Pipelayer Trainee Guide, Level 1

(Total Level Hours: 185; includes 72.5 of Core Curriculum)

24101 Job Site Safety (17.5 Hours)

Describes the appropriate personal protective equipment most commonly used on the job site and addresses the impact of housekeeping on safety and project completion. Explains the most common indicators of existing utilities and recommends safe methods for locating and working around existing utilities.

 

24102 Tools and Equipment (22.5 Hours)

Describes the safe use, care, and maintenance of the most common pipelayer hand and power tools. Discusses methods for operating and maintaining dewatering equipment, generators, and compressors. Contains an introduction to drilling and tapping machines.

 

24103 Rigging and Delivering Pipe and Associated Structures (7.5 Hours) Describes the most common methods for receipt inspection, storage, and delivery to the trench of PVC, ductile iron, corrugated steel, and concrete pipe. Identifies the hand signals used by pipelayers when rigging pipe, and piping components, including manholes and appurtenances.

 

24104 Cutting Pipe (12.5 Hours) Discusses the safest, most practical methods for cutting common pipe materials. Also describes common pipe materials and standard sizes for thermoplastic, concrete, ductile iron, and corrugated steel pipe.

 

24105 Gaskets, Joints, and Fittings (20 Hours) Describes the most common methods for joining PVC, ductile iron, and concrete pipe, including O-ring pipe, slip joints, mechanical joints, and restraint joints. Discusses common methods for joining pipe to pipe, pipe to appurtenances, and pipe to manhole connections, including transition couplings.

 

24106 Introduction to Elevations (5 Hours) Discusses the use, care, and maintenance of the optical level, transit, and the pipe laser. Contains a brief introduction to elevations as it relates to the setup of these instruments. Describes common causes and solutions to laser problems in the field.

 

24107 Trench Safety (7.5 Hours) Discusses soil behavior as it relates to trench failures, including common indications of an unstable trench. Introduces typical shoring, shielding, and sloping methods. Identifies characteristics that may make a trench a confined space and describes the safety measures needed to work in the trench.

 

24108 Foundation Stabilization, Bedding, and Dewatering (7.5 Hours) Discusses common methods for preparing the trench for pipe installation, including stabilization, bedding, and initial backfill. Describes effective methods for dewatering a trench and includes a section on troubleshooting dewatering equipment.

 

24109 Testing Pipe (12.5 Hours) Discusses methods for preparing pressure and gravity systems for testing, including cleaning and inspecting pipe systems. Describes methods for testing pressure and gravity systems, including vacuum testing of concrete manholes.