Tree felling and rigging courses

[MasonGrey]

Does anyone know of any tree felling and/or rigging courses coming up in Georgia in the early part of 2003? I would like to attend if so.
Thanks

 

[r/ctree]

Gaa will probable hold one in april or may of 2003 it is still in the planning stages get me your info and I can get you on the mailing list.

 

[MasonGrey]

R/c, thank you for the info. I will send you my mailing info via email or pm. By the way, I am looking for someone in the Atlanta area that will let me observe thier work on the weekends. I am even willing to help out for free just to get some experience. Don't think you will find a better deal anywhere. If anyone is interested send me an email.
Thanks

 

[seanlarkin]

Try the ArborMaster Training website, http://www.arbormaster.com if you haven't already done so. They have their tentaive 2003 schedule posted, which shows the several classes that are "concrete". There will be more posted as they finalize the schedule. You'll also find their contact info, so you can ask them what their plans are for Georgia, or anywhere in that area. Good luck.
-Sean

 

[MasonGrey]

Thanks Sean, already checked them out and nothing scheduled for GA yet. I will check back daily as they seem to be posting more dates all the time.

 

[palmer4670]

I have heard that Arbormaster is coming to Nashville sometime around March with the climbing skills and Felling modules, not sure about the rigging. You ought to come up and visit Music city and get educated all at the same time, or teach us some things.

Climbing skills is a prerequisite to felling if you go through Arbormaster.

Palmer

 

[Kevin]

Don't think you will find a better deal anywhere

Mason,
I don`t think many professional arborists care to have anyone inexperienced working for them even for free.
You really need experience to be of any use on a tree job.
Even hauling brush requires experience.
I have had people assist me only to look down and see them standing on my rope or standing directly under the tree where an item as small as a carabiner could kill them instantly.
Ask them to send something up and they don`t know how to secure it to a handline.
Makes it tough on new guys starting out, you need personal protective equipment and basic knot knowledge at the very least.

 

[MasonGrey]

Palmer thanks for the info. I might come up for that. My mother lives in Murfreesboro. Grew up in Woodbury if you know where that is. Been in Atlanta since '94.

Kevin, I appreciate your opinion. I find it hard to believe though that many people go through extensive training before ever working in the field. In most positions I've been in, I started working and then was sent thru various training courses by the company I was working for. I understand that many people would probably be clueless trying to help out on the ground. Something I didn't mention is that I have about 8 years experience doing ironwork (mostly rigging) and another 3 years stacking communication towers. I am well aware of the dangers that can occur if your ground man is not alert and paying attention 100% if the time. I have seen what can happen with inexperience. I was really more interested in cutting techniques and felling techniques. Once again, I understand where you are coming from on this, I guess I feel that I might be more aware and able to anticipate some of the things the average bear off the street may not think of without having to be told.

MasonGrey

 

[Kevin]

I would guess that many people in the industry start out working for a hacker in order to get some level of experience and then move on up as experience is gained.
Have you visited the OSHA site on tree felling?

 

[MasonGrey]

No I haven't. Do you have a link?

 

[Kevin]

http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/logging_advisor/manual/manual.html

 

[MasonGrey]

Hey Kevin, thanks for the link. Very useful site. Let me ask you and any others out there: If I were going to join your team, would you not rather that I be trained by a proffessional than by some hacker? That was my intent by offering my help to r/c. I know that poor work practices, once learned, are probably hard to break. If I am going to learn something, I want to learn the correct way. I am sure most of you will agree. On the other hand, I can understand that it is no fun having to slow down to wait on the FNG(f***kin' new guy). Even more importantly, having him do something unsafe that will get somebody hurt or killed. Just another reason to learn from a true proffessional. I have learned alot from this site alone, but by in far the most important thing I have learned is if you are not going to do it right, then don't do it at all! Enough people out there giving arborists a bad name. I don't want to be one of them.

MasonGrey

 

[Kevin]

If I was hiring someone and two people showed up the first thing I would ask for is qualifications and references.
Judging the two individuals by that, the way they present themselves such as manners, are they safety conscious, do they seem eager to work, do they enjoy the work and do they have any people skills.
From that I would try and choose the better qualified of the two and I think you would probably do the same.
If you have a couple of guys on the ground you can afford to have one in training but if it`s just you and a new guy with little experience the work will become more difficult than it already is.

 

[MasonGrey]

What's the weather like up there? Do you stay busy during the winter months?

 

[Kevin]

I have a full time job as a cable repair technician for the telephone company which involves patrolling hundreds of miles of cable through the trees.
I also have a woodlot and get plenty of practise felling trees.
I enjoy the winter more than I do the summer.
No allergies and no bugs plus it`s cooler for working and easier on the equipment.

 

[MasonGrey]

Right on. I am a construction supervisor for BellSouth, the phone company down here. I have 8 Outside Plant Techs and 6 Facilities Techs. Telecom is in the crapper down here. We have had layoffs four consecutive quarters and it looks like more coming 1st qtr. of '03. Hey, shouldn't you be clearing some defective pairs instead of hangin' out in this forum all day? People depend on you man!

 

[MasonGrey]

Oh, by the way. Nice picture. The guys around here don't do much of that anymore. They have become so spoiled with the bucket trucks that many won't even hook a pole anymore! I have some pics of my tower stackin' days I might post. I have to get a scanner though.

 

[Kevin]

I`m on holidays.