bad groundsmen

[vduben]

had an experience the other day that i never want again,

was taking a large lime down rite next to a house, got all the brash off and was lowering the top wood off its self, the grounds man said he wouldnt snatch it and let it run a little(dnt think he knew what i was telling him!!!!) well i put me cut in and ok'd it with him that he was ready, i think he must of put 10 raps on the capstain!!!!!! as the slack took up when the wood went it snapped the topping strop and whipped my arm so bad that it was numb for days, really put the willys up me!!!!! and the lump just missed the hose, he was 1 lucky boy that day, must of been funny to watch tho, i didnt half swear at him!!!!!!

but you live and learn, he will never do it again!!!!!

the tree with half the crown on still!!

[tockmal]

i think he must of put 10 raps on the capstain!!!!!!

 

I always give a hand signal to the groundy as to how many turns I want in the Portawrap. If you want 2, you just give him the V sign then put your middle finger down and make a swirling motion with your pointing finger......If you want him to let it run follow the swirling motion with a downward motion of your pointing finger. If he doesn't understand that.... fire him.

[bob]

i think we have all been there not long ago was working with a very experienced climber and i was lowering out a massive bit but were just lowering to stop them flying too far and letting them run to the ground which controled the buts and after several of thes the last one a twist got stuck on the capstan i took a massive smack on my ribs possibly cracked took 3 weeks to stop hurting but as they say **** happens and yes pete Mc tree you were the groundie i was swearing at

[vduben]

with allopes and kit aroud there is always going to be mis-haps and accidents, but asg as nobody gets hurt or injured its ok, sometimes its a good thing because it sharpens everybody up, it is far to easy to get lapse-a-daisical!!!!!!

[Blakes 7]

vduben, can your accident just be attributed to the groundsman?

Should you still be using a topping strop? Have you done CS41? If you have when? It is now considered accepted practise to use an arborists pulley.

Did you explain what "letting it run" means before you climbed?

[Marc]

A good groundie/climber combo is essential on some trees, the tree in the pic you show looks like one of those.

 

Can I ask are you a subbie, or do you work for a company, had you worked with the groundie before?

 

Not trying to imply anything, just curious.

 

When I started sub'ing for other companies I found I was being put on difficult jobs with groundies who did'nt have experience with roping or comunication. Some I just could'nt get on with!

 

As you say mishaps or accidents can happen, but I would hope not all the time.

[Pete Mctree]

i think we have all been there not long ago was working with a very experienced climber and i was lowering out a massive bit but were just lowering to stop them flying too far and letting them run to the ground which controled the buts and after several of thes the last one a twist got stuck on the capstan i took a massive smack on my ribs possibly cracked took 3 weeks to stop hurting but as they say **** happens and yes pete Mc tree you were the groundie i was swearing at

 

Oh well it does happen to even the best of us! Lesson learnt about remembering to run the rope through the porty both ways to avoid it twisting

 

 

Exscuse me whilst I skulk away to the corner to hide my shame and embarrasment

[vduben]

i am a subbie but have worked with him alot, he said he knows the score and i let him know what to do, like pete i get put on allhe hard jobs with people that arnt too clued up,

i had the topping strop with a pully on it to knock the top out and can you define exactly wat a arborist pully is???

[Marc]

A heavy duty pulley for rigging, for big bits the cast ali blocks are good, but there are steel versions out there to.

 

I think there was some confusion when you said topping strop, i've chogged down trees with a big thick topping strop and steel thimble before, using a pulley is way smoother.

[Andy Collins]

S'funny, when things go wrong it's always someone elses fault!! As far as most aerial work goes, its the CLIMBER who makes the calls, he is responsible for what happens and when. I dont think this is so much about bad groundsmen, more about bad teamwork, bad communication, bad judgement and a bad call. Then again, you do get some with a couple of years experience who think they know it all.