Employees Climbing Gear

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  • #26
So after your input and much deliberation I made some changes. I told the crew today the new policy is after they've been climbing for me a year I'd set them up with any set of gear they want. Once. We'll address wear and tear replacement as time goes on and if there's a new piece of gear that they want to try they can ask and we'll discuss it. The gear all belongs to me as before so if they leave, it stays. These guys are making money here so I like Nick's input that it helps morale and employee retention. Thanks for all of your input
 
It's standard in my experience to provide climbing gear and rope. That doesn't mean a saddle dangling with 80 pounds of useless shit from the Internet. A quality saddle, gaffs with top dollar pads, biners, handsaw, Modern lanyard set up. If the employee desires every odd shaped gadget in the tree catalog to have and use, that's on them.
 
treebilly said:
The way the OSHA guy told us at a conference was the company is responsible for all safety gear which includes climbing gear. He also said that it doesn't have to be top of the line stuff. It just needs to meet the standards.
Click to expand...

This,
If they are an employee for your company meaning you provide them with W2's, the company is required to provide PPE.

A contractor, that is between you and them who will provide the required PPE per contract.
 
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  • #33
I've never provided junk. Until this year I've never had an employee bring a nicer saddle than the ones I've provided over the years. Don Blair ultralight, sequoia srt, nikosi, pro gear, onyx. Looks like we're getting a couple treemotion saddles now though I haven't seen the lists yet.
 
I have a lot of gear that is available to everyone on the crew. Problem is that I still feel like it's mine so I am constantly raiding their gear bags when I need something. That doesn't go over so well. I'm like well I bought it and I need it! So, now they are getting their own gear and locking it up a little better. I was never supplied gear as a climber, I feel like it's such a personal thing that a climber who really cares will probably want to own it and love it. I remember buying my first rope and taking it to bed with me I was so in love. Big hank of true blue. I don't think you could feel that way about company bought gear.
 
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  • #40
:lol: That'd drive me nuts for sure. I always had "my" climbing saw even, getting up a tree and finding something not on my saddle would drive me bonkers.
 
It is interesting how different everyone's early climbing and company experience was is in this regard. I believe that I had the best possible luck in starting with Ed Hobbs and the B&H Tree Service company.

There was an interim time period in which a new employee used borrowed gear to verify that they were climber material. But after that each climber received all climbing gear and ppe with a gear bag to stow it. This included a custom measured and fit Bry-Dan harness. Believe me, everyone who received these items, cherished them and treated them with respect. They were the climber's gear for as long as they worked for the company. In most cases, they got to keep it even when they left, if a reasonable time had passed.

It was policies like this , combined with zero tolerance in pampering whiners or slackers, that created strong employee bonds and loyalties that carried through for decades.
 
That last line is a very important part of running a good company.

You need to make your employees feel loyalty towards the company.
You do that by making sure they feel appreciated and by not having someone on board who won't do their part or whines and bitches all the time.
Keeping someone like that makes the rest of the crew think, "if that person can get away with that crap, why can't we"

I don't know if this is a saying in English, but we say that one rotten apple can spoil the whole box full.
 
You pack apples in barrels!
Doesn't that tend to spoil them?;)
 
Strangely, when I was younger I briefly worked in an apple packing outfit (honestly!) and yes we packed them in boxes.
 
I am with kevin on this. I love buying my own gear and using it on the job, and then taking it home and tweaking it. I appreciate when a company throws some money my way for gear, but it is not necessary.
 
I'm throwing a company together and my work partner from the past is helping me as a lead climber. I bought him all the things he needs to do the work safe and comfortably. I just feel like if hes the one climbing on my insurance and getting the job done that he shouldn't have to spend the money he earns on gear to do that job safely. If he want extras I don't mind if it helps production but i usually say its for both of us we share some gear, this is only small time so only me and him doing work with 3 other contractors potentially. Getting new things when I was working for the last company I was at was rare and they made you work off your gear kinda sad because most guys would try get a full life out of eye to eyes and beeners got alittle dangerous. Tree companys should provide saddle's, rope, beeners, handsaws, PPE, spurs, and b lines if DRT, and lanyards, if the climber leaves you keep the gear for training and sell the harness because of size issues.
 
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