"never cut above your head" the warnings read

[SkunkWerX]

Have you ever seen how fast an FEL will fall if a hose bursts or a valve opens up? It's scary fast. It's deadly fast. As well, a full bucket can make a tractor very tippy, standing in the FEL puts the weight even higher up, increasing the machine's Center of gravity even more.

After 29 years in the telephone company, 25 of them in Outside Plant Operations, I can tell you that not adhering to safety while working aloft can injure or kill you whether on a ladder or in a man-rated bucket (truck). A majority of our accidents are in buckets, not on ladders.

Many people do not know how to use a ladder properly. I see ladders being used at angles so steep they will go over backwards if you sneeze, and so shallow they look more like a sagging bowed bridge than a ladder. On soggy and uneven ground too.

It only takes 5 minutes to tie off a ladder properly and securely to a tree or pole, and if done so correctly, will be as solid as the ground it is on.

There are other hazards such as electrical lines. Cut the limb, the limb contacts the power line, current flows down limb, into saw, through hands, out the feet, and down the aluminum ladder to ground. Congratualtions, you were a human fuse. You get the picture and it's not pretty.


ROPES. When cutting aloft and doing limbing operations you can use ropes to control how and where the limb will fall. You can even make 3/4 of your cut. Go back down to terra firma, and using proper precautions, pull the limb down with the rope. (Don't pull it down on top of you.) You can use ropes to secure your ladder, to secure your saw, and secure the tree you are cutting.

Bottom line, if you are reading this, you have the ability to check safety and working procedures for cutting trees , limbing (de-limbing) and working aloft.
10 or 15 minutes of reading can save your life. Best of all, it's free!!

Everyone, please be safe. Take a moment to step back, and look at each situation. Site assessment is the first key to a safe and smooth operation.

 

[workinallthetime]

Have you ever seen how fast an FEL will fall if a hose bursts or a valve opens up? It's scary fast. It's deadly fast. As well, a full bucket can make a tractor very tippy, standing in the FEL puts the weight even higher up, increasing the machine's Center of gravity even more.

After 29 years in the telephone company, 25 of them in Outside Plant Operations, I can tell you that not adhering to safety while working aloft can injure or kill you whether on a ladder or in a man-rated bucket (truck). A majority of our accidents are in buckets, not on ladders.

Many people do not know how to use a ladder properly. I see ladders being used at angles so steep they will go over backwards if you sneeze, and so shallow they look more like a sagging bowed bridge than a ladder. On soggy and uneven ground too.

It only takes 5 minutes to tie off a ladder properly and securely to a tree or pole, and if done so correctly, will be as solid as the ground it is on.

There are other hazards such as electrical lines. Cut the limb, the limb contacts the power line, current flows down limb, into saw, through hands, out the feet, and down the aluminum ladder to ground. Congratualtions, you were a human fuse. You get the picture and it's not pretty.


ROPES. When cutting aloft and doing limbing operations you can use ropes to control how and where the limb will fall. You can even make 3/4 of your cut. Go back down to terra firma, and using proper precautions, pull the limb down with the rope. (Don't pull it down on top of you.) You can use ropes to secure your ladder, to secure your saw, and secure the tree you are cutting.

Bottom line, if you are reading this, you have the ability to check safety and working procedures for cutting trees , limbing (de-limbing) and working aloft.
10 or 15 minutes of reading can save your life. Best of all, it's free!!

Everyone, please be safe. Take a moment to step back, and look at each situation. Site assessment is the first key to a safe and smooth operation.

show me where to read, through up a link, heck e-mail me. Not to much loggin here in oklahoma and my dad was a farmer. Give me some info please. I love cold hard facts and not ideas about coulda shoulda woulda. I have the up most respect for loggers and linemen, especially the ones who worked so hard to get the million plus in oklahoma who no power back up and going. I have to go back this weekeknd to that same tree and tke care of about 5 other limbs and would like to be more educated when i go. Ladders, the loader and ropes are my options. I do have a full shoulder harness for climbing but no tree spikes

 

[Rara Avis]

show me where to read, through up a link, heck e-mail me. Not to much loggin here in oklahoma and my dad was a farmer. Give me some info please. I love cold hard facts and not ideas about coulda shoulda woulda. I have the up most respect for loggers and linemen, especially the ones who worked so hard to get the million plus in oklahoma who no power back up and going. I have to go back this weekeknd to that same tree and tke care of about 5 other limbs and would like to be more educated when i go. Ladders, the loader and ropes are my options. I do have a full shoulder harness for climbing but no tree spikes

Arbormaster Arborist Training DVD and Video Rental


WesSpur Tree Equipment Homepage

 

[rox]

bit the bullet, sitin in my office looking at my new stihl pole saw atachment and extra shaft for my stihl system. 287.00, 12"chainsaw, 37" add a shaft, and files to match the blade. To bad it will be dark when i get home

workinallthetime-Congratulations on your purchase. I really think you are going to like it. Please post back your feedback on the product. It will be real nice to work with feet on terra firma.

 

[gemini5362]

Have you ever seen how fast an FEL will fall if a hose bursts or a valve opens up? It's scary fast. It's deadly fast. As well, a full bucket can make a tractor very tippy, standing in the FEL puts the weight even higher up, increasing the machine's Center of gravity even more.

