First crane job

[ropensaddle]

Well I done my first crane job today! I have been climbing professionally
24 years and my first time was wild. I have been helping a much larger
service than mine his crew quit. He is too fast but a good guy just takes
many shortcuts! I was nervous especially after he told me to tie into the
hook but it all went good just scary because he would not let me get to
the tree before cinching the cable tight and I kept hoping my rope would
not get pinched! I will help anyone out but really don't like being rushed
to the point of wildness. The guy knows a lot but safety is not his strong
suit he does not use or like you to use a buck strap. I am just temporary
but am scared that he is getting used to having someone that can get it
done fast! We craned out four medium pines pieced down two more with
out the crane and one rope felled tree and cleaned up the mess ground
four stumps and trimmed two oaks after a late start this mourning. He
really gets the **** done fast but I think time spent on a little safety
would not cut into the day too much.

 

[046]

no way ... I'd put up anyone endangering my life.

rushing with YOUR ass on the hook, not his.

have you wondered why he lost his entire crew?

 

[ropensaddle]

no way ... I'd put up anyone endangering my life.

rushing with YOUR ass on the hook, not his.

have you wondered why he lost his entire crew?

No I figured that out the first day but the pay is right!
I will be getting back on my stuff next week! I try to be
a blessing to whoever I work with but this pace is for a
younger boy and I hope he finds a climber soon. I am trying
to help him through a tough time! I am watching my azz
though, I sure wish I had his work he does get the jobs
and there are some things I have learned in the process.

 

[oldirty]

no way ... I'd put up anyone endangering my life.

rushing with YOUR ass on the hook, not his.

have you wondered why he lost his entire crew?

not a bad question at all.


rope i climb off that ball a pretty damn good amount and have been pretty lucky by having some good operators but in no way shape or form am i going to let them dictate how i make my moves in a tree.

i will throw my f'n helmet at the guy if he breaks my balls and if its his saw, that might come out the tree as well. i am not going to up there wasting time of course but i will not go out of control that for sure.

you sir are the one in the tree making the cut. he is working for you at this point.

since this is your first pony ride after being in a saddle for some time dont let this guy teach you the wrong way.

i'll tell you what. if you dont want my advice i'd say talk to beowulf or even jomoco. theyve been doing it for a minute.

unless the situation absolutely calls for it i am not cutting wood till i am tied in twice to the tree. you should too.

stay safe man.





oh.....and take me off your ignore list. jerk. lol

 

[ropensaddle]

not a bad question at all.


rope i climb off that ball a pretty damn good amount and have been pretty lucky by having some good operators but in no way shape or form am i going to let them dictate how i make my moves in a tree.

i will throw my f'n helmet at the guy if he breaks my balls and if its his saw, that might come out the tree as well. i am not going to up there wasting time of course but i will not go out of control that for sure.

you sir are the one in the tree making the cut. he is working for you at this point.

since this is your first pony ride after being in a saddle for some time dont let this guy teach you the wrong way.

i'll tell you what. if you dont want my advice i'd say talk to beowulf or even jomoco. theyve been doing it for a minute.

unless the situation absolutely calls for it i am not cutting wood till i am tied in twice to the tree. you should too.

stay safe man.





oh.....and take me off your ignore list. jerk. lol

You aren't on no list friend and yes on all my work I tie in twice
and take safety over anything on my job. I will grapple the rest
of the mess up tomorrow and will be telling him my work is calling
me! The pay is very fair but my wife said she would rather have me
than money.

 

[BarkingMad]

R&S, Congratulations on surviving your first crane job!
Please attend to the good advice posted above. You sound like a real nice guy, and you can be both a nice guy and stand up for safety - your own and that of everyone on your jobs. By the way, what was the crane operator doing while the guy you were working for was pushing the pace? He is a critical member of the team, too. I find it a real good way to start my crane jobs to take a few minutes to check in with the whole team and confirm the game plan and review signals, even with an operator I know.
Also, tying in to the hook alone is a major no-no. Even a big shackle (with its screw pinned) set above the ball is much safer and dirt cheap.

 

[tree MDS]

Rope, thats absolutely insane for anyone to rush chinching up the hook while your still tied in ! I also have alot of expierienced with climbing, but only two crane jobs on my own. First one I called in a friend who had worked with some big companies so I had him help with it ( I did half once I got the idea better). Second one I let him do and just worked the ground - now I feel safe next time doing it myself. He did tie into the hook wich is a no no, but once he set sling he would reppel down (or limb walk), tie in with lanyard, then unclip split tail, pull through rope, then chinch while you retie your line, then cut. Its probably because of idiots like that that that we have the regs about tieing in above the hook with clevis and cambium saver. I believe you should also take soft cable and wire clevis hook too. Dont ever let anyone rush you an anything, sounds like youre better than that man ! The boss is allways in the tree. Good luck be safe.

 

[Treetom]

too fast..shortcuts..I was nervous..scary..rushed..

Many things about the way you described your experience with this operator send up a red flag. Take care, R&S.

 

[D Mc]

Rope, I have no idea who this guy is you are working for but I have met a lot of his kind. He's an idiot. Watch your back. I have read enough of your posts to know that you have the experience, with a good head on your shoulders, to know whether you are safe or not. It is not his say. It's a shame that your first crane experience went this way. A good operator should reduce your work load, not run you to death in the tree.

