Leg nearly severed by a stump grinder
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Tree Machine
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Glen, nope, not recently. I hired him for a few days a couple months ago. He and Larry have been the only employees I've had this year. Glen is a careful person. We had some real fun together.
Here's a few shots from where thy took the skin graft. Since the grinder had carved out a large portion of muscle and skin from my calf, they needed to harvest skin from my right thigh to replace it. Pic 1 is a couple days after that fact. Pics two and three need a bit more explanation.
Pain meds notoriously back up your intestinal tract. they make you constipated. After three or four days, though, natures inner forces must be answered.
On a skin harvest, they slice off 3 or 4 of the 7 layers of skin, right into the cappilary bed. During a backed-up session where you're trying to push things and get them back to normal, there can be some serious pressure exerted. I think you know what I mean. pics two and three are when a cappillary bed literally explodes.
Here's a few shots from where thy took the skin graft. Since the grinder had carved out a large portion of muscle and skin from my calf, they needed to harvest skin from my right thigh to replace it. Pic 1 is a couple days after that fact. Pics two and three need a bit more explanation.
Pain meds notoriously back up your intestinal tract. they make you constipated. After three or four days, though, natures inner forces must be answered.
On a skin harvest, they slice off 3 or 4 of the 7 layers of skin, right into the cappilary bed. During a backed-up session where you're trying to push things and get them back to normal, there can be some serious pressure exerted. I think you know what I mean. pics two and three are when a cappillary bed literally explodes.
gumneck
Addicted to ArboristSite
TM
Best wishes and thoughts are sent to you from here. You 'll need it through the slow healing process when you can't be out there working/playing.
I have the luxury of working in trees when I choose and not on a full time hectic schedule like most of the members here and I'm sure advise or armchair quarterbacking is not something you want to hear but in reading your story and how descriptive you were up until the actual accident I was so involved in it right there in the moment I kept telling myself, "TM, man your too close to the grinder slow up and let him finish".
LIke I said, I know you wouldn't want to hear that kind of crap, but felt like if there was a lesson in your tragedy for anyone, the best one to me would be to maintain distance from the beast of burden. I dont operate a stump grinder so what I have to say prolly means jack, if that. But I do work around heavy tractors with ugly spinning things and pounding hydraulic drivers and large drill bits etc, and the key to working safely with it is having only one person working at the machine.
Figure this, I've neglected buying a helmet(for treework) b/c I have felt that since I do it alone that no one should be dropping crap on my head. Now, after reading your story, that new helmet is gonna happen for me. How I'm making that connection I'm not sure but the next tree I climb will be with a new helmet.
Just thought I'd let you know what was going on in my head b/c your story had me on edge. Truly best wishes sent to you. If you like muscadine wine my friend, let me know(PM) and I'll see if I can legally send you some Carlos 2004 home brew. Its got healing properties!!!
Best wishes and thoughts are sent to you from here. You 'll need it through the slow healing process when you can't be out there working/playing.
I have the luxury of working in trees when I choose and not on a full time hectic schedule like most of the members here and I'm sure advise or armchair quarterbacking is not something you want to hear but in reading your story and how descriptive you were up until the actual accident I was so involved in it right there in the moment I kept telling myself, "TM, man your too close to the grinder slow up and let him finish".
LIke I said, I know you wouldn't want to hear that kind of crap, but felt like if there was a lesson in your tragedy for anyone, the best one to me would be to maintain distance from the beast of burden. I dont operate a stump grinder so what I have to say prolly means jack, if that. But I do work around heavy tractors with ugly spinning things and pounding hydraulic drivers and large drill bits etc, and the key to working safely with it is having only one person working at the machine.
Figure this, I've neglected buying a helmet(for treework) b/c I have felt that since I do it alone that no one should be dropping crap on my head. Now, after reading your story, that new helmet is gonna happen for me. How I'm making that connection I'm not sure but the next tree I climb will be with a new helmet.
Just thought I'd let you know what was going on in my head b/c your story had me on edge. Truly best wishes sent to you. If you like muscadine wine my friend, let me know(PM) and I'll see if I can legally send you some Carlos 2004 home brew. Its got healing properties!!!
Toddppm
Addicted to ArboristSite
Man oh man!
I couldn't read the whole thing at once, too rough, started yesterday and just finished today.
Your great attitude and karma is going to bring you out of this fine.
Glad you shared, another reminder that I have to talk to the guys about how dangerous the grinder really is.
