Groundies

[Mesterh]

The climber might have more training and does a more dangerous job so I do agree that he should be better payed.

 

Tiago

 

Dont forget the bit about being a lot more Highly Skilled mate, It takes a lot longer to become a 'proper' tree surgeon than a groundie.

 

Groundies do a very important job which IMO has got to be at least 50% of the job.Too many people think that the most important thing to do is get the tree done/down as quickly as possible, when if you do the job the right way, and you have good ground staff then your done and dusted when someone else is still pulling logs of the pile of brash they dropped everywhere.

 

After reading alot of the comments about what a good groundie should do I think our groundie needs a right good slap across the back of the head

[vduben]

I think this is going to be an interesting thread. For a long time I have seen and heard Climbers talk to the groundies like they are some 2nd grade citizen. There often seems to be an air of big headedness from the climber as they think they are better because they can/will climb.

 

I think a good groundie providing they are good should be paid accordingly. obviously only if they are worth it, but a good groundie that can carry out all that is required of him from the climber and more besides is worth it; I know groundies that can operate chippers/lowering equipment but are also qualified to drive 18 tonners and operate huge Hiabs/ forwarding kit while over seeing the chapter 8 traffic management these people do deserve to be noticed.

ay up matt, did you hear me beep on the golden mile at you?? hahaha

 

very true, but i think most climbers have done there time on the floor, i worked with 2 guys the other day that dont have chapter 8 but i do, and the fafing that was involved was unreal, me being the young boy they wouldnt listen to me properly!!! and resulted in the job taking a hr n a half longer!!!

i call groundies when i look down and no bodys looking up or even watching, there all drinking tea and having a laugh leaning on the chipper, in my eyes they should always have atleast 1 guy watching, really rilles me that they sit there doing the above then when you get down and have a tea out your own flask that they have drank half of, and they have the cheek to make a snide comment like......no time for tea climber boy get a rake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but this only applies to a small number of people but gets my back up

[skyhuck]

i call groundies when i look down and no bodys looking up or even watching, there all drinking tea and having a laugh leaning on the chipper,

 

Good point!

 

As I only have one man he has no one to talk to, so he just gets on with the job, if we can get the mog near the tree he will often have 90% of the brash chipped as it comes down.

[dazlog]

Good point!

 

As I only have one man he has no one to talk to, so he just gets on with the job, if we can get the mog near the tree he will often have 90% of the brash chipped as it comes down.

 

Same here one person gets the job done, sometimes quicker than if there were 2.

[Marc]

Good point!

 

As I only have one man he has no one to talk to, so he just gets on with the job, if we can get the mog near the tree he will often have 90% of the brash chipped as it comes down.

 

Same here one person gets the job done, sometimes quicker than if there were 2.

 

See i disagree a 3 man team is 3 times more productive than a 2 man team, and 2 guys on the ground will clear a site 3 times faster than 1.

 

I like to have a laugh and chat and drink plenty of coffee.

 

Most of the places i've worked at if your sat by the chipper not looking at the climber smoking a fag or drinkin a cuppa, you will not be in the next day.

[skyhuck]

See i disagree a 3 man team is 3 times more productive than a 2 man team, and 2 guys on the ground will clear a site 3 times faster than 1.

 

I think you'll find it very much depends on who the men are.

[Marc]

I think you'll find it very much depends on who the men are.

 

Exactly. Which is the problem very good groundies are very hard to find.

But to say that 1 groundie will work harder because he has no one to talk to and slack off with is wrong, although i do know this is often the case.

[Scottie]

If anybody is intersted look up this site. The title is CS45 Arboricultrual Ground-Worker. It is everything I do in a normal day.

 

http://www.nptc.org.uk/assessment-schedules/

[arc]

I've found that 1 man can't do the work of two men, but 2 men can usually do the work of 3. Unless theres a big drag or another good reason we always work in teams of 2.

[Jason James Gairn]

There's too many variables. every individual job dictates the man power required. There's no rules. Often i feel we are over manned, but this is usually on jobs requiring more guys for H&S reasons than bad planning. With a 2 man gang, who's watching the climber when the chippers running and visa-versa? The only safe way would slow the job down to a snails pace, unless of course you are lucky enough to have the chipper next to the tree.The three man gang is a classic for good reason. Its a synergy.

I've seen some 1 man gangs, and not just on small jobs. Cripes!