What makes a GOOD groundman?

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by rborist1
7. Passing a pre work company orientation program prior to starting work. Including knowledge of job description.

It is the most important one and sums all of them up. All tree care companies should have a policy and procedure manual as well.

Thats an important point for sure, but that is 'first-day' kinda stuff. After the orientation you will hand them this document, and tell them this is what eventually will be expected of them. Tell them their raises/bonuses/profit sharing will be based upon their successful completion of these steps. Give them two copies. Tell them to bring one of them back with their initials written at each number. That will be the one that goes into their employee folder. Then, nobody can say "Nobody told me!!!".

Can you dig it?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by NickfromWI


Maybe the best would be 2 orientations.

Followed up with daily and weekly tailgate meetings.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by coydog
... if you are going to go poop in the back of the chip truck, find out if the customer wants the chips first

I believe that is covered in #10.



But I COULD go into more detail!!!

 

[NickfromWI]

Originally posted by coydog
... if you are going to go poop in the back of the chip truck, find out if the customer wants the chips first

nice!!!!

 

[kowens]

a good ground man

ground man

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ha!

I just figured out how to do that, Kowens.

 

[a_lopa]

i think what murph was saying about raking proper clean up would be a good starting point,it sets good grounding rules to do things properly,interesting mb should be a good outcome

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Hey MB, could you add to number 6 something about setting gear where it can get forgotten? My bossman always does that, he'll set a pulley or some expensive tool on the ground way over in the corner of the lot in the tall grass.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Done deal, Mike.

 

[Stumper]

Lots of good stuff guys. Everything is pretty well covered other than picayune details( and some of those were!) Rich touched on the only thing I would add.
A good ground man is the climbers friend-we don't HAVE to be buds outside of our professional relationship but mutual respect should make that a possibility. So.....if we go fishing after work. A. Don't hook the climber with your backcast. B. Don't make sudden/extreme moves in the canoe. C. If you both decide that you aren't afraid of sharing a water jug, don't backwash.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I worked a 'lil of that into 27 for ya there, Justin!


Uh, and Rich!

 

[Peter Pan]

T.C knows and says a good grounds man can start by being alert. They need to gas up the saws and get the gear of the back of the truck. Then they should makes sure the chains are tight. Next they can follow the climber to the tree and ask if anty thing else is needed, and they should notice if the prunner will be needed for getting hangers out. Then they should watch the climber as he goes up and keep the tangles out of the rope. Then they should be ready to tie a saw on or lowering rope. Once the saw is on they should keep an eye out for the saw getting stuck and be ready for that.

Once cutting has started they should look up every time the saw is reving at all. A good grounds person should already know where the brush and wood is going for now at least until they are freed up from lowering. The grounds person saw should be handy. Once the roping starts the ground person should know if the butt should go out or the top in, when trying to get a limb flat in tight quaters.

They need to know about the way a branch will react and which wires are what as far as obstical wires. And the strengths of them to a point, so they can get a limb down and the rope off quick and know if they can pull that branch down hard or not. They need to know how to flip a rope back to the climber and how to get it untied fast. They have to keep thier lowering ropes staight and tangle free and not around the life line. They need to be able to stop traffic, coil a rope, chip brush talk to the customer, propper raking of the lawn taking out divits with a pitch fork. Drive with out steering to much(if on the grass) as not to rip it up. Easy throttle to avoid spinning. Deacent driving skills. Start chipper. I been doing it so long i don't have to think about any of it so its hard to think of every thing I just do it!!

 

[Rob Murphy]

pics

Who's gonna do the pictures? With good pics it could make neat booklet.
If thats a good groundsman ....whats an execellent one like?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Pictures? Booklet? Hmmmmmm....

I'm working on making it in better order. I'll take MM's advice and arrange it like a work day. I'm also trying to make it more pc in the event I want to do something more with it.

Basically its every thing that I've ever had to yell at someone, or something that someone's done to me. Today a groundie gave me another example, knowing how to roll a rope up properly.

I don't wanna make it too detailed cause that would make for a crappy read. I do want to cover every possible freaking thing that is important IMO.

Its kinda fun since I've discovered my wordpad thingy!

 

[Stumper]

Well Butch's post count may slow down now.-He 's discovered his thingy!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ya think?

 

[Jumper]

I think a heavy dose of tolerance is necessary to be a good groundsman. They always used to say the BS in the Army taught one that.

 

[JohnVander]

What would you guys pay for a good ground man?

John

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Originally posted by JohnVander
What would you guys pay for a good ground man?

John

food and drink