Rupe

It shouldn't slip down if the rope is holding you up, so almost under the hips and then it lifts you making you lighter and so you move better round the tree. Its is supposed to lift you from the hips so maybe I was right the first time.

Sure is. Anyone done it? I've watched a few times but never done it. I can imagine my ankles breaking!! Its got so popular now though because of the internet, you have to get there the night before to get a space to watch from!!

Maybe I'm thinking waist. On the hips then, as low as feasable without going below.

Its strange how the camera only comes out on nice sunny days! Makes it look like all our days I like that! I wish!

Yeah right, have you seen the time? Maybe put some up tomorrow.

On or just below. As low as you can get it really!

more pics

Can't put this in rigging and roping cos the only rigging we did was not exactly text book!! Anyway silver birch close to house, decking below between tree and house and some garden under the tree but 8 telephone wires directly under crown plus a few more further away. Did it on a saturday so we could use the office carpark next door and chuck everything over wires into car park. Lovely! Then some logs into the garden at the end........

Don't go this way from Cheltenham very often, but did today and passed this very famous hill with a little dustign of snow on it. I'm sure everyone local to here knows what hill it is, anyone else know?

Older timberwolfs are under 750 if you take the spare wheel off and maybe the spout!! If your spending 5-6k then its goign to bell past 750hrs anyway so just check the service history. My last one got traded in with 900hrs on it on original bearings. I knew they would need changing soon but they were ok at that point. I chnge the blades regularly and look after my machines as best I can. Timberwolf are great for owner operator machines IMO.

I've pm'd angus and asked for a link for the folding euc video cos I can't find it anywhere. He says its not available on line but will get it up on youtube when they get back from some work somewhere really cool sounding!!!!!

That blue sky has got to be one of the best colours on earth!!

Distels got to be the easiest pulley based hitch for lanyards? Easy to tie etc.

Police would be involved instantly if there was a fatality and soon enough if the injuries were life threatening or likely to result in permanent dissability.

Cool. I sound like a right old winger, but I'm only practicing for old(er) age. It amazes me that insurance companies have decided to take money from self employed climbers, but I guess if someone offers you money just so they can pretend to the tax man that they are a sub contractor then you would take it!

In person!!?? Did anyone want anything to do with him??

Can I make an example, based on sawdust situation but not directly aimed at anyone really........ If you look at a job, and quote for it and get it then that is your job. You work out a method for that job and decide to get in climber A to do the climbing aspect, while you and your other groundie do the groundwork, any lowering, chipping etc. By law you are resonsible for the health and safetey of that site. (management of health and safety at work act etc) so you should idealy draw up a risk assessment etc. By law you don't have to have PL insurance but for arguments sake you have it. By law you DO have to have employers and for this example you have that too. Climber A turns up on the day and gets on with it. He does not take over the management of health and safety on that site as its not his job and cannot be expected to if he has not ever seen the job before. During the day the greenhouse gets wrecked. YOU and your team (groundie and climber A) have wrecked the greenhouse durign YOUR work. Your insurance pays!!! If the climber was drunk YOU were responsible for lettign him climb. If the climber couldn't be arsed to lower something YOU are resonsible for that. You cannot pass the buck on responsiblity on your jobs!!! Getting a subcontractor in is a differnent thing and we are not talking about that. Does that make any sense?

I'm not trying to be argumantal in any way. I hope I don't come over as such. I would like to help everyone resolve this issue. I have some gripes. Mostly with insurance companies, its best not to listen to them! They will tell you all sorts of things and what they say has been carefully worked out word for word, they are not having a conversation with you (us). Thats great that your insurance includes covering sub contractors in the event of them not having any. Remember this is sub contractors your insurance company are talkign about, not climbers/groundies like what we are talking about. In that case, if you used a subcontractor who said he had insurance (and showed you a certificate) and then turned out not to, you could sue him seperately for damage to your business name etc but this would be a civil case, and you'd struggle to get anything! But at least the origianl cliam would be paid. Anyway thats by the by as we are talking abotu employeers here. What we all call subbies who are not subcontractors in the real sense.

Sure if they are sub contractors. But they are not if they are working with you.

Absolutly agree with you! Companies/sole traders carrying out tree work contracts should have insurance. Its not law but of course they should have it. Self employed climbers/groundies workign for those companies/soletrader on those work contractors should be included in the same insurance policy, and if not included then the policy needs to be changed to include them. They do not need their own unless there is an additional work contract (otherwise known as a sub contract) in which case they are bonafide sub contractors, and will need there own groundies etc. and an insurance policy to cover employees and public liability.

Ah, no sack! Its amazing what money and a camera crew will make you behave like! Its embarrassing even to most americans!! But if you think of it as an entertainment then most people would think it no different to axemen or ice road truckers etc.

Another misunderstanding! The tax man says a bonafide subcontractor (BSC) has there own insurance. Now thats only true if the BSC wants to be insured. Whether or not he's a BSC is not determined by his insurance, and therefore havign insurance does not make you a BSC. Having climber work for you for the day with there own insurance does not make then a bona fide subcontractor. They are working for you, no amount of insurance can change that. And if they screw up then you screwed up and your insurance will have to cover it.

Correct! It doesn't mean you HAVE to have it, or any genuine subcontractor has to have it.

In response to sawdust Yes, a bona fide subcontractor DOES need insurance unless they want to be an uninsured bonafide subcontractor. Its not a legal requirement but it is the right thing to do. A self employed climber and your groundie are not bonafide subcontractors!!!! When they say any subcontractor must have insurance they mean subcontractors!! Not people you are gettign in for the day, they are covered as if they were employees, which is why (amongst other reasons) you are being encouraged to take your man on as an employee! Insurance companies will give you a quote but its an unusable policy as you cannot put the responsibility of your jobs onto your groundie!!

Holly was done free of charge of course! I've didn't get a chance to do any chipping! Shame!! But it seemed to go through all right! Very dusty though, I'll have to clean the truck again this year!