[CAUT] Moving Pianos on Campus

[Bob Hull]

I have my own moving crew made up of 2 strong men whom
I have trained.  My situation is a little different
since I am a contract technician.  However, I think it
would work for full time CAUT techs to find men who
would be available (my crew works a night shift and
are available for a few hours in the mornings).  Could
this crew then be considered as part-time employees of
the university and be covered under the workmen's
comp?  


Or, as Wim has suggested, why not train members of the
maintenance crew for this task?  If the crew is
separate from the univ. and are subcontractors, then
the crew will need its own insurance of course. 
Liability in terms of personal injury and piano
damage.    But, in hundreds of moves, we have had only
a two or three minor mishaps.  

The right equipment makes such a difference.  The
piano horse has saved our backs and the pianos as
well.  Certain techniques can also eliminate heavy
lifting.  

Bob Hull
--- Wimblees@aol.com wrote:

>  
> In a message dated 2/23/06 6:29:41 A.M. Central
> Standard Time,  
> rrg@unlv.nevada.edu writes:
> 
> I would like to know what other university techs 
> have done regarding piano 
> moves.  Because of liability reasons they are  not
> too enthusiastic about 
> getting students to do it.  The facilities 
> management people are not reliable and 
> can't be trusted  to show up on time.  The Faculty
> is certainly not interested 
> in  getting their hands dirty.  I have occasionally
> called in another outside 
>  tech but that is not always possible. 
> Unfortunately my Jedi skills  aren't 
> mastered well enough to move pianos using "The
> Force".  So... what  do YOU do?
>  
> Rob Goodale, RPT
> Las Vegas, NV. 
> 
> 
> 
> Is this part of your job description? If not, I
> would not move pianos. I  
> look at this way, if I was a woman, I don't think
> the university would be asking  
> me to move pianos by myself. (Now, please, do not
> jump on me for being 
> sexist. I  realize there are some women who can do
> this, but for the most part, this 
> is not  the case.)
>  
> For moves on campus, I call the university movers.
> There are two trucks and  
> a van, with 8 people working for the university to
> move desks, tables, chairs, 
>  etc. I can call on them to move a piano. They use
> my equipment, but I 
> supervise  them, and they do all the heavy lifting.
> (What's so funny, is that even  
> though it only takes one truck and three men, all
> vehicles and all 8 men show 
> up  to move the piano.) 
>  
> If the university doesn't have a moving crew, hire
> an outside moving  
> company. If the movers show up late, or not at all,
> blame it on them.  Perhaps if it 
> happens enough, someone higher up will so something
> about  it.
>  
> Wim 
> 


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