Can anyone become a safe effective climber?

Anonymity

Anonymity

Participating member
Location
Ontario, Canada
I have a super employee that works very hard and is excellent in lots of ways! But, I’m sincerely, concerned that if I start training him to be a climber! A tree accident is just waiting to happen (note: I have trained excellent climbers before, that probably even surpassed my abilities today)

Why do I feel this way: because in HIS own words he is forgetful and not very observant…and I have noticed that there is some truth to his own observations.

So in other words: are there people that just simply don’t have the aptitude or dexterity to become SAFE and proficient climbers? Or can anyone learn given enough time?
 
Anonymity said:
I have a super employee that works very hard and is excellent in lots of ways! But, I’m sincerely, concerned that if I start training him to be a climber! A tree accident is just waiting to happen (note: I have trained excellent climbers before, that probably even surpassed my abilities today)

Why do I feel this way: because in HIS own words he is forgetful and not very observant…and I have noticed that there is some truth to his own observations.

So in other words: are there people that just simply don’t have the aptitude or dexterity to become SAFE and proficient climbers? Or can anyone learn given enough time?
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Follow your gut
 
Anonymity said:
I have a super employee that works very hard and is excellent in lots of ways! But, I’m sincerely, concerned that if I start training him to be a climber! A tree accident is just waiting to happen (note: I have trained excellent climbers before, that probably even surpassed my abilities today)

Why do I feel this way: because in HIS own words he is forgetful and not very observant…and I have noticed that there is some truth to his own observations.

So in other words: are there people that just simply don’t have the aptitude or dexterity to become SAFE and proficient climbers? Or can anyone learn given enough time?
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Maybe he will change over time but for now just keep him excelling on the ground and maybe have him only climb in supervised training. You never know eventually he could learn to focus , climbing is sort of a cure for ADD in some folks I hear.
 
Any tree care job, ESPECIALLY the climber requires a heightened sense of situational awareness, and no lapses in memory or judgment IMO. Not only could they be a threat to themselves, but everyone, and everything around/underneath them….. is it possible climbing is where he harnesses his focus and attention span? Maybe…. I’d trust your gut on this one. BUT if you have to ask, that’s a red flag to me, and if your asking people on a forum, another red flag…
 
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Chris Schultz said:
Any tree car job, ESPECIALLY the climber requires a heightened sense of situational awareness, and no lapses in memory or judgment IMO. Not only could they be a threat to themselves, but everyone, and everything around/underneath them….. is it possible climbing is where he harnesses his focus and attention span? Maybe…. I’d trust your gut on this one. BUT if you have to ask, that’s a red flag to me, and if your asking people on a forum, another red flag…
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This is closest to exactly how I feel! I just have other people who suggest I’m sort of restricting him, which is partly true (only from climbing) because of exactly what you just said
 
I believe there's aptitude. Case in point, learning "standard" on a motorcycle. I tried to teach someone once, baby stepped through brakes, gear,,clutch, throttle rpm, straight line, start stop all seemed to progress ok. Time to quit, guy takes hands off the bars and levers with the engine running, in 1s gear bumped the bike into the fence. Training project instantly cancelled right there. I didn't want to be the guy who sent him to his death in a serious accident.

Other guys just get it, with the tiniest instruction.

my opinion
 
Anonymity said:
This is closest to exactly how I feel! I just have other people who suggest I’m sort of restricting him, which is partly true (only from climbing) because of exactly what you just said
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I would challenge what "other people" are saying. If someone is ready to be a climber, try and stop them. All it takes is a hand full of gear and 15 minutes after quitting time he is in some tree you have no control or say over.

I do think there are certain required specifications to work safely. Focus being one.
 
Let me reassess my sentiment almost anyone can climb but certainly not everyone can climb and cut. IMO it’s the cutting that will be the most dangerous. Now add rigging to the mix. If they are questionable with one line how are they going to manage one, two, or three more lines?
 
I could never become a ballet dancer or a computer programmer, and not everyone can become a good tree climber.

Nothing wrong with that, the world takes all types of person to run and most people deserve a chance to do what interests them, but at the end of the day safe results are what matters.
 
I get that not everyone can’t be whatever they want…I have a friend who was more than qualified to be a military fighter pilot but was 1 inch too tall…that’s not really my point (i was just wondering if my reflection on whether “anyone” I used that term lightly, could be trained to become a top level climber?) or if I was thinking off base? I definitely think that some people made some excellent points! Thank you…
 
Bart_ said:
I believe there's aptitude. Case in point, learning "standard" on a motorcycle. I tried to teach someone once, baby stepped through brakes, gear,,clutch, throttle rpm, straight line, start stop all seemed to progress ok. Time to quit, guy takes hands off the bars and levers with the engine running, in 1s gear bumped the bike into the fence. Training project instantly cancelled right there. I didn't want to be the guy who sent him to his death in a serious accident.

Other guys just get it, with the tiniest instruction.

my opinion
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Yes, close to 100% exactly what my situation feels like
 
Can your guy hyper focus? He may be making careless mistakes on the ground because he’s bored and not getting the dopamine he needs to maintain focus.
I was essentially a groundie for 3-4 years before I really did anything in a tree. Then it was more of a 30/70 split (30 aloft) but that was only because I was doing my own work on the weekends. As an employee I’d probably go aloft 1-6 times per month. Small crew, just me and the boss so the climbing jobs were jobs where both of us could be aloft without ground support.
Did that for 8 years before going out on my own. I essentially did all the climbing for the bulk of that time.
 
evo said:
Can your guy hyper focus? He may be making careless mistakes on the ground because he’s bored and not getting the dopamine he needs to maintain focus.
I was essentially a groundie for 3-4 years before I really did anything in a tree. Then it was more of a 30/70 split (30 aloft) but that was only because I was doing my own work on the weekends. As an employee I’d probably go aloft 1-6 times per month. Small crew, just me and the boss so the climbing jobs were jobs where both of us could be aloft without ground support.
Did that for 8 years before going out on my own. I essentially did all the climbing for the bulk of that time.
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I hear you, I don’t think this is the case in this situation…
 
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just my opinion.... I think a lot is lost when folks don't get the ground experience and go straight to climbing. So many companies need climbers that they literally don't have the time to invest in the process. I've seen that if someone is really wanting to be a climber, they tend to strive for it. Give the guy a chance if he's really pursuing it, might pay off.
 
RogerM said:
I've seen that if someone is really wanting to be a climber, they tend to strive for it.
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This^ I’ve had a few guys who said they want to learn to climb but don’t do anything to help themselves learn. I use that a a litmus test, if they don’t help themselves first I am not going to put in the effort. To me it shows drive and ambition or lack thereof.
 
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