Our work is pretty rough, actually.

[Scots Climber]

I started in the forest thinning and commercial logging Picea Sitchensis, cutting, snedding, chipping and stacking.

When I started climbing I couldn't understand why so many young fit guys came and went...

The main difference for me at least, having worked in Scotland for the last 4 years, is the heat combined with the humidity. Climbing in the UK we have to wear Class C "All Round PPE". Not having to wear heavy Aramid trousers and boots does help, a little.

I'm an ex soldier, so maybe it is just frame of mind, maybe it's because I work for myself... You just plough through the jobs.

 

[Bermie]

What's the old ditty:

'Horses sweat,
Men perspire,
Women merely glow...'

I was on full glow today, you might have even thought I was a bloke with the amount of moisture cascading down my brow!! Two cokes with ice, gatorade, and water, ice on my neck and head...
So many people do not understand how to work in the heat and humidity, you HAVE to pace yourself and keep the fluids going in. Water is not enough you need some electrolytes too, a gatorade, a banana, potassium tablet, something.
I have two water bottles in the freezer tonight, getting ready for tomorrow!

I've had girlfriends call up and complain I sent their boyfriends home broken at the end of the day!

 

[memetic]

"I've had girlfriends call up and complain I sent their boyfriends home broken at the end of the day!"

Dammmnnn.

 

[ropensaddle]

Funny this thread was just posted. We had one guy in pretty rough shape yesterday, we made him sit in the shade for awhile yesterday and made sure he was hydrating himself. Kept complaining of dizziness and lightheaded, pale as a ghost.

He came in today, apparently by 930 this morning he was puking nonstop and ended up falling asleep in the truck and stayed there all day. Poor bastard. He wasnt with my crew today, but the few guys I had with me today I made sure to remind them constantly to go take a few minutes out of the sun and put some water in themselves.

"But I'm not thirsty." Well by the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated nimrod!

Golly if they can't hack it up north they would not last ten minutes here.
Most times our lows are your highs. It is always lovely to awake at 5:30
step outside and get hit with 85 with 90% humidity knowing it is going
to be 100+ by 10:30 am and stay that way all day!

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Golly if they can't hack it up north they would not last ten minutes here.
Most times our lows are your highs. It is always lovely to awake at 5:30
step outside and get hit with 85 with 90% humidity knowing it is going
to be 100+ by 10:30 am and stay that way all day!

Brother, ain't that the truth! Austin's June, this year, averaged 97 degrees! The humidity stayed pretty low, for Austin, but the heat was there, nonetheless. Now, the humidity is starting to get back into the usual, for summer, 85-90% range. Temps are forecasted to be in the 100's for the next few days. I always tell people, "Hey, most of my work is almost always in the shade, so it's not too bad." Of course, when you're at the top, pruning out dead stuff or picking ball moss, and the sun is slowly baking your brain while the humidity is choking your lungs, then it gets a wee bit intense, right? Think I'll goose my schedule around and take this Friday off. Ah the pleasures of calling your own shots! Funny though, when I do take a day off, I find myself doing 2-3 hours of paperwork, filing, etc., or chasing down bids. Yeah, real relaxing!

 

[BC WetCoast]

I have it distinctly written in my employment contract that I'm not supposed to sweat. And one of these days I'm going to enforce that clause.

No kidding

I really mean it.

 

[ropensaddle]

Brother, ain't that the truth! Austin's June, this year, averaged 97 degrees! The humidity stayed pretty low, for Austin, but the heat was there, nonetheless. Now, the humidity is starting to get back into the usual, for summer, 85-90% range. Temps are forecasted to be in the 100's for the next few days. I always tell people, "Hey, most of my work is almost always in the shade, so it's not too bad." Of course, when you're at the top, pruning out dead stuff or picking ball moss, and the sun is slowly baking your brain while the humidity is choking your lungs, then it gets a wee bit intense, right? Think I'll goose my schedule around and take this Friday off. Ah the pleasures of calling your own shots! Funny though, when I do take a day off, I find myself doing 2-3 hours of paperwork, filing, etc., or chasing down bids. Yeah, real relaxing!

Yeah its rough in south Texas I worked there back in the hottest
summer on record in 80 something, over a hundred like 90 straight
days with Gulf humidity not for me that is too hot too long.

 

[Scots Climber]

Yeah, I've also had irate girlfriends and mothers on the phone complaining about the treatment their "men" have received

I use my Military issue 3l Camelbak filled with Gatorade, or similar, and ice. Recently I have invested in a gas cooler to keep another 3-6l of water, fruit and my lunch from becoming tepid mush.

Climbing in shorts also seems to help

 

[ropensaddle]

Yeah, I've also had irate girlfriends and mothers on the phone complaining about the treatment their "men" have received

I use my Military issue 3l Camelbak filled with Gatorade, or similar, and ice. Recently I have invested in a gas cooler to keep another 3-6l of water, fruit and my lunch from becoming tepid mush.

