A Safer More Efficient Tree Industry Future?

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jomoco

jomoco

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And yes, I've seen an experienced chipper "operator" pulled in. His baggy clothes got caught and the feedwheel was gnawing on his helmet when the panic bar was hit. A very unfortunate accident that didn't have a tragic ending.

I don't want to see anyone in this industry hurt, but I don't see the need for any rules like this.

Did it occur to you that having a second man in proximity to your chipper is the only reason the situation you've described did not end tragically Chief?

jomoco
 
2treeornot2tree

2treeornot2tree

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Did it occur to you that having a second man in proximity to your chipper is the only reason the situation you've described did not end tragically Chief?

jomoco
He never said a second person hit the panic bar. You assumed and you know what happens when you assume dont you?

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jomoco

jomoco

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There's a very good reason that all the officials whose job is investigating wood chipper fatalities on the job have come to the same conclusion. Hence their number one recommendation for preventing these fatalities is having two men working together in close proximity to the chipper.

IMO, the over-riding reason TCIA will be forced to change their tune on safe WTC operations quite soon.

jomoco
 
jomoco

jomoco

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I consider any hydraulically fed chipper with over a 12 inch wood eating capacity a WTC Steve.

I'd love to hear some objective discussion on the industry coddling of us precious climbers via aerial rescue training seminars and regulations requiring a qualified second climber on the job. Whereas the poor stalwart humble groundie gets the shaft, or err mandrel, all alone, in increments if the auto feed is engaged.

No SGB. Not me in the Dr. S vid.

jomoco

Note that I said over a 12inch capacity guys.

jomoco
 
Steve NW WI

Steve NW WI

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jomoco, what part of the design of say, a 14" chipper makes it more inherently dangerous than a 12" chipper? Educate me, or I might lose interest. If I lose interest, I might just lock this MFer down.
 
tree MDS
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Note that I said over a 12inch capacity guys.

jomoco

That was my point. Plenty of 12" chippers out there that could swallow a guy up no problem (well, maybe not some members here, but you get my point). Actually, I'm pretty sure with the bandits, the 12" machines have a faster feed rate (120' per minute, vs. 100) than the larger machines. Maybe that's the answer, jusy make them painfully slow.. lol, no pun intended.
 
jomoco

jomoco

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jomoco, what part of the design of say, a 14" chipper makes it more inherently dangerous than a 12" chipper? Educate me, or I might lose interest. If I lose interest, I might just lock this MFer down.

It's the hydraulic feed wheel mechanism combined with rated horse power above 90 or so that seems to be the tipping point in terms of fatalities.

The old 16 inch capacity chuck n ducks took lots of fingers, hands and arms, along with missing teeth, concussions etc. But I never heard tale of them eating a groundie whole and spitting them into the back of a chiptruck.

jomoco
 
NCTREE

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the obvious answer is the larger the branch being thrown in the larger the risk of being caught and pulled in. 3" branches aren't going to do it unless your a midget
 
Steve NW WI

Steve NW WI

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It's the hydraulic feed wheel mechanism combined with rated horse power above 90 or so that seems to be the tipping point in terms of fatalities.

The old 16 inch capacity chuck n ducks took lots of fingers, hands and arms, along with missing teeth, concussions etc. But I never heard tale of them eating a groundie whole and spitting them into the back of a chiptruck.

jomoco

Not buying that for a second. "Small" machines, like the Vermeer 1000 you mentioned, have the same feed system (which I'm pretty familiar with, it's the same system used on forage harvesters), and 90hp is an arbritrary number you've picked out for your purposes, whatever they are. There's PROBABLY (due to me not having done any scientific research) no way that you could stop yourself from being pulled into a system powered by a 10hp Briggs without a stop system.

Back to school, if you're going to spout here, get some hard facts out, and soon.
 
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