Employees buy own gear?

No matter what avenue one chooses, all the PPE has to be present and used and the policy has got to be in writing. In the case of a gear failure, you got to know the "company/boss/gen contractor" person is going to shoulder the weight if/when something goes sour. Insurance agents will tell you that up and down and all over again. I hate those guys!!!! R
 
Just to put in my 2 cents, but it really depends, we have 2 class of climbers, those who are in the saddle each day and are payed at a higher rate, and those who climb if needed but spend most of the day in a bucket. A professional climber should have their own gear, except for rigging which gets heavy duity use and needs to be supplied. We will replace items that have been used while working for the company, but new wants can be purchased payroll deduct.
I learned my craft working in MD & PA doing removals and rigging and after the 1st year never used company equipment, I know were my gear has been and who has used it!
All other equipment, saws, PPF, that sort of thing must be company supplied to work here.
 
My boss provides us with climbing gear on the basis that we sign a five year contract saying that we will continue work for him until that five years has past. If we chose to move on before that term is up then we have the option of buying out of the contract. I don't mind this set up although I'm not sure that keeping one climbing line for five years is in anyones best interest when they are climbing day in and day out. Cheers!
 
The utility I work for requires the workers to purchase their own saddle, lanyards and spurs, all of which can be put on paryoll deduction. The rest of the equipment is supplied by the company. We have a few loaner saddles for the new people. Seems to work ok, most like it because they can use their personal equipment for other jobs and dont have to worry about getting in trouble for using company equipment.
 
We buy all our employees' gear except for boots and pants which we give them an annual clothing allowance for. You tell us what kind of saddle, lanyard or rope you want and we'll buy it for you. We don't want someone delaying replacing damaged equipment because "they don't have the cash" right now. Of course you can't be changing saddles every three months and if you are extremely hard on equipment you have a good possiblility of looking for another job. We also supply prescription safety glasses for those employees who need them.
 
I pay for just about everything I use during the climbing process. My company provides shirts, hats, PPE, and some cheap gloves along with some rigging supplies. If we order through Sherrill we just have an amount deducted from our pay each week.
The employee should buy just about everything. 90% of the guys I work with also have either their own business or do side work. So why should my employeer pay for the stuff when I use it for other jobs and recreational use?
 
I guess in my mind my preference lies in the allowance method for gear allows for choice, and care of the persons own equipment as well as knowing the history of it. when it comes to heavier rigging and PPE it should be provided as well as equipment for beginners.
It allows for choice which often times is one of the best ways of making people happy.
 
Question, we had a breakin before Christmas, one of the formen lost all his personel gear, who should pay for this loss?
Now I have already dicussed this with the president of our company and he is willing to replace some of this man's gear so that he can get back to field production, but they will not replace all this man's gear.

FTLTreeman
 
Was it a company truck/property? Replace it all. As a subcontractor for various companies I noticed that I gained 15-20 minutes a day transfering my gear to that companies truck. 3 Days in a row equals one additional hour billed. And there's not a snowball's chance in hell I'd leave my tools in their trucks. Gotta take it home every day, 'cause if they screw up their schedule/get rained out/ have mechanical trouble I have to be able to do another job somewhere else, for someone else. So if the president has 4 guys a day unloading their gear from personal vehicles, thats an hour paid out, 5 hours on the week, potentially 1000 hours a year (at 200 days of work), but he doesn't lose out if he gets robbed I guess.
 
I am with Nick. I wouldn't want an employee who didn't care enough about his gear to get his own. I am currently training a climber and although I tell him the way I do things, It is cool to see his own preferences develop and what calls out to him from the pages of a catalog. There is no way you could outfit someone else with the gear they need to be good. Gear should be yours 100%, from selecting it, paying for it, and understanding its function. Like Nick said it is a personal relationship between a climber and his gear. You are bound to take better care of it that way too.

I am not asking the climber I am training to work with me forever. I feel that giving him the skills and helping him through the proccess of aquireing the gear is more valuable than any weekly pay check. He can take those skills and gear with him whereever he goes.

I let him use my gear when he is short something, and it is always uncomfortable to see my carabiner on his harness. Both because I personally hate climbing with someone elses gear and I dont like letting those things out of my sight for very long. He knows it too, and am sure that once he gets an extra 20 bucks he will get his own toy to cherish.
 
I think workers should supply their own gear but the company should replace what is worn out at work. No pro rating or depreciating stuff. That way if the climber wants top of the line gear he can get it himself but not worry about everyday wear and tear. This only applies to work gear not PPE, a company should always supply that. I am sure some owners will argue this point but that is what I did for my staff. Just my opinion!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Question, we had a breakin before Christmas, one of the formen lost all his personel gear, who should pay for this loss?
Now I have already dicussed this with the president of our company and he is willing to replace some of this man's gear so that he can get back to field production, but they will not replace all this man's gear.

FTLTreeman

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a sore spot for me as it happened to me when I was working for a company once. I used my own gear and never got compincated for the usage or wear and tear. Then the break in happened and all the owner wanted to pay was 60% of replacement cost! It wasn't either of our faults but he was reaping the benifits from the use of all my gear and I feel he should have ponied up for the full amount. If the roles were reversed I would have never even attempted to rip off a employee who lost all his gear. Cheap shot as far as I am concerned! /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Hi friends, I don't know U.S.law about workers, here in Italy workers MUST have paid gears and personal protection systems, owner MUST pay and keep in order GEARS AND PPS(PERSONAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS ,RIGTH ?) ,he /she MUST pay a fine or, if an accident happen for bad gears, worse!

I'm owner now, but in my opinion is a right law !

You know, a month pay (in italy we pay every month not every week )is not enough to pay and keep in order gears and live.

ciao e a presto!
 
Well, I do beleaive ins ome of all your points, When I first started climbing I ponied up the 800 for a basic setup. But if anybody touches my gear with out permission they are in for a real ass chewing. So I respect my gear, but this was over a year ago, and my climbing line is a little frayed(I keep really good care of it). It would be nice to get some sort of payment for use of it. Maybe I wouldn't be so quick to jump on a side job if the company I worked for actually paid me more for use of my gear.

But as of right know I need to replace some things.
 
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