Your leg actually looks pretty good, I'm sure it don't feel too good! but looks like you'll have a very good recovery. Glad to see.
Oh and money means nothing whether you have it or not, it's the people around you that count. glad to hear you have ins. though!
Take care and get well fast
I couldn't read the whole thing at once, too rough, started yesterday and just finished today.
Your great attitude and karma is going to bring you out of this fine.
Glad you shared, another reminder that I have to talk to the guys about how dangerous the grinder really is.
Your leg actually looks pretty good, I'm sure it don't feel too good! but looks like you'll have a very good recovery. Glad to see.
Oh and money means nothing whether you have it or not, it's the people around you that count. glad to hear you have ins. though!
Take care and get well fast
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Wow Gumneck, thank you for your 'armchair' perspective. It is advice well-taken and appreciated. TreeCo pointed the same thing out - I simply shouldn't have been in the area, period. I knew that when I was power blowing the yard. I waited until he was half way through the second half of the stump, the point where the stump is diminishing quickly. I was timing my entry, knowing he'd be out of there in just a couple minutes.
The timing and all worked out, but the point remains: I shouldn't have been there in the first place. I have seen stumps being ground many, many times, and I have seen guys stand or milling around nearby. They are in the danger zone. A rock can be thrown, a tooth spit out, an underground cable yanked or any number of things. Gumnecks point should ring clear to everyone; "maintain distance from the beast of burden." The only person that should be nearby is the operator.
An injury doesn't just affect the injured person. It will affect fellow employees, family members, friends, clients, neighbors, etc. In my case, I'm bringing it to the world stage, with the intent of it affecting YOU and the way you approach your safety behaviors. Think of the close calls you've had where you got out of it, but could have been here telling your story. Think tomorrow what you're doing, what your fellow employees are doing. Just heighten your awareness, especially, as others have made mention, toward the end of the day. Men's minds drift to where they'd rather be, what they're going to be doing later, etc. This is an employer's biggest fear; someone getting injured on site.
The timing and all worked out, but the point remains: I shouldn't have been there in the first place. I have seen stumps being ground many, many times, and I have seen guys stand or milling around nearby. They are in the danger zone. A rock can be thrown, a tooth spit out, an underground cable yanked or any number of things. Gumnecks point should ring clear to everyone; "maintain distance from the beast of burden." The only person that should be nearby is the operator.
An injury doesn't just affect the injured person. It will affect fellow employees, family members, friends, clients, neighbors, etc. In my case, I'm bringing it to the world stage, with the intent of it affecting YOU and the way you approach your safety behaviors. Think of the close calls you've had where you got out of it, but could have been here telling your story. Think tomorrow what you're doing, what your fellow employees are doing. Just heighten your awareness, especially, as others have made mention, toward the end of the day. Men's minds drift to where they'd rather be, what they're going to be doing later, etc. This is an employer's biggest fear; someone getting injured on site.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
The grody stuff is yet to come
Let me start on the front side, the shin. When the grinder hit the calf from the back, it snapped the tibia and did a multiple fracture on the smaller fibula. (think in slow motion at this point) The wheel took hold of the chainsaw pants (and lower leg and foot) and the bone breaks pointing upward were were pivoted violently, sending them through the skin in the front of my calf. In the midst of this I had begun my desperate dive forward. As I went forward, the leg of the chainsaw pants was sucked off my leg, fortunately leaving the lower leg and foot attached to me, but tearing some gnarley rip-tears in my shin.
There were a couple thumb-size pieces of skin that ended up missing in action. Those spots are outlined by the staples holding the donor skin in place. The last of the three was just after the staples had been taken out. Remember, this is not the part of the leg hit by the grinder wheel. That was on the opposite side of these pics.
That's the message Todd. Thank you.Toddppm said:
Ummm, I haven't shown pictures of the injury yet, just of the thigh from where they TOOK the skingraft. When I show you where they applied the graft you may wanna hold onto your cookies.Toddppm said:
Let me start on the front side, the shin. When the grinder hit the calf from the back, it snapped the tibia and did a multiple fracture on the smaller fibula. (think in slow motion at this point) The wheel took hold of the chainsaw pants (and lower leg and foot) and the bone breaks pointing upward were were pivoted violently, sending them through the skin in the front of my calf. In the midst of this I had begun my desperate dive forward. As I went forward, the leg of the chainsaw pants was sucked off my leg, fortunately leaving the lower leg and foot attached to me, but tearing some gnarley rip-tears in my shin.
