Groundman Expectations

[MasterBlaster]

Hahahahahaaa

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I think bmi is a blunt tool.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Maybe even the wrong end of the tool...

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I'm technically "overweight". I'm not.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ditto.

 

[Limbrat]

the female groundie I used (good as gold but couldn't reverse a trailer if her life depended on it)

What is it about women and trailer backing? I'm sure Bermy and V are excellent at it but most gals I've been around just can't figure it out.
Being observant and able to think ahead are two more great assets of a good groundie. Also, if any happen to be reading this, try to make things as easy on the climber as possible. Don't make him have to pull the terminal end of the rigging line or saws up if you can help it. It's the little things that will make a big difference in the climber's attitude toward you. I've got a guy that I use part time on big jobs that is as good as I've ever seen. He moves around like the Tasmanian Devil, is smart as a whip, knows tree work and will outwork the next two guys together. Needless to say, we pay him very well.

 

[stig]

Is BMI a legal question to ask of prospective apprentices?

Years back, at a conservation corps, we started asking pants and shirt size, logistically for uniform reasons, and...

Sure it is. And it sounds better than asking " Are you a fat boy"?
I mean, how many fat climbers do you really know of?

We had one little pudgy guy ( and I'm not talking about some bear like creature like Jim, who would be his weight worth in gold on the ground) with skinny arms show up for an interview once. Richard asked him if he had considered that climbing trees is kinda physically demanding and his answer was that he'd tried rapelling a couple of times and he didn't find it so hard.

We still laugh about that one occasionally.

When we get someone in for an interview, we always ask if they are religious. We are a blasphemous, heathen crew and I don't want to deal with someone who constantly gets his undies in a wad because we say something that is offensive to his god.
So that automatically exclude muslims as well.

I don't hire smokers because they in my experience always feel it is their right to take a break to smoke, while others are working and I hate sitting in the truck with them.

You want to be tattoed all over and fill your skin with metal objects, fine with me, but you don't get a job here.

Was it up to me, I would only hire vegetarians of course, but Richard is an African carnivore of the first order.

Red hair is ok and so is female gender.

I can refuse anybody a job for any reason I want, as long as I don't tell them.
I had that discussion with the head forester at the state forest where i used to work, because I refused to hire a smoker as apprentice.
He claimed that was illegal, and I said it wasn't as long as I didn't tell the guy.
I simply said, the position has been filled by a better qualified applicant, sorry.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Not telling them why... Right.

You know here, asking something like that is most likely illegal.

Personally, as mentioned, my bmi is very flawed. A body builder is going to be rated as way more
" Bmi overweight " than me.

 

[stig]

Interesting that it would be illegal to ask.
All it does is save time.
Once you show up for an interview it is easy to tell if you are in shape for the job or not.

One of the things that have ruined the forestry school here is that they don't select students but take everyone.
So 50% of a class are IMO not fit for the job, another 30% lack motivation, 10% can't handle working under pressure and 8% freak out if they have to spend time alone in the woods.
So as a result there are maybe 2 in each graduating class that are any good.

I'm not alone in going with that figure. I've talked to several foresters and people in the busines and they all say the same.
The logging/arbo education has turned into a joke.

That is why we never hire people who have graduated from the school.
We'd have to teach them everything anyway.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I like seeing employees learn and grow. If like to find one worth it.

If someone says they can meet the job description, I think it is necessary to prove otherwise. In my previous situation, it was an AmeriCorps conservation program... Government funded national service program.

One big problem young woman took 1.5 to hike a half hour trail to GET to the job site. She dropped out, thankfully.

 

[cory]

I've got a guy that I use part time on big jobs that is as good as I've ever seen. He moves around like the Tasmanian Devil, is smart as a whip, knows tree work and will outwork the next two guys together. Needless to say, we pay him very well.

Sounds awesome. How is he available if he is that good??

 

[flushcut]

It's illegal to ask but legal to have policies against and needs to be worded very carefully i.e. must be capable of extended periods of very physical activity, we are a smoke free work place. Asking is discriminating so is asking too many personal questions as it could be used in "profiling".

 

[MasterBlaster]

So silly.

 

[flushcut]

I know it's stupid. Even friendly conversation between employer and employee can be illegal in some instances.

 

[stig]

Can you maybe name something that is not illegal in the US?

What the hell happened to " The land of the free" and all that.

Or is it illegal to ask

 

[flushcut]

Ummmmmmmm no there is pretty much a law against everything if you look hard enough.

 

[Altissimus]

...been studying hard for my drug test

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[lonniels]

Another climber who cares about their job is the best groundsperson. They can anticipate the next move and know the urgency in some situations.