PLSO July/August 2019

Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org 5 From the PLSO Chairman these programs provide a key source of education ranging from field surveyors to graduate students. We, as surveyors, have a responsibility to assist whenever possible and I would recommend look- ing to these programs first when hiring. However, graduation rates are key to keeping programs. If you hire someone, encourage and support them to go back and finish their degree. It’s in everyone’s best interest including theirs long term. The reality of filling programs and at- tracting folks to surveying is one thing. Wages! Surveyors are a unique profession who provide a service that no one else can provide and yet our wages through- out our ranks are lower than many other trades and services that are not regulat- ed to the degree that a surveyor is. It is really just basic supply and demand eco- nomics folks. If we as a profession want to compete for the best students and a workforce then we must pay for that priv- ilege. When someone can make $15–17 per hour driving uber or they can make $20–30 an hour as a flagger, or $50 or more per hour in a few years as a jour- neyman in the trades; why would they come into surveying for any less than that? We must run our businesses in a way to provide high quality wages and compre- hensive benefits to our employees. There is only one way to provide those items and attract the best employees. If we as a profession don’t do that then we won’t fill those college programs and our pro- fession will continue to shrink. One last item to address is safety, safety, safety. Its summer time, so all the typi- cal hazards of bees, heat, and cars are in play. However, just days before I wrote this article yet another flagger was killed on a roadway project, this time in Klam- ath Falls. According to 2018 statistics from Oregon OSHA, 35 workers never made it home from their regular workday. This is the same number as 2017 and the two highest totals of the last five years. Edu- cate your crews, charge for and provide traffic control when appropriate and make sure you are using highly visible cones, signs, and vests. Never turn your back on traffic, but if you must, enlist a spotter to watch out for you. Above all, don’t take chances and make sure you and your crews go home at the end of each day.  x