Standardized Hand Signals for Tree Operations

[MasterBlaster]

An earlier thread touched on this. Please allow me to repeat myself.
There needs to be a standardized set of hand signals, just like crane operations. Only for treework.

I have two signals I teach anyone on the ground. I would very much like to add to these signals, but I do not want to tax their tiny, little brains. (Forgive me, Good Groundies)

1) I touch my hardhat = polesaw
2) I touch my chin = bullrope

Thats it. I willing to yell the rest. But I wish I didn't have to.

Personally, I can just LOOK at a climber/groundman and KNOW WHAT THEY NEED. My ears having to take in the sound waves produced by their mouths is, for the most part, unnecessary. We should be able to work efficiently even if we were completely deaf. After all, hearing protection? Chainsaws and chippers operating at full throttle? Where does actual 'hearing' fit into the equation?

It should ALL BE VISUAL, and it should ALL BE STANDARDIZED.

Actual hearing should be considered a luxury.



Does anyone have any simple hand signals to add to the two I've allready come up with? SIMPLE is the KEY WORD.


1) Touch hardhat = Polesaw
2) Touch chin = Bullrope
3) ?????????

 

[NeTree]

Some of the crane sigs can be used for trees too, like take it up or give it slack or let it run.

We need pics!

 

[Dadatwins]

I always used touching hardhat to mean headache look up. Might be confusing if anyone else has done that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Pics? You can't visualize my first two signals?

 

[topnotchtree]

maybe Eric just likes looking at you mb. lol

 

[NeTree]

Pics are:

A) Definitive
B) Better learned by the people that need to learn them.

 

[NeTree]

Sure.. Butch meakes me look YOUNG again

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ha! I bet your beards gray, too!

 

[NeTree]

Nope... I use Just for Men

 

[NeTree]

I know a climber whose groundie quit and just left him in the tree.

 

[treeslayer]

ouch, did he tie the climbing rope to the tree?

had a saw sent up with oil in the gas and gas in the oil. and a loose chain.

 

[NeTree]

Had that happen a few times, always with the Echo.

Didn't make me very happy, lemme tell ya.

 

[treeslayer]

could you even tell with an echo?

 

[NeTree]

 

[OutOnaLimb]

All Joking aside, great topic. I still use alot of the hand and arm signals that I used in the army when we were out on patrol. Some of them are just no brainers but like Master said we are dealing with people who are just a little bit mentally challenged.


Tapping my helmet means Heads up or headache.

Two fingers pointing at my eyes and then pointing to something, means look at what I am pointing at, ie. a groundie running a saw into the dirt.

Waving my hand, palm out infront of my face means the same as it did in the army, Cease fire!! Or shut off the ground saw or chipper so I can yell at you.

A closed fist means stop pulling on a line.

tapping my boot means send up a pole saw

A cutting motion across my chest means send up a saw.

The list goes on and on, the important thing is that it is standardized and every one on your crew knows what they mean. If you have to write them down or print them off on the puter, and pass them out to your new guys so they know them. The concept of standardizing hand signals through out the industry really is a good idea. I nominate Blaster to be the one in charge or writing up this SOP.

Kenn

 

[Lumberjack]

I rarely use hand signals. I just say what I want and they get it. Guess that is one of the benifits of not havin a chipper, we still can talk, and we shoot the breeze while the chainsaws are off. Have a whistle for getting their attention if they are running the chainsaw.

 

[Hemlock]

Don't suppose any of you guys ever considered whistles? Don't know how it would be in urban areas but out in the woods they use radio controlled talkie tooters that can be heard for miles. Once you get onto them they work great because the whole crew hears them and everybody understands what is going on or about to happen. Timber fallers pin a whistle to their shirts or suspenders on the shoulder in case of emergencies.

Obviously the reason they use whistle signals is because they are not always where they can see or hear each other yell. When working close together they also use hand signals. They use radios some but only for special requests or something out of the ordinary and not for controlling the rigging because 'Whoa' sounds like 'go', etc. Not too safe to give verbal commands sometimes.

I'm not talking morse code here but really simple commands. Example: - = stop, -- = haulback, --- = mainline, ---- = give me slack, etc. They've been using whistle signals to move wood with lines for over a hundred years now. Might come in handy for treework as well.

 

[NickfromWI]

I have the whistle for emergencies. I feel like I'm calling for a dog if I use it just for normal things!

 

[MasterBlaster]

If everyone on your crew went deaf tomorrow, would all of you stay home because you couldn't 'hear' each other?

 

[BigJohn]

I remember having a whistle. My coworkers bought me one once when I going through a time of mismanaging my anger. Instead of verbalizing how I felt or to get their attention I would throw things at them. I hated to have to wait on people. I still do in some situations. Take today for instance ropeing down some big chunks of maple. Your not moveing these peices very far from the tree. But yet I have to sit and watch them try to achieve the impossible. I just want for there to be some slack so I can get the sling off rope back with a tag line and into position for the next peice. You sit watch them take up 5 minutes of your time and not have anything to show. I have a reputation for getting things done quickly. Me watching them doesn't help with my speed. So what is the hand signal for that? I am guessing comeing down and giving them the back hand.

Here one Dan Murphy once said to a coworker when I was takeing down an ash. It was really hot and I was in groove just sending huge peice down after another no breaks at all. My ground I had with me knows that you don't hold me up. Dans says to him to soft lock a peice that is just hanging waiting to be set down. I told them that a soft lock will get you cold cocked.