# Cell Phone Use



## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Do you allow cell phones to be carried for personal use by people on the job site?

Do you allow them to answer their calls while working?


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

I'd like to think that most grown men don't need treated like kindergarteners. Quick call from the wife to say pick up bread and milk on the way home; quick call from their auto mechanic to get authorization to fix the problem he found with their car, etc.... these things are normal and should be generally permitted. It makes for a happy and less-stressed workman. Happy workmen show up for work every day and work hard. Excessive use should be counseled on a case-by-case basis, I say.


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## apexexcavation (Aug 25, 2007)

Right now I allow it but I am thinking of changing that. My employee at first never talked on it. 3 months later he anwsers it all the time and seems aways to be texting every time he has a free minute.


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## GregS (Oct 1, 2006)

apexexcavation said:


> He anwsers it all the time and seems aways to be texting every time he has a free minute.


It's like that at any job. And every company has to set forth some sort of guidelines that their employees have to adhere to. Case-by-case basis. Take the guy aside and set him straight. Remind him there's a job to do.


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## Vinny (Jul 21, 2007)

This is going to be the pet peeve topic of mine at our next monthly meeting. It is out of hand. Everyone takes all calls and its getting dificult to draw lines. 

I suply thier phones and I pay for thier time on the job so I figure i have the right to curtail this in any way i want.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

I allow calls ....as long as there in little abuse ~ there will always be abuse.

IF we were cubicle dwellers....would we be allowed phone calls, bathroom breaks, etc?

Granted, construction is probably the only job where you work yourself out of a job everyday....but people are human and as an owner I understand this.


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> I'd like to think that most grown men don't need treated like kindergarteners. Quick call from the wife to say pick up bread and milk on the way home; quick call from their auto mechanic to get authorization to fix the problem he found with their car, etc.... these things are normal and should be generally permitted. It makes for a happy and less-stressed workman. Happy workmen show up for work every day and work hard. Excessive use should be counseled on a case-by-case basis, I say.


 I agree with this...some guys get excessive, and in my experiences the rest of the crew is vocal enough in their own ways to get the point across.

Cell phones are a distraction, but a two minute conversation on the cell sure beats losing a guy for a couple hours to take care of business, or missing work yourself. We get two 15 min. breaks and lunch. I try to stress to the guys to have their wives call them then, or to use that time for outside business. 

You can tell in about 10 seconds how important a call is so when it's a guy lining up plans for Friday night I just say, "hey, get off the phone call him back at breaktime."


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## Vinny (Jul 21, 2007)

how did we ever do with out the wonderful magical cell phone? Imagine, a whole day working? Wow, what slave drivers the old timers must have been!


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Vinny said:


> how did we ever do with out the wonderful magical cell phone? Imagine, a whole day working? Wow, what slave drivers the old timers must have been!


Welcome to 2007. We've come leaps and bounds in terms of jobsite efficiency since the pre-cell phone days too. A quickie call a couple times a week isn't going to hurt a blessed thing. The net productivity, when compared to pre-cell phone days, is still greater I would have to say.


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## Vinny (Jul 21, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> Welcome to 2007. We've come leaps and bounds in terms of jobsite efficiency since the pre-cell phone days too. A quickie call a couple times a week isn't going to hurt a blessed thing. The net productivity, when compared to pre-cell phone days, is still greater I would have to say.


Your probably right MD, but that doesnt make it any less anoying


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Welcome to 2007..... The net productivity, when compared to pre-cell phone days, is still greater I would have to say.



I would agree, when I started out we had to find a pay phone to call in, check or change orders for concrete, (usually had to wait in line at the phone) now I can literally do this while working. I do have problems sometimes with laborers using their phones during the day, I address it at that time. 

An issue with sick kids, auto repairs or things that need to be handled "now" is OK with me it's the "BS" sessions that rub me the wrong way.

Sometimes I prefer the old ways.


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## fhdesign (Jan 17, 2007)

Yes we are allowed cell phones for personnel use and yes we are allowed to take calls while working.
The last time I was working in excavation we had FM band radios and phone booths, cell phones are a big step up.
I've noticed some employees abusing the privilege of having a cell phone but most are good.
It seems to me it is just another thing employers are going to have to constantly monitor.


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

I don't mind them, I keep an eye to what is going on, you can see the abusers and those are the ones that get addressed with either leave it in the vehicle or give it to me and I will take messages for you. 

