Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spikes

Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

The problem as I see it is we all have to bid the work to make as much progress as possible, period. If the power co.s clearly state "spikeless pruning on all trees" then that's the only way it will change. The prices will go up across the board for all bidders, but it will change how it is done forever. Without that it will not change.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

Mark,

Does your company have line clearance crews that climb? If so, do they use spikes?

I do not see utilities (for the most part) forcing contractors to use spikeless climbing unless there was some type of government mandate. On Cape Cod MA. NSTAR makes their contractors rope climb this is the only case i am aware of.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

The Illuminating Company of First Energy in Cleveland, Ohio did not allow any trimming to be done with spikes while I was there November/December of 2007. We were also not allowed to cut any tree down alive or dead, we could only make it safe from the lines, even if that meant leaving a 15 foot tall stub. I witnessed several employees get fired for using spikes.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

were you working on distribution or trasmission system? were they making you leave the stubbs to save time/money? lots of times we have to remove the trees to make it safe. Did they have an in house forester or arborist supervision on the project? sorry for the berrage of questions but this sounds unorthadox to me
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

Not a problem. Distribution work all back lots in Shaker Heights or something like that. I was just a trimmer then I never met anyone from the power company while I was there, just saw their trucks rolling up and down roads a lot. So I do not know whether it was an in house forester or an arborist. From the bit that I know they have a big problem with their easement and the property owners, an example of the work: a petrified dead elm tree about 60ft tall, 2 leads towards the line and the top angled away, our foreman was apparently told to have us just take off the 2 leads towards the line and go. I do not in any way agree with some of the things we did but I was new at the time and just following orders
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

hi.. i work for the orange hackers (asplundh) haha...
no really i work in region 61 one of the biggest regions we work in southeastern ohio area... just recently our GF told us we could not use spikes on yard trees... we can only use gaffs on removals in the R.O.W ....
im glad we dont use gaffs on yard trees i remember back one time i climbed a tree in a yard my foreman had me put on gaffs an it was just a lil tree by the time i got done i had it about chopped down from going up an down it... not good hahaha.. not really funny but now lookin back on it im just glad it wasnt my tree.. now days im glad i have way more respect for tree and peoples yard trees...
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

i have worked for asplundh for the past 2 yrs.. i started the company knowing how to climb, but where i'm from it is common practice to use spikes( even the majority of the private companies). so all i knew was the use of spikes. i have since been educating myself on climbing techniques to better myself as a better climber. asplundh does have certain rules that each employee must follow in order to climb for them. but the use of spikes is not one of them. i have been spike free for sometime now and get just as much done as most of the other guys. i did however have to show that i was proficient. i am the only one however that climbs this way in my crew of ten back line clearance co-workers, for the simple fact that it takes me longer to get set-up. most of the other guys laugh and say it's not necessary because the company does not enforce that style. but in the end i just feel better about the job that i've done because of the extra effort that i took to do it the right way. as far as proper laterals go asplundh does teach the right way to cut, but it boils down to the trimmer and how much pride they take in their work. i feel that it takes three things to be good at this job, education,professionalism and love of the type of work. with out those you're just a person with a job cutting trees.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

Davey spiked a 15ft. live oak last week on my Dad's property...the tree was only 15ft. tall, and they spiked it??...LOL...what a joke,could have tossed a line up there for a TIP and just climbed up the branches..lol...just stupid.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

I also work for a large utility clearance outfit not the orange guys, In my time there when I look at the grand skeem of things bussiness wise, we as climbers become a liability ie if they can get a piece of equipment to it and keep the power on thats their first choice and power on means revenue. The utilites hire arborists that are letting guys spike everything and get away with it. They need to not only enforce but educate.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

read the whole thread . -plunge has a killer contract . they took immagration to the limit . Credit for making bank , doubt trees are there concern , money in , bank !
 
look in the mirror

Funny that this thread got resurrected, and that I (of all people) would happen to check out treebuzz after months of inactivity...

