Information Discussion for Gate Guards

[mdbass]

Thought I'd start a new topic for Gate Guards to use for comments. Like the moderator suggested-keep technical stuff, recipes, mechanical, etc. where they belong. Lets hear from everyone sucking down that caliche dust.

[rhianna]

We are Gate Guarding in TX. We are hooked up to a new 20k generator Cat with 50 amp. It is running at 63 hz instead of 60 hz. Have any of you had any problem with damage from this? Our clocks are running fast. I'm concerned that it may damage our electronics. We use a voltage regulator and the voltage seems to be fine.

[Mfar1234]

Yes you can work as your own company --- BUT, that company must be properly registerd w/ the DPS/State of TX as a Security Company. A lenghy test is required as well

The Texan wrote:

Mfar1234 wrote:

The Texan wrote:

coolbikeman1 wrote:
Don,t you have to register to be a gate guard company before you can go out on your own?

Yes you do, but some think the law does not apply to them. DPS checked our credentials this week, so sooner or later someone will go to jail or pay a big fine for not complying with the law.

If ya'll havent realized it yet .. in TX "the DPS Security Card" belongs to YOU, its your card - not the companies. It would be the worker/contractor/employee that would be fined along w/ te company if you dont have one.

Agreed, it is your card, not the companies. However, the law is VERY specific, with a level II security license, you can ONLY work for a licensed and registered guard company, NOT on your own. It is all spelled out on the DPS website and is one or more of the questions on the test.

[The_Texan]

Mfar1234 wrote:

The Texan wrote:

coolbikeman1 wrote:
Don,t you have to register to be a gate guard company before you can go out on your own?

Yes you do, but some think the law does not apply to them. DPS checked our credentials this week, so sooner or later someone will go to jail or pay a big fine for not complying with the law.

If ya'll havent realized it yet .. in TX "the DPS Security Card" belongs to YOU, its your card - not the companies. It would be the worker/contractor/employee that would be fined along w/ te company if you dont have one.

Agreed, it is your card, not the companies. However, the law is VERY specific, with a level II security license, you can ONLY work for a licensed and registered guard company, NOT on your own. It is all spelled out on the DPS website and is one or more of the questions on the test.

[Mfar1234]

The Texan wrote:

coolbikeman1 wrote:
Don,t you have to register to be a gate guard company before you can go out on your own?

Yes you do, but some think the law does not apply to them. DPS checked our credentials this week, so sooner or later someone will go to jail or pay a big fine for not complying with the law.

If ya'll havent realized it yet .. in TX "the DPS Security Card" belongs to YOU, its your card - not the companies. It would be the worker/contractor/employee that would be fined along w/ te company if you dont have one.

[jetboater454]

Well he is from S.D and if you have ever seen the link on facebook for Bakken Oilfield, Fail of the Day's Wall,guess any thing goes up there.

[The_Texan]

coolbikeman1 wrote:
Don,t you have to register to be a gate guard company before you can go out on your own?

Yes you do, but some think the law does not apply to them. DPS checked our credentials this week, so sooner or later someone will go to jail or pay a big fine for not complying with the law.

[coolbikeman1]

Don,t you have to register to be a gate guard company before you can go out on your own?

[jetboater454]

Here

Or here

[GGup]

What does a light tower rent for per day or month? Is there a company site one can go to for rental prices?

[loydstuts]

And don't forget the cost of the fuel you're gonna burn as well as water delivery and sewage pumpout every week.

[abusman40]

glenntwo wrote:

Mfar1234 wrote:
Ok, as dangerous as it is that i may get my head bitten off I gotta ask.

"If they have been breaking the law since 2009 or so - and it has reached several million dollars." Would it make sense to say that "maybe they are not breaking the law?"

I think you may be right on that. Having had experience with being a 1099 sub (in another line of work), I don't see any problem with this being legal. I think it helps if you look at the job as being more of a "piecework" or salary type job instead of as an hourly one.

On the subject of getting a massive tax bill from the IRS? They can't tax you for money you didn't make. However, if you do get a cash settlement for lost wages (not very likely IMO), they are entitled. I would treat that as icing on the cake and give the guv their cut and let it go.

And if you can't find enough write-offs for that 1099 to make it look like you are just breaking even, then you and your tax person aren't trying hard enough.

And i may be stating the obvious, but here's one more thought: You have to consider the use of a generator, water and septic as part of your wage package. When you do that, I think the total package comes more into line with what would normally be expected. AT 70-100 a day for a FHU pull-through spot in most places, I would say that free water electric and sewer plus 125-175/day is a pretty nice deal. Not as nice as the company getting 450-500/day for putting a guard out there, but they have to make their money too, and without them you wouldn't be on the gate, and even if you were, you would have to provide your own amenities. Leasing a gen and a honey wagon ain't cheap, and it probably takes a long time to make the contacts to line a job like this up, so I figure its a wash.

All things considered, I wouldn't mind dropping what I do now and doing a little GG'ing for maybe 10 months a year. Sounds like easy money and I don't have to commute thousands of miles like I do now.

To rent a gen., water storage tank, fuel tank, waste cycling system and light tower your cost could range from $90.00 - $125.00 per day.

[Ajones42]

The Texan wrote:
Our "non-potable" water comes directly from the Charlotte town water supply, via a 3500 gallon water truck marked "potable water". The state requires the on site tanks be marked non-potable because they are not tested on a regular schedule. The energy company furnishes us with all of the 5 gallon water bottles we want, by contract. I have no problem drinking the non-potable water, but the DW does, ONLY because of the sign posted on the tank.

Bob summed it up well. In every place we have been assigned, the water starts out from an approved source. Sometimes after that the handling of the water transfers to your nurse tank and the equipment used to do so may be a bit ---ummmmm---- questionable.

As Bob said, most companies are happy to let you grab a 5 gallon jug off of their water delivery truck when it rolls through the gate. In our case, I have a whole house filter that all the water transferred from the nurse tank for RV use goes through. In addition we have another filter under the kitchen sink that also has UV sterilization. It feeds a separate little faucet on the kitchen sink should we run out of the company supplied water.

[daverich]

Thanks for the answers. I knew I was missing something.

[The_Texan]

Our "non-potable" water comes directly from the Charlotte town water supply, via a 3500 gallon water truck marked "potable water". The state requires the on site tanks be marked non-potable because they are not tested on a regular schedule. The energy company furnishes us with all of the 5 gallon water bottles we want, by contract. I have no problem drinking the non-potable water, but the DW does, ONLY because of the sign posted on the tank.

[WellShooter2]

daverich wrote:
Question about non-potable water. I have seen gate guard ads that say so many gallons of non-potable water. I know what non-potable water is.

I am guessing you use it for the toilet and showers. Now you have it in your water system. I guess when you a finished you can sanitize with bleach. But I don't like the idea of having it in the pipe in the first place.

What am I missing here?

Thanks.

Non-potable means don't cook with it or drink it. It may not taste good and hasn't been chlorinated. i.e. it is not certified by any agency. Doesn't mean it's bad water or it will hurt your rig or even make you sick.

If you have ever lived in the country and used "well water" you have used non-potable water.

I use "drinking" water purchased at Wal-Mart for coffee. Showers shave and toilet on non-potable.