Man killed while felling trees

srs · Oct 19, 2004

( this weekend I felled a 36" dia pine that has been dropping huge limbs and was rotten in the core. Ken )

A long time ago when I was a uniformed Police Sergeant I responded to a call of a fatal accident. It turned out that an off-duty firefighter was attempting to cut down a tree when he was killed. He did everything by the book, safety helmet, chaps, steel toed boots, plastic wedges, etc. The problem occured when the tree started to fall in the direction that he had planned, it snapped approximately 20 feet above his head. The tree (unknown to him, I guess) was hollow. As the tree fell away from him, the bottom part fell in the proper direction, but the remainder of the tree started to fall toward him. He started to run away but the tree just followed him down until it crushed him. Responding paramedics said he died instantly. I had to notify the family concerning the accident. It did not occur at home. Tough freaken part of the job.

slowzuki · Oct 20, 2004

It is true, safety gear won't help if a tree lands on you.

I had carefully examined this tree before felling, chopping test spots into the tree and boring with the saw. I knew it was solid on the outside couple of inches.

By using wedges you can tip it slowly so as not to stress the top of the tree. I had 2 spotters watching the top and I was in a area of the tree with no limbs over head (they had fallen off in the windstorm the week before.)

By the time the tree started to lean I was about 30 ft away and moving!

Last year we pulled down a 4' diameter elm tree. It was in terrible shape and we didn't want to be working in the area around it. Got a rope tossed into the last crotch left on it and got about 100 ft away. 4 of us got it swaying then one good heave broke the roots off in the ground and over it came. It had a big rotten area 30 ft up that we were worried would cause the top to land on someone trying to saw it down.

dmartin88 · Oct 20, 2004

The article says that the man had just cut the 40 foot tree in half. I may be reading it wrong but wonder if the accident happened after the tree had been dropped but was still hung up and under pressure. May have been under the tree trying to relieve pressure to get his chain saw loose? May not have understood correctly but a tragedy all the same.

Libertine · Oct 22, 2004

WCarlson:

If the negative lean is severe, I thin the side of the tree that is causing the negative lean with a rope saw or go up it and thin. 

Rope saw? Never heard of that, but sounds good. but "go up it", umm. Rope saw sounds better. I am assuming that such a thing is tossed over the limb to be cut, and pulled back and forth from the ground. Will have to check into that.

Actually, all the reports of accidents when "everything done right" per post above, makin me even more nervous than I am normally-guess that's a good feeling for promoting safety though. In St. Louis today, a guy working for a tree company had a limb break under him and plop, right on a power line. Zapped him good. Ugh.

JEH

trlong · Oct 24, 2004

Varmintmist, and all,

Just throwing in my two cents. I thoroughly agree that a come-a-long is far better than a tractor, when a sturdy tree can be found to hitch to. However, I suggest two sturdy trees and a snatch block in the middle. I hate pulling from the direction I want the tree I'm cutting to fall. The fun comes in getting a stout line up where you want it on the tree to be cut.

I am truly a novice at this. I have heard that all loggers and those clearing trails for snowmobiles on US Forest land will soon be required to take a chainsaw safety course. I inquired of a US Forester where I could take such a course. He said they are not available, at present, to the general public but, he thought it a good idea as he had taken it, after 40 years of logging, and had been amazed at how much he had learned. If I find any further info on availability of these courses for the general public, I'll post it in a "Saftey" forum.

Tom

"Intelligence is finite...the population is expanding"

Varmintmist · Oct 24, 2004

Call your county extension agent. Tree farming for hardwoods is a big thing since the Nat Forests were closed off to logging. There are a lot of small operators now like me. The extension agent should know of a chainsaw saftey course if there is one being given in your state. The extension agent is paid by your tax dollars so use him.

WCarlson · Oct 25, 2004

Libertine,
Northern Tool carries the Rope saw . They are very handy when you want to literally keep both feet on the ground. When I need something higher than 25 feet, I just bend on more line.
Bill

WCarlson · Oct 25, 2004

trlong,
 The fun comes in getting a stout line up where you want it on the tree to be cut.


I am beginning to sound like a shill for every company that handles aborist equipment. If you hit this link Sherrill and enter "Big Shot" in the product search after you enter as an unregistered customer, you will find a great tool for getting a line up into a tree. It is a large slingshot on an 8 foot pole that allows accurate placement of a throwline up to 100 feet up into a tree. As a useful adjunct for tree work, it has my highest recommendation. I also recommend the 12 oz throwbag and the Zinger throwline as a great fit with the Big Shot.
Bill

hitekcountry · Oct 25, 2004

You don't even need the tree to kill you. A story I'll never forget is of a man who was using a chain saw on some what of a slope. He some how slipped or lost his balance and fell with the front of his neck across the top of the running chain saw blade. The guys that picked him up said he looked normal just laying there face down except for the chain saw blade on both sides of his neck. But when they picked him up all that was still attached was a little skin, it tore from the weight of his head and the head rolled down the hill. Gruesome I know But I never can pick up a chain saw without thinking about this incident and I pay close attention to my footing and balance.

trlong · Oct 26, 2004

Varmintmist,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm waiting for a call back. So far, no courses are advertised as it seems VT extention service and Agency of Natural Resourses have not run a chainsaw safety course since 2001. Hopefully I can give them a little push. Just to get a forester to my place, it took 3 years and finally a call from my wife (works for the state and has a little more "pull").

Tom