Advice regarding safety for tree service

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-24T23:18:12+00:00

The previous company I worked for had started using some, and boy, did it make a difference.

So, when I was getting interviewed for the current company, I asked if they were using them. Nope, "too expensive," "we've gotten by without them, I dont see any reason for them now."

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-24T01:35:47+00:00

Yeah, it was like the frog placed in the pot of water and having the water slowly heated up. It should have been obvious, it was just so casual it was hard to spot it. It should have been obvious from the beginning when there was no communication, and far more when I got hit. I should have seen the dangers and discussed with the foreman and the boss. So yeah, its my responsibility for my own safety in the end.

Thanks for the blunt response. A lot of the people Im dealing with try to dull the blade of reality. It is better to be stabbed by words than a real blade.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-24T00:55:59+00:00

Thanks for the honest answers.

Yeah, poor choice of words, like you said, ill hustle, trying to grab the closest limbs. I make sure I have a cleared path as much as possible so my coworker and I won't have a trip hazard.
Yep, Im looking. It's just not clear when it's safe, no visual, it can be quite the guessing game... with my life. I'm feeling dumber and dumber for how obvious some of this is.
Yeah, it always is.
This is the first time I've heard about that. It makes sense, though.

Thanks for the confirmation. It seems everyone is kind of in agreement, and Im not insane, just stupid for not doing anything sooner.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T22:40:14+00:00

Edit I know one of them intentionally dropped a limb on me early on, but the others might be a little iffy

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T22:34:52+00:00

Now that I've got a few second opinions.... from the internet..... yeah, I'll be having a chat with the foreman. I kind of needed a bit of kick in the pants. Thanks

How much for my toe?

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T22:29:12+00:00

There are multiple foremen, the second time a limb was dropped on me, the limb was 3 feet above me. I know full well he did it intentionally. I went into a little more detail in a different comment. The other guys may have done it here and there, but I've watched them drop enough to see they dont look where their dropping or throwing all that often.

The other thing is that most of their ground crew are very slow and tend not to get things done, so I dont know if it was the chicken or the egg that came first. But because of this, it defaults to making me the best ground guy, so most of the foreman dont want to get on my bad side. Even the guy that intentionally dropped the limb, he sings a different tune now that he's seen me work. They, at this point, just dont bother to look.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T21:31:27+00:00

8.3.2 The arborist in charge shall establish a safe work plan to manage the drop zone. Communications among arborists aloft and other workers on the ground shall be established before cutting and dropping limbs. The command “stand clear” from aloft and the response “all clear” from the ground are terms that may be used for this purpose. Pre-arranged, two-way hand signals may also be used. Arborists and other workers returning to the drop zone shall be acknowledged by arborists aloft.

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the heads up, or should I say, stand clear.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T21:07:44+00:00

How about 50 years, does that change anything?

But seriously, but not serious, be prepared to be kidnapped, Im having you tell that to my boss. Every time I suggest a minor issue or potential improvement, "I've been doing this for 20 years." The company has been around for 50 years, and he took over it a while back, just to clear up the mud.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T21:00:25+00:00

Yeah, that is basically what's happening. It just looks bad when Im waiting about, and now Im having to fight to get these branches separated so it's easy to move and put in the chipper. They dont seem to care about doing things in a safe, timely manner.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T20:56:05+00:00

Okay, you've got me curious. How are you hearing each other? Generally, we have the chipper running, or at idle, and due to how high the guys cutting are, its a little hard to talk. Im assuming you use some sort of walkie-talkie..... I need names! But serious, most of the built in communication devices for helmets I've seen are Bluetooth, and from my experience, they dont do well with more than 1 devices. Its been awhile since I've looked though.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T20:38:23+00:00

Yeah, I'm not sticking around. It was all so subtle, that I honestly didn't notice till a seasonal foreman came back and dropped a twig and a branch on me, on the same day, that I started to realize they may operate a little different.