Climbing in shorts also seems to help

:hmm3grin2orange: shorts thats too funny I could just picture
me in cutoffs, climb boots and my biz tee and cowboy hard hat.
I would be one hot dude with the ladies though

 

[Texas Chainsaw]

Everyone should know how hard working in tree service is, rather your climbing, rigging, chipping brush or dragging it. I've been in this business 5 yrs. now and I have learned how to pace myself. I use to work in doors at a retail store. Didn't have the slightest idea what I was getting myself into untill I did the physical work. I sweat the gallons of my ass and scrapped by arms and legs and knew this wasn't an easy task. I was working 2 jobs when I started at 22. No one has 2 jobs working from 4am - 9am. I worked for Coca Cola part time and dragged brush, and climbed in the field of trees. The worst part of it were the long summer days having 4-5hr. sleep. I still managed to go out to the club and hang out with friends but not every weekend. Not now, all I do now is drive around town selling jobs for the following.

 

[VTclimber]

When I first started I was fresh out of college, a 5'6" 110 lb little girl. My first day was in January, there was a fresh foot or so of snow on the ground and we removed a 32 inch white oak up a hill in a backyard. I was soaked and felt like someone beat me by the end of the day. I remember vividly telling my now husband at the end of the day that I wasn't sure if I could actually do this job. But I kept going back.

A few months later, I liked it so much, and talked about it so much that the man quit his job and came to work with me. Its great work as long as you can figure out how to do it.....and theres beer at the end of the day.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Update on barfing guy---

He called me this morning, at 6:45 AM, to let me know that he's unable to move and that he's "Too old for the job." At 42, in the shape he's apparently in, I guess he's right. Ten minutes after he called, the other guy that started with him called to let me know he's done. I went and picked up two guys at Home Depot who worked their butts off, never complained, both worked the chainsaws well, and we finished up a couple of hours ahead of schedule.

 

[Bermie]

When I first started I was fresh out of college, a 5'6" 110 lb little girl. My first day was in January, there was a fresh foot or so of snow on the ground and we removed a 32 inch white oak up a hill in a backyard. I was soaked and felt like someone beat me by the end of the day. I remember vividly telling my now husband at the end of the day that I wasn't sure if I could actually do this job. But I kept going back.

A few months later, I liked it so much, and talked about it so much that the man quit his job and came to work with me. Its great work as long as you can figure out how to do it.....and theres beer at the end of the day.

Another 'glowing' example of women in the trees!
Welcome, and here's your beer

 

[Houthakker]

first you learn to work, then you learn the job
if you can't work, you can't do the job no matter how simple or complicated
i never minded teaching the job to others, but they have to know how to work first (and teaching that ain't my job)

in tree work you generally know pretty soon if someone's shown up prepared to work and whether its worth teaching them the job

i don't mind people who can't work, probably it ain't their fault anyway
i just don't want them practicing it on my time, my job

 

[Scots Climber]

:hmm3grin2orange: shorts thats too funny I could just picture
me in cutoffs, climb boots and my biz tee and cowboy hard hat.
I would be one hot dude with the ladies though

Oh you have no idea, mate

I usually look like I've fallen out of a tree anyway...
...but seriously, I've been doing a lot of small jobs that only require hand saws recently

 

[Gumnuts]

Salt tablets help -- in my teens, school holidays,job working next to a smelter.
mixing and dragging the slag on top .Compulsory stops
every hour or 2 when we were given 2 or 3 salt tabs.
Fluids and salt, still do it when muling and uphill hot ones .Fifty -three now.
Nothing like the end of a good day ,hard at it, sweating, body maxed, strip off
and know that you can still 'cut the mustard' with seasoned workers half yr age.Have a mate 77 yo he's the same.

 

[treemandan]

Be really careful about letting people cool down using the AC in a non moving vehicle. I've heard of several deaths from CO poisoning.

Yes, maybe a few minutes to cool down but just some shade and cool water is most likely better. There are always garden hose which work just as well. Sitting in a running vehicle makes you sleepy in a bad way.
I do feel bad about evrybody though, hearing about all this suffering from the heat after I just got back from the beach Well don't feel too bad cause now I'm back and within the next few hours my shirts will reak from the mixing of sawdust and sweat. I call it Ode' de dog####.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

first you learn to work, then you learn the job
if you can't work, you can't do the job no matter how simple or complicated
i never minded teaching the job to others, but they have to know how to work first (and teaching that ain't my job)

in tree work you generally know pretty soon if someone's shown up prepared to work and whether its worth teaching them the job

i don't mind people who can't work, probably it ain't their fault anyway
i just don't want them practicing it on my time, my job

I like the way you put that, man. You really have hit on a universal truth: If you know how to work, you can learn, and do, any job. Very cool. Thanks!

 

[JeffL]

I like the way you put that, man. You really have hit on a universal truth: If you know how to work, you can learn, and do, any job. Very cool. Thanks!

Same, I may mention that to my boss tomorrow. He's always throwing up "inspirational" quotes around the shop and in the office. I'm a "whiner" because I'm sick of getting lazy ass high schoolers and fresh out of college kids to work with that dont know a rake from a peavey, and have no interest in discerning the difference.

I told him I can only tell and show someone so many times how to do something before I just plain give up. Its not THAT hard.

 

[capetrees]

Endurance is always the trick in this biz. Up and down the hills dragging brush, climbing up and down trees, all very physical. Strength is important but more important is edurance. Learned that when I used to wrestle in school. Pound for pound, wrestlers are matched fairly even when it comes to muscle mass but its how you use it and how long you can last that wins out.