Working In The Rain

[B-Edwards]

Guys I'm wondering how you deal with the rain? Do you work in it like it's not there? I know it can dictate where you go, some backyards are off limits. I worked R/w for several years, we worked no matter the weather, when your wet your wet. I never saw it as a huge safety issue ,but things are slippery you have to be careful. My biggest problem is my safety glasses fogging up ,so frustrating. Some guys just wont work in the rain. whatcha think?

 

[Climb020]

For me it mainly repends on how bad the rain and what time of year. Like when it is winter time I would rather not work and get sick and miss more time then just the 8 hours for the rain day. The rest of the year I am pretty much of with it as long as it is not a down pour and you can't seem more then 5 feet in front of you. Usually if it rains though I have to change the way I climb manly for safety being the trees are so damn slippery. As well it depends on my mood and my wallet as I am sure it would for other guys.

 

[mpatch]

exactly,, my mood and my wallet! The rain isn' that bad, just real dirty. The real cold (below zero and windy) is what I hate, big gloves suck!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I worked today til it started pouring, I'm glad I did. The light show started boombing shortly there after.

As for cold, I'm good til ~15* if it's calm and sunny, 25 in the wind.

 

[coydog]

lightning is not much of an issue in the PNW, and it rains a lot,so it doesn't really affect what's on the schedule, tough breathable raingear makes life nicer.I've got some goretex gear from cabelas that works good, otherwise it's important to have a dry heated place to air your gear out at night so it doesn't mold.

 

[ASD]

24 X 7 X 365 Rain Or Whatever

 

[woodbutcher44]

My biggest problem is my safety glasses fogging up ,so frustrating. Some guys just wont work in the rain. whatcha think?

The best thing for foggy safty glasses or shields in my cast ,Use rain-X thje same stuff you use on your car. Get the one with the anti fog formula.
It does not do much for the rain (no 50 mph wind to blow it off.I HOPE not anyway) but the fog over does not happen.
drizzel ok
light steady rain ok
steady with haevy here and there eeehhh so so
any lightning pack it up at least a while
winter wet no not at all gettin sick you lose much more.

 

[woodchux]

My biggest problem is my safety glasses fogging up ,so frustrating. QUOTE]


I like to use the wire mesh glasses, no fogging,

 

[oldugly]

Best quote yet, depends on my wallet and my mood, (or was it the other way around).

Also I would say it depends on what I am doing, or what my schedule looks like..booked up for two weeks, I'll work in everything but a tornado, or lightning storm...booked up for only one week, light rain, we'll take the day off and hit it tomorrow.

IF its bucket work trimming for powerlines...I'll look like flipper before I quit.
If its climbing a big cottonwood, a light drizzle is enough to call it a day. (Especially if its duck or goose season.)
IF it is one of those rare days that the crew can work on its own and I have the day to run around and take care of business...it better be coming down over two inches an hour before they come home...as a matter of fact they better have to come home in a boat.LOL

Seriously we work when we need to...no day is perfect for tree trimming...too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too nice, (rather be fishing), too hung over, too sick, too sore, the list goes on. But when the work needs to be done, its done.

 

[Grizzly]

:rockn: you can be rocking one day and get the next. Life is never perfect for anybody in this industry.

 

[OTG BOSTON]

I'd rather climb in spikes if it's raining, or snip ornamental shrubs. If its really raining hard and cold and windy, then its time for an early trip to the bar.

 

[RedlineIt]

We're a couple months away from our rainy season here, last year we had 26 days straight where it rained at some point of the days. Like coydog said mold in your ropes and other gear can get to be a problem, I rotate my ropes out daily when we're socked in for a soggy stretch.

On the foggy glasses: I've never tried Rain-X, it may work a charm, but here's a (cheap!) tip know to wet weather motorcyclists for ages, and also used by hockey players since the plastic visor came in:

Wash the visor (safety glasses) in warm water with plain old dish soap. Rinse. Smear a thick film of dishsoap on the visor and then just barely rinse, just a quick dunk in a sink of warm water, set aside to dry. When dry, buff with a lint free cloth.

