A Safer More Efficient Tree Industry Future?

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Your idea is not bad TC101. Just unoriginal since an Australian bloke name of Mather was granted a patent on the idea back in 01.

A WTC two man minimum operating rule is a modest very doable improvement on the current status quo that can lessen the numbers of WTC fatalities in this biz.

A very modest goal that TCIA should get on board with before the state and fed officials force them to.

jomoco
 
Your very muddy water when you start telling employers that they need a specific amount of employees to do a certain job , at best you may get a "recommendation " you would never see a law saying that a employer has too have 2 people doing the job that can be done safely by a single person and demonstrated as such
 
Then you will have other occupations lining up to follow suit who simply feel that there specific job is just too hard and they need assistance . You cannot pick and choose .
 
I love the way some of you guys ignore the fact that many industries, say crane companies, are required by laws both state and federal, to have two qualified operators on the job site to legally operate any crane over 100 ton capacity.

jomoco
 
jomoco said:
I love the way some of you guys ignore the fact that many industries, say crane companies, are required by laws both state and federal, to have two qualified operators on the job site to legally operate any crane over 100 ton capacity.

jomoco
Click to expand...
It's not to operate the machine in tandem , and that was put in place by the worker state and federal after request by the worker . I don't see too many supporters of what you are selling.
 
Why do you think the qualified two man minimum large crane operating rule was established TC101?

Safety first company policies get lots of advertising space and lip service. Right up to the point it costs the companies a second man's daily wage.

Reputable crane companies take on the job safety seriously enough to pony up the coin. The same is true in this biz, but truly reputable tree companies are a distinct minority.

I'm trying to change that sad fact.

jomoco
 
jomoco said:
I consider any hydraulically fed chipper with over a 12 inch wood eating capacity a WTC Steve.

I'd love to hear some objective discussion on the industry coddling of us precious climbers via aerial rescue training seminars and regulations requiring a qualified second climber on the job. Whereas the poor stalwart humble groundie gets the shaft, or err mandrel, all alone, in increments if the auto feed is engaged.

No SGB. Not me in the Dr. S vid.

jomoco
Click to expand...

I think I mentioned this the last time this was brought up here, but my chipper is something like 12x24". I'm fairly certain it would swallow me up in a hearbeat. So the next step should be including 12" chippers too. I mean it's not hard enough for the little guys to make a living as it is.. next we're gonna have the chipper police hiding in the bushes, making sure there's two men at the machine at all times. The whole thing just doesn't seem very realistic to me. Hey, at least getting chipped seems like it would be a quick way to go. You do make a good point about the autofeed though, that could be a real PITA (literally).
 
I once saw a tablesaw that stopped instantly when the blade touched human flesh... something to do with an electrical current that faulted when it touched a more conductive surface than wood. The thought of a chipped up coworker (or me) is often in the back of my head. We never work alone, but I can't say that we always have an extra guy to stand right next to the chipper to hit the reverse wheels.
 
jomoco said:
I love the way some of you guys ignore the fact that many industries, say crane companies, are required by laws both state and federal, to have two qualified operators on the job site to legally operate any crane over 100 ton capacity.

jomoco
Click to expand...

You lost me with this argument. Your logic on that one is asinine. Running a 100+ton crane is the equivalent of running a woodchuck hyroller? Is your next thread going to be making apple pickers wear OSHA approved hard hats?

60 deaths in 24 years and you are pushing for what? a law that requires an extra guy to watch me work? and then I get to take a break and watch him work? How do you propose to regulate common sense? Is the Vermeer 1800 really the biggest, baddest, most dangerous chipper you can imagine? That's what the line clearance crews drag around.

And yes, I've seen an experienced chipper "operator" pulled in. His baggy clothes got caught and the feedwheel was gnawing on his helmet when the panic bar was hit. A very unfortunate accident that didn't have a tragic ending.

I don't want to see anyone in this industry hurt, but I don't see the need for any rules like this.
 
tree MDS said:
Maybe you need to change the thread title to "a safer tree industry future", because I'm just not seeing the efficiency part.
Click to expand...

I gather you believe having one man feeding a WTC is more efficient than having two men feed it?

jomoco
 
Jomoco, I took a 10 hour OSHA course at work a while back. While some of that knowledge wandered off, there's still a bit roaming around in here. I'm going to refer you to this page so you get what I'm saying:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchy_of_hazard_control

Of the control types, your 2 man idea is an administrative control. Way down the preference list. TC101's sensor idea is an engineered control, although it depends on PPE to work, better would be a sonic sensor that could differentiate between wood and flesh... Made to work, it would be preferred over your idea, but still not foolproof. Substitution, probably requires using a mechanical feed on machines of this size, or going with a tub grinder over a feed chipper. Removing the hazard, would probably mean hauling the brush in bulk to an off site mechanical processing facility.

Basically, what I'm saying is that in the safety world, your two man theory is one of the least preferred methods of improving safety, as it doesn't take the human potential out of it. Like we say at work, make something idiot proof, and they'll invent a better idiot.

You guys that run chippers feel free to tell me if I'm full of ####, like I said before, I don't run one, just have a lot of mechanical experience.
 
I bet there has been more tree workers killed in the last 24 years by auto accidents where they didnt wear there seat belts.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
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