Job not going to plan advice please

[ledders666]

I have started a job taking down a maple over a aspesdos roof yesterday, i have done almost half when we noticed one of the limbs is in very poor condition at the bass, we were planning to climb and lower of it. so we decided its not worth climbing as its over this roof so if it breaks it will smash it all to pieces.

after having a chat with the owners were going to get a mewp in, im trying to get one now. there fine with the extra cost and understand the saftey, however i feel really bad that i didnt notice this when i quoted, and if i cant get a mewp today it may have to wait a couple of weeks to finish it off, threfor leaving them with a half finished tree for that time.

did i do the right thing by telling them about this and getting a mewp in or, should i have risked it.

Thanks

[MattyF]

If your not anchored to that limb I dont see the problem and that is the art of rigging chosing lowering points that will swing out over the roofs ,targets ect to a safe drop zone.

sounds to me if you had chosen good lowering points it would not of been a problem as you could of set up a tip rope with rods and hook if it was that bad to climb and got the crew to lift it off, but hey I was not there nore have I seen your tree so not condeming your choice but dont understand why you had to get a mewp for a limb you where going to have to lower any way??

[ledders666]

my reason is that if it does break even a smaller one, its going to land on the roof below and break it, which i realy dont want to happen and there isnt any other points to lower of exept its self, its very one sided over this roof

[MattyF]

Is the tree dead then??? like i said ,cant really comment as none of us have seen your tree or how it was before you started to chose rigging points but i very rarely rig a limb off it self any how.

[ledders666]

yeah i know what you mean, but there is no central leader so it has to be of its self to clear the roof

[Andy Collins]

why not get some large sheets of plyboard to protect the roof, then rig the limb off? Sheets of ply are available in 8x4foot from all builders outlets, and will prevent a lot of damage. Even working from a mewp, it only takes a small piece to punch a whole through asbestos.

[MattyF]

End of the day its your call,I once walked off a monster pop a few years ago that had 3live un sheithed power cables under it and it was a storming gail force wind, got ripped for it on here but was my call and was glad to go back in the calm or relativly calm ! and finish it with out any worries!

Better off doing the job how you feel safe or you feel happy with so you made a good call.

[geoff]

At the end of the day your job/your call.Mewps can offer access with improved safety and efficiency in certain situations,same applies to rope & harness.

You are responding to a hazard to prevent an accident,good call imo.

[Mark Bolam]

Good call IMO, and your client seems a sensible sort.

 

Can't comment on lowering/MEWP etc just by reading words on a computer screen.

 

Jobs do sometimes change while you are doing them. I would guess most on here don't carry out an aerial inspection at the quote stage?

 

Communication is the key, and you seem to have that covered.

 

Good luck with it, let us know how you get on.

 

(I would have climbed it.)

[Rupe]

I'm guessing you have already removed whatever could have been used as a rigging point? Even if there is no central leader you can still make a rigging point out of two other low leaders. Also you can rig the but end of the branch so it cant go anywhere if it does break. Rope and ratchet straps will do to tension stuff up.

 

If the original plan was to rig the branch of itself then this seems like a poor plan, but one the you would use as a last resort. In which case it should have been dealt with first, or at least assessed first.

 

If the tree is alive and the branch hasn't fallen off yet on its own then you should be ok. Have you got an anchor point for climbing? Or has that gone already too?

 

Words can't explain it really so I'm only guessing. Photos would be good?