Today I was out visiting one of my crews (I switched from the big truck to the little truck 6 months ago or so), a 2 man bucket crew performing line clearance in a neighborhood. A private tree care company with all the most righteous slogans (Arborists on Staff! Specialists! Modern Tree Care!) pulled in just up the block. One guy threw on the spikes and kicked his way up a virgin 75' Pin oak, while the other guy went back to spur up a Sweetgum...
We watched for a minute, and the apprentice says "What are they doin'?"

"I dunno, a removal, I guess" says I.

"Hey Boss!!" yelled the Foreman to the guy in the tree...
"Hey Boss! Is that a removal?"
The guy in the back yells out, "Naw, just a cleaning and thinning!"

I guess it goes both ways.
 
Re: look in the mirror

just read through the thread again, this is an important subject for me since I am in a position to enforce the spikeless rule if I want to, to a certain extent.... with that said, I only enforce it on yard trees or if the property owner requests no spike if we are working on their land.

In my position I am also under the gun to get a certain amount trimmed and I am also limited to the contractors I can use to do the work. If I force the guys to learn productive rope climbing I definatly will not meet my quota for that month or more. It is very difficult to explain to the upper management type "we need to give these guys time to learn a new way to climb because their way is not accepted in the arboriculture world, there for production is going to slow down for a bit"

On a personal level I try and have disscussions with the climbers (being one myself) about the benefits of rope climbing and how it can be just as productive if you take time to learn the skill set. Then slowly break out a piece of gear or technique when I see them and show them how to use it. (some are interested, some eyes glaze over, and some just have a laugh)

the issue is these guys have never learned tree care, just tree clearance. They don't understand how a tree works or how certain things affect them. because there is no education they don't even realize that they should care how a tree is climbed or prunned. most of them think in terms of "how many miles did I trim this week so i don't get chewed out" not "how many trees did I care for this week"

i'm not saying im right by letting them spike non removals but at the end of the day we all have a job to do and goals to meet. (one of my goals is to educate the climbers I get to a level of understand beyond what their company is willing to teach) an issue with this is the high turnover rate for clearance climbers.

maybe one day i will storm into my boss's office and say "Im enforcing no spikes on trims!" and he will respond with a laugh and say "make sure you meet your quota".
 
Re: look in the mirror

let me break down it down like this...

and then maybe Tom will be kind enough to lock the thread...

the only reason a tree gets touched (hooks or no hooks) by a powerline trimmer is because:
IT'S GROWING IN THE POWER COMPANY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY.

They don't climb trees for fun. Somebody sic'd that Orange dog on that bad tree. The trimmer had no say in the matter.

Regardless of how you feel about it, a tree in the powerline right-of-way may be mowed, sprayed, hooked, stripped, hatracked, topped, felled, or otherwise molested with impunity.

Care about trees? Look up before you plant!

Trees and wires don't mix!
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

[ QUOTE ]


On Cape Cod MA. NSTAR makes their contractors rope climb this is the only case i am aware of.

[/ QUOTE ]

I work directly for the utility your talking about, from Cape Cod to Boston and its not enforced at all. What you speak of is a complete myth. In fact I have been encouraged to just throw the hooks on plenty of times. The utilty has "senior arborists" who could care less if you gaff a tree as long as it gets done. Its been my personal choice to rope climb not the utilities.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

Sorry to hear that. The company I worked for at the time had a contract with them a few years ago and all the climbers had to rope climb.
 
Re: Asplundh doing line clearance pruning with spi

I work for asplundh. Im a climb crew foremen and the only time i will let anybody use spikes is on a removal or out in the boonies on a trany line. I personaly cant stand using spikes and only have to complete my lcqs books. Some guys get stuck in there ways and wont / cant climb without them. Thats why they drag brush and clean up yards untill we get to one of the 10% of trees we do that can be spiked. Seems like line clearance trimmers have a bad wrap in the world of tree people. Not all of us do it just for a paycheck. Only most of us do and i think it sucks.
 
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