Cable jointers work in the power industry for power network owners, operators, or contractors.
They work on the electricity distribution network that supplies electricity to homes and businesses. They work on low voltage (LV) and high-voltage networks up to 11,000 volts, including LV live working.
The Office of gas and electricity markets (Ofgem) regulates the industry.
Cable jointers connect new supplies, divert and make alterations to existing supplies, and locate and repair faults. They receive safety documents and organise and supervise a working party (group of workers). They monitor working conditions and react to maintain safety. Completing work and safety records is also part of their role.
They work at sites across a company’s or client’s power network. They may have to drive vehicles requiring driving licenses. They work in all weather conditions. They may have to be on standby duty and work shifts outside normal working hours. The role requires a good level of physical ability and involves working at height and in confined spaces.
Cable jointers work with other jointers and support operatives, as part of small or large teams. They also have contact with other internal and external stakeholders. This may include the network management centre, customer call centre, project managers, commissioning engineers, safety teams, site managers, other trades, and subcontractors. They speak with domestic and commercial customers regarding work and sometimes the public to keep them updated on work progress. They typically report to an experienced operational engineer.
Cable jointers are responsible for helping to maintain the safe supply of electricity and the development of flexible networks that are vital to achieving environmentally sustainable networks. Work must comply with the electricity safety, quality, and continuity regulations (ESQCR). Safety is a top priority for the industry. They must comply with health, safety, environmental, and sustainability regulations and procedures. Failure to do so could have serious consequences for self, others, and the environment. They must complete tasks in line with the network's procedures and specifications, to the required timescales and unit costs. They must present a professional image of the company and themselves. They must be competent to hold an authorisation to fulfil their duties under their company’s safety rules. They may need to hold CSCS (construction skills certification scheme card) cards.
Craftsperson jointer
Craftsperson underground jointer
Electrical jointer
High voltage and low voltage cable jointer
High voltage jointer
Jointer
Low voltage cable jointer
Low voltage mains jointer
Typically, applicants do not need specific pre-requisite qualifications. They will need to demonstrate the ability to pick up new knowledge and skills, and to achieve goals whilst working both independently or as part of a team to fulfil the requirements of the role.
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Prepare for power network cable jointer activities. |
K1 K2 K19 K23 K25 K39 K40 K46 K47 K48 |
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Duty 2 Organise and supervise a working party. |
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Duty 3 Maintain work site health, safety, and environmental compliance. |
K3 K4 K5 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K23 K24 K40 K42 K48 |
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Duty 4 Liaise with stakeholders to co-ordinate works, ensure tasks are delivered, advise of impact of works, and report progress and issues. |
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Duty 5 Complete work and safety records. |
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Duty 6 Accept delivery of plant and materials and check fitness for purpose prior to use. |
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Duty 7 Maintain supplies of consumables. |
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Duty 8 Complete insulation and continuity testing. |
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Duty 9 Install and connect new distribution underground electrical supplies – service and mains: LV and HV up to 11kV, including LV live working. |
K19 K20 K21 K22 K24 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32 K34 K35 K41 K43 |
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Duty 10 Locate and repair faults on distribution underground electrical supplies, which may include live working and may be in response to stand-by duties in all weather conditions. |
K19 K20 K21 K22 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31 K32 K34 K35 K36 K37 K38 K41 |
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Duty 11 Complete diversions and alterations to distribution underground electrical supplies. |
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Duty 12 Conduct, modify or check excavations including working on highways. |
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Duty 13 Contribute to improvement activities - supporting alternative ways of working to improve network safety, sustainability, reduce cost and drive efficiency. |
K1: Power network industry appreciation: generation of electricity, Transmission Network Operator, Distribution Network Operator (DNO), Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), Independent Connections Provider (ICP), supplier, generators - role and boundary of operation.
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K2: The office of gas and electricity markets (Ofgem) - their role and powers.
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K3: Power industry regulations: Electricity at Work Regulations, and The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations (ESQCR). Their purpose and basic requirements.
