Thread: Ground Guys that go oops

Today me and a few fellas were trading tree stories and a buddy of mine told me about a ground guys that went oops. He was removing a good sized tree and there was a good sized branch that went pretty far out over the house. He rigged it from the tip. The two ground me were well experienced and had done tree work for a while. My buddy had hinged the branch and the two ground guys had pulled it up enough to clear the roof. The plan was going great. Until a small branch had slid down the rope. Well the two ground guys spaced. A let go of the rope thinking that was thye piece. My buddie said the piece came loose and headed right for the roof. As big as the piece was it was going to go right through the house. He hooked his lanyard to it and managed to wrap it around the tree saving the roof and taking the piece right over the house to the ground. He really thought quick and made a great save. He said his hooks sunk all the way up into the tree making it tough for him to get them out. I thought this was a pretty good storie. Any one else got one like this to share. Thanks, BB

Crazy-arse stories about dim-witted groundmen?

HA! Please!

Don't get me started!!!

How ''bout the time when I cut a piece of silver maple maybe 6' long 8" diameter. It was reaching over the house a tiny bit. I had it tied off and the anchor was perfectly up an away from the house. All the ropemaster had to do was let the weight of the wood into the rope and guide it down nice and quick. Well, for whatever reason, he held it super tight, though I checked with him before cutting and he gave me the thumbs up.

The piece swings back at me and luckily only hit my hand, hurting my pinky (boo-hoo. I know)

So I finish the tree, hand throbbing. (I cut and chucked the rest). Get to the ground, ask Gary what happened. He says, and I quote, "I though it'd be better to let it bump you than to take out the gutters."



Brian, this is where you tell the 3 main concerns that the roper needs to be concerned about. He got #2 and #1 mixed up.

love
nick

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel


But then I'm perfect, and have always known everything there is to know about treework and have never made a mistake.

Don't be so hard on yourself, eh?

I've had my own share of mishaps, but nothing major. The best one however was told to me by a guy who is currently out on comp. He had been rigging down a spar from a block, and the ground guy didn't let the rope run. This in turn brought the piece right into him, busting up his ankle quite nicely. He has been out on comp for SEVERAL months now.

I have a freind that does trees he told me one time he was roping some big limbs down and the ground mandidnt think he needed to wrap around the lowering device. He said that he had it, the next thing he said that he was eye to eye with the groundman about 25 fott off the ground. He said he takes a wrap with everything now.

Mike

Originally posted by treeman82
This in turn brought the piece right into him, busting up his ankle quite nicely.

No offense, and I empathize with the climber, but it wasn't the gm's fault.

The climber has to prepare and expect the worst case scenerio in every rigging situation. The less trained the ground crew, the moreso.

The climber allowed his ankle to be in the wrong place at the right time.

Expect the unexpected, and react accordingly.

KEY WORD - React.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but gm have attempted to maim/injury me for years. I expect it, and I try my best to be ready for it. That sux, but unless you routinely work with the same crew every day, thats just the way it is. And sometimes even that isn't enough if your main crew is a bunch of dillholes.



Ain't nothing like working with a crackerjack crew!!!

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel


Many times when working with unknown groundmen, I will piece stuff out without roping anything. It may take longer and I have to work harder, but I don't have to worry about an unknown ropeman hurting me.

Ditto that!

If you have not covered every base, crossed the T's and dotted the i's then you cannot blame it all on the groundpeople.

Nearly every major accident I've been involved in had something where I could have done soemthing to prevent it. Where I made poor assumptions, or did not communicate clearly.

There was one where I got in trouble because an E-brake failed and the chipper endded up under the truck. I had requested that the brake be overhauled on many occations. (truck was in first gear too.) I was at fault because I did not keep it running and have the A-driver place a chock before I shut the engine down ( I think the sissy helper loosened the break, but...)

In Nicks scenario, if he had atold the guy to let it run some, then he has room to yell at the guy on the ground. If he assumed that the GM knew exactly what he wanted then he has part of the blame.

847th?





Sounds like an airborne squadron!

Many years ago I worked with a groundman who had just done 6 years in Guam... he didn't like taking direction cause he'd just been told when and how to do everything for the last 6 years....
That didn't mix too well with me, cause back then I liked things done my way!!!
So I was lowering out a big piece of chestnut oak... Told him to take another wrap... He insisted they had enough and I cut it knowing full well they didn't... We were just lowering over the lawn so no need to worry much about damage to property... The backup groundman had the sense to let go early and get out of the way, but the hard headed one let himself get sucked into the tree so close to the falling branch, I got plenty scared...
In retrospect, it could have been ugly... I thought after that, he might listen a little better.... I love the guy to this day, but that was the last time we ever worked together...

Worst one I can think of offhand is the groundman who spent about 10 minutes chipping...with me hollering and throwing gear at him to get his attention to no avail...

With the chute NOT pointed in the truck.

When I hit the ground, I was fuming...I mean, I was seeing freaking STARS fuming...mad enough to kick a kitten and club a seal.

His excuse? He didn't NOTICE...Anything.

Game over, all done.

Eric, not that it would have made much difference in your situation, but I just started climbing with a whistle in hopes that somebody will hear me, if I need something.

Butch, that was the way it was explained to me, however something could have been lost in the translation. As far as I know though, this guy worked with these groundspeople on a regular basis.

Crazy-arse stories about dim-witted groundmen? err yes i was working with some 19 yo lad had work with him a few times he knew how to operate a chipper and had done on many occasions, and even done a course on operating chippers, but alas his brain must of been in his butt, and i think it still remains there........ attempted get some small brash through the chipper first with a fork, then a spade, then creme de la creme his foot i was about 90ft up watching all this go on and was helpless todo anything I came out of the tree and had a little chat, and put him straight on a few laws of machinery

Ah yes the chipper stuffing thing. I had one guy who would not listen about putting hands into the infeed chute.

After the umpteenth time I was standing behind him (Being a good supervisor). As he reached in I grabbed his collor and pulled him up so we could speak face to chest. If I ever saw him reach in again, he would be getting a bus abck to the shop to punch out.

As he started to sputter about being manhandled, I asked him if he would like to shut down the job and go back to sit down with management and discuss how I had to physically extract him from a dangerous situation.

He used the old rake from then on, but still did not last too long.