Tree cutting accident

[Jstpssng]

What was the training program you took?

The course I took was so long ago that I don't remember where it was. They taught us the brake was not a parking brake.. now I won't even take a step without setting it. That was also before the days of inertia brakes.
We did learn about spring poles, however. A few years later when I was doing R/W maintenance the two foremen would drop "danger trees" into the woods, then send me in to cut the spring poles and buck the tree. I was never sure if it was because I could do it without getting hurt; or if they just wanted to get rid of me.

It's much harder to be safe when you're left-handed. I've never seen a left-handed chainsaw yet. Cutting cross handed like I do makes the saw much more dangerous. My left hand is on the throttle and my right holds the bar by the brake. Lefties are 5X more likely to die in industrial accidents, usually because the tools they use aren't designed with their safety in mind!

One if the scariest things I've seen is somebody running a saw left handed. In the event of a kickback, the chain is aimed right at your face. I do a lot of things left handed including write; luckily though I cut right-handed.

 

[Jstpssng]

.

Years ago, Stihl put out some literature showing the number or frequency of chainsaw accidents, discriminated by area of the body. Their point was to convince people to buy chaps, and not just helmets, as the vast majority of chainsaw accidents are leg contact injuries.

I don't remember the exact numbers anymore, it was too many years ago, but injuries related to chaps and legs occur something like 3x more frequently than injuries related to heads and helmets or face shields. That statement probably comes with the caveat that you're wearing safety glasses, either way, as I imagine unprotected eye injuries must top the list.

They also put that chart on the box which their chaps come in. I believe I posted it here a couple of years ago. I will see if I can find it again.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

It took me no less than five climbs over a weeks time to clear the low branches and get to the position to make the topping cut. Sweaty work... ;-)

Like they say about riding motorbikes...

"You don't quit riding because you got old, You get old because you quit riding"

I'm looking forward to another winter snow skiing as well. Rescue services as a ski patrol member at a nearby hill.

What counts is that you got it done, even if it did take 5 trips up, at 71 that's a fine accomplishment, my wife and I were traveling home the other day and went past a transmission line that I had worked on years ago and she said to me " I remember back when you were working on that line, Do you ever miss it? I said girl these days it would take me half a day to get to the bud of them 90 foot poles , so no I don't miss it that bad.

 

[CalG]

What counts is that you got it done, even if it did take 5 trips up, at 71 that's a fine accomplishment, my wife and I were traveling home the other day and went past a transmission line that I had worked on years ago and she said to me " I remember back when you were working on that line, Do you ever miss it? I said girl these days it would take me half a day to get to the bud of them 90 foot poles , so no I don't miss it that bad.

When I need a rest on the way up, I just tell myself to enjoy the view! ;-)

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I knew a guy who climbed poles working for the phone company. One snapped at base and he landed on the asphalt road. Multiple injuries and never worked again. I'm sure cemeteries are full of guys who had testosterone, and I took so many chances but lucky I guess (a few injuries though).
Now I'd rather pay a few hundred than have just a broken finger!

 

[CalG]

I knew a guy who climbed poles working for the phone company. One snapped at base and he landed on the asphalt road. Multiple injuries and never worked again. I'm sure cemeteries are full of guys who had testosterone, and I took so many chances but lucky I guess (a few injuries though).
Now I'd rather pay a few hundred than have just a broken finger!

My guardian angel works overtime every day. always has.

"One born to drown, has no fear of fire"

 

[boblegg986]

One of my best friends lost his brother to a widow-maker, and he was into timber and logging full time. You have to watch the tree you are cutting AND the trees around it. Your note is a good reminder as I am dropping 3 healthy maples near my farmhouse this week.

 

[MossRoad]

It's much harder to be safe when you're left-handed. I've never seen a left-handed chainsaw yet. Cutting cross handed like I do makes the saw much more dangerous. My left hand is on the throttle and my right holds the bar by the brake. Lefties are 5X more likely to die in industrial accidents, usually because the tools they use aren't designed with their safety in mind!

