Man killed by stump grinder in NJ

[Xtra]

Toms River man dies in stump-grinder accident
by Carly Rothman
Sunday September 09, 2007, 9:15 PM

A 49-year-old Toms River man was killed this afternoon when his shirt got caught in a stump grinder and dragged him under the grinding wheel, according to police in the Ocean County township.

Frank Sanders, Jr. was doing some yard work at his father's house on Bellwood Drive around 4 p.m. when he moved too close to the machine operated by Remarkable Tree Service of Toms River, police said.

Sanders sustained major head injuries and was declared dead at the scene around 4:45 p.m.

The death appears to be accidental, and the initial investigation indicated the machine operator was not negligent, police Sgt. Michael Brosnan said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/09/toms_river_man_dies_in_stump_g.html


It seems the homeowner was wearing a jumpsuit and he backed into the stumpgrinder (a large Carlton towbehind) and it sucked him in. The grinder cut him in half lengthwise.

Poor guy, prayers to his family & RIP.

(the tree company is local to me, I'll have further details later today)

 

[alanarbor]

The death appears to be accidental, and the initial investigation indicated the machine operator was not negligent, police Sgt. Michael Brosnan said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/09/toms_river_man_dies_in_stump_g.html


It seems the homeowner was wearing a jumpsuit and he backed into the stumpgrinder (a large Carlton towbehind) and it sucked him in. The grinder cut him in half lengthwise.

Poor guy, prayers to his family & RIP.

(the tree company is local to me, I'll have further details later today)

In my opinion, I would say the operator was negligent in allowing a homeowner to be that close to an operating stump cutter.

Still a terrible way to go, my condolences to the family

 

[ropensaddle]

In my opinion, I would say the operator was negligent in allowing a homeowner to be that close to an operating stump cutter.

Still a terrible way to go, my condolences to the family

Safety is everyones responsibility it is a shame accidents
occur especially the ones that seem they could have been
prevented. I don't have the facts so I won't say negligent
operator and would have to be a shared negligence either way.
I always find it hard to believe anyone would be so careless
around a machine that eats wood. prayers to everyone concerned.

 

[Xtra]

I have a few more details.
It was a Carlton 4400-4 or 7015 large self-propelled.

From what I heard (I also used to work with the operator, and he was pretty good when it came to safety).
The operator started yelling to the guy to stay away from the grinding area. The guy turned (maybe stumbled?) and as he did the grinder grabbed the side of his clothing and pulled him in. I'm not sure where the operator was standing.

 

[Dadatwins]

Prayers to the family of the deceased and the operator. The why and what if will be torture for that operator for a long time. Sad news.

 

[lawson's tree s]

sorry to hear about this accident. i wont let homeowners anywhere near the job site once we start. i tell them to watch from inside the house etc.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

What a horrible gruesome accident. My condolences go out to the family and friends.
To my way of thinking, bystanders should be at least 60 or 80 feet away from a stumper in operation. If you have been around a machine like this, you know, it shakes the earth, it throws stones and debris, and it is very loud.
What anyone is doing that close, is a mystery to me, other than the operator who stands bhind a protective shield.
The operator should have shut it down and buried the wheel to stop the rotation, then insisted he stay away.

 

[Beast12]

Well, after reading soooo many stories about people getting "attacked" by stump grinders we (my Dad and I) have decided to go buy a couple dozen of those small (1 foot high) pylons. Before we do ANY stump we will be setting up a perimeter around the stump and machine so no one can be in the area.

It should not happen. I can't believe how close people stand when I am working on a stump. It's ridiculous.

-Matt

 

[046]

without knowing all the details, sure seems operator is at fault... it's his responsibility to secure a safe perimeter.

 

[Tekko]

Almost sound like a murder case since the operator did nothing to prevent this accident.

 

[juststumps]

Almost sound like a murder case since the operator did nothing to prevent this accident.

YOUR KIDDING ??? RIGHT ???

 

[sloth9669]

natural selection

Listen up one and all.......this is the problem with humanity.....we let the weak and stupid survive and bread. Listen i feel for the guy and his family who lost there father,son, or brother. Also feel for the guy who was running the machine. He didn't ask for stupid to run toward the loud huge steel wheel with teeth going 1000rpm and ruin his life, job and family.

Lets call it how it is.

Operater fault...Not telling the homeowner to keep 100 feet way..and shutting the grinder down and leaving if he did not listen.

Homeowner error...being probably stupider ( i know its not a word ) then the average joe. I mean how dumb must one be to get that close to a machine like that.
If you ask me is say this is 75% homeowner fault and 25% tree guy.