Cell phones have saved the day, makes ordering supplies faster and easier, and I love the Nextel Walkie Talkie, allows greater production when I don't have to always go and give direction or have an employee come to find me, this alone makes the occasional nuisance call alright


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

denick said:


> Do you allow cell phones to be carried for personal use by people on the job site? *no*
> 
> Do you allow them to answer their calls while working?


 *no*

they're allowed to give out my number to family members for emergency calls only. i've gone the route of letting the wife call for bread and milk, the mechanic call......and it has always become an abused issue. they can keep their phones in their vehicles and make/take their calls, messages on their break


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

dayexco said:


> *no*
> 
> they're allowed to give out my number to family members for emergency calls only. i've gone the route of letting the wife call for bread and milk, the mechanic call......and it has always become an abused issue. they can keep their phones in their vehicles and make/take their calls, messages on their break




Geez Day, maybe you should drink some more. :w00t:


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

I don't allow cell phones, pagers, smoking, or radios. It's my jobsite, it's my business, they work for me, I am paying them for work, not yacking on the phone.


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## Rich Turley (Apr 9, 2005)

I allow phones and their use on the job site. I'll make some general comments now and then which usually keep things in line, but have had to twice address specific abuse. In both cases these involved young new guys and copious amounts of texting.

Rich


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## TMatt142 (Apr 28, 2006)

A lot depends on what they are doing on the jobsite. If I'm sub-cutting and have a dozen or so trucks and my backhoe man stops loading to answer a call.....yep...I've got definite probs with that.....and that has happened. But little things, a quick call is permissible. I leave my personal phone in my vehicle at work so should they, but the company phones are different. Most of the time it's not a problem, but likes its been said, you have to draw the proverbial line in the sand with your workers otherwise they will take advantage of it.


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## Vinny (Jul 21, 2007)

I want to hire dayexco and framerman to manage my field staff. They sound like german field marhals. Love it


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Hey by the way high apex welcome aboard!

I am looking at hiring 1 to 3 more people if I can find them. I am of a mind to set a rule now that cell phones stay in vehicles. I have been observing people everywhere using phones. On job sites I have assessed that they are a crutch and a distraction. There always seems to be one person who gets more calls than others and I have watched the resentment of those who are trying to work. I've watched lead people get calls and three other people stand and watch them because they have no direction. I watch bosses get call after call after call and watched the guys expressions. I see almost a complete destruction of employee initiative, people are always calling to ask how to do something instead using their head and doing it. Planning also seems to be gone because the phone makes up for the lack of it.

This week really watch what's going on on jobs. Gauge the calls you get. How many do you really need to answer right then. Tgeb is right about the ordering of concrete thing it makes that better. If you didn't carry your phone on you but checked it every 2 hours. What difference would it make?

When an operator setting pipe in a tight spot gets a call and automatically reacts to the ring and vibration of his phone crushes a laborer's hand or worse what then. It's already happened so don't think it won't again. 

I've only started on the things I've seen.


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## Paul Rowe (Jul 23, 2007)

I don't think it's a big deal but then again that is dependant upon your work staff. I do see how it can be an issue...this can go in either direction


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## IHateJoeCool (Aug 26, 2007)

Vinny said:


> This is going to be the pet peeve topic of mine at our next monthly meeting. It is out of hand. Everyone takes all calls and its getting dificult to draw lines.
> 
> I suply thier phones and I pay for thier time on the job so I figure i have the right to curtail this in any way i want.


How do they run a screed, rake, shovel and talk on their cell phones all at once? 
i wonder how many manholes you've paved over:laughing:
Be Safe
JAY


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## IHateJoeCool (Aug 26, 2007)

Vinny said:


> I want to hire dayexco and framerman to manage my field staff. They sound like german field marhals. Love it


 
My thoughts exactly! 
They should start bidding on some municipal jobs and rub out some of these pre-madonna types that I see everyday:clap:
Be Safe Men
JAY


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

I've made the decission to not allow cell phone use during work hours. Use your phone on your time. Thats the way it's going to be. I have started to limit my use also. The more I pay attention to how phones are used the more I find wasted time.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

nick, i guess i feel i'm the one handing out the w-2.....and if that means that i need to talk to customers, engineers, etc. etc...or my wife....that's my decision. when i'm on somebody else's payroll, i'll talk when i'm allowed to. i'm fully aware there are emergency's...employees taking calls on my clock requesting them to stop to get a gallon of milk or a box of pads in my opinion doesn't consitute an emergency.


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