buddy got lifelined today

[camaroman]

well me and a buddy were dropping a hickory today and the tree fell on top of him. I made my face cut like always then started on my back cut, as i was making my back cut my buddy was driving a wedge, the tree started to go so we step back about 10 ft and all of the sudden the tree splits up about 15 feet, when the top hit the ground the base of the tree kicked out and landed right smack on top of him from about 10 ft in the air and brought him down like a rag doll. Medic took him to the local hospital and found out it was more severe so they life lined him to Methodist in Indianapolis. He has a punctured lung, they removed his kidney and splien, he has a broken leg, skull fracture, 5 broken ribs and lost 40 units of blood. he is in stable but still criticle condition. Does anybody kno why the tree split like this? are hickorys known for this or could it have been cold weather or did the tree already have a split in it? the tree was not dead. this makes me not want to fall another tree again, if someone could tell me what they think happen, it would be much appricated so it wont happen again! thank you

 

[wigglesworth]

Sorry to hear about your pal. My prayers are with him and his family.

Ive seen several hickorys split lengthwise like you mentioned. Not sure why though.

 

[PineFever]

Sorry to hear about your buddy. Hope he will recover.
Prayers sent.

 

[derwoodii]

. Does anybody kno why the tree split like this? are hickorys known for this or could it have been cold weather or did the tree already have a split in it? the tree was not dead. this makes me not want to fall another tree again, if someone could tell me what they think happen, it would be much appricated so it wont happen again! thank you

Very sorry for your mates pain, sure hope he mends fast n well. Perhaps the cause is somewhere in this thread.

http://www.arboristsite.com/arborist-101/158360.htm

 

[justme23005]

sorry to hear about your friend.. hope he recovers quickly.
I've seen more trees splitting lately.. I figured its due to the extra weight from the snow and ice that's coating them.

 

[Wolfcsm]

This might help with understanding the barber chair:

BarberChair

Very sorry to hear about your friend.

Hal

 

[tree md]

Sorry to hear about your bud. Hope he makes a full recovery.

Truth is, it is just plain dangerous when you are involved with moving something with such large mass and the inertia involved.

Things don't always go as planned. Hidden defects can cause trees to do all kinds of crazy things. I've had a hollow tree twist and turn 90 degrees from my intended target. I'm sure someone with more education and knowledge than me could examine the tree and probably tell you exactly what happened but I can tell you this, whether you realize it or not you are taking a chance with your life every time you drop one.

I am constantly telling my guys to keep their heads up when I'm dropping wood. They get so used to wood dropping that they will often keep right on with the task at hand and not even stop to watch when something is coming down. I had to get on one yesterday for walking right in front of my drop zone where I was dropping a pole. I told him to stop what he's doing and get away from the drop zone and watch when something is coming down. Don't matter if your out of reach or not, the pole or tree could throw a piece of wood at you. Especially if you are using chunks as a buffer to reduce ground damage.

 

[zogger]

Sorry to hear that.

Hope your buddy makes a ..well, it won't be a full, but a full enough recovery. I got real injured on the job back in the 90s, and have never fully recovered. More or less forced early retirement and just part time work now. Still get some done, but it took the pizazz out of things bad, blew a slew of disks in my spine. I am *lucky* to not be in a wheelchair now.

As to trees doing weird things, I missed a kickback once that scared me pretty good. Just started falling fine, I was doing my retreat, then wham, straight back ten feet or so *fast*. I have no idea why it did it either...Well, I didn't then, thinking about it right now (haven't thought about it for 35 years) I bet I made my hinge too small.

 

[PinnaclePete]

Camaro, Prayers that your freind pulls through without long-term issues. It sounds like he's being well cared for.

But you know that you're affected too by this. Seek out someone you can talk to, confide in and lean on when you need it. Don't let feelings of guilt or "what ifs" tear you up. You both need to heal from this. Best of luck.

 

[camaroman]

Thanks everyone for your support. He has multiple fractures in his leg and skull, he lost 40 units of blood, his lungs were collapsed, 5 broken ribs, they had to remove a kidney and splien, and broke a couple other things as well i cant think of it right now. they replaced his blood and they had trouble stabalizing him out of surgery but he is stable now, he opens his eyes occasionaly but it will be a few days before he is fully awake. the doctor said it shouldnt go down hill from here, it will be a long and slow recovery and he will remain in ICU for about 2 weeks. i just scares me so much to drop another tree because of this and knowing that if it would happen again it would happen to quick and i would have no time to react, but im sure when he recovers we will be back out and doing what we love to do again!

