Jumper
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yesterday we were removing a large sugar maple from a backyard. All the limbs requiring lowering by bull line were done, and the climber was cutting the remaining limbs and blockwood and letting them fall. I was standing about 25 feet away from the impact points...........you would think this would be enough! Except, the remains of a limb about four feet long and twenty feet up had been left on the tree for some inexplicable reason-it was serving no useful purpose at all. You guessed it, an eight inch in diameter four foot long piece of limb hit it on the way down, and was launched horizontally at me like a slingshotted projectile. Luckily I saw it coming and those Army drills must have been useful after all....I went to ground and it passed right over where I had been standing!!!!! All this really impressed the new ground guy who had been on the job exactly four days. Had this hit me I would have been severely injured or killed.
Lessons learned:
As a ground guy I will not tolerate limbs(or stubs) of any size left on the tree by the climber on the way up.
Remain alert at all times, especially when things are flying out of a tree.
Had this managed to hit me in the head, I was wearing a CSA Class E hardhat which protects against frontal, side and top impacts. I learned to appreciate the value of a good helmet during several hard parachute landings. This one could have saved me a good deal of pain, and I was glad I was wearing it.
Wear those hats. Incidentally this is my own...most provided by employers are the older (and cheaper) Class B types that do not provide the same degree of protection.
Feedback to the climber(who had no idea what had happened). I discussed this whole incident later once the climber ( my boss) was out of the tree. I was not too sure how he would take my criticism, but in the end he appreciated my candor, and apologized. So I will not be hesitant to discuss future incidents (hopefully there are none).
Prior to my involvement in this industry, I among other things was a Occupational Health and Safety Officer in the Armed Forces. My comments here are provided in the name of education.
Safety is everybodies' business.
Lessons learned:
As a ground guy I will not tolerate limbs(or stubs) of any size left on the tree by the climber on the way up.
Remain alert at all times, especially when things are flying out of a tree.
Had this managed to hit me in the head, I was wearing a CSA Class E hardhat which protects against frontal, side and top impacts. I learned to appreciate the value of a good helmet during several hard parachute landings. This one could have saved me a good deal of pain, and I was glad I was wearing it.
Wear those hats. Incidentally this is my own...most provided by employers are the older (and cheaper) Class B types that do not provide the same degree of protection.
Feedback to the climber(who had no idea what had happened). I discussed this whole incident later once the climber ( my boss) was out of the tree. I was not too sure how he would take my criticism, but in the end he appreciated my candor, and apologized. So I will not be hesitant to discuss future incidents (hopefully there are none).
Prior to my involvement in this industry, I among other things was a Occupational Health and Safety Officer in the Armed Forces. My comments here are provided in the name of education.
Safety is everybodies' business.
