Cutting Timber, Safety Rules

[Bushler]

4. Carry a plumbob, ( 3oz. sinker on 4' string works good).

On steep ground plumb the trees from the high side. If questionable plumb the tree from three sides.

5. On steep ground always (almost always) try to fall the tree from the uphill side.

6. Cut any poles, saplings, windfall etc. that are on the ground and extend out in front, alongside, and behind the tree you are falling.

 

[2dogs]

4. Carry a plumbob, ( 3oz. sinker on 4' string works good).

On steep ground plumb the trees from the high side. If questionable plumb the tree from three sides.

5. On steep ground always (almost always) try to fall the tree from the uphill side.

6. Cut any poles, saplings, windfall etc. that are on the ground and extend out in front, alongside, and behind the tree you are falling.

I really need to practice #6 more. I get lazy or in a hurry and don't walk out the lay. It is only when the tree hits the ground that I see my mistakes and have to duck flying debris.

 

[046]

thanks for the great tip!

4. Carry a plumbob, ( 3oz. sinker on 4' string works good).

On steep ground plumb the trees from the high side. If questionable plumb the tree from three sides.

5. On steep ground always (almost always) try to fall the tree from the uphill side.

 

[rtrsam]

If I'm taking down a "hazard" tree or one where there are significant targets (that I don't want to hit, like a house) I'll always plumb the tree from two different directions, abouty ninety degrees to each other. This way I know the head lean and side lean before I start cutting and can taper my hinge apporopriately.
I remember I was out cutting trees with another guy one day. About two in the afternoon the wind came up and I was going to pack it in. I saw the other guy rooting around in the dirt for a big rock to tie to his plumb line instead of the bolt he had on there. He said he needed something heavier to hold his plumb line against the wind. I told him we were being paid hourly, not scale, so it's time to go home.

 

[Billy_Bob]

A good plumbob is a spare chain for a chainsaw. If anyone asks what you are doing (holding up chain in front of tree), say you always inspect your chains before use.

 

[Bushler]

7. Don't cut timber with a dull chain. I've done it, probably will again. But its trouble. The last tree of the day, you're tired, the pack sack with the spare chain is a hundred yards away uphill...and you just hit a pocket of dirt bumping a knot....and you don't really feel like filing.

Problem is, working hard to cut makes you mad, the saw jumps around while trying to limb, or worse, the saw cuts a double cut trying to get a face in a tree, whatever.

Its worth the effort to go get the sharp chain.

 

[treejunkie13]

Never think that you know it all, try to learn every day.

Whenever hydraulics are an option, use them.

 

[sILlogger]

1) whenever it is 100* plus, you've been cutting to keep the skidder running for the last 8-10 hours and you begin to loose focus, or your getting tired and notice yourself stumbling, it is time to take a break..find a shady spot or pack it in for the day.

-i had to do this a few times last summer, one of the crews that i was contract cutter for worked 5x10's and a half day an saturday, (1 yardman, 1 skidderman, and i did all the cutting) the skidder ran for 9.5 hours (half hour lunch) and there were some days when the heat index was around 108-110. come back from lunch and cut like mad for a couple hours and get yourself ahead of the skidder, come about 2 o'clock i was pretty well beat, hopefully by that point there was enough timber on the ground that u didn't have to bust your balls for the rest of the day. --I guess this is a long winded way of saying if your getting tired and loosing focus it is time for a break or time to go home.

2) no tree is worth getting killed over

 

[forestryworks]

1) whenever it is 100* plus, you've been cutting to keep the skidder running for the last 8-10 hours and you begin to loose focus, or your getting tired and notice yourself stumbling, it is time to take a break..find a shady spot or pack it in for the day.

-i had to do this a few times last summer, one of the crews that i was contract cutter for worked 5x10's and a half day an saturday, (1 yardman, 1 skidderman, and i did all the cutting) the skidder ran for 9.5 hours (half hour lunch) and there were some days when the heat index was around 108-110. come back from lunch and cut like mad for a couple hours and get yourself ahead of the skidder, come about 2 o'clock i was pretty well beat, hopefully by that point there was enough timber on the ground that u didn't have to bust your balls for the rest of the day. --I guess this is a long winded way of saying if your getting tired and loosing focus it is time for a break or time to go home.

2) no tree is worth getting killed over

+1

humidity is the real killer

 

[056kid]

. Always keep a sharp saw
.Always carry a wrench
.If a tree splits, do NOT run. keep chasing
.Constantly look up weather cutting or walking
.Always watch for springs
thoes are just a small amount of many important things to remember!!

