Bucket Baby vs the Climber

Steven Mathers Ms. Waisner English 112-801 Illustration essay Bucket Baby Vs The Climber Why are professional tree trimmers always smiling? The reason the trees make them chipper. As the owner of a small tree service I have had to evaluate whether or not to purchase an aerial lift bucket truck to assist in the tree trimming and removal process or to stick to old methods such as climbing. Most people have fond memories of climbing trees as young children. â€Å"Learning to safely climb a tree is a lot more involved than simply spying some sturdy looking branches that seem like they could hold your weight as you scramble to the top. (Toothman) However, professionally climbing a tree to trim or remove branches can be a truly frightening experience that can be physically exhausting. On the other hand operating an aerial lift may be frightening, However , not physically exhausting. The utilization of an aerial lift will increase productivity by decreasing climber involvement and increasi ng company morale. An ancient proverb states â€Å"Many hands make light work. † (Ammer) In life this holds true, but in practicality it is not always the most efficient method.By purchasing an aerial lift and using it in my day to day tree trimming and tree removal operations, I could do the work of ten climbers using one hundred ropes in half the time. Sure, my cost of operation would increase, but with great risk comes great rewards. As I stated before my ability to complete the work would increase substantially resulting in a higher profit margin. If I were to scale a tree ranging in heights of one hundred feet plus, I would have to complete a variety of steps. First I would have to assemble all my gear.Then attach all my utensils to my climbing saddle, before climbing the tree. Next set a work line in a desired location to cut off limbs. After this I must determine mass load of branches that I will be cutting off. Then I must evaluate hinge points and branch swinging cle arance. There is a lengthy process to climbing trees professionally. If I were to work on the same tree using an aerial lift, I would drive up to it with the bucket,set up the lift in an appropriate location to access the tree effectively, jump in the bucket, oom up to the top with my chainsaw and ropes, calculate swing distance, hinge points, mass load, and begin cutting. The theory is primarily the same but the method is different, By utilizing both crafts of climbing and the bucket, the overall efficiency of the operations will increase. The next important piece to examine is how involved a human being must be in the tree service industry. Imagine a tree climber working for a tree removal service, climbing a tree about ninety feet in the air thirty feet out on a branch.Being asked to cut off the end of that branch while hanging from the side holding a power chainsaw. Also this branch is located over a house. The branch is only attached to a rope, when it falls the violent up and down movement occurs with the worker still dangling. By separating the climber from the tree and putting that climber in an aerial lift it lessens the danger presented to the climber in the overall trimming and removal process. It could be argued that by separating the climber from the tree the overall quality of the tree work may decline. However, this issue could be resolved simply by awareness.By structuring company meetings to address issues before they arise, one can take control of the probability of an outcome. There are a variety of incentives that one can implement to raise company moral. Rewarding an employee with a fair wage for a hard job it makes them feel respected; by rewarding an employee with a piece of equipment that makes a hard job easier at the same hourly wage in turn makes them feel cared about. The purchase of a bucket truck would accomplish company goals, and move away from â€Å"the one-guy-and-truck sort of business that dominate the industry†. mast rull) By decreasing climber involvement while increasing overall efficiency and profit margins,the company will gain success resulting in higher wages and better benefits for employees. As the company grows more successful its ability to insure the well being of its team members. As a result the employee gains a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. When a person likes what they are doing, they can do it all day long with a smile on their faces. When everything runs smoothly and everyone is happy the overall company morale will be boosted.Again resulting in increased productivity, efficiency and quality of work. Owning a small company is a daunting venture, I am constantly making sacrifices and devoting most of my attention the business. In all my analyzing and reflection it stands to reason that the purchase of an aerial lift bucket truck for my company would be a wise investment that would pay for itself within a short time frame. The utilization of an aerial li ft in the tree trimming and removing process will increase productivity by decreasing climber involvement and increasing company morale.Citation Page Christine, Ammer The American Heritage ® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Houghton Mifflin Company. 07 Mar. 2013. . Toothman, Jessika. â€Å"How Tree Climbing Works† 05 October 2009. HowStuffWorks. com. 07 March 2013. Mastrull, Diane. â€Å"Diane Mastrull: Montco Tree Business Seeks to Go National. † Philly. com. The Inquirer, 02 Oct. 2012. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.