Sometimes the most important part of a job is knowing when it’s within your skillset and knowing when to call in a more qualified professional. When the task involves electricity that’s always the case.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District sent 13 employees whose roles require electrical component maintenance to the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, Okla., to learn maintenance of electrical components, July 28 - Aug. 1.
“They learn to understand how switches and devices operate so they can identify whether a device is failing and whether the problem can be addressed with maintenance, by replacing components, or whether they need to call an electrician to perform the work,” said Heath Mosco, instructor, OSU-IT.
Students spend the first day of class learning electrical theory and the procedures for safely testing and wiring devices. During the second and third day of training, they practice wiring devices and replacing pedestal components to simulate what they will encounter in the field.
Park maintenance staff and park rangers are often called to campsites to troubleshoot the electrical pedestals used to power campers and RVs.
“Each project is different and there are various designs, so we keep two or three different types of pedestals on hand, so the students gain familiarity with different models,” said Hank Farley, course instructor and the Broken Bow Powerhouse supervisor for the Tulsa District. “We stay up to date on new devices and pedestals so the students have that familiarity.”
Class sizes are capped to ensure each student can work at their own station.
“We try to keep the classes to 12 students,” Farley, who is the chairperson for Tulsa District’s Electrical Working Group. “You can’t get as much one-on-time with larger groups, and we want each student to have access to a pedestal or switch, so they get enough hands-on experience.”
By the end of the 32-hour course, students can diagnose problems and replace failing components rated for 120 volts.
The Tulsa District and OSU-IT have partnered to deliver the program at the Okmulgee campus for more than a decade and Mosco said the course has evolved since he started instructing it nearly ten years ago.
“We used to spend more time on theory. Today, there’s more hands-on practice, to give them the experience working with the components and performing the tasks,” Mosco said. “At the end of the class, we look at the course evaluations and try find ways to meet the students’ learning needs.”
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