If you do wind up continuing with this fellow for awhile, try to do a little research on crane/climbing line attachments so you can be well-informed.

Good luck to you.

D Mc

 

[randyg]

Safety First

Rope, I am glad to hear you are OK after what sounds like quite unsafe conditions. Crane operator and climber MUST be on the same page. Anyone else (boss, homeowner, whoever) in a hurry should just be ignored by you and crane opr. Personally I tie in above the ball with a twisted clevis/friction saver while I throw buckstrap with cable in through hook as backup. (Size of wood for choker set and approx. weight per pick are agreed upon with crane opr. beforehand) Once choker is set (cable only-no matter how large the strap/webbing under load if it slips or tightens the slightest bit friction will melt ANY strap) I unhook buckstrap and descend to cut point, install buckstrap, retreive climbing rope/friction saver, re-install it in other spot if poss., then signal opr. to tighten choker. At same time make sure opr. is OK with selected size of pick. Then I make the cut. If side lean is extreme, I notch on top one third dia. and then undercut about a third dia. and then have opr. raise till vertical and then finish cut. When picking log lengths I start the cut on side where choker is attached. Then cut till saw binds and have opr. raise only till saw free, then cut more. Very end of cut should be opposite of side where choker is attached. Sure hope to see some more input on this subject, as always eager to learn better/safer methods.

Hurry and drop piece on house or pick to big and tip crane? Steady and smooth and do again tomorrow.

randy

 

[ropensaddle]

R&S, Congratulations on surviving your first crane job!
Please attend to the good advice posted above. You sound like a real nice guy, and you can be both a nice guy and stand up for safety - your own and that of everyone on your jobs. By the way, what was the crane operator doing while the guy you were working for was pushing the pace? He is a critical member of the team, too. I find it a real good way to start my crane jobs to take a few minutes to check in with the whole team and confirm the game plan and review signals, even with an operator I know.
Also, tying in to the hook alone is a major no-no. Even a big shackle (with its screw pinned) set above the ball is much safer and dirt cheap.

Ok the owner is the operator he has his own 23 ton crane
he is well equipped but too reckless for me. I told him I have to
get back on my customers tommaro and he had a climber show
up today applying and is supposed to start for him in the mourning!
If he would have let me repel to the cutting point it really would
not have bothered me to tie to the hook and I did love the elevator
ride, I may buy one but will work it right!

 

[oldirty]

just make sure its at least 23 ton, otherwise you might not be able to even use it. company near us bought a crane and i have yet to see it roll down the road. thing is so small that you have to be directly under, and i mean right on top of the tree, for it to be able to do any work for them.

might as well just use the bucket.

good luck rope!

 

[ropensaddle]

just make sure its at least 23 ton, otherwise you might not be able to even use it. company near us bought a crane and i have yet to see it roll down the road. thing is so small that you have to be directly under, and i mean right on top of the tree, for it to be able to do any work for them.

might as well just use the bucket.

good luck rope!

Yeah it seemed like a good size could get into more places than a large
crane and handle 1500 at full length. It was near new and in great shape
seemed capable to me but of course I have only this one experience to
go by!

 

[beowulf343]

Nothing wrong with speed, but it comes only after both the climber and operator have worked together over many, many jobs.

My question is did you talk to this operator, tell him your concerns and that this is your first crane job? My usual operator and i have done hundreds of jobs together over the years and we are quick because we both know how each other thinks and works. But with a different operator, communication is key. You don't know each other. My operator does things for me that i like that freaks other guys out. First time with a new operator, spend a few minutes talking-often just to see what the other's experience level is. It's not uncommon for me to hit the ground with a different operator and tell him i'm not comfortable with this or that, or can he do this. I've never had one flat out refuse and they will often let me know what i can do differently for them. Communicate! (With words, not just hand signals-flipping an operator the bird make your life difficult.) But i bet if you had told this guy, "listen, it's my first crane job, can we just slow down a bit so i can get the hang of things," he probably would have. You were doing him a favor. And if he wouldn't have, walk away, it's your ass in the tree.

 

[ropensaddle]

Nothing wrong with speed, but it comes only after both the climber and operator have worked together over many, many jobs.

My question is did you talk to this operator, tell him your concerns and that this is your first crane job? My usual operator and i have done hundreds of jobs together over the years and we are quick because we both know how each other thinks and works. But with a different operator, communication is key. You don't know each other. My operator does things for me that i like that freaks other guys out. First time with a new operator, spend a few minutes talking-often just to see what the other's experience level is. It's not uncommon for me to hit the ground with a different operator and tell him i'm not comfortable with this or that, or can he do this. I've never had one flat out refuse and they will often let me know what i can do differently for them. Communicate! (With words, not just hand signals-flipping an operator the bird make your life difficult.) But i bet if you had told this guy, "listen, it's my first crane job, can we just slow down a bit so i can get the hang of things," he probably would have. You were doing him a favor. And if he wouldn't have, walk away, it's your ass in the tree.

No he would not have, and I walked! He is not an operator he is a owner
and thinks if you use a flipline it is costing him time and yes he has fell,
52 feet busted him up good, some people don't learn! I told him I fell
once and I said you know why I am alive? He said why and I told him I
had a strap on and he rolled his eyes! Anyway I have more work now
it is scary to work with different services.