MrRecurve
ArboristSite Member
Two weeks ago I was cleaning a number of cuban royal palms using a 2 rope false crotch technique. I was on my 7th palm of the morning, where I had to prune off a frond with my silky sugoi. I did not have a secondary life line and didnt bother throwing my flip line over a few fronds for a 2nd attachment point
"it's just one cut with a hand saw"
Ill never make that mistake again. The bull line that was holding my false crotch up, wasnt snug against the trunk like I assumed it was, it was being held out about a foot on a frond stub that I could not see from the ground. If I had bothered to look around the trunk and up before I made my cut, I would have seen that the bull line was sitting 6 inches behind the frond that I was about to remove.
I reached up and over the frond, made my 1st cut, then next thing I was lying on the ground looking at my prussick in front of me.
My 1st thought was that the bull line had failed, because I could see my climbing line and prussick laying on the ground in front of me, whole.
While we waited for the ambulance to come, my groundsman, a fellow climber, checked the system to find what had happend, that I had actually severed my anchor line.
I had clipped the corrugated tin roof that is built around the palm at the 5 metre mark, halfway. I and the medicos firmly believe that this initial impact slowed me down and prevented the injury from being far more serious or fatal. It was also this impact which opened up a 5 inch by 1 inch gash in my right shin, through my stihl saw pants.
I then landed on top of the cement planter box, impacting my right thigh and buttock, falling off the planter box onto my side on the ground.
1st aid staff at the centre where I was working were on site in seconds; one of them was a 30 year paramedic who took fantastic care of me until the paramedics arrived. The medics had to cut my harness off me so they could roll me over onto a spinal board, fearing spinal and pelvic injuries.
A five minute ambo ride had me at the emergency ward, where they cut all my clothes off, and gave me the first of 3 spinal exams. I was sedated then xrayed twenty times. After another 2 spinal exams and having my leg sutured, I was given the ok and released from the spinal board and neck brace to be kept under observation for 6 hours. 8 hours after arriving, I left the ward on crutches.
You can imagine my relief when I found out that I had broken nothing! I was concious the entire time, and even tho I tried to keep in good spirits to avoid shock, I was ????ting scared that I had cracked my pelvis or spine.
My total injuries, were many many minor bruises and abrasions from contact with the trunk and ground, the cut on my shin which was infected for the 1st week and a half, and the damage in my arse and thigh included a torn glute, hamstring, groin tendon and major deep tissue bruising.
I was on crutches for the 1st 4 days, and had my 1st climb since the accident, on tuesday this week. I cant trunkwalk yet, but can do small gentle bodythrusts. My stitches come out tomorrow, now that the infection is gone, and I hope to be back at work on monday.
All in all, I still cannot believe how lucky I have been, not to be seriously injured or even killed. Other than my pride, this accident has cost me a 500 dollar harness, a pair of 200 dollar chainsaw pants, 4 alloy carabiners and a figure 8 (rendered useless by the fall onto concrete, a total of around 200 dollars) a 200 dollar spyderco (thrown out with my clothes at the hospital), two weeks off work, several medications and doctors visits. Not bad, considering.
I am so glad to be able to write this down and share my mistakes and lessons with you guys, glad that I am alive to climb again and able to learn from this.
1. ALWAYS use 2 attatchment points when cutting, handsaw or not.
2. I only used one carabiner as the false crotch, rather than a pulley or two biners. The bend ration is too sharp with one carabiner.
3. The bull line that I used was not my own, and I didnt know the history of it.
4. Always be %100 sure of ALL your ropes locations before you cut.
5. Always wear your chinstrap. Im lucky I didnt impact my head.
6. Never allow yourself or others around you to get complacent about safety.
I appreciate any feedback that people would like to offer
This is the hole I fell through, you can see where the tin is curled over from me clipping it.
This is the planter box I landed on.
This bruising extends all the way THROUGH my thigh into my groin and up to my tailbone
You can see the start of the infection here.