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K4: Cable jointer's role and responsibilities. Limitations of role and escalation procedures.
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K5: Model Distribution Safety Rules (MDSR) definition of persons: supervising a working party, competent, authorised and senior authorised. Authorisation roles and responsibilities in relation to working under safety documentation.
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K6: Business operation considerations: how activities may impact customers, financial constraints (budgets), penalties and rewards, ethical business practices.
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K7: The hazards associated with work on or near electrical power networks.
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K8: The dangers of electricity and how an electric shock can be received: direct contact, induced (impressed) voltage, and arcing. Electric shock emergency procedures.
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K9: Health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance - their purpose and basic requirements: asbestos awareness, Construction Design Management (CDM), Health and Safety at Work Act, confined spaces awareness, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), lone working, Management of Health and Safety at Work, Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), and warning signs and symbols.
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K10: Working at height awareness and safe use of methods of access and egress.
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K11: Risk assessments and method statements. Emergency procedures. Personal protective equipment (PPE). Manual handling. Fire safety.
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K12: Emergency first aid.
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K13: Methods for locating and avoiding utilities. Avoiding danger from underground services and overhead exposed conductors. The health and safety executive guidance and requirements: HSG 47 (Avoiding danger from underground services) and GS6 (Avoiding danger from overhead power lines).
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K14: Asset security requirements.
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K15: Plant and vehicle check requirements.
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K16: The power industry's net zero strategy. Principles of sustainability.
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K17: The Environmental Protection Act – its purpose and basic requirements. Impact of sites of special scientific interest, flora and fauna on work.
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K18: Recycling and waste management requirements.
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K19: Mathematical theory in power engineering. Round numbers, scientific notation, percentages and ratios. Areas, perimeters, volumes and surface areas of simple shapes. Scales, tables, graphs and charts. Pythagoras’ Theorem and sin, cos, and tan in right-angled triangles. Substitution of numerical values into simple engineering formulae. The sequence of arithmetic operations.
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K20: Electrical theory in power engineering. Circuit technology. Magnetism and electromagnetism. Transformers.
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K21: Power engineering electrical networks: generation, transmission, distribution and transformation of system voltages.
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K22: Power engineering electrical plant and apparatus, the properties and purpose of transformers, switchgear, earthing devices, voltage control and automated equipment.
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K23: Insulated tools - selection and care considerations.
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K24: Spiking gun set up and maintenance requirements.
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K25: Positive methods for apparatus identification.
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K26: Different cable types, voltage up to 33kV, construction and identification techniques and methods: Cross linked polyethylene insulated aluminium conductor armoured cable (XLPE), and Consac or paper-insulated lead covered (PILC), Polymer Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) and XLPE cables, and paper insulated cables.
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K27: Types of earthing systems, low voltage (LV) services and terminations.
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K28: Pre and post connection testing techniques: insulation and continuity, voltage, polarity, earth loop impedance, phase rotation.
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K29: High voltage (HV) jointing techniques up to 11kV on both modern and legacy cable types.
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K30: LV mains jointing techniques – mains and service; termination of services into cut outs.
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K31: Joint protection materials and the considerations in application techniques to prevent moisture ingress.
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K32: Phasing colours and diagrams.
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K33: LV network running arrangements, fusing and discrimination. Different LV switching equipment: air circuit breakers, links and fuses. LV operational switching and testing requirements and procedures. Methods of isolation. Considerations when paralleling networks.
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K34: HV electrical safe system of work control measures for working on underground cable networks: making the cable network safe (dead, isolated and earthed), screening from live equipment, identification (visual and identification devices), proven dead (visual connection to earthed equipment or cable spike), and released for work (with a safety document).
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K35: LV electrical safe system of work control measures, before and during work, for working on cables that have been made dead: isolation process, identification and proving dead, mitigation of risk from cables becoming live from alternative sources, and screening from live equipment.
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K36: The symptoms and causes of common faults on electrical power circuits, plant and apparatus.
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K37: Problem-solving and fault-finding techniques: non-invasive visual examinations, invasive physical examinations of plant, testing procedures, root cause analysis.
