Groundman Qualifications

Does anyone know where to find industry standards on groundman? I've trired to find it in 1910.269 and osha's website but not getting anywhere. We are having problems here and can't find any answers. Do they have to be trained or qualified in any way?

[Bull Dog]

Stand on the ground and do what journeyman tells you.

[thrasher]

There are some minimum standards but those depend on what the man does. All of our groundmen are also truck drivers, thus they need Class A CDL. Since we use chemical sprays to control growth on our R/W's we require groundmen to get a chemical applicator's license. We require all groundmen to be trained in first aid, CPR, and bucket rescue. Naturally it is rare to hire someone off the street with all this so we have four steps to our groundman pay based on completing the above licenses and training. We also run an in-house training on ropes, lifting loads, securing loads, excavating standards and flagging traffic etc.

If you look on the OSHA web site and look up STD 01-16-007 Title Electrical Safety Related Work Practices-- Inspection Procedures and Interpretation Guidelines.
CFR .331 through .335 In these CFR's OSHA explains the training needed for all employees in Safety Related work Practices around electricity. They should be trained in such things as hight voltages, current, arcing , grounding and lack of guarding.
The employees should also be trained in the following:

(a) The ability to distinguish between exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment.
(b) The ability to determine the nominal voltage of live parts.
(c) The knowledge of clearance and aproach distances specified in 1910.333(c)

Here is the Definition of Qualified employee:

"The Standard defines a qualified person as one familiar with the construction and operation of the equipment and hazards involved. "Qualified Persons" are intended to be only those who are well acquainted with and thoroughly conversant in the electric equipment and electrical hazards involved with the work being performed.
The derective goes on to explain more but in my experience with Utility Companies this rule is broken everywhere.
It is a frequent occurence that an apprentice is on the ground while the most experienced men are working in the air.
The apprentice barely knows how to make up stock properly , never mind having experience in the job being performed.

good luck. I hope this helps!

[tramp67]

Here's a link to OSHA's website, specifically their attempt at answering your question. Hope you like numbers and reading between the lines. In OSHA's usual mumbo jumbo, they are quick to point out that this is "only an interpretation", translation - even if you follow everything to the letter, and something happens, it's still your fault. Sounds all too familiar these days, doesn't it?

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owad...ONS&p_id=24745
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owad...ONS&p_id=24745
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owa...IONS&p_id=24745

Hope this helps.

[tramp67]

Yeesh! Even OSHA's links are confusing!!!

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/sear...status=CURRENT
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/sea..._status=CURRENT

[tramp67]

Go to www.osha.gov. Then enter "groundman" in the search catagory. That will take you to OSHA's interpretation of minimum # of people needed when working energized conductors and a letter with their CYA interpretation of minimum groundman qualifications. What a pain in the...