BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION

**HUMAN RESOURCES**

#### Portland, Oregon

**PERSONNEL LETTER NO. 300-7 DATE:** September 7, 2001

**SUBJECT:** Job Standards for Hourly Jobs

# I. PURPOSE

To provide procedures for the development and maintenance of job
standards for hourly jobs.

**II. PURPOSE OF REVISION**

This issuance is revised to add "work around high voltage equipment" as
an example of a working condition, clarify residency and domicile
requirements, and renumber the Personnel Letter. This Personnel Letter
supersedes Personnel Letter 400/312A, dated September 15, 2000.

## III. REFERENCES {#iii.-references .unnumbered}

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Job Qualification System for Trades
and Labor Occupations (Handbook X-118C).

## RESPONSIBILITIES

> A. Personnel Services, Acquiring and Positioning Human Resources, is
> responsible for coordinating the preparation, approval, distribution,
> and maintenance of job standards for hourly jobs.
>
> > B. Supervisors of employees occupying hourly jobs are responsible
> > for identifying major changes which affect the need for or accuracy
> > of job standards, and for proposing new or revised job standards to
> > Personnel Services, Acquiring and Positioning Human Resources. Major
> > changes include:

1.  New jobs for which there are no existing job standards;

2.  Changes in existing jobs such as addition of duties, removal of
    duties, and changes in conditions affecting the job.

## JOB STANDARD FORMAT

A job standard is a comprehensive statement describing job
characteristics, qualification standards, career paths available, and
reduction-in-force competitive level for a given job or group of jobs.
Appendix A represents the prescribed format for job standards and
defines the basic components of the job standard.

Godfrey C. Beckett

Manager, Human Resources, Diversity and EEO

Attachment

### APPENDIX A

**JOB STANDARD FORMAT**

**I. JOB CHARACTERISTICS.**

> **A. General Statement:** A general responsibilities statement and
> identification of the supervisor. For example:
>
> \"The foreman is responsible for the safe and efficient operation
> of . . . .\", or at the journeyman level
> \"The . . . operates . . . for routine and emergency hauling of
> materials and equipment used in the construction and maintenance of
> transmission lines and substations throughout the BPA system.\"
>
> \"Work is assigned by . . . .\", or \"Work is assigned by an
> appropriate supervisor.\", or \"The . . . reports to a . . . who
> assigns duties and provides administrative supervision and control.\"
>
> The last sentence will always be \"The . . . performs all duties in
> compliance with Government regulations, BPA safety rules, and the
> Collective Agreement Between BPA and the CPTC." Foreman II/III, Chief
> Substation Operator III, and Senior System Dispatcher will have the
> probationary statement added, \"Supervisory probation is required,
> unless the incumbent has already completed it.\"
>
> **B. Tasks/Job Functions:**

1.  For journeyman jobs, use the heading \"Tasks\" and list the tasks
    assigned to the job.

2.  For Foreman I, II, and III, Chief Substation Operator III, and
    certain Senior System Dispatcher level positions, use the heading
    \"Job Functions\" and list the Foreman elements. See Appendix B for
    elements required in Foreman, Chief Substation Operator, and Senior
    System Dispatcher job standards. (The first category under \"Job
    Functions\" is \"Work Leadership\" at the Foreman I level, and
    \"Supervisory Responsibilities\" at the Foreman II/III, Senior
    System Dispatcher, and Chief Substation Operator III levels.)

> **C. Working Conditions:** The physical circumstances, including
> hazards, under which the employee works. For example:

-   outside or inside;

-   on rough terrain;

-   at considerable height and on precarious footing;

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-   in energized switchyards;

-   working around equipment with moving or rotating parts;

-   exposure to dust, grease, oil, and other debris;

-   exposure to falling objects;

-   exposure to constant noise;

-   handling of or exposure to hazardous materials;

-   working in unnatural positions and/or confined spaces;

-   lifting of heavy objects;

-   subject to minor cuts, bruises, falls, and burns;

-   working alone;

-   work around high voltage equipment;

-   shift work.

