I learned a lesson today.

I was pole sawing earlier this year, just some light stuff and had a branch come zooming at me aimed to strike me between the eyes. I took one hand off the pole saw to block it and then had the pole saw on full gas without proper control, one of the guys had come running in to clear branches and it was too close for comfort between him and the spinning chain (I felt pretty bad). If I'd had the helmet on I could have just tilted downwards and kept control of the pole saw.... I might start looking to upgrade helmet for comfort- more inclined to have on head then.
 
i always thought Bell said it best,
slogan for bike brain buckets:

If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet!
(If your head is worth more, buy a Bell)
.
Tree work is a higher risk enviro, we can spend more time than any other group exposed to.
It's in the numbers, not an if, but a when something will try to dent your coconut!
 
Chris E said:
I was pole sawing earlier this year, just some light stuff and had a branch come zooming at me aimed to strike me between the eyes. I took one hand off the pole saw to block it and then had the pole saw on full gas without proper control, one of the guys had come running in to clear branches and it was too close for comfort between him and the spinning chain (I felt pretty bad). If I'd had the helmet on I could have just tilted downwards and kept control of the pole saw.... I might start looking to upgrade helmet for comfort- more inclined to have on head then.
Click to expand...


I use the same helmet you have in your avatar. It's not the worst, but I am upgrading to the fancy helmets with blue tooth as soon as I'm able. Unfortunately I have a truck down needing a major repair, another truck needs tires, and I have some other gear I need more at the moment, or I would do it today.
 
I got knocked silly by a limb once and could hardly stand up after that, for a few minutes. If it wasn't for my MacT I probably would've been knocked dead.

I swear PPE has saved my bacon so many times.
 
I think they might be worth it. After smacking myself in the side of the head a few weeks ago with the snap on a 5/8 steel core I don't think I'll mind the side impact protection. As far as the blue tooth system goes I'm looking forward to that more so than the helmets themselves. I had a chance to use them awhile back on someone else's job and holy cow. You can literally be 60" up a tree in the backyard and talk normally with a guy running a chipper in the front yard. The improved communication should save me a huge amount of time with me only having one or two guys.
 
Those sena blue tooths work awesome. We have the smh-10's and can link all 4 of us at once. I guess with the 20's you can link up to 8. The time savings makes them pay for themselves so fast.
 
The comm units are worth twenty times their weight in gold(heh they're light). Not only in terms of safety but productivity and professionalism as well. Except for when everyone's busting a gut from the banter(often about the customer or a lookey loo) that's not as professional looking. But man is it fun!
 
That's what I'm hoping for. I can certainly see improved safety but the big thing for me will be efficiency. I only have two grounds guys and am pretty light on equipment as I'm just getting going, so everything I buy has to do something to make stuff go faster. They are pretty close to next on the list. Can't wait.
 
Chris E said:
I was pole sawing earlier this year, just some light stuff and had a branch come zooming at me aimed to strike me between the eyes. I took one hand off the pole saw to block it and then had the pole saw on full gas without proper control, one of the guys had come running in to clear branches and it was too close for comfort between him and the spinning chain (I felt pretty bad). If I'd had the helmet on I could have just tilted downwards and kept control of the pole saw.... I might start looking to upgrade helmet for comfort- more inclined to have on head then.
Click to expand...

So the ground guy ran under while he could still hear a polesaw running at high rpm? That seems like a bad procedure that needs to be addressed. Maybe call and response is required each time a ground guy wants to walk into the drop zone to retrieve brush. In effect, they should have to ask for permission to enter, and not enter unless permission is granted.

Dropped objects don't have to be very heavy to cause a fatality. I know your guys are just highly motivated and trying to get something done, but safety needs to come first, in my humble opinion.

Tim
 
Hey Tim,

I think that situation was my fault and that the guy was doing what I would expect him to however we did agree to shift it down a gear pace wise after that. As is often the case there was various factors combined including the jobsite. If I had a permanent crew I wouldn't hesitate to splash out on a comms system & helmets.
 
Polesaws are polesaws.

Power pruners are Power pruners.

There IS a diff!

Or am I just wack ack ack ack ack?
 
Chris E said:
Hey Tim,

I think that situation was my fault and that the guy was doing what I would expect him to however we did agree to shift it down a gear pace wise after that. As is often the case there was various factors combined including the jobsite. If I had a permanent crew I wouldn't hesitate to splash out on a comms system & helmets.
Click to expand...

This is an issue I hit. 3 days a week I have my guys. 4 days a week I have literally no idea who I'm working with until morning of. Somedays it is experienced tree guys, other days it is a landscaper crew who gets work off craigslist. Makes it hard to bite the $1,500 comms bullet.
 
I hate it and won't be doing it next year. I started off as a climber for a company, then only did contract climbing, then hired some part time guys to do my own work three days a week, as of now I have the gear, customer base, and trucks minus a chipper to go full bore on my own soon, but refuse to do it until I have a chipper. Chipper should be soon, but until then I will whore myself out to whoever wants to pay my rate for a day.
 
I'd always want to take 1 lead man with me when climbing for someone else as a standard part of cost.
Told'em it would be safer and save money in the end.
Couple of times even offered to charge more to work w/o man from my crew.
(told'em for extra risk and on the spot re-training of their men as needed)
.
Really mostly for any real size or rigging etc.
Let it go for just nicking and diming (piecing/ no rigging) something cake easy.
(which only moron or non-climibing land-lubber would pay for hired gun on).
 
It won't be anything that nice LOL. I'm leaning towards 2005ish brush bandit 250XPs. Not the biggest chipper out there but would be perfect for what kind of work I typically do.
 
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