There were a couple thumb-size pieces of skin that ended up missing in action. Those spots are outlined by the staples holding the donor skin in place. The last of the three was just after the staples had been taken out. Remember, this is not the part of the leg hit by the grinder wheel. That was on the opposite side of these pics.
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Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
You can see the rod down the tibia, and you can see the messed-up fibula. The medical Docs chose not to set the fibula, to leave it as you see it. They said it would heal back fine the way it is and that you don't use the fibula much anyway. Ohhhhh Kayyyyy.....
ROLLACOSTA
Addicted to ArboristSite
My wife just took a look at your pictures in hospital ,she sends her sympathys
Proj Eng
ArboristSite Operative
It's amazing the graphic nature of this! I pray for your full recovery and hope that your postings also help deter others' injuries through the reminder of the gruesome photos.
Now onto another aspect, how come these stump grinders don't have dead man's controls? (like a lawn tractor similar to what Koa mentioned many posts ago). Or operator presence switches on the joysticks?
I don't know first hand, but I am assuming they don't have any sort of auto feed like a chipper, right?
Now onto another aspect, how come these stump grinders don't have dead man's controls? (like a lawn tractor similar to what Koa mentioned many posts ago). Or operator presence switches on the joysticks?
I don't know first hand, but I am assuming they don't have any sort of auto feed like a chipper, right?
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thank you, Rolla. Will you give your wife a double-length hug for me?
Hey Proj Eng, that question has surfaced. My Dad was wondering why they couldn't install a shield, much like that of a chop saw where when the wheel comes up, the guard goes down.
Koa's is the only one I've heard of that has 'auto-brake'. That's a sensible feature, otherwise your choices are to (as per TreeCo) dig the spinning wheel into the dirt, or to wait till the freewheeling comes to a stop.
One of my clients gave me the number of a product liability attorney to discuss such matters. I can't bring myself to call. Sometimes you've just got to step up and be a man, and accept full responsibility for your mistakes.
If I had gotten killed, it would be another matter. Someone would be fully at fault and would be going to prison for negligent homocide. We are all so very thankful that this is not the case.
Hey Proj Eng, that question has surfaced. My Dad was wondering why they couldn't install a shield, much like that of a chop saw where when the wheel comes up, the guard goes down.
Koa's is the only one I've heard of that has 'auto-brake'. That's a sensible feature, otherwise your choices are to (as per TreeCo) dig the spinning wheel into the dirt, or to wait till the freewheeling comes to a stop.
One of my clients gave me the number of a product liability attorney to discuss such matters. I can't bring myself to call. Sometimes you've just got to step up and be a man, and accept full responsibility for your mistakes.
If I had gotten killed, it would be another matter. Someone would be fully at fault and would be going to prison for negligent homocide. We are all so very thankful that this is not the case.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
The business side
Okay, these next three images aren't pretty. The first one's a little out of focus. The second tells the story.
These are of the back side of my right lower leg, the calf, or gastrocnemius. The doctors tried to salvage as much of the muscle as they could, but things were 'Pretty torn up' as they said.
What you are seeing is an actual skin graft. #1 and 2 are a couple days after the procedure where the staples are still in to hold the donor skin in place. the third is right after the staples were pulled.
Okay, these next three images aren't pretty. The first one's a little out of focus. The second tells the story.
These are of the back side of my right lower leg, the calf, or gastrocnemius. The doctors tried to salvage as much of the muscle as they could, but things were 'Pretty torn up' as they said.
What you are seeing is an actual skin graft. #1 and 2 are a couple days after the procedure where the staples are still in to hold the donor skin in place. the third is right after the staples were pulled.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
instant replay
Did anyone miss that second shot? This is the price you pay for a single moment of inattention.
Did anyone miss that second shot? This is the price you pay for a single moment of inattention.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Take a look, a good, close look. Then think about your safety program. Think about your gear and equipment in ill-repair that could cause an injury. Think about the man who was at the top of his game now flat on his back. Think about that this injury is considered 'getting off easy'.
Have those talks with your guys. Have them all looking out for unsafe behaviors in one another. If someone is endangering himself or others, talk to him and be passionate about it. Don't just shrug it off. It's not OK.
