Got Busted the other day

[Ducke]

Well for the last two weeks I have been at my winter job installing Christmas lights. Well I have done 10 Tim Horton's Roof lights and a couple of houses. Well on Tuesday I was on the roof of a Tim's and got Busted by the Dept of Labour for being over 3 meters with out proper fall protection on. This is my forth year doing this type work, at approx 180 installs a season and it finally caught up to me. It was so stupid too I had my two new trainees roped off and doing the work, I was sitting in the middle of the roof dressing the sets of lights that we needed. and got up to show one of the new guys something at the edge and they got me. I got a ticket of sorts (Compliance Order) and have to wait up to 45 days for a adjudicator to decide if I get a warning or a $250.00 to 500.00 fine. The company is going to cover the fine for me this time but we now all have full set of personal equipment and each truck is outfitted with the proper gear as well so no excuses. It nice to have all the gear but now a 2 hour install job has become a 3 -4 hour job which sucks. but the good side is I get paid by the hour and am now safer then in the years past. Oh well live a learn I guess.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Lawn care business tips

that sucks I hope they give you a warning. They seem to keep you busy. I myself was coming down a wet ladder and slipped. I was only about 5ft up at the time. This is the type of situation where safety gear wouldnt help. I just had a couple of bruises but I'm fine.

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[CHEESE2009]

I wonder if it would have gone better, if you dressed like Batman.


"what do you mean a ticket? I'm Batman!"



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I hope you can get out of it with a warning!

[jford1995]

that does suck! i know this is kinda off topic but a few threads up i saw where someone was asking help on how to bid light installation and there were no replys. i am also wanting to get into the christmas decorating side of the business and was wondering what kind of advice yall had for us new guys?

[picframer]

I had to deal with the same people you do as we are in the same city, You will more than likely get a warning as it's your first offense, when I was building houses quite a few years ago we were checked every week, make sure anyone on a roof has CSA approved boots along with the safety gear while on the roof, the fines get higher and then they will place a stop work order on your company. Keep in mind also they can check WCB and ask for your certification as everyone over 3 meters has to have received training.

[Ducke]

Originally Posted by jford1995

that does suck! i know this is kinda off topic but a few threads up i saw where someone was asking help on how to bid light installation and there were no reply. i am also wanting to get into the Christmas decorating side of the business and was wondering what kind of advice y'all had for us new guys?

Well first piece of advice is "Get your Fall Arrest Training" and the "Proper Fall Arrest Gear".
We are a Franchise outfit We sell the lights install the lights maintain the lights and then take the lights down and store the lights for the summer.
We store the lights in plastic storage bins we stack them 5 high and we are now at the point were a 50 foot container is full so they are going to have to get more space to store lights.
I my self like the commercial work Restaurants and stores even a Shopping Mall.
I find the residential homes a pain way to much ladder work up and down up and down. I like the flat roofs and boom trucks.
Installing is not all that much money were the money is is in the Maintenance.
You charge per visit as well as per bulb, clip, cord etc. Take down is easy storage is a slow a meaningless job that takes hours and is completely mind numbing but if done right now it makes putting up next year so much easier.
The guys I work with are great bunch and the owner is a good guy that isn't afraid to spend money in order to make money. He treats us well and in return we work hard for him. Its fun work but dangerous work, I guess that is why I like it I love the adrenalin rush I get when hanging off a rope at 80 feet in 8 inches of snow and ice.
Or putting lights up in -30 c weather, huddling around the toaster vent on a restaurant roof trying to keep from freezing.
Fun Fun Fun.

[jford1995]

wow that does sound like a load of fun! so im guessing its easier doing it thru a franchise rather than starting it up yourself?

[Steve]

Installing is not all that much money were the money is is in the Maintenance.
You charge per visit as well as per bulb, clip, cord etc.

For the guys looking to figure out how to price such work, can you throw them out a price range they should be looking for when working on a strip mall/stand alone commercial structure like a Tim Hortons?

Also, what should they be shooting with a fee range for when coming up with fees to maintain such a display?