lawrence , powderman is a workers classification in outside construction of international brotherhood of electrical workers - ibew . does explosives work usually on foundations for power lines , pole holes , right of way access , etc. altho some explosives are used to make quick splices on transmission lines , they are very expensive , but can save time . instead of hoisting up heavy presses , and where bad weather and time to complete jobs are more critical than material cost . all the new fed. regs. make this no fun any more . but is still the most cost effective method to break rock in many cases . since retiring i hope to author a chapter for up date , in the isee blasters hand book , because no one has addressed this work , and there is no written knowledge published on it . there have been no new people trained to do this work here that i know . most of my shots were critical ( beside hp gas lines , next to other utilites , and under energized power transmission lines ) i still might have to do some in emergencies , our utility still asks me usually when there is no other way . i wish some younger workers would have been more interested . sorry this got so long . will try to stay in touch . willie