After 29 years in the telephone company, 25 of them in Outside Plant Operations, I can tell you that not adhering to safety while working aloft can injure or kill you whether on a ladder or in a man-rated bucket (truck). A majority of our accidents are in buckets, not on ladders.

Many people do not know how to use a ladder properly. I see ladders being used at angles so steep they will go over backwards if you sneeze, and so shallow they look more like a sagging bowed bridge than a ladder. On soggy and uneven ground too.

It only takes 5 minutes to tie off a ladder properly and securely to a tree or pole, and if done so correctly, will be as solid as the ground it is on.

There are other hazards such as electrical lines. Cut the limb, the limb contacts the power line, current flows down limb, into saw, through hands, out the feet, and down the aluminum ladder to ground. Congratualtions, you were a human fuse. You get the picture and it's not pretty.


ROPES. When cutting aloft and doing limbing operations you can use ropes to control how and where the limb will fall. You can even make 3/4 of your cut. Go back down to terra firma, and using proper precautions, pull the limb down with the rope. (Don't pull it down on top of you.) You can use ropes to secure your ladder, to secure your saw, and secure the tree you are cutting.

Bottom line, if you are reading this, you have the ability to check safety and working procedures for cutting trees , limbing (de-limbing) and working aloft.
10 or 15 minutes of reading can save your life. Best of all, it's free!!

Everyone, please be safe. Take a moment to step back, and look at each situation. Site assessment is the first key to a safe and smooth operation.

I know you mean well and anyone that talks about doing something a safer way should be listened to at least.

I am aware and have posted how fast a bucket can come down. If I was really worried about it i would get some 4x4's and make something to slide under it when it is all the way up. worrying about tipping it over is probably not something I am going to do. I have had my bucket all the way up with about a 1000 pounds of shingles in it putting them on the roof for roofers. If it did not tip over then I dont see my 240 pounds being much of a danger for that. What I am doing may not be the safest way and I applaud you for taking the time to point out safer ways to do things. I just do not feel comfortable in my situation on a ladder at the same height.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I know you mean well and anyone that talks about doing something a safer way should be listened to at least.

I am aware and have posted how fast a bucket can come down. If I was really worried about it i would get some 4x4's and make something to slide under it when it is all the way up. worrying about tipping it over is probably not something I am going to do. I have had my bucket all the way up with about a 1000 pounds of shingles in it putting them on the roof for roofers. If it did not tip over then I dont see my 240 pounds being much of a danger for that. What I am doing may not be the safest way and I applaud you for taking the time to point out safer ways to do things. I just do not feel comfortable in my situation on a ladder at the same height.

I agree with you on this, I would rather cut from my loader bucket (I have a bigger loader bucket then you though) then from a ladder. I have never been comfortable using a chainsaw from a ladder and refuse to do so. I now have a pole saw and still find myself in the bucket of the TN to reach higher limbs growing into the side of my new house. I only got the low ones that were affecting the lower porch roof but the pole saw allowed me to cut higher without having to have the loader all the way up or as close to the falling limbs. I plan on renting a lift to finish trimming the higher tree limbs 30+ feet in the air. There is no way I am using a ladder or a loader for them

 

[Rara Avis]

gemini5362 and Robert_in_NY...I have a question for you...we will change the problem slightly...

Would either of you work under a piece of equipment held up only by the three point hitch without any other safeties?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

gemini5362 and Robert_in_NY...I have a question for you...we will change the problem slightly...

Would either of you work under a piece of equipment held up only by the three point hitch without any other safeties?

Paul, I know the dangers associated with working with equipment. A hydraulic failure can occur and I am not going to tell others to do this and I don't even want to do it but at times it is the safest option.

Would you rather work off a ladder? I will take a loader bucket over a ladder any day of the week as it will take one heck of a big limb to tip my tractor or a very rare hydraulic failure to cause a potential accident. Yet with a ladder a small limb can cause a serious accident. Even with a man lift you have a lot of dangers. You choose what works best for the situation and with this type of work you take your chances and pray nothing goes wrong. Not everything is simple and safe and if you are not comfortable with doing this type of work then hire it out but remember, even professionals get killed doing this as it is a dangerous job.

 

[Rara Avis]

Paul, I know the dangers associated with working with equipment. A hydraulic failure can occur and I am not going to tell others to do this and I don't even want to do it but at times it is the safest option.

Would you rather work off a ladder? I will take a loader bucket over a ladder any day of the week as it will take one heck of a big limb to tip my tractor or a very rare hydraulic failure to cause a potential accident. Yet with a ladder a small limb can cause a serious accident. Even with a man lift you have a lot of dangers. You choose what works best for the situation and with this type of work you take your chances and pray nothing goes wrong. Not everything is simple and safe and if you are not comfortable with doing this type of work then hire it out but remember, even professionals get killed doing this as it is a dangerous job.

I have done it off of ladders in the past...
Now, I'd rent the lift or hire it done...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have done it off of ladders in the past...
Now, I'd rent the lift or hire it done...

I agree, but I look at it like this, my loader will only lift to around 10' tall. I can survive that short a fall (I survived a 22' fall (counting my blessings )). If the hydaulics failed I will be above the loader as it fell. If I need to cut anything I can't reach with my pole saw from the ground or the loader bucket then I will rent a lift. I need to bring a lift in for some work on the back of the house (45' tall) and will finish trimming the trees that interfere with the upper roof when I have the lift here. I will also go trimming a few other places while I have it to make use of it