Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
an unprofessional manner, it will almost certainly leave a bad impression on the
client.
If a crew member is disorganized, rude, disheveled or generally acts in an
unprofessional manner, it will almost certainly leave a bad impression on the
client.
Cigarettes should not be smoked while on a client's property (for health reasons,
they should probably not be smoked anywhere). Soda cans, water bottles and
candy wrappers should not be left on a client's property. Driving the survey vehi-
cle across a client's manicured lawn because a crew member is too lazy to carry
a concrete monument from the street to a back lot corner is sure to become an
animated topic of conversation between the client and the survey crew. The use of
music headsets by crew members is distracting and should not be allowed. When
working near traffic, the music can mask the sound of approaching vehicles. It can
also mask calls from another crew member. If for no other reason, it detracts from
the concentration of the listener to the job at hand. It goes without saying that the
din of jobsite radios is unprofessional and must not be used when the crew is on a
client's property.
Cell phones can also be a problem. Crew members should generally not have
cell phones on while working. No client paying an hourly rate wants to see a crew
member talking or texting while on the clock. A possible exception is the crew
chief, who may need to be in communication with the office. If a crew member
has a family or other emergency, the survey office could be called and the message
relayed to the crew chief.
Most surveyors use radios (Walkie-Talkies) for communication between crew
members. This is clearly preferable to shouting across the client's yard. It must be
kept in mind that the FCC has regulations and radio transmissions can be picked
up by anyone having the right equipment. The party chief should insure that all
radio users are familiar with FCC regulations:
whoever utters an obscene, indecent or profane language by means of radio communica-
tions shall be fined not more than $10,000 and/or imprisoned not more than two years.
(Title 18, US Code, Chap. 71, paragraph 1464)
Surveyors have traditionally made use of hand signals for communication between
crew members. Hand signals can be used, for example, to tell the rod person to go
left or right or “OK”. These signals are more or less universal and they should be
learned by all new crew members. Sometimes hand signals are more economical of
time than having to hold a data collector in one hand and a radio in another. Some
surveyor's safety vests and jackets have a provision to locate a radio or microphone
high up near the head so it is not necessary to hold the radio. Some radios are voice
activated. Other radios have a “call” function which transmits a short beep which
can be used to signal an “OK” when the instrument person has taken a shot. This
can save the instrument person's voice at the end of a long day and it is a relief from
the monotonous transmission of “OK” when taking hundreds of consecutive shots.
