ORDER XXX.—STATIONARY ENGINE DRIVERS, DYNAMO AND MOTOR ATTENDANTS

954.—Dynamo, Motor and Switchboard Attendants

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accumulator attendant, accumulator charger, cell charger

see battery attendant.

assistant sub-station attendant

supervises correct working of engines or generators in a sub-station; lubricates and cleans machinery, etc.; assists in cleaning switchboards, under supervision of a skilled sub-station attendant, and assists sub-station attendant q.v. generally.

assistant switchboard attendant

takes meter readings and keeps records in connection with switchboard; works under supervision of switchboard attendant q.v.; sometimes in charge of switchboard for short intervals.

auxiliary plant attendant (electricity supply)

attends to setting, cleaning and renewal of brushes and brush-gear; cleans commutators and cuts down mica between segments; cleans auxiliary motors; attends to oil levels of bearings, and is responsible for operation of auxiliary plant and for keeping it clean.

battery attendant, battery man, battery hand ; accumulator attendant accumulator charger, cell charger

charges electrical accumulators for electric lighting or power purposes and cleans them when they require it; periodically tests each cell with a portable voltmeter; cleans and boosts up "backward" cells, i.e. cells whose voltage is lower than in remaining cells; clears internal short circuits, and replaces by hand defective separators; keeps acid in each cell up to level of top of plates; keeps records of all cell solution gravities, taken by means of hydrometer.

controller boy, controller driver (iron and steel)

operates switchboard to control electrically, skids, rollers, etc., in rolling mill.

driver (electricity supply)

starts and stops, by means of valves and switches, one or more of electric generating machines in a power station, under direction of shift engineer (691) q.v.; supervises correct running of machines, lubricates them, and keeps them in proper order; watches pressure gauges.

dynamo attendant

has charge of dynamos generating electric current; oils and greases them, and keeps them in running order; adjusts them, as required, to meet varying demands upon them (technically known as "loads"); keeps clean commutator brushes and switchboard; executes minor repairs to dynamos, renews brushes, etc.

electric conveyor driver, electric transporter driver

controls electric motor which drives a conveyor, used for transporting material, mechanically, about a mine, quarry, factory, or other premises; superintends its working, and oils, cleans and greases various parts of conveyor.

electric fan attendant

switches on electric current supplying power to ventilating fans; regulates speed of fans by adjusting gearing; adjusts brushes on commutators, oils motor and fans; often also has charge of other plant.

electric haulage driver

as for electric conveyor driver in charge of electric motor operating haulage plant used for moving material in a mine, quarry, factory, etc.

electric motor attendant, electric motor man ; motor man (electric)

operates and controls electric motors in a factory, etc., by means of levers connecting starting switches; oils them, and keeps them clean; sometimes also does small repairs.

electric plant attendant

general term for attendant on any electrical machine at an electricity supply station; includes auxiliary plant attendant, dynamo attendant, power house attendant, recorder attendant, switchboard attendant, transformer attendant.

motor man (electric)

(i) see motor driver (colliery);

(ii) see electric motor attendant.

motor driver (colliery) ; motor man (electric)

general term for workers operating and controlling electric motors, used for pumping, ventilating, or haulage purposes; is responsible for their general upkeep and smooth running; includes electric conveyor driver, electric fan attendant, electric haulage driver.

power house attendant (electric), power house man

attends to engines, generators, and switchboards in small electrical power house attached to a factory, etc., manufacturing power for its own use; combines duties which, in a larger establishment, would be divided between switchboard attendant, driver, and auxiliary plant attendant q.v.

recorder attendant (electricity supply) ; volt boy, volt chaser

employed at small sub-station, where hand volt regulators are used to take and record meter readings; also keeps voltage constant at rheostat.

sub-station attendant

attends to switchboard work (see switchboard attendant) and to starting of engines at an electric sub-station, usually under direction of a charge hand (691) q.v.; in small stations, may be in charge or deputy charge of station, i.e. he may attend to operations of static or rotary converting plant, superintend cleaning of machines, and supervise other workmen generally.

switchboard attendant, switchman

controls main and auxiliary switchboards; regulates supply of current and loading of generators; switches generators into and out of service, as required; watches meters or indicators to ascertain that required voltage of supply is maintained, and records readings periodically; regulates pressure and quantity of electricity and loading of generators.

telpher attendant, telpher driver (gas works), telpher motor driver, telpher motor man

is responsible for, and operates, levers controlling electrical motor which works a telpher (a light car conveying materials about works, suspended from and running on aerial cables).

transformer attendant

employed at electrical sub-station where rotary power is not installed; keeps transformers clean; maintains oil levels in oil glasses on plant; opens and closes switches, switching transformers into and out of main circuits according to load, i.e. amount of current required; examines transformers to ensure that wire and porcelain insulators are in good condition; connects wires, fits on new insulators, and does other small repairs as required.

volt boy, volt chaser

see recorder attendant.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.