The Bucksqueeze

[freshjive]

Its true...this is the only way I know how to climb proficiently...(we freeclimbed but not nearly as much) As for hints:

rub the brown strap against the pole back and fourth to break it in..The hardest part of the bucksqueeze is tightening the brown strap when the pole gets skinnier at the top..I also found a secret to make this very easy..It may take a few extra minutes but it saves your forearems, and alot of unnecessary energy


Hook your 2nd belt around the pole (so you have the bucksquueze and the other belt attatched)..Then, loosen the bucksqueeze until it wants to slide down the pole..(all of your weight will be on the 2nd belt and not the bucksquueze. Then pull up the bucksqueeze to where you want it and sinch it up to 3:00 and 9:00 position.. Since all of your weight is on the 2nd belt, it is like you are tightening it with zero resistance...... But to each his own, it worked for me and this is how i do it everytime to conserve my energy...

I was stuck in it for 7 weeks straight, so I have kind of grown fond of it

[lineman4aep]

Not to pull you off your subject, but are your lower ape's being taught to free climb at least for emergency situations. I work for AEP west and was wondering how it was being done.

I was brought up free climbing, and I still do every chance I get. After I get done with school though, I won't be free climbing anymore.

[johnbellamy]

The guys I have mostly worked with let guys do what they want, so life is good, and I have chose to ignore most of the shit they are coming up with. But some of the new guys have said stuff like you got to. My reply is I don't gotta do shit. I will take the heat if and when it comes, but I can only play the ignorance card for so long.

Some change is good, but most of this shit, well its just shit.

[Pootnaigle]

Back in my day we didnt use a harness in the bucket we used our body belts and saftey. Fortunately I have never been exposed to the bucksqueze but I already know I would hate it. May work fine on a clean pole but jus how many of those are there? I cant begin to imagine usin one on a sewed up leaning corner pole. I spoze it like Swamp sez we are resistant to change........ With that said just imagine the changes that have taken place since the 1930's or 40's. Felt hats were the order of the day and hydraulics that we all use daily didnt exist, for digging, lifting, or ascention. Just imagine what one of the real oldtimers would think about todays methods. Gloving 4kv was risky business and 34.5 was not to be handled by hand.Fiberglass wasnt in the picture either so everything was made of wood and required meticulous care. Mules and wagons, Lottsa men, Cast iron Transformers that weighed a ton.......... I spect the oldtimers would say "Hell I'll stay home and send the wife to do what them boys do"

[wtdoor67]

I want to see how they manuever those things up one of those poles covered with vines.

You know I spent a lot of time climbing poles by hitchhiking or arkansawing as some call it. I always thought it was a very safe method. Never had a fall doing it with that method.

Never saw anyone free climb a weather cracked 90 footer in the winter with a ton of clothes on and the wind blowing like a gale.

With those little back yard buckets and the trend toward URD, I expect climbers will be in museums someday. Progress, you can't beat it.

[johnbellamy]

Get use to it man.....cause it's gonna Run YOU OVER.

You WILL Do it, or ya won't be in Linework anymore. That simple. It's comin to YOUR Hood. It's just a matter of time.

I think they will look at what they have done and say what the **** were we thinkin?

I think If they tell companies in my hood you got to by buckets for everyone, bucksqueeze for everyone, gloves and sleeves and say glove everything, throw your sticks out, Naw that ain't goin fly around here.

I WON'T DO IT, and I will still do linework, bucksqeeze, I will fight it and say it is more unsafe because of pole top rescue, climbing busy poles where you have enough problems with one skid. Its not a practical tool to use in linework, somebody will have to show how efficent they can be with one of those ****ers, not just go up a clean pole. I ain't buyin it.

We have to re certify every year to climb and be efficent at pole top rescue, So climb however you want when your certified your a big boy,
or go someplace else to do linework, not in my hood.

