[CAUT] Piano Techs as Piano Movers?

[Thomas Seay]

Hello Brian,

At our University, moving pianos is factored into the budget as a 
cost of doing business, if you will. We technicians will occasionally 
have to move a vertical piano or two and we always choose to move our 
fortepiano and harpsichords ourselves, due to their delicate nature, 
but thankfully, moving grand pianos has never been required as a part 
of our job descriptions.

Requiring piano technicians to move pianos as a part of their regular 
duties is generally not a good idea, in my opinion. Speaking for 
myself, I would probably miss more work due to my sore, wrenched back 
than would ever be saved in moving costs. In addition, injuries 
incurred while on the job are generally covered by Workman's Comp., 
which also raises costs, to say nothing of the lost productivity from 
your technicians. You could reach a state of diminishing returns 
pretty quickly.

Finally, once an Administrator figures out that technicians can and 
will move pianos, albeit grudgingly, chances are great that 
professional movers might never be used again.

This is quite a slippery slope, in my opinion.

Good luck,

Tom
-- 
Tom Seay
Piano Tech Office
School of Music
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-2072
mailto:t.seay at mail.utexas.edu