This is my poor glide that they cut off me.
My figure 8 with chips out of it
The piece of my anchor line that I severed.
"it's just one cut with a hand saw"
Ill never make that mistake again. The bull line that was holding my false crotch up, wasnt snug against the trunk like I assumed it was, it was being held out about a foot on a frond stub that I could not see from the ground. If I had bothered to look around the trunk and up before I made my cut, I would have seen that the bull line was sitting 6 inches behind the frond that I was about to remove.
I reached up and over the frond, made my 1st cut, then next thing I was lying on the ground looking at my prussick in front of me.
My 1st thought was that the bull line had failed, because I could see my climbing line and prussick laying on the ground in front of me, whole.
While we waited for the ambulance to come, my groundsman, a fellow climber, checked the system to find what had happend, that I had actually severed my anchor line.
I had clipped the corrugated tin roof that is built around the palm at the 5 metre mark, halfway. I and the medicos firmly believe that this initial impact slowed me down and prevented the injury from being far more serious or fatal. It was also this impact which opened up a 5 inch by 1 inch gash in my right shin, through my stihl saw pants.
I then landed on top of the cement planter box, impacting my right thigh and buttock, falling off the planter box onto my side on the ground.
1st aid staff at the centre where I was working were on site in seconds; one of them was a 30 year paramedic who took fantastic care of me until the paramedics arrived. The medics had to cut my harness off me so they could roll me over onto a spinal board, fearing spinal and pelvic injuries.
A five minute ambo ride had me at the emergency ward, where they cut all my clothes off, and gave me the first of 3 spinal exams. I was sedated then xrayed twenty times. After another 2 spinal exams and having my leg sutured, I was given the ok and released from the spinal board and neck brace to be kept under observation for 6 hours. 8 hours after arriving, I left the ward on crutches.
You can imagine my relief when I found out that I had broken nothing! I was concious the entire time, and even tho I tried to keep in good spirits to avoid shock, I was ????ting scared that I had cracked my pelvis or spine.
My total injuries, were many many minor bruises and abrasions from contact with the trunk and ground, the cut on my shin which was infected for the 1st week and a half, and the damage in my arse and thigh included a torn glute, hamstring, groin tendon and major deep tissue bruising.
I was on crutches for the 1st 4 days, and had my 1st climb since the accident, on tuesday this week. I cant trunkwalk yet, but can do small gentle bodythrusts. My stitches come out tomorrow, now that the infection is gone, and I hope to be back at work on monday.
All in all, I still cannot believe how lucky I have been, not to be seriously injured or even killed. Other than my pride, this accident has cost me a 500 dollar harness, a pair of 200 dollar chainsaw pants, 4 alloy carabiners and a figure 8 (rendered useless by the fall onto concrete, a total of around 200 dollars) a 200 dollar spyderco (thrown out with my clothes at the hospital), two weeks off work, several medications and doctors visits. Not bad, considering.
I am so glad to be able to write this down and share my mistakes and lessons with you guys, glad that I am alive to climb again and able to learn from this.
1. ALWAYS use 2 attatchment points when cutting, handsaw or not.
2. I only used one carabiner as the false crotch, rather than a pulley or two biners. The bend ration is too sharp with one carabiner.
3. The bull line that I used was not my own, and I didnt know the history of it.
4. Always be %100 sure of ALL your ropes locations before you cut.
5. Always wear your chinstrap. Im lucky I didnt impact my head.
6. Never allow yourself or others around you to get complacent about safety.
I appreciate any feedback that people would like to offer
This is the hole I fell through, you can see where the tin is curled over from me clipping it.
This is the planter box I landed on.
This bruising extends all the way THROUGH my thigh into my groin and up to my tailbone
You can see the start of the infection here.
This is my poor glide that they cut off me.
My figure 8 with chips out of it
The piece of my anchor line that I severed.
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