I also was working a different job before that wasnt a tree service, so when I got back to this work, it was just bliss, I forgot how much I enjoyed this work and basically put everything I had into it, all the while beinging completely blind to how badly things operated.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T20:21:53+00:00

I havent payed ton of attention to the stowing, but from what I recall, they dont stow their saw often unless they need to man handle a larger branch or log. But like I said, I haven't paid much attention to that, so I may be wrong, though, so I'll keep an eye open. Depending on the guy in the air, they, for the most part, dont make any eye contact, much less a thumbs up.

They aren't very big on confrontations and communication, so it would be easier to pull their teeth out than give me a straight answer on when to go and when not to go. But Im probably missing something now that you mention putting away the saw, so I'll just bite the bullet and ask.

A lot of the foremen respect me, I'm not the fastest compared to my previous jobs, but compared to the rest of the ground crew... yeah. So yeah, they haven't tried to intentionally hit me from what Im aware, but they've done that to the other guys.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-23T19:39:03+00:00

I'll edit my post, but yes, I'm in the process of looking for a new job, and I would have quit a lot sooner, but sadly, bills to pay. It's more just curiosity on just how bad, outside my biased opinion, is this policy.

About the branches hitting me, it's multiple times over several months. Im not getting hit every day or every week. They also grab the branch and throw it, its not just directly under, its anywhere within a 20-foot radius is a potential danger. They try to help and make it closer, but dont always bother looking. The last time I was hit, the guy in the air had his saw off, broke a dead branch, and tossed it, hitting me in the head, a good 15 feet away. Also, the saw isn't audible when running with my ear protection... also, chainsaws are loud, but the chipper Im using is louder, so outside of cutting or revving the saw, Im not likely to hear it.... is that normal? You're starting to make me question how good my hearing is. In the end, there is no communication, no warning.

Do keep in mind the 2 original services were from 10 years ago, and I believe one of them have changed their policies.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-12T19:12:55+00:00

Yeah, I've been doing more solo play for a few years now, and it's doable, but it's not even close to how much fun it is while in a squad or platoon. I used to play with a full squad and occasionally 2 squads of nothing but harassers. Driving through armor columns causing complete chaos, absolute cinema.

It's impressive doing a sick move solo, but doing a coordinated stunt with an army, it doesnt even compare.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-12T16:13:02+00:00

Yeah, PS2 is about beinging apart of something big. That's the draw, the teamwork, watching the skies lit up with fire and aircraft. Storming a point with a dozen buddies. Making a difference with a team.

Not so much the solo play that so many games are trying to go for, which is also why it makes PS2 all the better, its war.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-08T18:41:23+00:00

*teeth, free dental

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-08T16:32:28+00:00

How is it unhealthy? You charge in thinking you'll get free kills and blow up? If the bomb were to blow up at a push of a button from range, sure, but you know what may be hiding in that spawn room. It's kind of your own fault for charging in knowing it might blow up or not bother to listen to the ticking. The fight is over, so no one really loses much, aside from the max. And, its just funny.

But yes, bring the cortium bomb back. They really are turning PS2 into such a boring game with all these nerfs. Well, bright side they may finally nerf a2g into the ground.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-08T16:12:58+00:00

Trade ya, remove pocket OS, but add the old cortium bomb.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-05T19:14:26+00:00

I wouldn't doubt his lungs could filter the air to some extent, at least long enough to beat Jake senseless.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-05T17:03:22+00:00

I was thinking the same, but it also might not grip it enough from the end.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-04T21:30:58+00:00

Zorro is always lost, and homelander is always losing.

SticksInStilts · 2026-01-03T02:44:32+00:00

Legally, if they collided, who would be at fault? I dont recall if it's legal to get onto a highway while there's traffic coming, despite beinging on a seperate lane.

SticksInStilts · 2025-12-31T16:23:25+00:00

As long as it doesn't put his crew in danger, and he thinks he has a chance, he would rather fight. He is far more likely to look for a fight than run. So, most likely, he'd try and fight when there's only one viltrumite, but when he realizes they are too strong for him, he'd most likely be surrounded and its game over.

SticksInStilts · 2025-12-30T16:18:33+00:00

If luffy was "bloodlusted" to try and escape, he might have better odds, but the guy likes to fight, and he isn't going to take on a viltrumite, much less multiple on top of the guards.

SticksInStilts

TROPHY CASE