sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information old US Bell safety training film

And we inside guys never knew just how much fun we missed out on! I'm sure there were a share of cold weather related accidents too. In Minnesota, white is one of our natural ground colors. I'm sure it added to careless attempts to rush a linemans job and get out of a cold wind.

Started out in construction than I&R ,then PBX , always have your seat belt on , wearing your hardhat , safety glasses, & gloves, if in an accident , was the reply, but most of the safety things were when we in contract negotiations , other than that you would never get the job done, or the boss would want to know what took you so long

I was presented with a set of hooks one time that I had turned in after their first use out of the box, in good condition. NOT what I got back. Turned out the last user spent the day walking around in a gravel parking lot. The points were dull as a table knife. I don't think you could have set them with a 5 pound hammer. I almost lost my job over that. I wouldn't sharpen them and I wouldn't climb on them after my supervisor sharpened them. Heck, neither one of us was trained on how and we didn't have the gauge anyway. I went down to Graybar, charged a new set of points, did the job and turned in the 'sharpened' points, the rig with the new points mounted, and the charge ticket. Then it 'got smelly'. I got called on the carpet. I said I would not climb on those points for anybody, 'cause I couldn't fly. Showed the boss the junk points and the new points and asked if he'd like to try. Then I said "It's an OSHA thing. No one here is trained to sharpen them!" SOOO, my super caught s--t and I walked out of the office and went back to work!

When I was hired just over 10 years ago, I went through the week long pole climbing school that you had to pass to work in "Core". You could climb in a harness hooked to fall protection but you had to take the test without it. After passing, every morning before I&M class started you had to go out to the pole yard and climb. One morning I watched a new trainee fall flat on her back from about 15 feet up, didn't see her there again...

I never minded climbing but the last day of class was the last day I have had to put a pair of hooks on. It wasn't much longer after that that those high dollar but most uncomfortable climbing boots went in the trash.

A few years back they decided to have the I&M gangs "re-certify". 4 steps up...4 steps down... Being "one of those" special services techs, I didn't have to climb but was able to sit back and listen to some of the excuses some techs were coming up with as to why those 4 steps were too much.

I was bounced out of a 2 week pole climbing class. Class was Pass/Fail. Fourth day "out."

My training consisted of 'Watch close, and Always dig the dirt away at the foot of the pole and try to stab it with a screwdriver, if it goes in, you'll go down!'. Never fell, and didn't have to do it much. Probably why I never fell, I was a clutz back then.

God bless the former Bell System. Too bad that greed destroyed what was perhaps the most organized and disciplined company in the world. Can you imagine seeing one of their 'technicians' hooking a pole these days? I almost laughed at my own question. What a shame.

Thanks for the videos, guys. Great viewing for sure.

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---Ed---


Ed, if you only knew...... :shrug:

I learned to climb from a former Bell Lineman (who actually learned to climb in the Marines). We never used a safety harness. We went up free and belted in when he got there. I just remember him screaming at me from the ground "One leg bent, one leg straight!" over and over again. It must have worked, I never fell.

God rest you partner. Save me a place at the table.

As I recall, Joe Golan had a funny story about climbing in the Army. Maybe we can get him to retell it here?

Sam

I had the old Bell South SS7 training program they gave to employees,, DOS based super ancient,,,, Always good to reflect back on the good ole days of ma bell

OK Sam.....you asked for it
Background
June 1969 at the age of 17 I started my career in the communications business for NY Tel (Cruger Ave, Bronx, NY) and worked out of the Dyer Ave Garage in the North Bronx. This was a primarily a residential district and most of the local distribution was on poles. I learned to climb with gaffs at a very young age and quite well, as many of the rear yard poles had no access for a ladder, I actually loved climbing with the hooks as you could position yourself most comfortable for the work ahead.

OK ...... On with the story

I enlisted in the NY National Guard in late 1970 and was sent off to Basic Training in late December 1970.
It was in March 1971 that I found myself at my AIT training in Ft Jackson, SC. The Army, in their infinite wisdom, normally does not assign you to a job that you already know, i.e. the car mechanic becomes a medic or a cook, etc.

Well the Army goofed with me and my AIT (Advance Individual Training) assignment was to be 36K20 (Commo Wireman). As a weekend warrior (National Guard) we were always subject to some ribbing from the RA's (Regular Army) and the Drill Sargents. On top of that I was Jewish and wore glasses so that got me a little more.

Here we are (about 20 of us) at our first day of the 36K20 training, lined up in front of new Drill Sargent, Sargent Williams, who was our primary instructor. Now Drill Sargents in Ft Jackson, SC were an intimidating bunch, always in you face about something and ordering you to do push-ups like they were handing out presents. Well he was a typical Black Drill Sargent about 6'-6" and he loved ranking on the weekend warriors. We are all standing there at-ease as the Drill Sargent, in his gaffs and safety belt, is going through his spiel outlining the training we are about to start and what he expected to teach every man there which including climbing with gaffs. He went over the dangers of gaffing yourself and falling from a pole or worse yet "burning" it on the way down. All this time I am bored because I have been climbing for over a year and always paid attention to the Bell System Safety practices.
Well then came the challenge. The Drill Sargent trying to intimidate us trainees by asking for a volunteer to be his AI (Assistant Instructor) but there was a catch. You had to race the DS on a pole climb (40' pole) to the top of the pole, place your cap on the top and then come down to the ground. First one on their feet wins. If you can keep up with the DS you became the AI and the next 8 weeks was going to be gravy, If you didn't or fell or burnt the pole, then your life was going to be a living hell (KP, extra guard duty, etc.) Well after the DS gave the challenge and no one else volunteered, I looked up and down the line and then took one step forward. He looked at me up and down, he made fun that I was just a weekend warrior, Jewish, wore glasses, from the Bronx, etc., etc. all the while being just 6 inches from my face in a very loud voice. He asked me if I had any idea what I was getting into and was I sure I wanted to do this. I guess no-one ever before challenged him, let alone this Jewish, 4-eyed, weekend warrior from the Bronx.

Well, needless to say he was convinced I was serious and pointed toward the tool shed and told me to go in and find myself a set of gaff's, leather gloves and a safety belt and to come out fully ready for the race. Well I was in there about 15 minutes trying to fine a good set of gaff's that were not beat to hell and he came in asking me what my problem was. I told him that all the gaff sets were in horrible shape and need new points. I think it was at that time that he realized that I was not just some city slicker but maybe I knew something about climbing. He did find me a new set of points and I went about my business checking them for sharpness and replacing them on the gaffs.
Ok we are finally ready and at the base of our respective poles. He calls off the GO signal and we are neck and neck going up the pole. He looked over at me about halfway up and shouted something (obscenity inserted here) and I get to the top of of pole and drop my hat on it a split second before him but he yells "I got you now" with that and his larger stride he starts down the pole. Now if you ever worked in a backyard section of the Bronx, you learn real quick how to get off that pole fast. I purposely kick out my gaffs and drop 10 feet at a clip gaffing back in to stop my decent, my 4th step was on the ground and the DS was only halfway down.
Once he was back on the ground he asked where I learned to climb like that, it was then that I told him who I worked for before and he just shook his head saying that no one ever beat him before and really didn't know what to do with me.....I said AI sounds real good to me and no KP or Guard Duty as bonus. Well he didn't but the bonus but we remained friends after that for many years, we even had a few beers together. I lost touch with him in about 1980.