**D. Special Conditions of Employment:** Requirements in addition to
ability to perform assigned tasks. For example:

-   periodic physical examination, if exposed to health hazards;

-   knowledge of safety practices;

-   subject to call for emergency work at any time;

-   furnishing standard hand tools common to the trade;

-   possessing valid permits/licenses/certificates\--first aid card;
    state driver's license; U.S. Government motor vehicle operator\'s
    permit; combination and/or chauffeur license; electrical clearance
    certificates or substation entry permits; NIOSH/hazmat handing;
    certification to operate certain types of equipment (or time allowed
    to qualify for such permits/licenses/certificates);

-   establish a residence in accordance with negotiated requirements,
    that is within one hour or less commuting time under normal weather
    and road conditions, to the duty station headquarters;

-   incidental operation of motor vehicles such as . . . ;

1.  Use the heading \"Required\" and \"Optional\" if you have
    conditions.

2.  Under both of these categories. \"Optional\" will be used for
    conditions that [may]{.underline} be required by a particular job.
    For example, \"Persons filling . . . positions may be required to
    meet the following conditions\", or if there are only two
    conditions, \"Persons filling . . . jobs may be required to meet one
    or both of the following conditions.\"

> **E. Responsibilities:**

1.  The kind and amount of supervision received (i.e., direct, general,
    etc.).

2.  The types of decisions or commitments the employee is responsible
    for.

3.  The types of guidelines available (e.g., previous experience,
    manufacturer\'s instruction books, manuals, etc.).

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F.  **Working Relationships**: People with whom the employee will have
    contact with outside of the immediate craft.

> In this statement also include the purpose of the relationship, e.g.,
> \"Since the work involves close relationships both on and off of the
> job due to frequent travel, the ability to work cooperatively and
> harmoniously with fellow crew members is essential.\"

**II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS/EVALUATION FACTORS.**

> **A. Technical Experience** (This statement is used only for
> Foreman/Chief Substation Operator and Senior System Dispatchers jobs.)

Applicants must be a qualified journeyman of the trade.

> **B. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities**

1.  Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of experience, education,
    training, and/or potential on the following Job Elements to
    determine those who are "qualified" and those who are "best
    qualified". (Note: Approved Job Elements (KSA's) for both journeyman
    and foreman/ senior system dispatcher jobs are contained under the
    appropriate occupational job family within the OPM Job Qualification
    System for Trades & Labor Occupations (Handbook X-118C).

2.  Experience may have been obtained in either:

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a.  a formal apprenticeship or training program, or

b.  sufficient recent training and/or experience in the trade which can
    be evaluated as giving the knowl­edges, skills, and abilities
    required to perform the duties of the job without more than normal
    supervision.

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3.  The appropriate Job Elements follow.

4.  The "Screen-Out" Element is the first listed, followed by the
    following statement in parentheses: "(Failure to meet this
    requirement will result in an ineligible rating.)"

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C.  **Physical and Mental Standards**: Description of the minimally
    acceptable physical and mental requirements for efficient
    performance of the duties of the job (paraphrased from OPM Handbook
    X-118C.)

"The duties involve . . .. (For example, bending, reaching, climbing,
occasional crawling, and working in cramped, confined areas; working
under the mental strain of exacting procedures; and arduous effort such
as frequently lifting tools, equipment, and structural materials
weighing up to 80 pounds while loading and unloading.)"

**III. CAREER PATHS AVAILABLE.**

> A listing of the jobs to which an employee may be promoted within the
> craft in typical order of progression.

**IV. COMPETITIVE LEVEL FOR REDUCTION-IN-FORCE.**

> Defines the category of workers with whom the employee competes in
>
> reduction-in-force situations.

**APPENDIX B**

The following [foreman elements]{.underline} must be included in job
standards for Foremen, Chief Substation Operator, and Senior System
Dispatcher jobs:

**Job Functions**

A.  Element 1. - Work Leadership (Foreman I level)/Supervisory
    Responsibilities (Foreman II/III level). Work leadership job
    elements could include:

> 1\. Assigns duties
>
> 2\. Maintains discipline
>
> 3\. Enforces safety rules
>
> 4\. Reviews and inspects work
>
> 5\. Responsible for quantity and quality of specific tasks OR
> responsible for equipment and facilities

B.  Element 2 - Planning and Scheduling. Planning and scheduling job
    elements could include:

> 1\. Project planning (Short-Range, Foreman I/Short and Long-Range,
> Foreman III)
>
> 2\. Coordination of various crews and activities

C.  Element 3 -- Administrative. Administrative job elements could
    include:

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1.  Reviews employees\' performance and recommends personnel actions

2.  Identifies, plans, and implements training

3.  Reports and records

4.  EEO responsibilities (Foremen II and III, Chief Substation
    Operators, and Senior System Dispatchers only)

5.  As a supervisor, the incumbent is actively and regularly involved in
    achieving BPA\'s EEO program commitments for all applicants and
    employees. To the full extent of supervisory authority and
    responsibility, the incumbent must act in a fair and unbiased manner
    to provide and insure equal opportunity for all employees in
    personnel policies and practices including recruitment, selection,
    placement, counseling, training, career development, promotion, and
    adverse action.