Climbing

Course Description and Rationale

Climbing is a major task for a powerline technician. It could be expected that you are climbing every day and in all types of weather, so you need to be completely comfortable and competent. This is to ensure your safety, the safety of your coworkers, and your enjoyment of the job. A common misconception is that bucket trucks are available and are used instead of climbing. This is not the case.

Many students find that climbing is not an enjoyable task, or they are unable to perfect the technique. This course is meant to give you a ‘taste’ of what climbing involves, so you can decide if the powerline technician career is for you. If climbing is not something that suits you, this program as a whole will not be a waste: it will offer many skills and much knowledge that will be useful to you in other trades. For example, you will be well qualified for a career in electrical construction.

This course will cover use of climbing equipment, safety, and proper climbing technique. Outdoor climbing will be the major component of this course. Once complete, you will know how to climb, but more importantly, you will know if climbing is something you want to do for your career.

Learning Outcomes

1. Climb a power pole

Course Hours

This course will include 30 of instruction.

Assessment

There will be a written test assessed by answer key.  The minimum pass 70%.  Rewrites are permitted.  The climbing lab will be assessed by rubric. 

Resources

-T&D Power Skills.com YouTube videos

– Fuentes, Max, “The complete guide to pole climbing,” 2006. Accessed from CNETWORKS.tech, January 8, 2021.

– SaskPower climbing manual