Traits and practices of a good groundman suggestions

[Arclight]

I finally got hired on as a ground ops guy, and apart from what I know from the ground ops video I would like some suggestions regarding how I can be the guy the other members of my crew can count on.

So based on all of your experiences: what suggestions/traits/advice would you give this newbie? My appreciations in advance.

 

[acer-kid]

Let 'er ruuuuuuuuuuunnn

 

[Pelorus]

Cellphone turned off and left in lunchbox

 

[ckliff]

1. No little piles, always rake towards the chipper.
2. Use deodorant.
3. Keep climbing line tale clear of brush.
4. Frequently look up, anticipate climbers needs/wishes.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Grab a rake and leave the blowers alone

 

[KenJax Tree]

There is a great post on another site but unfortunately it can't be posted here. Its long but everything you'll need to know.

Google "how to be an excellent groundman" Click on the Treehouse

 

[Ryan'smilling]

The guys in the trees always appreciated when I wore a bright orange safety vest (maybe that's already a requirement). Made me easier to spot from the air and not drop things on me.

 

[acer-kid]

If you're sending me up a saw.. Start it, rev it out, idle it, shut it down then send it up. I hate choking a saw in the air.

Learn some knots. Bowline/running, clove, alpine.

If I look down.. And you're in the DZ playing on your phone.. You're getting clipped.

 

[Arclight]

There is a great post on another site but unfortunately it can't be posted here. Its long but everything you'll need to know.

Google "how to be an excellent groundman" Click on the Treehouse

Thanks for the direction -- I'll be reading it constantly on my free time.

If you're sending me up a saw.. Start it, rev it out, idle it, shut it down then send it up. I hate choking a saw in the air.

Learn some knots. Bowline/running, clove, alpine.

If I look down.. And you're in the DZ playing on your phone.. You're getting clipped.

I'm probably the only millennial in the first world that doesn't have a cell phone . I got rid of mine because I was starting to become unproductive with it and caught myself.

Keep them coming, peoples -- these are very good suggestions!

 

[ropensaddle]

It seems we climbers expect to have our collective ass kissed but if you were in the tree you would understand that anything extra up there burns energy! So when a groundie can lessen his toil its very appreciated. Remember to not ask 500 times which rope to tie stuff to send up if he uses his tail he is a tail man if he uses his handlines he is a hand man! Oh and don't ever think that rolling his rope up when there's brush on the ground is helping him lmfao. I would only mess with ropes when your told to after he is down anyway but make sure while he is climbing to keep them tangle free. Oh and don't pull a rope until asked, shaking the tree while he aint expecting it could hurt your ears for days after. Learn how to let it run

 

[Del_]

The Ground workers handbook.

 

[Tree94]

Definitely get good at letting it run, this takes practice, but is a big plus.

try to stay busy, or at least look busy, I cant stand when im busting my ass up in the tree and I look down and my ground guy is just sitting there looking at their phone when there's things to do.

also learn how to talk to the customer, don't answer questions that are above your pay grade, tell them they will need to talk to the boss.
I hate when a customer asks my groundie questions like, "Will you guys trim this tree?" and my groundie responds with something like, "Yeah, I think we can do that."

Or, "can you haul this small pile of brush off for me while you're here?" and the ground says, "Of course!"

 

[acer-kid]

X2 on the not tugging on ropes willy nilly.

Learn to sharpen a chain, too. Priceless talent for a groundman. Not needed often.. But BOY when it is...

 

[Pelorus]

Corollary to learning how to sharpen a chain is learning how to not dull one....
Own up to your screw ups. You will screw up.
Try not to forget tools / equipment when packing up. Esp. if you were the last guy to use said tool.
Bring enough of your own water / grub to a job site so that you don't have to ask the boss if you can "borrow" a bottle of his water.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Never lose a hitch pin

 

[Arclight]

Thanks again for the suggestions, everyone!

I'm gonna do some reading so I can hit the ground running tomorrow. It's an exciting time for me because this is the beginning of a new career path, but definitely an intimidating one given the fact that this is one of the more dangerous professions and I don't want to be 'that guy' that gets somebody hurt or killed over something I could have prevented.

I'm going in with a huge amount of respect for the whole of it.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I finally got hired on as a ground ops guy, and apart from what I know from the ground ops video I would like some suggestions regarding how I can be the guy the other members of my crew can count on.

So based on all of your experiences: what suggestions/traits/advice would you give this newbie? My appreciations in advance.

I have not read past this post, but I will tell you as an op's man , you better know your ****,,, you want your crew to respect you.
I climbed for 28 year's before I moved to a company as an Op's man.
Never heard of a grounds op's guy,, does that mean you are the best groundie on the crew?
Jeff

 

[Arclight]

I have not read past this post, but I will tell you as an op's man , you better know your ****,,, you want your crew to respect you.
I climbed for 28 year's before I moved to a company as an Op's man.
Never heard of a grounds op's guy,, does that mean you are the best groundie on the crew?
Jeff

Ground ops refers to a groundman position and all the responsibilities therein. I'm starting at the lowest position there is and getting qualified along the way.

 

[JRoland]

Pay attention. At all times. Everything else you read and / or learn will not matter if you venture into the drop zone without communication and get squished.

 

[treesmith]

Keep eyes open, listen, bring a brain to work, do not walk under a tree unless you know exactly what the climber is doing, when you walk under the tree shout "below" loud enough for a climber in ear muffs to hear especially when bent over picking up sticks, never let a rope go near the chipper, keep the site clean, don't let a big pile of **** collect on the floor near the chipper feed tray, keep tools together and out of walkways, treat tools as if you're paying for them, drag as much brush in one go as you comfortably can without damaging property, don't stop working till the job is done or till the man in charge does, don't whinge about mincy bollocks that no one cares about or wants to hear, be polite and don't swear, be the first to do something that needs doing instead of waiting to be told, do not let public into the drop zone without getting permission from climber, assume every member of the public is a suicidal lunatic with no intelligence until they prove you wrong and even then don't trust them.
That'll do for starters