HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS DELIVERS ITS FIRST BAREHAND TRAINING IN SPAIN IN COLLABORATION WITH KOLAB ENSAYOS
16 June 2021
Kolab Ensayos S,L
Dielectric Testing Service Provider
IN MAY THIS YEAR, HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS, MANUFACTURER OF CHANCE LIVE LINE MAINTENANCE TOOLS, DELIVERED A BAREHAND WORK TRAINING COURSE TO EIFFAGE ENERGIA LINE CREWS
It was the first ever Barehand Work training ever delivered in Spain by Hubbell Power Systems, manufacturer of Chance live working tools and a leading industry player worldwide. This milestone was possible thanks to the commitment to worker training shown by Eiffage Energía, and in particular to the drive and motivation shown by the head of the East Spain regional office, Juan Carlos Muñoz, for whom this training project was almost a personal challenge.
The course – delivered by Hermon Hardy, with more tan 30 years’ experience as a lineman and live line maintenance trainer in the US and other countries across the world – consisted of an introductory classroom training followed by three weeks of field training on a disused transmission line made available by utility Iberdrola. Each of the participants had the opportunity to personally practise every one of the tasks and procedures covered throughout the training course.
The language barrier was overcome with the support of Kolab Ensayos, which provided translation of Hermon Hardy’s words, as well as the Spanish-language Training Manuals handed out to participants as course material. In addition, Kolab played a major role in coordinating the course, ensuring fluid communication between Eiffage Energia and Hubbell, with the support of Kobbeco, distributor of CHANCE tools in Spain.
The Barehand work method is used mainly for maintenance on transmission lines, where the high line rated voltages make it impossible to use insulating gloves with the Rubber Gloving method. In Barehand Work, the lineman approaches the phase from an insulated ladder or insulated aerial device, and comes into direct contact with the conductor (this is known as “bonding on”). Wearing a conductive suit which acts as a Faraday cage affording protection from the effects of the electrical field, the worker strictly adheres to a detailed step-by-step written procedure to ensure that he will never encroach on the appropriate minimum approach distances (MAD) from any parts at different potential.
The Eiffage workers, all of them qualified linemen with Hotsticking and Rubber Gloving training, all showed a high standard of ability and motivation, which greatly aided their learning process and contributed to the successful outcome of this training project.
Kolab Ensayos greatly appreciated the warmth with which we were treated, together with the atmosphere of comradeship and collaboration between the linemen during the course. We wish Eiffage all the best in this new field of Live Line Maintenance into which it is now venturing.
