Description
Erect poles, towers, and related structures and install overhead and underground power lines and hardware for electrical distribution and transmission. String, sag, and secure conductors; make service connections; and perform basic repairs while following strict safety and grounding procedures.
- • Follow safety procedures; inspect tools and PPE; set up barriers and traffic control at work areas.
- • De-energize circuits by opening switches and applying grounds before erection or stringing.
- • Climb poles or use bucket trucks to access work locations.
- • Install insulating or fire-resistant coverings on conductors and joints as required.
- • Install overhead and underground lines, poles, towers, hardware, and related equipment.
- • Read plans and wiring diagrams; use test instruments to verify phasing, continuity, and correct connections.
- • Drive and operate line trucks and trailers carrying tools, reels, and materials to job sites.
- • Coordinate tasks with crew members, crane operators, and other utilities to meet schedules.
- • Inspect and test newly erected lines and equipment for clearances, tension, and integrity.
- • String, sag, and tension conductors and cables using winches and tensioning devices.
- • Identify and tag conductors per diagrams to prevent incorrect connections.
- • Set, replace, or straighten poles and supports.
- • Install service drops and make customer connections in accordance with standards.
- • Attach crossarms, insulators, guys, anchors, and auxiliary hardware to poles and towers.
- • Patrol lines by truck or air to check rights-of-way, obstructions, and insulation clearance.
- • Dig holes with augers; set poles and anchors using cranes and power equipment.
- • Trim or remove trees and vegetation to maintain construction and clearance requirements.
- • Make mechanical and electrical splices on overhead conductors, messenger, and service lines.
- • Prepare cables and conduits for splicing by cutting sheathing and removing insulation as needed.
- • Pull cable from reels and feed through blocks, sheaves, or conduit.
- • Lay underground cable in trenches or pull through conduit.
- • Excavate trenches for underground installation using trenchers and cable plows.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
