LINEWORKERS

15TH ANNUAL
A M E R I C A N P U B L I C P O W E R A S S O C I AT I O N
PUBLIC POWER
LINEWORKERS
RODEO
nar y
Prelimgiram
Pro
M AY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5
SACRAMENTO, CA
ED
H
T
OS
BY
Join the national community of public
power lineworkers to celebrate the
15th anniversary of the Public Power
Lineworkers Rodeo!
The Rodeo is the ultimate venue for public power lineworkers to demonstrate their
skills and knowledge in two levels of competition: journeyman and apprentice.
Journeyman teams and apprentice are judged on safety, work practices, neatness,
ability, equipment handling, and timely event completion.
About the 2015 Lineworkers Rodeo Host
As the nation’s sixth largest community-owned electric service provider, Sacramento Municipal Utility
District (SMUD) has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity for more than 65 years. SMUD is a
recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy-efficiency programs, renewablepower technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. For more information about
SMUD, visit www.smud.org.
As a participant in the Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo since its inception, SMUD has been fortunate to
win dozens of individual and team awards. The utility hosted the Rodeo in 2006 and is excited to bring this
industry showcase to California again in 2015.
Agenda at-a-Glance
Friday, May 15
All events on Friday take place at the Sacramento Convention Center in Sacramento, Calif.
7:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Training Course Registration Desk Open
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Training Courses for Apprentice and Journeyman Lineworkers
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Rodeo Expo
• Take advantage of this valuable opportunity to connect with industry experts as
they display their latest products and services.
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Rodeo Registration & Sales
• Registration for apprentice, journeyman teams, judges, and greeters/auditors.
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Judges, Greeters, and Auditors Meeting (Mandatory Event)
• Judges, greeters, and auditors should register prior to attending this meeting.
Judges will proceed to the Apprentice Written Test at the conclusion of this
meeting.
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Apprentice Written Test Event
• Apprentices must register prior to this event and arrive by 4:00 p.m. for the test.
Saturday, May 16
Rodeo competition events on Saturday occur at Gibson Ranch Park in Sacramento, Calif. The Rodeo Awards
Banquet takes place at the Sacramento Convention Center.
7:30 a.m.
Opening Ceremony
8:00 a.m.
15th Annual Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo Competition
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lineworkers Rodeo Vendor Expo
6:00 p.m.
Rodeo Awards Banquet (Tickets Required)
• Competitors, judges, volunteers, families, and guests are invited to celebrate the
Rodeo winners and participants.
Sunday, May 17 – Wednesday, May 20
2015 Engineering and Operations Technical Conference
APPA’s Engineering & Operations Technical Conference provides an excellent forum to discuss real world
issues, enabling attendees to make informed decisions about routine T&D projects and special undertakings
such as smart grid, cybersecurity, and renewable energy. This is the only national conference designed
to meet the needs of public power engineering and operations staff and focuses on transmission and
distribution, environmental policy, generation, safety, SCADA, metering, security, system planning, and supply
chain management.
More information can be found at PublicPower.org/EandO.
Training Courses
The Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo training courses offer an excellent
opportunity for apprentice and journeyman lineworkers to boost their knowledge
and encourage success in the field through working safer and smarter. Training
course registration information is located at PublicPower.org/Rodeo and on the
competitor registration form.
Training Coordinator: Michael Willetts, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Minn.
Friday, May 15
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Track 1: Accident Review & Investigation
When employees adhere to defined training, work procedures, safety best practices, and resources such
as the APPA Safety Manual and OSHA standards, they can mitigate powerline work dangers. Attendees will
learn from their peers’ experiences by reviewing accidents and incidents that public power lineworkers have
faced.
Track 2: Arc Flash: Understanding OSHA 1910.269 & Developing SOPs
Because arc flash protection and FR protective clothing are a requirement for lineworkers, standard
operating work procedures and hazard assessments are a necessity. Attendees will learn compliance
resources and best practices to facilitate their responsibilities related to arc flash protection.
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Track 3: Regulator Safe Operation & Best Practices
Handling an energized regulator is an extremely dangerous activity, but with proper training, lineworkers can
perform this task safely. Participants will learn the hazards associated with operating an energized regulator
and review safe operations and best practices for proper handling.
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Track 4: Fall Protection Selection, Safety, and Best Practices for Lineworkers
Fall protection is the “new normal” for electric utilities. Utilities must make appropriate choices when
selecting personal protective equipment for lineworkers, since the lives of their lineworkers may depend on
it. Attendees will learn important factors to consider when selecting equipment and best practices for utility
fall protection programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Competitors may submit questions
about competition events via
PublicPower.org/Rodeo until May
1. After May 1, all questions should
be asked on-site.
