, and remote areas throughout the company's service territory.

• Frequently stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, twist, push, pull, grip, shovel, and use hands for tools, materials, controls, and repetitive tasks.
• Frequently lift or carry items weighing up to approximately 50 pounds and use team lifting or mechanical assistance for heavier or awkward materials and equipment.
• Work on uneven, muddy, rocky, gravel, sloped, or restricted-access surfaces and around traffic, moving equipment, open excavations, suspended loads, and electrical facilities.
• Work outdoors in heat, cold, wind, dust, rain, storms, noise, vibration, insects, and changing weather while wearing required personal protective equipment.
• Enter and exit vehicles and equipment frequently and climb stairs or ladders when trained and assigned; pole climbing and aerial-device work are prohibited unless separately trained, qualified, and authorized.
• Travel frequently, including possible overnight travel, and work extended hours, nights, weekends, holidays, emergency restoration, and on-call schedules as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities. The Powerline Helper works under the direction of the Powerline Foreman and qualified line personnel and must not direct restricted work or represent themselves as a qualified electrical worker unless formally designated.

DISCLAIMER

This job description summarizes the position's general duties and requirements and is not exhaustive. Management may modify duties or assign additional responsibilities to meet business, legal, safety, and operational needs. Employment remains subject to applicable company policies and requirements.

Standard Safety & Supply is an Equal Opportunity Employer.