 

[Wolfcsm]

Thanks everyone for your support. He has multiple fractures in his leg and skull, he lost 40 units of blood, his lungs were collapsed, 5 broken ribs, they had to remove a kidney and splien, and broke a couple other things as well i cant think of it right now. they replaced his blood and they had trouble stabalizing him out of surgery but he is stable now, he opens his eyes occasionaly but it will be a few days before he is fully awake. the doctor said it shouldnt go down hill from here, it will be a long and slow recovery and he will remain in ICU for about 2 weeks. i just scares me so much to drop another tree because of this and knowing that if it would happen again it would happen to quick and i would have no time to react, but im sure when he recovers we will be back out and doing what we love to do again!

Accidents can and should shake you to your core. They should make us question our methods and learn from them and as necessary modify them based on your analysis of them.

You now have very real first hand knowledge of what a barber chairing tree can do. That knowledge can and will make you better at falling and cutting with your saws.

Learn from the experience, don't let the experience run your life.

Be safe and take care. Keep us up on your friends progress.

Hal

 

[camaroman]

i was thinking maby i should start making bore cuts, would that eliminate barber chairing or is there still a down side to that?

 

[Wolfcsm]

i was thinking maby i should start making bore cuts, would that eliminate barber chairing or is there still a down side to that?

I would think there is a down side to just about anything done with a saw. The thing is to know of the possible dangers, avoid as many as you can, use proper technique, and always be aware of where you are and what you are doing.

One lesson with barber chairs may be to move at right angles to the fall of the tree.

Here is a training site from OSHA:

Logging eTool

Another:

http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/linkd.htm


Might get a few ideas from them.

Hal

 

[buzz sawyer]

Prayers said for your friend. Hope he pulls through OK.
Some years ago I had a big ash barberchair on me but it missed. Not too many things scarier that that. I borecut a lot anymore, just for the extra control and practice.

 

[lumberjackchef]

Very sorry to hear about your friend. PM me his name if you'd like and I will add it to our prayer list at church. I have never actually seen a Barber Chair before but I will certainly be taking more precautions when I go to fell a tree next time. We had a local teacher back about ten years ago who had cut a large hackberry down, I believe, and one of the limbs was under a tremendous amount of pressure. So when he cut it loose, unaware, it splintered out and slammed a stake right into his heart. He died within just a few minutes. I know that sounds like an awful story, but just remember to count yours and your buddies blessings, it could've ended up much worse! My prayers are with you both.

 

[treemandan]

Yes, Hickory can be a very particular tree to cut. What I mean is you have to make each cut particular to the desired effect of the cut or you will end up like a stromboli. I can't even eat stromboli cause it gets me thinking.
We never like to hear about this stuff and now you have a little education yourself. Beleive me, we all need itand yours sounds like a real rough start. Not to sound to harsh but we do like to dissect this sort of thing for that sole purpose. This specific case in general I think can be ( sadly) refered to as a routine novice mistake.
Definately quite a load to bear, sorry I have not much other to say in condolence -

But you were saved and now you are here...

 

[camaroman]

so when the tree started to fall should i have kept cutting on it or what? my cut went past where the tree split. im just trying to figure out what happend and what i can do si it wont happen again, or will barber chairing happen on some tree no matter what? i have read of some people puttin a chain or strap around the tree about a foot or so above the cut to help prevent it, to me that dont sound like a bad idea.

 

[tree md]

Heavy leaners are bad about splitting (barber chair). When you put a rope on one and give it a hard pull it creates the same effect. I always try to clean the corners of the notch out real good and will often cut about two inches on either corner, what we (the people in my circle when I was young) called the ears of the notch. I will also lay into the wood with the saw when I am cutting one with the potential to split. I don't slow cut them.

 

[046]

sorry to hear about your buddy....

need more details of the tree in question. was it a leaner?
please provide detailed pictures if you can.

otherwise without details we are all guessing with you.
someone here will be able to analyze what happened.

 

[camaroman]

ok i will try and post pics later but the tree was not a leaner but it did have a little bow in it and the tree was about 16-17 inches in diameter and about 50 ft tall so pretty tall and skinny