Tree cutting accident

[RandyT]

Be careful out their guys when working around trees. Neighbor and customer of mine was air lifted to a trauma center after having a widow maker hit him in the head while cutting firewood. Don't know many details at this point.

 

[WinterDeere]

Sorry to hear that. I hope he's okay.

Given the demographics of this forum, I'd guess a lot of us fell trees. I do about a dozen per year myself, and some are in less than ideal circumstances. So, stuff like this is always of interest.

Please post back with whatever details you learn, down the road.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I’m always wearing a hard hat as a sawyer

 

[sea2summit]

First thing I taught my children when they were knee high walking in the woods was to look up. Prayers out, hope he’s okay.

 

[CalG]

Ive got TWO broken limbs hanging 50 feet up 100 foot tall maples. The aftermath of this past late winter storm. The broken branches are about the size of my calf. Hundreds of pounds just held by a split or two. Every time the wind blows I look up with hope that one or the other might have come down. Not yet though. I am getting to feel it's going to take another heavy wet/icey snow storm to bring them down.
In the meanwhile, I look up and hurry past whenever I need to be out in that part of the yard.

I've quit mowing there. It's so shady, grass doesn't really grow, weeds and moss mostly, not worth the risk.

Sending good vibes to the injured fellow!

Widowmakers.... Labels don't get applied for no good reason.

 

[CalG]

I’m always wearing a hard hat as a sawyer

Very often smaller branches come out of our maple trees during a breeze. It always amazes me how the but ends can penetrate the ground to a depth that makes pulling them out a major chore.

A hard hat would be found somewhere around the lungs if one of those hit top down.

 

[etpm]

Ive got TWO broken limbs hanging 50 feet up 100 foot tall maples. The aftermath of this past late winter storm. The broken branches are about the size of my calf. Hundreds of pounds just held by a split or two. Every time the wind blows I look up with hope that one or the other might have come down. Not yet though. I am getting to feel it's going to take another heavy wet/icey snow storm to bring them down.
In the meanwhile, I look up and hurry past whenever I need to be out in that part of the yard.

I've quit mowing there. It's so shady, grass doesn't really grow, weeds and moss mostly, not worth the risk.

Sending good vibes to the injured fellow!

Widowmakers.... Labels don't get applied for no good reason.

I have had trees like that in the past and have a similar one now. A pretty big alder broke about 8 feet up and the section of the tree above the break came loose, traveled about 5 feet, and got hung up in another alder. The section's broken base is on the ground but the tree that it is hung up in is not that big and something is gonna break loose. Right now nobody is using the trail that the broken tree is leaning over and I hope the winter winds will shake the thing loose. If not I'm gonna need to use a come along and chains to pull it until it drops. Right now it is too dangerous for anyone to saw it.
Eric

 

[oosik]

I've never had anything fall on me. But several trees and a few limbs have fallen due to wind damage or pine bark beetle. It's always good to keep track of damaged limbs or trees.

A couple weeks ago a dead tree fell in the night. About 100 feet from the house. Woke the dog - his barking scared the snot out of me and woke me. Luckily, it fell parallel to the house and not across it.

 

[5030]

I’m always wearing a hard hat as a sawyer

Hard hat, face shield, ear muffs and approved chaps. I wear LeBlonde competition chaps, not cheap but excellent protection. Any chain can easily aputate an arm of leg in a second and just a glancing cut can be many. many stitches and rehab if you sever a muscle or tendon. Been there, done that and the last 'mistake' cost me 108 stitches and a helluva lot of hurt afterwards.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have never worn a safety device in my life outside of safety glasses maybe 50% of the time.
Been at it for 40+ years without a significant injury.

Added: I in no way condone this. My injuries have been mostly falls or a few concussions.