Have those talks with your guys. Have them all looking out for unsafe behaviors in one another. If someone is endangering himself or others, talk to him and be passionate about it. Don't just shrug it off. It's not OK.
That's crazy....
I'm not in Tree Service currently, though i plan on making the move in the next few years from landscaping.
Just wondering, does anybody use cones to mark off stump grinding areas? I've never seen that happen.
Also,I think it's great that you are using your misfortune to help others. I think it would be good if those of you who operate or own stump grinders showed your employees pictures of this, to stand as a warning.
Again, good luck and hope for a speedy recovery.
I'm not in Tree Service currently, though i plan on making the move in the next few years from landscaping.
Just wondering, does anybody use cones to mark off stump grinding areas? I've never seen that happen.
Also,I think it's great that you are using your misfortune to help others. I think it would be good if those of you who operate or own stump grinders showed your employees pictures of this, to stand as a warning.
Again, good luck and hope for a speedy recovery.
okietreedude1
ArboristSite Guru
TM,
I told the boss this morning your story. He was in shock from the sound of it.
I told him it gives me a whole new perspective on using a stump grinder. Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Since Im fixing to be out on my own, Im going to take someone's advise from above (sorry dont remember who) and find some way to cordon off the area. Ive done it before on removals when unapproved people wouldnt stay out of the area, it may be time to make it happen more often.
The pics are pretty nasty looking, but it helps by adding the shock value.
I told the boss this morning your story. He was in shock from the sound of it.
I told him it gives me a whole new perspective on using a stump grinder. Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Since Im fixing to be out on my own, Im going to take someone's advise from above (sorry dont remember who) and find some way to cordon off the area. Ive done it before on removals when unapproved people wouldnt stay out of the area, it may be time to make it happen more often.
The pics are pretty nasty looking, but it helps by adding the shock value.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Preach it !
Thanks Okie, That's the spirit. Can we use this as our new mantra?
Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Can we get some of our music guys and put that to a driving, syncopated Reggae grind?
Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Pull off,
shut off
and run the wheel in the ground!
Thanks Okie, That's the spirit. Can we use this as our new mantra?
Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Can we get some of our music guys and put that to a driving, syncopated Reggae grind?
Pull off, shut off and run the wheel in the ground.
Pull off,
shut off
and run the wheel in the ground!
Lumberjack
Banned
TM. Good grief!
The Rayco machines have auto braking as well in their hydraulic models such as our RG50/RG85. I never considered other makes and models wouldnt have that feature.
Speedy recovery bro! You have lots more soft tissue damage than pops.
Carl
The Rayco machines have auto braking as well in their hydraulic models such as our RG50/RG85. I never considered other makes and models wouldnt have that feature.
Speedy recovery bro! You have lots more soft tissue damage than pops.
Carl
stumpmuncher
New Member
TM, I just started stump grinding, and after your post I will never look at my machine the same way again! I am realy impressed with your desire to let others see the consequences of the accident. I almost lost my right leg to a 57 chevy in 1962, when as a five year old I ran in front of the car as it was coming to a stop at a cross walk. In a similar way as you are trying to educate others, I would try to educate kids I would see running accross streets after I was better. Used to show them my leg after I pulled up my pants leg and they would usually get a look of horror on their faces. I used to think if only they would think twice the next time they wouldn't end up wrapped around a tire and crammed up in a wheel well like me. Cant do that any more now, Some parent might think I was some kind of molester or something. All in all I have to say your attitude is highly possitive and that is everything. You rate the " Good Guy " status in my way of thinking. Heal well, wish I could lend a hand here from Arizona. Stumpmuncher
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hey Muncher, Welcome to the site! The thought of a five year-old kid getting sucked up into the wheel well of a Chevy makes me.... let's just say can't imagine a scene more horrible. Eeek! ya got my hair standing on end. I'm looking down at my leg and things just don't seem quite so bad.
A five-year-old has an amazing capacity to heal, physically, but I can't imagine the emotional scarring to you, your family and the driver of the car. That's one that'll burn itself into the psyche of all people involved forever[/b].
Mannnn, I'm trying to post a couple more pictures but you've got my hair standing on end.
I need to take a minute and let that one digest.
A five-year-old has an amazing capacity to heal, physically, but I can't imagine the emotional scarring to you, your family and the driver of the car. That's one that'll burn itself into the psyche of all people involved forever[/b].
Mannnn, I'm trying to post a couple more pictures but you've got my hair standing on end.
I need to take a minute and let that one digest.
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