The bare bones answer is because your life depends on it. It should be as simple as that right? You work in the field every day and whether you go home or not at the end of the day could very well be decided by your gear. Taking a few extra minutes to make sure all of your climbing equipment is in good working condition every day is a regular practice that all climbing Arborists should be taking part in.
Your first step whenever you purchase a new piece of equipment is to read the manufacturers book. This includes important information like: working load limits, recommended use, compatibility restrictions, and maintenance and inspection recommendations. You should always read and keep this piece of information to familiarize yourself with it. The manufacturers recommendations for your specific piece of equipment trumps all other recommendations that are out there.
There are 5 main categories of climbing equipment that you should be inspecting on a daily basis. These include:
- head protection and other PPE,
- harnesses,
- ropes and slings,
- mechanical devices and
- your configuration.
There are 3 possible outcomes that could come out of your inspections;
- everything could be ok,
- you may notice some light wearing and note to monitor it, or
- you may need to replace the piece of equipment or part.
It is important whether you’re an employer purchasing for staff or you purchase all of your own gear, to not only give yourself the time to complete the inspections, but to also budget for replacement gear or parts. If and when you find something out of order, you want to be able to retire it or replace a part right away.
Inspecting your gear shouldn’t always end there; documentation is a key part of our lives these days and it is an important part of your gear inspection. You should be inspecting your gear as part of your daily routine and you should also be recording your inspections on a quarterly basis - unless otherwise specified in your manufactures book.
For more information on checking your gear and assistance with creating custom documentation that meets your needs, contact ARBministrative Solutions.
Climb Safe!
- Julie Tucker, Owner ARBministrative Solutions
Julie Tucker is a Certified Arborist with over 13 years of experience both as a Climbing Arborist and an Urban Forester.
Julie graduated from Sir Sanford Fleming College after 4 years in 2006 with diplomas in Parks and Recreation, Forestry and a certificate in Arboriculture. Her main career path in municipalities began after she graduated college as a climbing Arborist at the City of Belleville. She spent 5 Years there and in 2010 she began work at the City of St. Thomas as the sole Arborist to progress the Arboriculture division within the City and is still currently working there.
Julie’s is a past competitor at the Ontario Tree Climbing Competition (OTCC) and began volunteering on the committee for the competition in 2010. She was the OTCC Chairperson from 2013 to 2017 and her volunteering continued from there. She was appointed onto the Ontario Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture Board and has been on the executive Board since 2016. She was voted in as the president elect and is set to be the 2019 President. Her other industry activities include co-chairing the Women in Arboriculture Ontario (WAO) committee and acting as an ISA Proctor and certified tree worker examiner.
Her experiences in Municipalities, on committees and on Boards inspired her to start her next adventure and she decided to start her own business called ARBministrative Solutions. Her business is focused on promoting safety and completing the administrative needs within the Arboriculture industry.