The Tuesday my best worker quit at 9am and a crane broke by noon

Started with my crew lead handing in his notice out of nowhere, then the rental crane threw a hydraulic line on the second lift. I lost about $1,400 in wasted rental fees and had to reschedule two full day jobs. Ended up doing half the removal myself with a rope and a chainsaw, which I haven't done in years. It made me realize how much I lean on one person and one machine, so now I'm cross training my other two guys. Has anyone else had a single day that forced a total backup plan overhaul?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliverhernandez27d ago

Did the rope job remind you why you got into this work in the first place?

wesley_jones25d ago

Rope and chainsaw after a decade, that’s wild! I can’t believe you went full 1980s mode just to save a Tuesday. @oliverhernandez, that question hits hard, but honestly the rope part reminded me why I started, the physical grind, the instant payoff when a limb drops, all that. Still, doing it at 45 with a bad back and a rental company on hold, that’s not nostalgia, that’s punishment. The real lesson is you’re only as good as your backups, and yours were both taking a nap that day. Hope the cross training sticks, because my guy quit last spring and I’m still chasing my tail trying to teach someone to run the excavator without crying.