Electrical Line Inspector (Utility Compliance Technician)

The Department
Palo Alto is the only city in California that offers a full array of utility services to its citizens and businesses. Because of this, the City has a unique opportunity to partner with the Palo Alto community to enjoy the benefits and achievements of reliable, home-grown, and environmentally-focused utilities. Palo Alto has a tradition of over 100 years of successful public utility operations. It is a tradition that continues to provide the Palo Alto community with safe and reliable utilities service, local decision-making over policies, utility rate-making, environmental programs, and customized services.
Career Opportunity
Under the guidance and direction of the Utilities Supervisor and Compliance Technician Lead, this position conducts routine overhead and underground line patrols to ensure compliance with General Orders 95 and 128 of the State of California. Additional responsibilities are to verify the tree trimming program, conduct line patrols during outages, maintain databases for our infrastructure and report findings to the appropriate personnel for corrective action. This position will also conduct all required Safety and Service Reliability overhead and underground inspections as directed. Continuous postings may close at any time so make sure you get your application in as soon as you can.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will have completed an apprenticeship as an Electrical Lineperson with a minimum of 5 years of experience working with Electric Overhead and Underground Distribution systems. The successful candidate must have full knowledge of the State of California's General Order's 95, 128, & 165 rules for construction and maintenance of overhead and underground electric supply systems as well as knowledge of the State of California Safety Title 8 rules and regulations. The ideal candidate will be reliable, adaptable, and diligent in working towards achieving the goals and priorities of the department.
This position is part of the Service Employees' International Union (SEIU)

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Makes recommendations to Supervisor and/or Engineering for making improvements to the infrastructure.
• Maintains an accurate, up-to-date database of all infractions or deviations found during line patrols.
• Ensures compliance with General Orders 128 for underground construction through scheduled line patrols.
• Makes minor repairs in the field during line patrols, such as installing guy markers, date nails, pole numbers, ground wire moldings, installing bolts for box lids, viability strips, etc.
• Ensures compliance with General Orders 95 for Overhead Construction through scheduled line patrols.
• Immediately reports hazardous conditions to Supervisor or to the Utilities System Dispatcher.

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