Journeyman and Apprentice Competition Events
Saturday, May 16
All events are timed and held on non-energized facilities. Visit PublicPower.org/Rodeo for full event
specifications and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).
JOURNEYMAN TEAM EVENTS
APPRENTICE EVENTS
Journeyman Master Judge
Apprentice Master Judge
Aaron Haderle
Kissimmee Utility Authority, Fla.
4kV Crossarm Change Out
Chief Judge: Mike Conyers, Missouri Public Utility Alliance,
Mo.
Teams will change out an eight-foot light crossarm with
the insulators on a horizontal structure with two phases.
All necessary hardware will be on the ground when teams
start the event.
12kV Deadend Insulator Replacement
Chief Judge: Steve Stanfill, Jackson Energy Authority,
Tenn.
Team members will replace a single phase deadend
insulator on a simulated hot line. They will de-energize,
test, and ground a single phase line before replacing the
insulator.
Deadend Transfer
Pete Wyffels
Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association,
Minn.
Crossarm Relocation
Chief Judge: Woodie Wilson, ElectriCities of North Carolina,
N.C.
The apprentice will relocate a wooden arm 90 degrees
from its original location. The apprentice will remove both
the arm and brace bolt, rotate the arm 90 degrees either
direction, and reinstall using the same hardware. The
new location (holes) will be six inches above or below the
original location.
Double Deadend Bell
Chief Judge: Kenneth Roberts, Huntsville Utilities, Ala.
The apprentice will change both polymer suspension
insulators out on a single-phase double deadend. The
apprentice must restore the work station to its original
condition.
Chief Judge: Steve Ledford, Memphis Light, Gas & Water,
Tenn.
Hurtman Rescue
Competitors will transfer a single deadend primary
conductor and a single deadend neutral conductor from
an existing pole to a new pole set four feet away.
An individual apprentice rescues a “hurtman” mannequin
from the top of a pole. Event staff will provide groundman
support. This annual event reinforces the importance of
safety and looking out for each other in the field.
Hurtman Rescue
Chief Judge: Tom Sage, Murfreesboro Electric
Department, Tenn.
Team members will rescue a “hurtman” mannequin from
the top of a pole. One team member climbs, the second
opens the switch, and the third tags the mannequin. This
annual event reinforces the importance of safety and
camaraderie when performing line work.
Chief Judge: David Dwinell, Denton Municipal Electric, Tex.
Single Phase Conductor Tie In
Chief Judge: Trevor Roth, Nebraska Public Power District,
Neb.
The apprentice will remove the phase and neutral
conductors from the sheaves. Next, the apprentice will tie
the conductors in the neutral spool and phase insulator.
The construction of this event is single-phase.
Obstacle Course
Chief Judge: Rose Foster, Santee Cooper, S.C.
The first climber will climb a pole equipped with three
eight-foot crossarms, stopping at each arm and relocating
the arm-mounted device to the arm’s opposite end.
When the first climber is on the ground, the second team
member will climb the pole and relocate each device
back to the other end of the arm. After both climbers have
relocated the equipment and the last climber has both
feet on the ground and has removed the fall arrest device
from the pole, the ground person opens the barrel in the
cut-out with a fiberglass extension stick.
Scoring Judge
Michelle Palmer, American Municipal Power, Inc., Ohio
Ken Stone, Braintree Electric Light Department, Mass.
Written Test
Written test takes place
on Friday, May 15, at the
Sacramento Convention
Center
Chief Judge:
Bob Rumbaugh,
American Municipal
Power, Inc., Ohio
The 20-minute written test encourages lineworkers to
know and demonstrate safety rules at all times when
working in the field and during competitions. Questions
come from specific sections of the APPA Safety Manual,
15th Edition. Competitors seeking “Overall Apprentice”
recognition must earn a high score in this event.
Registration Deadlines and Fees
For additional information on what items fees cover and to register for the event,
please visit PublicPower.org/Rodeo
Apprentice and Journeyman Teams
Registration Deadline: April 22, 2015
Category
Fee by April 8
Fee April 9-April 22
Team with judge................................... $500 (each)...................................$550 (each)
Team without judge............................... $600 (each)...................................$650 (each)
Apprentice ........................................... $250 (each)...................................$300 (each)
Training courses .................................. $50 (each).....................................$75 (each)
Volunteers: Judges, Greeters, Auditors and General Volunteers
Hard-working volunteers are essential to the Rodeo’s success and serve as judges, auditors, greeters, and
general helpers. Volunteer registration information is located at PublicPower.org/Rodeo. The deadline to
register is April 22, but positions will close as the desired number of volunteers is achieved.
