What does a groundman do?
A ground man is primarily responsible for performing support tasks for power line construction, repair, or maintenance. Their responsibilities include preparing sites by digging holes, setting up poles, and even notifying clients for any power or service interruption. They also assist linemen or technicians by clearing any obstructions, providing guidelines, handing any needed tools or objects, and even operating different devices and machines. Furthermore, a groundsman is also responsible for clearing out sites after operations, ensuring the public's safety and the area's cleanliness.
Groundman responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real groundman resumes:
- Operate chain saws, pruners, brush chippers, and climb trees using climbing equipment.
- Work on grind grid, install pedestals, switches, breakers, bus, center tech.
- Gain experience with fiber optics, team building, OSHA safety standards, cable and internet systems
- Cut down trees using appropriate notches, hinges, and wedges.
- Work with ropes and pulleys.
- Learned about OSHA laws and work safety.
- Maintain a valid CDL for driving various company trucks
- Disconnect and connect power lines using proper PPE.
- Re-Certify and have current first aid and CPR certificates.
- Card, cpr certify, also ehap certified.Skills UsedProper safety.
- Receive and complete safety training for switches relate to position hold.
- Cut trenches for laying underground cables, using trenchers and cable plows.
- Operate and maintain machinery used in tree work, such as brush chippers, chainsaws, and leaf blowers.
- Sledgehammer, wire cutters, bolt cutters, chain hoists, line grips, open and close end wrenches.
- General yard maintenance includes lawn mowing and fertilization, weed, wedge and tree trimming, leaf raking and bagging.
Groundman skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Groundmen are proficient in Hand Tools, Safety Rules, and Physical Labor. They’re also known for soft skills such as Mechanical skills, Teamwork, and Technical skills.
We break down the percentage of Groundmen that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Hand Tools, 17%
Operated and maintained hand tools, power tools, truck stock, and truck and tool housekeeping.
- Safety Rules, 13%
Follow all safety rules and regulations to ensure the job gets done without any accidents.
- Physical Labor, 11%
perform rigorous physical labor installing and removing PPE and cover up.
- CDL, 9%
Obtained CDL Class A drivers license for further career advancement.
- Customer Service, 8%
Provided excellent customer service and received positive feedback from supervisors.
- Distribution Systems, 8%
Constructed, maintained and repaired underground and overhead electrical distribution systems.
Common skills that a groundman uses to do their job include "hand tools," "safety rules," and "physical labor." You can find details on the most important groundman responsibilities below.
Mechanical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a groundman to have is mechanical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "line installers and repairers must have the knowledge and skills to repair or replace complex electrical and telecommunications lines and equipment." Groundmen often use mechanical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "install ground rods using sledge hammer or by other mechanical means and make proper connection to the ground wire. "
Teamwork. Many groundman duties rely on teamwork. "because workers often rely on their fellow crew members for their safety, teamwork is critical.," so a groundman will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways groundman responsibilities rely on teamwork: "exhibited excellent teamwork and a strong work ethic by promoting camaraderie. "
Technical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of groundmen is technical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday groundman duties, as "line installers use sophisticated diagnostic equipment on circuit breakers, switches, and transformers." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "advanced from groundman to lead journeyman lineman through technical school and on-the-job training. "
Color vision. groundman responsibilities often require "color vision." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "workers who handle electrical wires and cables must distinguish colors because the wires and cables are often color coded." This resume example shows what groundmen do with color vision on a typical day: "operated basic hand tools and performed various manual labor under journeymen supervision. "
Physical strength. Another crucial skill for a groundman to carry out their responsibilities is "physical strength." A big part of what groundmen relies on this skill, since "line installers and repairers must be strong enough to lift heavy tools, cables, and equipment on a regular basis." How this skill relates to groundman duties can be seen in an example from a groundman resume snippet: "perform rigorous physical labor installing and removing ppe and cover up. "
Troubleshooting skills. While "troubleshooting skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to groundman responsibilities. Much of what a groundman does relies on this skill, seeing as "line installers and repairers must diagnose problems in increasingly complex electrical systems and telecommunication lines." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of groundmen: "job duties: installation and maintenance of power lines, and troubleshooting electrical problems at customer's residence. "
The three companies that hire the most groundmans are:
- Pike137 groundmen jobs
- MasTec60 groundmen jobs
- The Davey Tree Expert Company55 groundmen jobs
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Compare different groundmen
Groundman vs. Electric utility lineworker
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, groundman responsibilities require skills like "hand tools," "safety rules," "physical labor," and "distribution systems." Meanwhile a typical electric utility lineworker has skills in areas such as "emergency response," "construction equipment," "electric utilities," and "substations." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Electric utility lineworkers tend to reach higher levels of education than groundmen. In fact, electric utility lineworkers are 11.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Groundman vs. Line installer apprentice
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, groundman responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "safety rules," "physical labor," "cdl," and "customer service." Meanwhile, a line installer apprentice has duties that require skills in areas such as "electrical theory," "assembly line," "electrical systems," and "grinding machines." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Line installer apprentices tend to reach similar levels of education than groundmen. In fact, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Groundman vs. Cable installer repairer
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a groundman is likely to be skilled in "hand tools," "safety rules," "physical labor," and "cdl," while a typical cable installer repairer is skilled in "tv," "communications systems," "voip," and "repair cables."
Cable installer repairers typically earn similar educational levels compared to groundmen. Specifically, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Groundman vs. Electrical line worker
Even though a few skill sets overlap between groundmen and electrical line workers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a groundman might have more use for skills like "safety rules," "physical labor," "cdl," and "customer service." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of electrical line workers require skills like "electrical components," "electrical wire," "stainless steel," and "inspection forms. "
Electrical line workers reach similar levels of education compared to groundmen, in general. The difference is that they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of groundman
Updated January 8, 2025
