Answers before the questions regarding site safety.

[Mick!]

Yes, I remember all the gear v.harrison had. Very impressive. I'm sure she knows her pricing.

Regarding osha as you call it. The French equivalent is the same. They find it difficult to corner treecos because they're in different places every day. They'd have to follow them from the yard to the destination.

They tend to concentrate on building sites that are in situ for weeks or months.

As has been said it's when something goes bad the wheels get moving.

Doesn't mean one can do as you like of course.

 

[Chris E]

^ that's why they cant regulate the tree game- all the site locations are top secret.

I was actually contacted by our mob recently for a survey:

"Within the next few weeks, you may be contacted and asked to participate in a short telephone survey to obtain your views about SafeWork NSW and workplace safety for Amenity Tree Services. I encourage you to take this limited opportunity to 'have your say'. The survey should take around 10-15 minutes to complete. There may also be the opportunity to complete the survey online in your own time"

If contacted I'm going to say that clients pressure service providers to cut corners at the expense of safety. I'll say it in as many different ways as they care to hear.

 

[Bermy]

^^^ Yup, they don't want to pay for the gear that will make the job safer, got blinders on and all they see is the price.
Not all clients, but definitely some!

 

[Chris E]

We had some recent legislation changes that put more onus on the client- they can end up liable. If enough get educated about this little known fact then they might start accepting the right price

 

[Mick!]

There's a similar thread on AT about wages (there always is!)

I rarely contribute because there's no point.

There is no ideal fair price for a job or an idéal fair wage. It's what the client/boss is prepared to pay, market forces and all that.

The simple fact is (where all factors are equal) we all want to get paid as much as possible for the service we provide, and pay the least for the services we buy.

 

[Mick!]

Plus there's assumptions that anyone cheaper than them is a corner cutting cowboy who devalues the industry, anyone more dear is a rip off merchant who gives us all a bad name.

 

[Chris E]

I'm a bit jaded at the moment as the last month has been very, very quiet and prices are way way down . Guys are waiting by the phone, running out for the bid and punching out the job in the same visit. Its f'd up quite frankly..

 

[Mick!]

Certainly a situation I'm familiar with.

I'd be lying if I said I'm in that zone now, but, yes, I spent many years scrapping and fighting for whatever was about.

I could well find myself back there soon.

I wish I could give you some sage advice, don't move to France is about all I can offer! (At least not near me please)

 

[Chris E]

Cheers Mick, I'm not super stressed about anything, just a bit of a shock to the system. I don't have a mortgage or a family so I can kind of kick back a bit and ride it out.

 

[Raj]

Hope things turn around for you.

 

[Chris E]

Cheers Peter, around 2 years ago there was a drastic change in tree removal regulations and many new operators entered the market due to the amount of work on offer, the regulations have been tightened again since so I think its a matter of time until the numbers balance out again.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Good luck Chris.

I just heard about a cat in NZ that got fined 60,000 NZ because his employee decided to go down a ladder the wrong way.

More regulations on the way.

 

[Bermy]

I feel you Chris, thank goodness for having low overheads!

 

[Altissimus]

"Feast or Famine nature to this business" ... Gerry B.

 

[Chris E]

Thanks for your concern everyone, really. Luckily my set up is structured for these conditions- low overheads, no full time crew, no chipper- I'm cruising compared to those more heavily invested.

 

[Raj]

Low overhead is great. I can make it next to nothing. But it sucks when I need a rad for my f350.... loosing some jobs for clean up.

 

[Chris E]

Losing jobs when its quiet is pretty harsh Peter, I think every small operator is gonna have those moments thinking to themselves... "why do I even bother ? "

 

[Raj]

Yeah, thanks, just a rut I'm in..... for 10 years..... and I'm too stupid to get out of it.

 

[Bermy]

I just found a business card in the takeaway in our village...'Russells tree and fencing services' - tree expert and fencer.
This is the kind of biz I lose jobs to, the guy with a ladder and a chainsaw alongside all his fencing gear.

 

[Fiddler]

never know...may have gotten into fencing because of his tree skills...

 

[Bermy]

Got some investigating to do...he's probably an ex faller, lots of those around here after the forestry went bust. Those guys are great for big tree falling...where there is room.

 

[flashover604]

Well, what's he gonna do with all those straight ash logs? Fence posts.

That's lemons to lemonade right there.

 

[Raj]

One company does trees and concrete.

Most others are trees, landscape fence and deck.

 

[Mick!]

Trees and fencing go hand in hand in the U.K.

Many good companies do both.

 

[Chris E]

Fencers always have chainsaws so yeah, I could see them getting into trees