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K38: Fault diagnostic equipment purpose and operation: time domain reflectometer (TDR), low voltage faults sniffer. Fitting and setting up of auto-reclose equipment.
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K39: Access to private land, streets and wayleaves.
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K40: New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA). Signing, lighting, and guarding.
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K41: Mechanical equipment used in excavations and their limitations and exclusions.
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K42: Regulations and procedures for the safe excavation and maintenance of holes and trenches. Considerations for access and egress of excavations. Awareness of when excavation support systems are required.
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K43: Requirements for protecting cable from damage.
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K44: Documentation requirements: data recording, documentation control, auditable records.
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K45: Information and digital technology. Computers and mobile devices. Software: email, word processing, databases, productivity and collaboration software, and work and asset management systems. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cyber security.
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K46: Planning, prioritising and time management techniques for self and working party. Live or dead working planning considerations.
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K47: Team working principles.
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K48: The principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
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K49: Communication techniques - verbal and written. Industry terminology. Adapting style to audience.
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S1: Review drawings, instructions or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, complex wiring diagrams, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
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S2: Prioritise and plan work with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
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S3: Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
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S4: Receive and clear a safety document (permit to work). Brief a working party.
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S5: Report or escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
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S6: Identify apparatus to be worked on.
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S7: Interpret network schematic diagrams and geographic records to identify running arrangements.
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S8: Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
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S9: Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
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S10: Carry out visual inspection to identify evidence of overhead services and buried utilities. Use electronic locating equipment. Mark the position of services and sub-structures on the work site.
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S11: Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe condition.
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S12: Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.
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S13: Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
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S14: Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
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S15: Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
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S16: Apply security measures.
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S17: Select, check, prepare, use or operate, and store personal tools and equipment.
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S18: Set up spiking gun.
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S19: Install cables and apply protection.
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S20: Follow live working procedures.
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S21: Joint and terminate cables (modern XPLE insulated, PVC sheathed, and paper insulated lead sheath) for low voltage cable networks using cable connectors including fitting and terminating services into cut outs. Apply system earthing connections and joint protection.
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S22: Joint and terminate cables (modern XPLE and paper insulated) using joint kits on high voltage cables up to 11kv operating voltage. Apply joint protection.
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S23: Receive phasing colours for HV jointing tasks and interpret phasing diagrams.
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S24: Make and break live conductor connections on LV underground networks.
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S25: Perform testing procedures before and after making and breaking connections.
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S26: Identify fault. Test to find the fault condition.
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S27: Conduct fault diagnosis on underground cable networks to identify underlying cause.
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S28: Make recommendations for the repair or restoration of plant or apparatus based on the findings of diagnostic procedures.
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S29: Erect and maintain signing, lighting and guarding.
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S30: Monitor works using mechanical excavators (banksman).
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S31: Inspect excavation arrangements before work for safe access and egress.
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S32: Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and environmental impact.
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S33: Apply team working principles.
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S34: Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
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S35: Record information.
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S36: Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, reports.
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S37: Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements. Comply with GDPR.
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S38: Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
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B1: Prioritise health and safety. For example, risk aware, minimise risks, and proactively work towards preventing accidents.
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B2: Consider the environment and sustainability when using resources and carrying out tasks.
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B3: Take ownership for work and responsibility for its impact on others. For example, self-motivated, disciplined in the approach to work tasks, identify and deal appropriately with distractions to enable tasks to be achieved, work carried out in line with standards.
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B4: Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, take initiative -making on the spot decisions, re-prioritise workloads to react to emergency response and to fault scenarios.
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B5: Perform in a professional manner for example, polite, courteous, and respectful to customers and members of the public.
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B6: Team-focus to meet work goals and support inclusivity. For example, support others, show respect to people from different trades, disciplines, backgrounds, and expertise.
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B7: Committed to continued professional development to maintain and enhance competence.
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Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | End-point assessment plan revised | 28/10/2024 | Not set |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 30/11/2023 | 27/10/2024 |
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