# Too big for the job



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

has anybody here ever overlooked somebodys size when you hired them?.
i hired a guy that, quite honestly i didnt think was going to cut it,but he needed a job. He had just moved into town and (supposedly) had 20 yrs experience, but he was about 340 lbs. I worked him for 3 days and he broke a 6ft ladder rung, and slower than my lowest paid guy, also had no clue about code, application,or installation. so i let him go. He was so mad that he was spitting. I felt bad but he was a liability. very arrogant guy, but truly wanted to work, just couldnt. I still feel bad about it but do you do?


----------



## JohnR (Apr 12, 2010)

I wouldn't feel bad for him, he put himself up as being very experienced but couldn't put his money where his mouth was. The weight has nothing to do with it. Arrogant too? Sorry gone no regrets. He was trying to steal a paycheck from you.


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

yeh, i just felt bad because he had just got a divorce, lost his kids etc,etc,.. But in our line of work we are often in small spaces, attics,crawl spaces and such. He would never be in an attic on my job. I told my leadman on that particular job "ground level only for him". I once had a boss in Maine that was that big but could darn sure keep up with the slimmest guys on the crew. go figure


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

rnr electric said:


> has anybody here ever overlooked somebodys size when you hired them?.
> i hired a guy that, quite honestly i didnt think was going to cut it,but he needed a job. He had just moved into town and (supposedly) had 20 yrs experience, but he was about 340 lbs. I worked him for 3 days and he broke a 6ft ladder rung, and slower than my lowest paid guy, also had no clue about code, application,or installation. so i let him go. He was so mad that he was spitting. I felt bad but he was a liability. very arrogant guy, but truly wanted to work, just couldnt. I still feel bad about it but do you do?


The fact is he is out of shape and that is a red flag.

The fact is you must be in good shape to do this type of work and if you are fat + 60lbs OK,, after that you don't need to hire them and you will get slow and slower after that...


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> The fact is he is out of shape and that is a red flag.
> 
> The fact is you must be in good shape to do this type of work and if you are fat + 60lbs OK,, after that you don't need to hire them and you will get slow and slower after that...


 Totally agree here. I dont even know how i missed that when i interviewed him. But I swear he showed up for the interview with a completly stocked job box in his truck.. drills,ladders,ext cords,every tool imaginable. he was set up like one of my vans. maybe thats what threw me


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

rnr electric said:


> Totally agree here. I dont even know how i missed that when i interviewed him. But I swear he showed up for the interview with a completly stocked job box in his truck.. drills,ladders,ext cords,every tool imaginable. he was set up like one of my vans. maybe thats what threw me


That sounds like he was looking to be a foreman and not have to do the Physical work.


----------



## BestMan (Jun 19, 2011)

rnr electric said:


> I once had a boss in Maine that was that big but could darn sure keep up with the slimmest guys on the crew. go figure


 Don't underestimate the fatties. I used to be 380 and could still get through an attic faster than a guy half my size. One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

BestMan said:


> Don't underestimate the fatties. I used to be 380 and could still get through an attic faster than a guy half my size. One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.


 yes, the boss i spoke of was an absolute animal..He would outwork the best of them.


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

BestMan said:


> Don't underestimate the fatties. I used to be 380 and could still get through an attic faster than a guy half my size. One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.





> Don't underestimate the fatties.


I like the way you put that..:laughing:



> One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.


If he knows a good sub shop he's in...:laughing:


----------



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

340 lbs., that would take a type 1AA ladder. They aren't very common and aren't cheap.


----------



## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

BestMan said:


> Don't underestimate the fatties. I used to be 380 and could still get through an attic faster than a guy half my size. One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.


 
Ok BUT at 380 dashing across ceiling joists how many sheetrock nails did you pop? And don't take that as an insult I'm 285 and know where I will and won't walk/jump/skip.


----------



## Fredman (Dec 2, 2008)

BestMan said:


> Don't underestimate the fatties. I used to be 380 and could still get through an attic faster than a guy half my size. One plus also about the fat guys is they will always know a good place to eat.



:no:

Unless you are 7' tall you will not be getting through most attic access holes at 300+ pounds. Not in Minnesota anyway. The last few I recently entered were catching the sides of my belt and I have a 32" waist.