[mainline]

My utillity is usually 20 years behind on just about everything. I hope we stay 20 years behind on this one. I feel bad for all the guys like topgroove who are forced into it. Thanks for the answer to the question asked . I had actually wondered about that myself. As for using a ladder if it is easier it is easier. We have used them on poles that have risers on all four quarters. Do what you have to to get the job done, and if it takes longer we get paid by the hour. I do hate doing s$%t that makes the job needlessly difficult.

[500 KVA]

I've been around a long time as well. I never had to do the body belts and lanyards thing, and Hitchhiking was for pussies. Too many years have gone by and Too many things have happened.

I never wore a belt and lanyard because I didn't know any better. Nobody told me. (No excuse).

I had a friend die because his bucket was hit by a tractor trailer and he was slung out and landed on his head. He would be alive right now if he was harnessed in! I've heard that similar story a few more times over the years. There is no reason not to be harnessed in. I don't want to hear it because there is no excuse not to be!

The bucksqueeze. Haven't really seen it yet. I'm sure it's coming. If it keeps one person from falling and being a qaudrapelegic or dead, then its worth it. Who cares what all you "Old Timer" bad asses say! You want to hit the ground, do it on your own time. Me, I want to go home every night, and another tool in my arsenal that will help me do it is okay with me.

Everything was invented for a reason. It serves some purpose. Safety rules are the same way. I guess we would like to go back to the good old days of linework were 50% of linemen were hurt seriously or killed. Yep screw these new f-ing safety rules like RUBBER GLOVES. Homemade Climbers that use bent nails as your gaffs. Screw the storebought kind that they just invented.

You guys need to quite being dinosaurs. These new kids will be following your example and even passing it on to their apes. Trouble is you'll be out of the trade and they'll be engulfed in things you never would comprehend in your career. Don't screw them with your old timers attitude.

Just my 2 cents.

[wtdoor67]

The hardest thing is to change. I expect something like the Bucksqueeze is really a good thing.

The most reflexive resistance to something like that is that most power co's don't present things in a good manner.

Their attitude of forcing things upon people is the biggest problem. So many rules are put upon folks without adequate explanation. The arrogant order of "Just do it and don't ask questions" is what puts most people off.

I remember once during a safety meeting that I had raised a question about something. I'm sure it wasn't all that important but I recall I was just trying to present another view. The local supervisor jumped to his feet and began to yell. "Goddammit, what difference does it make?" "Just do it." In attendance was the district manager (the local supervisor's boss), and the head of HR. Neither made a sound. That to me is just the typical attitude of many management people that just put people off.

If co's nation wide had a rash of falling accidents, I could understand, but I've not heard of it.

To me they pick and choose some. My comments about Nolan labs and AEP's attitude on EPZ grounding is just typical. They have a hangup about it but just won't share their views with other co's and come to a decision.

Another good example. I knew a person once who was a safety man with another entity. I said to him. We get periodic accident reports sometime and I'll just forward them via e-mail to you. He said, thanks that would be a big help to me in my safety meetings. I did this and periodically he would comment that it was a big help to him. Anything for safety right?

Eventually an accident came through that involved a 480 meter made by GE. This meter blew up and severely burned a man. I forwarded the accident report to my friend as it was written up by my Co. Upon presenting this report to some other entities, it was reported of course that it was made by GE. Eventually I got an E-Mail from GE threatening to sue me and my co. if I did not cease this type of activity. Anything for safety, right?

Any time a new safety device or practice comes I view it with suspicion. Sometimes there are hidden agendas that come to light. There used to be the old urban myth that the purchasing agent or some higher up sometimes owns stock in the co. that makes the device. Sometimes true I believe.

[puc]

never had to use it like alot of you guys but the the belt everyone is going to in ontario is the pole choker 4 its almost like a regular two clip belt just one extra belt in front of you i recommend it and instend of a pizza cutter it has two squares on the belt with little spikes (not to sharp) for the pole