Adapt!

I'm lefty. Forced myself to adapt to some things. Fortunate to be able to do that. Now I'm mostly ambidextrous.

 

[WinterDeere]

My guardian angel works overtime every day. always has.

"One born to drown, has no fear of fire"

All my life
I've been workin' them angels overtime
Riding and driving and living
So close to the edge
Workin' them angels - Overtime
-- Neil Peart

 

[Lineman North Florida]

When I need a rest on the way up, I just tell myself to enjoy the view! ;-)

An elevated position does add to the view, that's one thing i always enjoyed as well, getting to see things on a daily basis in a way that most people never do.

 

[Hay Dude]

All my life
I've been workin' them angels overtime
Riding and driving and living
So close to the edge
Workin' them angels - Overtime
-- Neil Peart

Almost every day of work for me is like that.
I know my time is coming, but living in fear is just being dead already anyways.

 

[Snezzy]

power nailer

Friend who's a professional carpenter and roofer nailed his hand to the roof one day. The guy's a safety nut, and never makes mistakes like that. But then he did. Power equipment plus advancing age will get us.

 

[WinterDeere]

Friend who's a professional carpenter and roofer nailed his hand to the roof one day. The guy's a safety nut, and never makes mistakes like that. But then he did. Power equipment plus advancing age will get us.

Reminds me of a story I read when researching the giant African hornets after accidentally stepping on a live one that fell out of a rug my mother had shipped up to PA from Florida. Thankfully, I was wearing slippers, as I think I'd have been stung on the bottom of my foot otherwise.

Anyway, they apparently almost never sting without severe provocation, but they pack quite a wallop when they do. One guy writing about it online said he'd fired a framing nailer into his leg, and it was less painful than that hornet sting!

 

[RobertEH]

In addition to all of the PPE and such, It is also important to keep tabs on one's mental state. I was cutting wood up for a neighbor as a favor a few weeks back, and caught myself being a bit casual with the blade. When it happened a second time, I packed up and quit for the day. Clearly I was tired and my mind was not making good decisions. Felt a bit bad that I did not accomplish as much as I wanted to, but felt it was a wise call. Always possible to come back a second day.

 

[Jstpssng]

In addition to all of the PPE and such, It is also important to keep tabs on one's mental state. I was cutting wood up for a neighbor as a favor a few weeks back, and caught myself being a bit casual with the blade. When it happened a second time, I packed up and quit for the day. Clearly I was tired and my mind was not making good decisions. Felt a bit bad that I did not accomplish as much as I wanted to, but felt it was a wise call. Always possible to come back a second day.

Good point. I have done that many times. There have been other occasions when I didn't quit, and paid the price. The last time I ended up getting my tractor stuck in a bog hole, and didn't get it out for 2 weeks. The time before that I rolled a log onto my 545 Husky, ruining it. Both times I knew I should quit but thought "just one more tree"

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Biggest problem down here when bedding and throwing trees IMO is vines, I have been working on a place for a customer and the vines are so bad I have had to put a rope in most of the trees because of the amount of vines which makes for a little more time spent on the job but better to be safe than sorry.

 

[groundcover]

Vines can ruin your day with a chipper too ! My Bandit goes into a lot of detail about safety when dealing with them.

 

[two_bit_score]

Always possible to come back a second day.

Yep! We want to live to fight another day!

 

[Rockbadchild]

Good point. I have done that many times. There have been other occasions when I didn't quit, and paid the price. The last time I ended up getting my tractor stuck in a bog hole, and didn't get it out for 2 weeks. The time before that I rolled a log onto my 545 Husky, ruining it. Both times I knew I should quit but thought "just one more tree"

its always the ''one more'' that get ya... working construction it was always the one more bucket that rip services ...

 

[tradosaurus]

Even a down tree can be a problem when cutting into smaller pieces.

Had a huge hardwood tree come down a month past. Had to be careful where to cut so the tree couldn't possible roll on me.