? from a ground dweller.

[Stihl Crazy]

Hi guys, I'm a ground dweller (logger) I work from the bottom up. The pics of you guys working up in the tops make me shake sitting in my chair. Is there a large injury rate in your line of work? Always have been told logging was the most dangerous of the land based jobs. Your occupation does not look exactly safe to me.

 

[MasterBlaster]

The logging and the fishing industries flip flop yearly on being the most dangerous job.

 

[Old Monkey]

How many fingers do you have? Just kidding, welcome to the Tree House. Statistically, I think you guys and fisherman still beat us out as far as injuries and fatalities. Our industry is in a golden time right now in terms of new equipment and safety features. The amount of gear and techniques that have come along in the last ten to twenty years has really made a big difference in how safe climbing trees can be. A lot folks still climb old school but for those who aren't afraid of new things, there are a lot of great improvements.


Oh and your occupation doesn't always look so safe to me.

 

[SkwerI]

Hey Art!
I think many (if not most) climbers eventually have at least one serious injury in their careers if they keep at it long enough. One of the members here has a signature line that says something about how you never know quite where the line is drawn until you've crossed it, and many of us have the mentality which drives us to push boundaries. On the other hand there is knowledge, techniques and equipment available to make tree climbing pretty safe. The one variable is the tree. And add to that the use of chainsaws and you know what can happen when venturing down that path.

I think working as a climbing arborist can be quite safe as long as the climber is focused and attentive. But then we all have days when our focus and attention can lag. It's demanding but that also makes the reward that much sweeter.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

A good part of being the climber and the boss is being able to more easily call the day early or postpone if you're not rested. Constantly double-check.

Stihl Crazy, what do you think are the most common logging accidents, and to whom?

 

[Stihl Crazy]

Most injuries in my area are to manual fallers. Type of injury would be tree related. Kickback, falling limbs/snags or crush injuries. Cause would be fatigue. All of my injuries came when I was tired, trying to do just one more tree. Don't work by the clock any more or production #s. When I am tired I go home. I am self employed.

Lighter saws, good brakes, better safety gear, education and enforcement have lowered cut injuries significantly. Still accidents happen.

 

[Tucker943]

Did the tree care industry ever get its own category to be compared against other industries like logging? Or are we still unaccounted for?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I think we get lumped in with logging.

 

[Tucker943]

Thats what Im thinking Butch. I wonder how tree work compares to logging....?

 

[woodworkingboy]

With tree workers you need a separate category for professionals and amateurs. The person cutting above his head on a ladder shouldn't be able to reflect the occupational trends.

 

[Burnham]

Those sorts of statistics are only compiled for workers employed in an industry, weekend warriors are not included.

 

[Al Smith]

The workers comp rates in Ohio are very high for tree related work . Fact I think higher than meat cutters and linemen .

 

[Paul B]

Those sorts of statistics are only compiled for workers employed in an industry, weekend warriors are not included.

What about ninjas?

 

[Burnham]

Them neither . Except those employed by...well, I don't know who employs ninjas .

 

[Ed L]

It always bothers me when I see a climber with no safety gear, up there with nothing but an old ratty flipline between him and gravity.

Wonder how much their injuries cost everyone else......

Ed