What's wrong with this picture?

[Dan F]

I'm attaching a picture that appeared in the local paper on Wednesday of last week (3/26). I've blacked out the names of the person and companies involved for privacy reasons. The power company in town has had a major tree company (one I think is pretty much nationwide) doing line clearance. The caption said that the guy was an employee of the power company, but I'm more inclined to think he works for the tree company.

So, experts, what's wrong with this picture? Don't hold back now.


Dan

 

[Dan F]

I'll have to try and play with the size of the picture, give me a day or two...

SORRY!!!!

 

[Dan F]

Ok, look at the picture now. Hopefully I've got it small enough!


Dan

 

[Jumper]

Picture is kinda grainy but he does not appear to have any fall protection gear on.

 

[treeclimber165]

One hand cutting, cutting over his head, wrong type of cut (no notch) for that situation. He's in a bucket, for pete's sake. Why didn't he just move up where he could make the cut more safely and easier? Some people do not get the concept of working smarter instead of harder.

 

[ORclimber]

He has no control over the limb he's cutting, he must have big drop zone with no power lines under him. He's not using an insulated tool, so he must be far away from the lines.

Where did he get that fancy top handle saw, when I worked for Asplundh you could be fired on the spot for one handing a chainsaw so they didn't buy them. Looks like a manager reliving his glory days.

 

[treeman82]

What's that fat black line located behind the bucket?

 

[ORclimber]

Originally posted by treeman82
What's that fat black line located behind the bucket?

Anything that big is most likely telephone or cable tv, could be an industrial service drop. Hard to tell with that grainy picture.

 

[Acer]

Just goes to show that, despite all the equipment and paperwork in the world, you can't make someone work smarter or safer if they're not inclined to do so. Here, even pushing a lever's too much trouble..

Reminds me of the time the council tree gang came to do some pruning opposite my house recently. It was like a carnival procession..chip truck towing chipper, another truck full of men followed by a bucket truck. They stop by a small cherry in the graveyard opposite and get out. One guy climbs on top of the iron railings, holding on to the tree with one hand. A groundsman starts an 020 and hands it up running. Bloke on railings then starts to lop off branches using the saw one handed and at full stretch and unsecured, hanging on to the tree with his other hand, while 4 men look on. Doh!! It probably took a day of someone's time to prepare the risk assessments and other paperwork that covered that job..and 5 minutes to ignore it all.

 

[Toddppm]

Originally posted by Dan F
what's wrong with this picture? Don't hold back now.


Dan

His right hand is still attached to his arm. Soon to be gone.

 

[DDM]

Todd...........

 

[Stephen Wiley]

Poor Picture

Comments concerning this picture can vary based upon assumption(s) of the kind of tree work being done.

In addition to the comments already made, here are a few others:

*...size of leader is so small, he must be steadying it to allow for saw cut.

*...right arm gone??????? Possibly, how about......momentum of saw with gravatational pull cutting left side.

*...is this his final topping cut????,....tree removal??...

ORclimber is probably right......but, I will add "its his retirement party"

 

[MidwestTree]

You could be jumping to conclusions. Papers commonly invert pictures for a better layout. If this was done the he would have the saw in his right hand. You also said that he should have raised the bucket, well he might have an obsticle in the way. You also don't know how long the piece is that is being cut. But I am sure that knowbody here has ever made a cut that was not text book. I agree the picture appears to have many faults but if the cut had not have gone right, as many of you have forecast, then the article would have read ... "treeman injuried in accident"

Not trying to cause trouble, just looking at it for another point of view.

 

[treeclimber165]

The picture was not inverted. If it had been, the bar would appear to be on the wrong side of the saw.

 

[MidwestTree]

Point well taken.

 

[Dan F]

All,
I apologize for the grainyness of the picture. It was scanned straight off of the front page of the paper and then I had to play with the size to get it to post.

My observations have been about the same as everyone else's. Since I have seen the actual picture, I can add that the power lines are behind him. The branch that he is cutting at is NOT 1/3 the diameter of the trunk. And if you look close enough, it appears that there is a second bucket truck arm in the picture (don't know what that has to do with anything though).

Maybe I should have started this thread in the Injuries and Fatalties section?

While I don't know for certain that this particular individual works for them, Asplundh is the company that has been doing a lot of the line clearance in town....


Dan

 

[NeTree]

Might be an Asplundh guy... the bucket and boom end looks right for an LRV, and I think Asplundh is the only one who uses Altec lifts. The one thing I can't figure out is why all the reaching in the first place? Where's that nifty hydraulic stick saw? As for fall protection, you likely wouldn't see a bucket belt and lanyard from that point of view anyways. Most line clearance guys use the sliding D belt, not a full body harness.