Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Linesman Tools That Help Get The Job Done

By Lela Perkins


When hard storms blow across the land they can knock down hundreds of trees. Trees can fall down on wires and pull them off the poles they were attached to. Within a moment households all across a region may suddenly be without power and utility companies dispatch workers to go out and fix the problem. These utility workers use linesman tools to help them get the job done and turn the lights back on for area residents. Here are some of the more common pieces of equipment they use to restore power.

The primary piece of equipment linesmen use in the field are the large utility trucks made for this kind of work. They have a lot of compartments where the workers can place the various tools that are going to need on a job site. These are large vehicles that weigh tens of thousands of pounds and are big enough to be seen from far away.

The utility trucks also come with a lift bucket attached to the top of the truck. The lift bucket is designed to place workers in spots where they can perform their job. There is a hydraulic boom that can move the bucket in and out to get close to the top of poles to reconnect lines.

Trees that have fallen and are resting on other trees, wires and poles can be very dangerous to be around. The trees grow even more dangerous when one starts to cut limbs and the trunk to get them away from the wires and poles. A tree can suddenly shift and drop to the ground. Cutting the tree from above while in a bucket can help get workers safe.

Chainsaws are standard pieces of equipment stored in the compartments of the utility trucks. These are used to trim away branches from the wires and then to cut up the trunk into pieces. Once the parts of the tree are cleared away the workers can start to reconnect the lines and restore the electrical supply to the villages and towns.

Safety harnesses are also used in case a worker accidentally falls out of the bucket. These harnesses are strapped around the torso and under the back of the legs. If a person does fall, the harness will keep the attached to the bucket and keep them from falling to the ground. Workers also wear helmets to protect against limbs and tools falling and hitting them on the head. The helmets can avert serious head injuries that could incapacitate a person and send them to the hospital.

Heavy duty leather tool belts can be found strapped around the waists of most of the workers. The tool belt holds the connection crimpers, wire cutters, and other hand held tools. The belt helps the worker to keep everything together and within reach when they need something.

A lot of wire can get knocked down in a bad storm when trees tip over. A utility company will send workers to a site with their linesman tools to fix the problem. The equipment is designed to help them get the power back on as quickly as possible.




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