The newest contractor to start using the T&D PowerSkills training materials is KGPCo in Minnesota! They customized several training units for their specific needs. KGPCo partners with communication and technology companies, handling supply chain and network services. We are happy to help them safely train employees!

Another company has chosen T&D PowerSkills online Learning Management System to aid in training their lineworkers: IEA (Infrastructure & Energy Alternatives, Inc.) out of Indianapolis, Indiana handles underground systems, substations, and high-voltage transmission lines. We look forward to a long relationship with another exciting company!

The newest school to join our family is Mid-America Technology Center in Wayne, Oklahoma! Thanks to ISPC for granting MATC our materials to add to their school's 1,000-hour lineworker training program. We can't wait to help you train the next generation of lineworkers in Oklahoma!

We have added an in-person tradeshow element, where attendees can meet some of the top experts in our industry, while learning about the exhibitors’ cutting-edge products and services. This exciting new addition promises to bring many new opportunities to network and collaborate with some of the most trusted brand names and people in the electric utility industry. We are also proud to offer a unique virtual experience for both attendees and exhibitors, for those unable to attend in person.

Be sure to check out the breakout sessions and seminars, with a wide range of topics that are sure to pique your interest. Don’t miss out on these new perspectives on best practices in our industry!

From all of us at T&D PowerSkills and ISPC, we look forward to seeing you in New Orleans! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

We're pleased to announce that our next major video unit update will be RIGGING 1, covering rigging fundamentals and rigging equipment with a new narrator, new illustrations, and 4K video footage. This program concentrates on the basics of overhead rigging, including safe rigging practices, ropes, knots and knot tying, the use of handlines, and the use of blocks and tackle.

OSHA issued a memo updating its enforcement guidance for compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) when inspecting tree care and tree removal operations.

The memo highlights hazards to those engaged in tree care and tree removal operations, and provides CSHOs with guidance on some of the OSHA standards that address those hazards and some of the situations where citations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause (29 USC 654(a)(1)) may be appropriate. Some of the issues addressed include falls and falling objects, use of personal protective equipment, electrical safety, occupational noise exposure, hand and portable powered tools, machine guarding and first-aid kits.

To read the full OSHA trade release, click here.

OSHA announced that it will publish a notice in the Federal Register to extend the comment period for the COVID-19 healthcare emergency temporary standard (ETS) to August 20, 2021.

OSHA is extending the comment period by 30 days to allow stakeholders additional time to review the ETS and collect information and data necessary for comment.

To read the full trade release, click here.

We had another successful video shoot the first week of June, this time in Maryland at Utility Lines Construction Services! We shot video for our Using Line Test Equipment unit, showing the operations we use of voltmeters, ammeters, multimeters, and phase sticks. We are grateful to ULCS for being great hosts!

This month, we shot new video with the help of one of our update partners, Entergy Arkansas. The new footage will be used to update our Substation units. 

On this year's Lineman Appreciation Day, join us in expressing our gratitude for the men and women who keep the lights on! Lineworkers provide an invaluable service to their communities, and we are grateful for them every day!

T&D PowerSkills would like to thank all of the participating attendees to our first ever T&D Trainers Conference held in New Orleans in March.  Over the course of the week, attendees participated in leadership training, industry panel discussions, and learned about the next generation of online training delivery.  As we look toward the future, we'll build on what we've learned in planning a future conference.  Stay tuned for more details.

We are proud to welcome another college to the family of T&D PowerSkills users! Northwest Iowa Community College was awarded the educational grant from ISPC (Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction), allowing them to use the full T&D PowerSkills lineworker training program! We look forward to partnering in their success! Congrats on the grant, and thank you, ISPC!

Farmington Electric Utility System (FEUS) has joined the T&D PowerSkills family of LMS users. They are owned and operated by the City of Farmington, in northwest New Mexico. FEUS covers 1,718 square miles, encompassing much of San Juan County and a small portion of Rio Arriba County, serving about 46,000 metered customers. We look forward to helping them train their lineworkers to be the very best!

OSHA launches program to protect high-risk workers from coronavirus, focuses on employers that retaliate against workers with safety concerns. Read the full article from the Department of Labor here.

We've welcomed another LMS user to the T&D PowerSkills family! Bay Line Construction, LLC out of Delaware has chosen to use our online learning management system to train their lineworkers! We look forward to helping them provide the best training in the industry for many years to come!

We are proud to welcome Concho Valley Electric Cooperative to the T&D PowerSkills family of users! They are using our new LMS version 2 to train their lineworkers. Concho Valley is a member-owned, rural electric cooperative in Texas, which serves areas around San Angelo, Sterling City, Mertzon, Grape Creek, Water Valley, Wall, Paint Rock, Veribest, Bronte, and Robert Lee.

We have rescheduled our first ever Trainers Conference, for March 16-19, 2021, and all sessions are eligible for CUSP points! The 4-day conference is designed for users of the T&D PowerSkills training materials and those interested in providing the most comprehensive training in the electric utility industry.  Experience targeted sessions for the experts in our industry to share what they know,  while learning teaching practices to achieve better learning outcomes.