Standardized Hand Signals for Tree Operations

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by BigJohn
I told them that a soft lock will get you cold cocked.

All that Steven Sea-gull stuff is fine and dandy, but do that in the workplace, and your asking for a lawsuit.

I EXPECT to ride a bucking bronco. If it don't happen, I tell 'em 'Good Job'! When it does, I just suck it up, and TRY to keep my mouth shut. I USUALLY do, but not allways.

A good ground hand is worth their weight in gold.

 

[Stumper]

Since I usual work alone excessive use of hand signals tends to bring out the guys in the lab coats. So does screaming at the ground man.
When I do work with others a lot of signals come pretty naturally-things like Kenn mentioned-pointing at my eyes and then at whatever needs attention; A hand swung back and forth in front of my throat meaning "kill the equipment" or "stop what you are doing"; An upraised hand swung in a circle=take another wrap;A hand in front of the chest rotated in a verticle circle=go ahead/roll with it.

 

[murphy4trees]

I remember that Big Ash in the woods Jon...
You whooped the ground crew up a bit on that job....
I was giving it everything I had just to TRY and keep up with you... and felt guilty for taking a quick break to get a drink in 95* weather...
And that newbie who thought he was in shape just cause he could run a few miles... he had to go to the store to pick up something to drink, cause he was so emabarrassed to be huffing and puffing like that....
You put $4K on the ground with just a little help pruning that big walnut, and we were debriefing by 2:30 in the afternoon.

 

[jamie]

movement

we use the same 'turn it off technique' to stumper,

now imagine you are holding a rear handled saw and make a rocking motion...that means i want a saw please......NOW!!!!!!

imagine holding a glass and rocking it in front of your mouth....either a saw needs fueled or its piece time

a few others....thumbs up means ok, good to go, pull the rope, cut the branch, the path is clear....etc

jamie

 

[OutOnaLimb]

Whistles are definately a good thing to have in case of an emergency, I keep one clipped to the back of my saddle.

Kenn

 

[appalachianarbo]

Our hand signals are indispensable. Without them, we'd have to shut off our saws and chippers just to say "I need a rope" or "adjust your notch to the right." And how would we back a truck and chipper around a blind corner? Whistles only come out if the ground crew isn't paying attention and something urgent needs to be relayed.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Wave hand by ear while shaking head= I can't hear you.


Throw stick first = look up when your talking to me

 

[jamie]

objects

get hit my something / trow somethin at someone......oi, im trying to talk to you......

what does it mean though when im re filling a climbers saw and he flicks the tail of the climbing line around my neck.....it did happen, but may be due to the whole squad winding up the 2 climbers that day....and pitching them against each other..... fun

jamie

 

[TREETX]

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

This brings up a good point. Yesterday I got my H9 medical to be one step closer to legal. It reminded me of the movie The Right Stuff. Tons of tests. Riding a stationary bike with electrodes hooked to my chest(ekg).

More vision tests than I ever imagined existed. Lung capacity tests. Oh, and hearing test.

Doc told me I am in excellent shape. Except for the fact that my hearing is really bad.

Take care of your ears!!

 

[jkrueger]

hand signals

When I was younger, about 1000 years ago, I worked on the NYC water front with a doc & bulk head company. Barges, cranes and tugs. No one ever had to shout or get recognized in the work flow. You learned to _see_ and knew the intent of what was happening. Hand signals was all you had to work with. And the whole operation always moved with grace and consistency.

We should establish the basics of hand signals for tree work and insist that the gound as well as those in the trees communicate with it. A lot of time will be saved and the job flow gets to be fun.

A dictionary of photos has to be assemled, what do you think?

Later,
Jack

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

a clenched fist means im about too kill you when i get down ,a stern look means now not tomorow...waving arms means turn the Fing chipper off,thumbs up means im on an earner££££££££££££s

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: hand signals

Originally posted by jkrueger
No one ever had to shout or get recognized in the work flow. You learned to _see_ and knew the intent of what was happening. Hand signals was all you had to work with. And the whole operation always moved with grace and consistency.

Thatsa mah boy!

 

[murphy4trees]

I AM all for standardized industry wide hand signals..
I started using 4 as a verbal meaning "look out below, here it comes"... I picked that up from a short season of playing golf...
So four fingers has come to mean the same... However a double flash of four fingers means send up the 044...
Open palm patting top of head means "watch your head... here it comes"...... I saw Glen Riggs using it once and everyone knew what it meant the first time they saw it... That's a good one

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by OutOnaLimb
I nominate Blaster to be the one in charge or writing up this SOP.

Kenn

Cool. Keep em comeing and I'll see what I can glean.

 

[treeslayer]

Originally posted by murphy4trees
However a double flash of four fingers means send up the 044...

Don't you mean one hand waving, backup the rayco? I thought you retired from real tree work and were just grinding?

 

[murphy4trees]

That was a Va. thing.... plus I don't climb much in the winter... So its been a while since I flashed those double fours..and the phone is starting to ring and so I gotta keep the customers happy..

 

[MasterBlaster]

Heres what I've got so far...

1) Tap head.................... Polesaw
2) Tap chin...................... Bullrope
3) Tap shoulder............... Chainsaw
4) Tap chin, touch rope....Climbing rope
5) 2 fingers to eyes......... Pay attention
6) Run finger across throat... Stop
7) Shake fist..................... Hold it tight
8) Winch down................. Let it run
9) Winch up...................... Take a wrap
10) 4 fingers..................... Watch out


I thing 10 is probably covered by 5. I'm trying to keep the signals as simple as possible.
Any feedback?

 

[murphy4trees]

For wraps I use a flash of fingers... usually 1 or 2, and then a quick circular motion with forearm and pointer finger extended.... then repeat that so they get the # right...

for send the saw up I hold my left hand like its holding the imaginery top handle and give two pulls with my right hand...

For hold it tight I use a raised and closed fist, forearm forward..
For let it run I use verbal.... and get them to respond verbally.. taking no chances on a miscommunication there..

Polesaw is two hands holding an imaginary pole saw and pulling a couple of imaginary strokes..

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: Heres what I've got so far...

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
I'm trying to keep the signals as simple as possible.

...as simple as possible. Whenever possible, one handed.

 

[murphy4trees]

That makes sense ... and its nice to use a signal that is self explanatory...