Learn the hard way - 13 stitches

[bigbavarian]

Just thought I would share that I experienced my first accident as a tree climber.

I am still pretty new but try to be as safe as possible but was christened the hard way.

I was up about 30 feet dismantling a tree and had one of the larger limbs tied off. Unfortunately there was not enough slack in the rope and when it let go, it pivoted and smashed the end of my middle finger. Tore the bottom pad off the finger is what the plastic surgeon calls a de-gloving. They stitched it back on be the finger is a little crooked. Not I am down to typing with three fingers

Feeling stupid now and looking for others stories that will tell me I am not alone.

Got any scar stories?

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Learn the hard way

Don't worry (You Are Not Alone), you do this for any time you do stuff like that, all you can do is hopefully Learn from it, maybe next time pull the slck you need to be safe before you cut? Besides Scars are just Tatoos with better Storys

 

[treemandan]

Stupid would be leaving a bar smashed out of yer mind and driving.

You might be able to be called stupid in this case if you were half assing it or being complacent. You get what you ask for,that is a fact.


A few words of advice:

Quit now and get a desk job.

Nah, you want to climb? Then climb.

You have to really go through each move you make and think of the varibles. If you are being rushed, tell them to cool it or come down and show them you are serious.

Its hard to tell what you were doing when you got hurt. Not enough slack in rigging line? Sounds fishy. Sure, you're a newbie, anyone who would have great expectations of you at this point you should consider your enemy. Unless you really are stupid then you should come down and get a desk job.

Take the time you need to think it all through and take the time to position yourself so you are comfortable and out of the way. Out of the way of the intended and out of the way for the mishaps.

It sounds like you are about at the level where you are gonna rip one into your lanyard. We all have done that, its so very easy to do. Don't.

Don't make the cut unless you are sure and comfortable. Its normal to need time to think. We all push oursleves but when we need a drink of water we get a drink of water.

If you think what you are about to do is going to lead to misfortune then don't do it until you are ready. Don't do things " off the cuff". You got a guy down there badgering you? Maybe you just don't understand his instructions? Not at the level to make it? Come down and send him up and don't feel stupid for doing so.


Just a finger? Sheeit! There is a whole lot more to lose, destroy or kill than just a finger.


Pride is not " we risk our lives so you don't have to" or " alls well that ends well" or " you got to break a few eggs if yer gonna make an omelet" or " I was born to climb trees".

And I will tell you right now, if you ever hear " what took you so long?" then I advise you to answer that question honestly followed by " so shut up"

 

[ClimbMIT]

Was the limb near vertical? Was the work line crossed? I have things like this happen to me. I had a butt end kick back several times because I was to lazy to reset the rope. Don't beat yourself up. Everyone makes mistakes and thats why I love this site because I admit my thoughtless actions alot easier online. Then we all laugh I mean learn from it. Sometimes it helps to tell the groundie to let it slide pass you before he locks his grip. Make sure he has gloves if he likes skin on his palms Hope your finger gets better!

 

[oscar4883]

Glad you are ok. In the back of my head I always say to my self "where is the best position to be in case something goes wrong?". Sounds hokey, but it keeps me focused on positioning myself out of harms way.

 

[bigbavarian]

I was actually behind the trunk on the other side of the tree. The limb was tied off about 4-5 feet from the crotch. When I saw the limb starting to go, I shut the saw off and held on for stability. When the limb finished letting go, it pivoted at the point of the tie off and the butt came up against the tree and nipped me.

If I was to do it again, I would have tied it off closer to the cut, let there be more slack, and hide better.

I am new, but learn from my mistakes we take our time and try to work as safe as possible. I do feel fortunate but at the same time also feel Iwas trying my best to prevent the situation.

 

[Timberhauler]

I doubt there is a person in the business that hasnt made a mistake and got injured or caused property damage..I was taking out some ice damaged pine trees about 10 years ago.They were on average about 24 inches in dia. at the stump,and about 80 feet tall.There were 10 trees total,and on my first climb I was able to work four different trees.There was a smaller tree below me,and the top was bowed.I wanted to get a bull rope far enough out to where I could cut from the ground and lower the tree as I cut,but it wasnt possible so the only option was to try and balance the top while we lowered it down.I knew it was gonna spring back when I made the cut,so I studied every angle then got where I wanted to cut.I was tied off way above in another tree and had to safety off to another tree to reach it.I started to cut and about half way in my saw runs out of gas.It was starting to split and fall,so I started cutting with my handsaw to try and keep it from spring loading as much as possible,but as the top fell over it still had too much wood holding,so it put a hell of a spring load on the trunk.It let go before I could get out of the way and when it sprung back it hit me right on the bridge of my nose.It not only broke my nose,but knocked one of my teeth loose.I was hurt so bad it cost me three days out of work,and quite a stack of doctor and dentist bills because I had no workers comp. at the time..I studied the situation after the fact and saw several other options that I could have used,but the truth was I was in a hurry and only wanted to get that job done.However,that ordeal made me more cautious and observant.So my advice..Think,think,think then think again.Always remember what can happen will.

 

[limbwalker54]

Dan,

I'll second your post.

When I was taught my teacher kept asking me if I wanted a cigarette (I didn't smoke), to calm me down and make me stand up there and think about everything I was going to do. Never took the cig, but I did give him gray hair from check, check and rechecking

-Mike

 

[limbwalker54]

Oh yeah, and if we had a groundie who was impatient he would tell me to look at him and tell him to "eff off"......