 

[Sprig]

Listen up one and all.......this is the problem with humanity.....we let the weak and stupid survive and bread. Listen i feel for the guy and his family who lost there father,son, or brother. Also feel for the guy who was running the machine. He didn't ask for stupid to run toward the loud huge steel wheel with teeth going 1000rpm and ruin his life, job and family.

Lets call it how it is.

Operater fault...Not telling the homeowner to keep 100 feet way..and shutting the grinder down and leaving if he did not listen.

Homeowner error...being probably stupider ( i know its not a word ) then the average joe. I mean how dumb must one be to get that close to a machine like that.
If you ask me is say this is 75% homeowner fault and 25% tree guy.

A sad and horrible accident, helluv a way to exit this mortal coil
That said, I am inclined to agree with you. Listen up to this lesson gents, make sure 'homey' knows where and where not to get near, teach them, they don't know and take a lot of things forgranted, take a look at how many of these stupid accidents happen when 'I'm payin' da bill and should keep an eye on things.' type of stuff happens, makes me crazy. I regard all observers as idiots and treat them as such, including those I know know better, it is a huge safety issue and as such I really like the 'Zone of Occlusion' rule, IOW, iffin your not part of the crew back off and stay outta the way! If its desputed shut it down and have a heart to heart, if they have a PC log them into this thread, just don't let them figure on invincibility because they're payin' the bill.
Stuff like this is totally avoidable and if it means offending the HO, so be it, take the time to put them in their place and make darned sure they stay there, no matter if your chipping, snapping brush, moving your truck, dropping trees and branches, whatever; get them outta the zone!

My 0.02$ worth and hurtin' here with an ugly picture in my brain *shudder*


Serge

 

[2muchstuff]

i cant one believe anyone would get close to that raging wheel. Do you know how close you woulld have toet sucked be to get sucked in, right on it almost like a sucide .

 

[juststumps]

Well, after reading soooo many stories about people getting "attacked" by stump grinders we (my Dad and I) have decided to go buy a couple dozen of those small (1 foot high) pylons. Before we do ANY stump we will be setting up a perimeter around the stump and machine so no one can be in the area.

It should not happen. I can't believe how close people stand when I am working on a stump. It's ridiculous.

-Matt

you can put up all the " CONES,, FLAGS,, FENCES,, SAW HORSES,, TAPE,,ETC..."

there will always someone who will walk around or over them,, because what they have to do,, is more important than you keeping them safe !!!!!

the only thing is when the lawyers swoop in,, is to show you took reasonable steps to keep the public out of your work zone...

 

[clearance]

you can put up all the " CONES,, FLAGS,, FENCES,, SAW HORSES,, TAPE,,ETC..."

there will always someone who will walk around or over them,, because what they have to do,, is more important than you keeping them safe !!!!!

True, how true it is, common sense, as my G/F is fond of saying, is not common at all. Sad for everyone involved, my support is for the operator, I don't mean to be callous or unfeeling but c'mon now people, big stump grinders are like chippers, they scream stay away, stay away.

 

[046]

sure it's homeowner's fault for being too stupid to realize just how dangerous it is to get too close.

but still maintain it's mostly operator's fault. if someone for what ever reason crosses safety line. then operator should immediately shut machine down until safe zone is restored.

yelling at someone is next to worthless with a super loud machine running. shut it down!

 

[ray benson]

Well, after reading soooo many stories about people getting "attacked" by stump grinders we (my Dad and I) have decided to go buy a couple dozen of those small (1 foot high) pylons. Before we do ANY stump we will be setting up a perimeter around the stump and machine so no one can be in the area.

It should not happen. I can't believe how close people stand when I am working on a stump. It's ridiculous.

-Matt

The stump grinders I have seen do not set up a perimeter and some do work alone. The cone idea seems to be a logical,simple safety measure.

 

[tree md]

What a terrible accident. I feel for all involved.

That being said, I had a customer walk right into my drop zone Tuesday while I had a big ass chunk hanging from my rope. She was literally standing right under the chunk asking me about what I was doing. I told her that this was a hard hat area and she would have to move along. I have started putting cones out and setting a perimeter since then but when your bringing down big stuff or using heavy equipment it is still our responsibility to look out for ground hazards. Not saying the operator is at fault here because I saw for myself how an ignorant customer can put themselves in harms way before you can spit. I feel for the operator, the HO and the family. What a horrible accident.

 

[Sprig]

Though I have absolutely no experience grinding I think setting up visual barriers, ie. bright taped off zone, cones 'n' tape, electric fence, what-ever it takes to keep the curious outta the way, as well as laying down the laws before you proceed with the job (you get close I shut her down, get someone else attitude) is an absolute 'must be done' thing. Man, nobody, but nobody, needs this sort of thing happening to them, it is heartrending