Hotel Information
Hyatt Regency Sacramento, 1209 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 • 916/443-1234
Visit http://www.sacramento.hyatt.com/en/hotel/our-hotel.html for more information about guest room
features and hotel amenities.
Check-in: 3 p.m.
Check-out: Noon
On-site parking: Overnight valet: $25 daily; Self-parking: $17 daily
Internet access: Complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access is available in the main lobby. In the
guestrooms, there is a $9.94 charge per 24 hour period.
Special APPA Room Rate: Single/Double $175 per night, (plus tax, 15%)
Reservations
Please make your reservations directly with the Hyatt Regency Sacramento.
Online: Visit PublicPower.org/Rodeo under “Hotel Information” to make your hotel reservation online.
Group Code: appappa
By phone: 888/421-1442; be sure to mention the APPA Lineworkers Rodeo and Engineering & Operations
Technical Conference.
Cut-off Date: April 15, 2015
Rooms may sell out before the cut-off date, so make your reservation early. Contact the APPA Meeting
Services department at 202/467-2908 if you need additional assistance.
Hotel Reservation & APPA Cancellation Policy
The cut-off date to receive the APPA group rate (plus tax) is Wednesday, April 15, 2015. If rooms remain
in the APPA block after the cut-off date, the APPA group rate will be honored. If not, you may be charged
a higher rate. The room block may sell out before April 15, so early reservations are encouraged. For
individual reservations call 1-888-421-1442 and reference “Lineworkers Rodeo and Engineering &
Operations Technical Conference” or make your reservation online at https://resweb.passkey.com/
go/2015LIRO. The Hyatt Regency Sacramento should receive all reservations no later than April 15, 2015.
Cancelled reservations that are not resold may become a financial liability for APPA, so please make your
reservations thoughtfully. If you require additional assistance with housing please contact Meeting Services
at 202/467-2941 or [email protected].
About Sacramento
Experience a one-of-a-kind visit to Sacramento, California’s capital. With more than 230 days of sunshine
per year, Sacramento sits at the juncture of the American and Sacramento rivers, making it an ideal
destination for city and nature lovers alike.
Visitors can bike the paved American River Parkway or take a boat ride along Sacramento’s scenic riverfront.
Other options include touring the beautiful California State Capitol Building and exploring Old Sacramento
where the cobble-stone streets are lined with preserved and restored historic buildings from the 1800s. This
28-acre National Historic Landmark District provides a glimpse into life during the California Gold Rush era.
Sacramento is also home to a prolific number of museums, including the California State Railroad Museum
and the Crocker Art Museum, the longest running art institution of its kind in the United States. Open since
1927, the Sacramento Zoo provides entertainment for the whole family and is home to over 140 native,
exotic, and endangered species.
Known as “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital,” Sacramento’s restaurants are renowned for their creative,
locally sourced menus. Take the opportunity to meet local farmers and pick up fresh produce at the
downtown Sunday Farmer’s Market.
If you’re feeling adventurous, there are many exciting areas to explore outside of Sacramento. Potential
day trips include heading to the mountains near Lake Tahoe, visiting one of Northern California’s famous
wineries, or exploring the streets of San Francisco.
Contact Information
APPA Contacts
Rodeo Registration
Sheila Kasasa
Phone: 202/467-2994
Email: [email protected]
Sponsorship and Vendor Expo
Pamela Cowen
Phone: 202/467-2903
Email: [email protected]
General Rodeo
Laura Cornwell
Phone: 202/467-2989
Email: [email protected]
Hotel
Joy Campbell
Phone: 202/467-2908
Email: [email protected]
Puesh Kumar
Phone: 202/467-2985
Email: [email protected]
General Rodeo Information
[email protected]
PublicPower.org/Rodeo
E&O Conference
Ursula Schryver
Phone: 202/467-2980
Email: [email protected]
Important Dates
to Remember
Competitor registration
• Reduced rate deadline: April 8
• Final deadline: April 22
Hotel reservations
• APPA group rate cut-off date:
April 15
Volunteer (Judges, Greeters,
Auditors, General Volunteers)
registration
• Deadline: April 22
Submitting FAQs
• Deadline: May 1
M AY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5
SACRAMENTO, CA
LINEWORKERS
RODEO
PUBLIC POWER
PublicPower.org/Rodeo
15TH ANNUAL
D
TE
S
HO
BY
A M E R I C A N P U B L I C P O W E R A S S O C I AT I O N
PublicPower.org
2451 Crystal Drive
Suite 1000
Arlington, VA 22202-4804
Standard
Presorted
U.S. Postage Paid
Arlington, VA
Permit No. 188