Has the added benefit that the next time you get sap on them, (bugs on the motorcycle helmet visor, blood on your hockey face shield) everything is sitting on a thin film of dishsoap, and washes off easy as can be!


RedlineIt

 

[beowulf343]

The only weather we don't work in is thunderstorms. Usually give them an hour or so and they are past and we can get back to work. Rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind-the boss has jobs lined up for me till the second week of november already, I can't take too many days off. Just have to be a bit more cautious when working in the rain.

Besides, I thought people caught colds from viruses not from bad weather. My brother works indoors and he has several colds a year while I am outside year around and am never sick. I always thought I was so healthy because I am not around many people carrying viruses, but I may be wrong.

 

[Climb020]

Your right beowolf. The indoors breeds germs and keeps them close to everyone. Just like the kids at school. One kid gets sick and the whole class ends up getting it.

Reason I mentioned it is that you can had a virus and not get sick with a good immune system. But when you are cold and wet your body is focusing on staying warm and such that the virus is able to do it's thing.

but rain days are good for the maintance around the yard, shop and trucks that got put of just cause of backed up work or it wasn't all that important to take care of right away.

 

[squisher]

Nothing wrong with a little liquid sunshine:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[clearance]

Ah yes, yet another reason why spurs are best. And also why forest type hardhats with the mesh face screen are better than the glasses/dorky helmet combo. When my rope gets wet I bring it inside with the rest of my wet stuff and dry it out. You have to work when it rains in the PNW, that or starve.

 

[John464]

in the hot days this summer my guys enjoy the rain.

light to medium rain we work . heavy rain we stop and wait for it to die down. if it doesnt die in less than an hour. the guys get pulled off the clocks and I leave it up to the foreman to decide if they should start back up. They usually wait for it to become medium rain and start back up, just around that hour mark, haha.

lightning calls for sitting in the trucks until it stops completely.

The hardest days are when you are soaking wet, your grey socks are now orange from your boots, you look like your jumped in a pool with all your clothes and then rolled around in a mound of wood chips, drained completely.... but the job got done and you cant wait to jump in that shower the minute you get home

Its suppose to rain tomorrow

 

[Munkee feet]

I worked yesterday, and it looks like again today in the rain. When I have work..and I love work, I am out there to 'get er done' and unless it is real bad and/or snow I will show up. Tom

 

[RedlineIt]

clearance,

Safety glasses are required in combo with the mesh. Mesh screens are a very handy thing to have, I wouldn't be without one, but they don't satisfy WCB for eye protection.

I'd love to spur everything and doing what you're doing in the bush, hell I'd spur them myself, no probs. I'd love to have your job. I'll bet you haven't touched a rake off your own property in ages. Tell me where to apply.

Spurring a specimen heritage Beech planted on the grounds of Government House in 1919 by the ambassador of Japan, well it's just not going to happen, is it? Same goes for Dick Homeowner's crappy little Birch tree that's getting into his gutters, and it doesn't matter to him or me if it's raining or not. There are techniques to use, I use them.

And, my dorky Petzl E-rated hat has mounts for Peltors and a screen, plus came with an elaticised rain gutter thingy. Way better than the Husky forestry hard-hat garbage I ditched a year ago. That POS had gaps for venting that, according to the instructions, I was supposed to pop out with a frigging' screwdriver! Jam screwdriver into helmet, presto, it's vented!

Ok, great, and now when it rains? What, buy another one? Petzl's thought this thing out way deeper than than any of their competition, and simply make a better all weather hat.

You'd know that if you bothered to check them out, rather than just slanging them out of ignorance.


RedlineIt

 

[clearance]

Actually Redline, I believe mesh screens suffice for that purpose when using a chainsaw. Has to be, all the fallers and buckers wear mesh screens only. I have used only mesh screens, in front of a WCB inspector once, so I think perhaps you are mistaken.