Crane Training 101

The CLC Tree Services crews are always busy with one job or another. There is tree planting, fertilizing, disease diagnosis and treatment, tree pruning, and of course, tree removal. Some tree removal jobs are a little more challenging though. When that is the case, we occasionally need a little help from our friends at Cameron Crane. Their assistance in our line of work is integral to the business. And we needed that help recently to take down a rather large tulip tree.

This tulip tree was located in the back corner of a customer’s yard, but pressed up against a neighbour’s fence. We couldn’t properly access the yard, and the location made sense for us to bring in a crane—it was one over from the corner. After Pam and Calvin conferred, it was agreed, and they booked Cameron Crane. What made this job special though was that it presented a unique opportunity for crane training. So for Ryan, he got his first taste of crane work.

Cameron Crane is CLC Tree Services’ go-to company for any crane worked required

Crane Training 101

Ryan Jones joined the CLC crew in June 2016. He is a reliable climber, handy groundsman, and all-around welcome addition to the team. The St Thomas native is relatively new to the tree services industry, but is keen to learn as much as he can. Hence the crane training this month.

With perfect weather on hand, Calvin McCallum decided that this tulip tree presented a great opportunity for Ryan to try his hand at crane training. The first part is easy—climb a tree. Ryan can handle that. Even tree removal is a skill Ryan is already working on. Learning how to attach a tree to cables, then safely cut sections of it to be lifted into the air over your head, is another matter.

Ryan had watched Calvin for months. The 60′ tulip tree offered a great training space, as two sections of the trunk were close enough together for Calvin to offer feedback as they went. Calvin tackled the first section with Ryan watching intently for last-minute pointers. Was he up for the job? You be the judge…

First step; climbing – time to get into the tree

With Calvin close by for advice, Ryan’s next step is to decide where to attach cables

Hold on!

You got this buddy

Looks like he’s done this a million times already

And it’s off!

We think Ryan did a great job on his first time crane training. The tree was cut down, removed, and cleanup completed in less than two hours. For Ryan, he has his first crane job under his harness and time to reflect on what he can do when it comes to his next one.

As much as we will miss his competent presence on the team, we are pretty sure that his teachers will be impressed with how much he already knows. You see after Ryan realized that being an arborist was the career for him, he decided to apply to the Arboriculture program at Fleming College. He was accepted and is excited to start the program in January. While we are going to miss him, we are happy to support Ryan in furthering his education and adding to his skill sets. Personal and professional development are key to anyone’s success in life and we want to see Ryan achieve that.

What Ryan doesn’t know though, is that CLC Tree Services wants to go one step further. We have a little surprise for him that we hope will make his time away at school a little easier, but he gets to find out first what that surprise is…