 

[Gologit]

1. Know all the rules...most of them came into being because of somebody's bad behavior.

2. Respect the rules...they're important to a lot of people, some of whom actually know what they're talking about.

3. Never let the rules get in the way of your common sense. Ever.

4. The rules won't keep you safe...see Rule 3.

5. The rules won't keep you in business...see Rule 3.

6. Do the job safely. Injuries are time consuming and the damn paperwork is a drag.

7. Get the wood down the hill. That's how we make money. There is no other way.

8. Take care of your tools. Walking back out because you didn't do some 10 minute piece of work on your saw last night makes you look like a dummy. And will probably get you canned.

9. Read Rule 3.

 

[Humptulips]

Slowp,
You seem to have a thing about hooktenders. Here's a few more safety tips for your future dealings with hookers.
Never follow a hooker to close when going through brush especially devils clubs.
Don't tell a hooker he will have to set back for three chunks the crew missed four roads back.
Never aproach a hooker that is cussing ,growling or muttering under his breath. This is especially true if you have bad news to deliver or are planning on chewing him out.
And remember if he's falling a tree it's not for fun. There's a good reason for it and the wedge he probably needs is a thousand feet away in the crew bus. He doesn't have time to get it so he'll try and make do with what he has available.
One other thing, if you want to get on his good side. If he gets a pile of goodies back on the rigging like coils, blocks, straps, tree guy lines, offer to help pack some of it. He may even smile.

 

[Humptulips]

Never fell a tree unless there is no good option to save it.

What are you talking about? The only good tree is a log!

 

[Bushler]

Hooktenders always have a great sense of humor, so if you can find his lunch pail you can have some fun.

One of my favorite tricks is to impale a newt inside his sandwich, like an olive.

Elk turds in his thermos is fun too.

Blame it on a choker setter, or better yet, blame it on the chaser.

 

[slowp]

Nah, they like playing tricks on me. I brought up some cookies to pay off a bet, and the hooktender took the sack, wrote to ------ love ----- about the chaser, who apparently at age 53 has decided he needs a woman. Ever since then, well, it's been awkward but amusing for the other guys.
I did not fall for the check the fluid under the yarder and smell your finger trick. The hooktender was running the yarder and has a small bladder.

I was up marking corridors for downhill yarding today. Very steep, and thought up a new rule.

The road builders should always leave some kind of vegetation to hang over the pumice cutbank so others don't have to do the pummy flounder to get up said cutbank. Vegetation belays are a good thing. It is hard to look graceful when trying to climb a not quite vertical pumice cutbank.

 

[mga]

not a pro, but i always tell myself to stay focused.

when i know i'm getting tired, i make myself take a break.

 

[John Ellison]

A good topic, here are a few more ideas.

Look up
Respect even the small trees, they can get you too
If your not 100% sure of the lean get a wedge in early
Think of all the what ifs and have Plan A and Plan B
Keep your mind on what you are doing
Wear safety gear
Look up again
Don't saw off the upper side of your hinge like the safety/felling instructor that I watched this summer.
Try not to brush ( rub against ) other trees with the tree you are felling, but when you have to be ready to have something thrown back at you even if you are well behind the stump. A standing tree can be good protection.
Whoever you are getting ideas or training from may not always be right about everything, use your own common sense.
After the tree hits the ground look up again, real carefully.
Several of these have already been brought up, but need repeating.

And be nice to the rigging crew cause they will be judging your work before long.

 

[GASoline71]

The 2 most important rules I ever learned... from a man old enough to be my grandfather when I first started in the woods...

"Buck" Thomas (R.I.P.)...



While fallin' timber...

"Dammit rook'... look up, look out! I don't wanna hav-ta call yer momma and s'plain why you got augered into the ground by a widda-maker.""

While chasin' hooks...

"Here's the deal rook'... you follow me. You better be on me like stink on sh1t. I move, you move. I jump, you jump. I duck, you duck... If I run like a scalded dog... just put your head between your legs and kiss your a$$ goodbye... it'll be too late for you anyways..." (basically PAY ATTENTION!!!)

For a man approaching 60... I was 17, and could barely keep up with him.

Gary

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Look up, know where your tip is at all times, wrap your thump, look up again, have more than one escape route and don't go poo in someone else's strip unless you like pay back.

 

[slowp]

Look up, know where your tip is at all times, wrap your thump, look up again, have more than one escape route and don't go poo in someone else's strip unless you like pay back.

Or on the road where the yarder is going to move to. I like the rule a hotshot crew had, years ago. You go outside the unit. Seems like the land mines appear whereever I happen to find a nice place to walk down into the brush. Oh well, it's the untold unpleasantry.