----------



## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

I cannot say much about weight as i weigh in around 240-250 but i still get in attics and crawl spaces. I have had guys my size work with me and i figure their limits to be the same as my own. But, i do hire an older fella quite often to give an occasional hand because he is 5'4" and weighs in around 140lbs. He has no problems with crawl spaces and is as nimble as a cat in an attic. Hiring a guy bigger than me? Not going to happen! I have no problem doing the dirty work but i like being the boss who has someone else do it, hiring a larger guy than me just puts me in the situation of doing the dirty work myself while he watches.


----------



## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> That sounds like he was looking to be a foreman and not have to do the Physical work.


 Doesn't a foreman have to know as much or more, than the j-men working on the job? You had no choice terminating him.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Fat--------Usually means lazy. I once had a fat guy laying on his side in the dirt wiring a pool outlet. Turned my stomach, reminded me of swine in the muck.


----------



## BestMan (Jun 19, 2011)

randomkiller said:


> Ok BUT at 380 dashing across ceiling joists how many sheetrock nails did you pop? And don't take that as an insult I'm 285 and know where I will and won't walk/jump/skip.


 No insult taken I said i was fast didn't say something wasn't destroyed in the process.


----------



## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

I weigh in at 256.6 (just had a check up ) and I can get into almost any attic and most crawl spaces.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I think you'd be foolish to ever formally discipline or fire a guy for a weight or size issue. That will land your butt in court quicker than I don't know what. Think of 10 other reasons, but keep weight and size out of it.


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Mr Rewire said:


> I weigh in at 256.6 (just had a check up ) and I can get into almost any attic and most crawl spaces.




I clock in 265 @ 6'4" and I _have_ to get into any crawl space or access hole out there.. 

So far I have not found a space that was out of my league.. :thumbup:


----------



## kawaikfx400 (Jul 14, 2008)

*big one*

We had a guy who used to work for us, like 290lbs. He was consistent but slow, work was mint, why he stayed around till things slowed down, he was licensed and what not, but im only 25, and workout alot. I was running laps around him with romex.


----------



## ce2two (Oct 4, 2008)

There is a guy in my shop he weighs in at 390 ,has a shoulder ,ankle issues ...His back is bothering him too :whistling2:They made him leadman :no:


----------



## rolzz (Feb 8, 2011)

Would u like to supersize that. May not be able to work worth a crap but always have a sense of humor. Just like family and friends, I will not have large people or people with prior injuries work on my jobs. Cut a guy out of an attic due to bad back. The circus always does well, bad economy or not . Unfortunately size matters in the field. Urrghh, It's hot out today.


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> I think you'd be foolish to ever formally discipline or fire a guy for a weight or size issue. That will land your butt in court quicker than I don't know what. Think of 10 other reasons, but keep weight and size out of it.


Agreed, i simply told him that he was not the quality that he said he was when hired.basically Lack of performance


----------



## Aegis (Mar 18, 2011)

There was this cleaning crew on one of our jobs and one of the guys must have bin 450 at least. He was always sitting down and mostly only got up to have a smoke outside. He tried pushing a wheelbarrow but he couldn't keep up with a walking pace and it fell over. He must have been the bosses son in order to be there AND get paid.

As for us we had a 270 guy before and the extension ladder would start squealing when he used it.


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

Aegis said:


> There was this cleaning crew on one of our jobs and one of the guys must have bin 450 at least. He was always sitting down and mostly only got up to have a smoke outside. He tried pushing a wheelbarrow but he couldn't keep up with a walking pace and it fell over. He must have been the bosses son in order to be there AND get paid.
> 
> As for us we had a 270 guy before and the extension ladder would start squealing when he used it.


 i have had a couple of guys that were "oversized" but worked well and TRIED hard. I think its good to have a little size on the job, as i am very small framed. but overall, they need to be able to keep pace,as well as anybody else. also they need to be an asset to your business and not a high potential liability


----------



## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

I'm a big guy, and I get the job done. I haven't had an apprentice yet that could keep up with me.

Just a data point.


----------



## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

rnr electric said:


> i have had a couple of guys that were "oversized" but worked well and TRIED hard. I think its good to have a little size on the job, as i am very small framed. but overall, they need to be able to keep pace,as well as anybody else. also they need to be an asset to your business and not a high potential liability


I think you are an Antichubite. :no:


----------

