Bucket truck safety question

[Justanoldguy]

My neighbor has a crew removing several trees in his yard. They are using a bucket truck for the trees closest to the house. The guy in the bucket truck is cutting limbs and using the boom to suspend and lower the large branches he is cutting. I have never seen this technique used before- usually I see a lowering line controlled by a ground man. Is the technique I am watching considered safe / a standard practice? Some of the limbs have caused the entire boon to shake... it looks risky. What do the pro’s think?

 

[benjo75]

Depends on the boom. I have 2 with materials handler. Meaning they have winches built in and the booms are rated for a higher weight than non materials handler. I have an 82 ft that's only rated for 700lbs so no limb lifting with it. A 60 and 100 ft that can easily handle 1500 lbs. I regularly use them for lifting and holding limbs. But definitely no shock loading. If it's moving the bucket around and jerking on it he's not using it safely. But I've seen people get pretty rough with them and get away with it for a while.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Depends on the boom. I have 2 with materials handler. Meaning they have winches built in and the booms are rated for a higher weight than non materials handler. I have an 82 ft that's only rated for 700lbs so no limb lifting with it. A 60 and 100 ft that can easily handle 1500 lbs. I regularly use them for lifting and holding limbs. But definitely no shock loading. If it's moving the bucket around and jerking on it he's not using it safely. But I've seen people get pretty rough with them and get away with it for a while.

Thank you very much for the reply and the information.,I’ll amble by and check out what model they have . There is definitely no winch on the unit.

 

[lone wolf]

My neighbor has a crew removing several trees in his yard. They are using a bucket truck for the trees closest to the house. The guy in the bucket truck is cutting limbs and using the boom to suspend and lower the large branches he is cutting. I have never seen this technique used before- usually I see a lowering line controlled by a ground man. Is the technique I am watching considered safe / a standard practice? Some of the limbs have caused the entire boon to shake... it looks risky. What do the pro’s think?

I don't do it or see anyone around here doing it that way! Sounds bad to me.

 

[ATH]

The ANSI Z133 is the safety standard for the industry.
Section 5.2.3: Aerial devices or aerial ladders shall not be used as cranes or hoists to lift, support, or lower materials or tree parts unless they were specifically designed by the manufacturer to do so.

like @benjo75 said, some are designed for that, but most aren't. Not saying it isn't done, just that it is not very safe in most tree buckets. Assuming theirs was not, let me make a few guesses:
*Operator wasn't wearing a full body harness (that one is really scary considering the catapult potential increase with what he was doing!)
*Was making cuts with one hand on the chainsaw
*Hard hats/helmets were optional for all crew members
*No hearing protection
(how am I doing so far?)
*Maybe corrective lenses, but no safety glasses
*No chaps for ground crew while running chainsaws

 

[Justanoldguy]

The ANSI Z133 is the safety standard for the industry.
Section 5.2.3: Aerial devices or aerial ladders shall not be used as cranes or hoists to lift, support, or lower materials or tree parts unless they were specifically designed by the manufacturer to do so.

like @benjo75 said, some are designed for that, but most aren't. Not saying it isn't done, just that it is not very safe in most tree buckets. Assuming theirs was not, let me make a few guesses:
*Operator wasn't wearing a full body harness (that one is really scary considering the catapult potential increase with what he was doing!)
*Was making cuts with one hand on the chainsaw
*Hard hats/helmets were optional for all crew members
*No hearing protection
(how am I doing so far?)
*Maybe corrective lenses, but no safety glasses
*No chaps for ground crew while running chainsaws

All those items are correct. the last thing I saw the team do was use the boom as a crane to lift a 10’ long Y section of soft maple. ( approx 16” in diameter) . There was a climber on the stem making the cut. It was sketchy. But- they did get the entire tree on the ground with no damage or injury . I wish I had gotten a photo. Thanks to all respondents for the insights.

 

[arathol]

Rigging off the boom....bad, bad, bad....Supporting or lifting is one thing and should only be done with a certified crane truck. It should not be done with a regular bucket truck. Potential shock loads from drop-catching a limb or a section of trunk is something else again....even a crane truck should not be subjected to that sort of abuse.
Make sure you get a name so you can keep an eye on the news for when these guys kill somebody....Future Darwin Award winner

Always take pictures, they'll help in a post accident investigation......

 

[Tobystihl]

Our booms will carry two guys plus kit, what you are describing is nuts, I've seen a bucket shear off and throw the guys out (in harnesses) and also a guy very nearly thrown out when the bucket took a heavy jerk!