our health

[bob]

If you employ a climber you are already putting your kneck on the line, thats why I do all my own climbing.

 

But as a self employed climber very little has changed in the last 5 years, in real terms.

 

what makes you think its any different

latest regs to change climbing are the working at height regs and they specifically say they apply to everyone both employed and self employed

[skyhuck]

what makes you think its any different

latest regs to change climbing are the working at height regs and they specifically say they apply to everyone both employed and self employed

 

Its called "the duty of care"

 

Why do you think I have to insure my employees but not myself??

 

I asked the HSE at the APF if would be prosecuted for not having a climbing groundie as the owner of the Co and the climber, they said "no", but if you employ a climber you "MUST" have rescue climber, again its "duty of care".

[3dogs]

i enjoy going to work 99% of the time, the nature of our work is that its physically demanding if my bodies nackered at the end of my working carrier well im happy to just live with that. if they wrap us up in cotton wool, will we still look back and say how much we enjoy our work. i thought that us tree fellas were made of stearner stuff.

 

anyway how can we show our manliness if we havn't got the ailments to prove it?!!!!

[Mark Bolam]

Few months ago I was suggesting trying to take it easy all the time you could. Skyhuck disagreed, saying 'use it or lose it'. With hindsight, and starting to 'use it' a bit more again, I ultimately started feeling looser, fitter and stronger and have to agree he was spot on.

Know your limits.

Take joint capsules.

Work around niggling injuries.

It's like a pensioner getting a stairlift. Within a month they couldn't climb the stairs if they tried.

 

I'm off now to try out my new Stannah treelift....

[Marc]

What hurts me the most is shopping with the wife, walking slow, standing around waiting whilst she tries on some clothes all make my feet, knees and back begin to ache all i want to do is move quicker,,,,, maybe this is some kind of allergic reaction? I find myself making excuses to take stuff back to the car, that way I can move fast and i feel better, i must look like a man possesd with bags in his hand stomping through the city streets.

 

I agree with Skyhuck keep active, this is a great job yes in can be harsh on the body at times, but so can sitting in an office chair getting overweight. Although i'm always looking for easier ways of doing my job, not just to reduce stress on my body, more so that i can climb more be quicker and more productive.

[Buzz]

Completly agree Marc, shopping makes my back ache so bad i have to squat down after an hour or so.

 

The key here if you have the motivation is train hard. Work does not keep you fit in this game it slowly destroys you unless you have perfect technique and lets face it that's just not possible half the time.

 

Build up your core strength, stretch when you can and eat properly all this will extend your carear.

[Khriss]

Yea- lots of good points here. Been climbing fr 14 yrs now-still not too bad- yr diet, attitude and care of yrself is paramount-unfortunately most companies don't give a s@@t about climbers health an I know enough guys totally wasted from this job in their 30s-which is wrong and a waste of their talents. Wouldnt like to see MEWPs take us all out-but they have their place an should be used-some of the time. Though climbing is a great job-can really be too hard sometimes. ( maybe we should be paid more?)

 

K

[Mesterh]

I was just wondering what you impose the HSE do about the wear and tear we get while working?

 

Surely it would just lead to more and more training, more cert's required, more time spent doing more in depth risk assessments, money spent and less people employed.

 

You can if you want go on a course to learn how to lift loads, erect ladders safely and probably how to drag brash!

 

The job is tough and is physical you will pick up injuries over the years even if its just strained muscles but so what, life is a lot more difficult for many others.

As long as you arent being told/forced in to doing something by an employer that will put you clearly in danger then there is nothing to worry about imo.

 

More HSE involvement is the last thing I would want atm.

 

 

I thought I was the only one who cant go shopping for more than about an hour without getting back ache!

[Jason James Gairn]

Ditto the dangers of shopping. Also avoid operating stop/go boards. Murder for the back and feet.

I'm not aware of any HSE legislation that has changed my working practices. I'm not sure if they know enough to make judgment calls on our work, to a greater degree than is already exercised.

[Stuart A-C]

I think you just have to adapt and overcome, learn new techniques that save wear and tear on the body, perfect things like footlocking, or srt etc, it is surprising at how much easier it is on the body.