Electrical Line Installer and Repairer
Electrical line installers and repairers, commonly referred to as linemen, are professionals tasked with the installation, maintenance, and repair of power cables that supply electricity to residential and commercial properties. Their work involves diagnosing issues with cables, fuses, and transformers to ensure a reliable power supply. Typically employed in various weather conditions and often at significant heights, these workers utilize safety protocols to mitigate risks associated with their demanding job environment. The role appeals to individuals who are adept with electronics and enjoy hands-on work, requiring physical fitness due to the labor-intensive nature of the job.
To pursue a career in this field, candidates generally need a high school diploma or equivalent, with relevant coursework in subjects like mathematics and electronics being beneficial. On-the-job training is essential, with many workers gaining experience through community and technical college programs that focus on electricity and related technologies. The average annual earnings for electrical line installers and repairers are approximately $85,420, and the job outlook is considered average, with a projected employment growth rate of 3%. This occupation not only involves technical skills but also requires effective communication with clients and collaboration with other professionals in the industry.
Electrical Line Installer and Repairer
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Arts, A/V Technology & Communications, Manufacturing
Interests: Electronics and electricity, telecommunications, fiber optics, working with your hands, working high off the ground
Earnings (Yearly Average): $85,420 per year $41.07 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 3% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Long-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Electrical line installers and repairers, also known as linemen or line workers, perform a variety of tasks, including the installation, maintenance, and repair of power cables that provide electricity to residential and commercial buildings. Installers and repairers are responsible for finding defective cables, fuses, conductors, and transformers in order to repair or replace them. They work with the many components of a power grid that transfer electricity from generating plants across lines to buildings.
Work Environment. Electrical line installers and repairers work in a variety of environments in all kinds of weather, including rain, heat, and snow. They often work around the tops of utility poles at great heights. Sometimes a bucket truck is used to lift the worker to the top of the pole, but often workers have to climb up themselves. Because of the height and weather, workers must follow safety procedures to reduce the risk of injury. On the ground, they work around generators and at generating plants.
Occupation Interest. Electrical line installation and repair tends to attract individuals who enjoy working with their hands and are comfortable working high off of the ground. Those who have a strong knowledge of electronics, telecommunications, electricity, or fiber optics would fit well into the job. Because of the demands of the job, workers must be physically fit.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Electrical line installers and repairers perform a broad range of tasks aimed at providing residential and commercial buildings with electricity. Their responsibilities revolve around the installation, maintenance, and repair of power cables. They work with many aspects of power grids, which generate electricity and transfer it to customers.
The high-voltage electricity involved in the work means that an installer and repairer must strictly follow safety procedures to prevent serious injury. Voltage can range from ten thousand volts for residential buildings and businesses to hundreds of thousands of volts for long-distance transmission lines.
Workers often have to drive to job sites in a work vehicle. At these sites, they install, maintain, or repair electrical power equipment. A bucket truck is frequently used to reach the conductors, but sometimes workers climb poles themselves. They test electrical conductors using diagrams and specifications in order to locate corresponding conductors and ensure the proper connections. Workers identify defective circuit breakers, voltage regulators, transformers, and other electrical devices used in the power grid that may need repair or replacement.
To install new utility poles or replace old ones, workers dig holes using augers and then set the poles using cranes. Part of the job also involves applying insulation over conductors and joints, as well as installing watt-hour meters on clients’ buildings. Most electrical line installers and repairers work regular business hours, although overtime is typically required after storms or other disasters in order to repair fallen wires and restore power to clients’ homes.
Tower Erectors. Tower Erectors erect transmission towers and install electric cables.
Cable Installers-Repairers. Cable Installers-Repairers install and repair underground conduit and cable systems.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Electrical line installers and repairers spend the majority of their time outside, working on or around utility poles. They often work at heights and must work in all kinds of weather, which can often present dangerous conditions, especially while working atop a utility pole.
Human Environment. Throughout the day, an electrical line installer and repairer works with others in the industry, including other installers and repairers, supervisors, and managers. Workers also have to communicate with clients, building owners, and professionals in the construction industry while installing lines for a new building.
Technological Environment. Electrical line installers and repairers work with an assortment of basic and complex technologies, including conduit benders, power drills, voltage or electric-current meters, cable cutters, and handsaws. They frequently work to repair or replace generators, conductors, and watt-hour meters. Bucket trucks are used to reach the tops of utility poles.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. Applicants are usually required to have a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate. There are several basic and advanced high school courses that would benefit someone interested in the profession, including algebra, English, and trigonometry. Some high schools offer shop classes that may provide basic hands-on training on simple electronic devices.
Postsecondary. Many community and technical colleges offer programs in electronics or electricity. Several of these programs are run with the cooperation of local employers and unions. One-year certificates are offered through some of these programs for intensive, hands-on fieldwork. Two-year programs are more advanced and provide individuals with a broader education in the technologies used in electrical utilities. Most of these programs involve courses in electricity, electronics, fiber optics, and other related fields. Employers will show more interest in individuals who have successfully completed one of these programs.
Related Occupations
− Electrician
− Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer
− Telephone Installer & Repairer
Bibliography
“Line Installers and Repairers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/line-installers-and-repairers.htm. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.
“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers.” Occupational Employment Statistics, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept of Labor, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499051.htm. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.