Mistakes, Accidents and Near Misses.

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I was heavily reducing some casuarina windbreaks...(ok, almost topping, my one exception, casuarina windbreaks :) )
a 4" x 6' stub slid down and landed butt end square on the middle of my thigh. I just swore into my face screen, cleared the tears out of my glasses rubbed it hard and kept going. OMG what a bruise!!
I should have got physio for it, it separated muscle fibres. I have a dent in my thigh muscle to this day, about 5yrs on.
 
Grendel said:
Look, Listen, Feel.

I can't remember who said that, but it stuck with me. I think it was somebody on this site. . .
Click to expand...

Who can forget Bruce Lee bippin that little kid upside the head and sayin,

Don't think!

Feel......

Jomo
 
Speakin of accidents, just late yesterday another climber killed himself here in Rancho San Diego in a palm tree, apparently tryin to remove it. No details yet, but apparently he got squished somehow.

Palms take out more climbers round these parts than any other tree. Wash Fans.

Jomo
 
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  • #31
I just posted this one a few days ago at another arborist forum. Simple copy & paste action.
The pole saw is my sword. Used more than any tool I employ for tree care.

Back in 1997, climbing late winter- snow on the ground yet drizzling rain— "typical Ohio weather." I was descending a large red oak and had to tie in twice in order to make it to the ground. As I finished tying in and starting to make my final descent, I took my pole saw from its perch above me, and advanced it by letting it slide through my hand, until I get to the hook/blade. Well, it was slick and it went further down than I anticipated. So as to grab hold before losing it to the ground, I reached for it, extending my arm vertically. The very tip of the blade poked thru my sweatshirt, flannel, and arm warmers-- leaving a small hole In the top layer of clothing.

I knew right away it was worse than it felt. I slowly pull up my sleeves and found I had a 5" cut thru every dermal layer to the muscle. Surprisingly it didn't bleed at first. I guess my body was like; Oh no you didn't!

Anyway, 3 hours and 8 sutures later, I was patched up.


This is one of a few pole saw mishaps the past 20+ years climbing.....
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Ouch!


Jomo, when I lived in Hawaii it seemed like palms claimed more climbers than any other tree. If I never have to climb another palm again I sure won't complain.
 
The news services here keep saying the 49 year was crushed when a date palm fell the wrong way.

But all the footage and pics show wash fan trunks and piles of fronds.

Not that it matters to the dead father, who was licensed and legit.

My condolences to his sons and family.

Jomo
 
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  • #36
OSHA gets there with the quickness.

I know crap like this just happens, but I'd love to know the details of how. So as to avoid ever making the same mistake, if that is even possible.

Thanks for the link.
 
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  • #37
Another close call with using a pole saw. Taken from another arborist forum I posted this in.

My only other brush with fate came when again, I was descending a large pin oak -with utility lines just feet away. The tree was located in the backyard were it had been pruned completely bare on one side, due to it being in line with the power companies right of way.

So as I was readying to touch earth, I grabbed for my pole saw that was hanging -and started letting it slide thru my hand to get to its middle for stability. But as I was doing this, a tooth happened to make contact with the power line. Just feet away from the back of my head- I see a brilliant blue flash with the sound of death just behind it. Scared the living hell outa me!

I made it to the ground and looked at where the blade touched. The electricity had blown off an inch worth of teeth and welded the remaining area. At the time I was using the old school poles that were made from a solid 12' piece of linden wood, with an aluminum Fred Marvin head and Fanno blade. May have been a different story with the Silky I use today.
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  • #38
Of all places, I'm removing a large Cherry on the grounds of a cemetery. All the brush was down and being chipped as I continued down the spar- removing 22" pieces. The trunk was a solid diameter of 40" straight up to where I was working my way down from, at about 35' —the height of a utility pole.

So with me sawing and the chipper running, there was no talking anymore. As my boss was feeding the chipper, our groundman continued to pick up the other smaller debris around the tree for disposal. By no means was he a simpleton. Extremely smart, college educated and was a forester in Missouri for a time in the 70's. Always safe, always on the ball- I learned a lot from him.

Well, just like anyone, the mind sometimes wonders and becomes complacent when in the groove of working. I finish my cut, shut down the saw and attach it to my saddle, look around for my guys, yell out HEADACHE! and push the log free. Just as it starts it's descent, here comes Jon, with a pitchfork full of brush over his shoulder, walking right under my tree toward the chipper. I yell like I never had before, watching as he's walking to where the log was about to land. Like a quarterback throwing a long pass that perfectly meets a running back in the end zone.

I knew there was nothing that could be done, he couldn't hear me and I was about to kill a man. Somehow it misses him and slams directly onto the fork slung over his shoulder, exploding the load he was carrying and sending him to his knees in pain. I yelled swearing at him- "a guy 20 years my senior," but not in a reprimanding way, more like; YOU F****** SH** OH MY GOD! I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU! YOU PIECE OF SH**!!! I was shaking from the rush of adrenalin!

We all learned a valuable lesson that day. You can never be too careful -and this is a dangerous profession. PAY ATTENTION!
 
I nearly hit a groundy the other day, the experienced, good one, the one that doesn't trust me and always keeps his eyes up in the drop zone, for some reason this time he just wandered under the tree. He couldn't explain why he did it.
 
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  • #40
There's no room for daydreaming in this job. Though im focused at all times, I will say I find the work very Zen like- and though I spend reflective time in the canopy, I still mind my environment carefully.
 
Szajer said:
There's no room for daydreaming in this job. Though im focused at all times, I will say I find the work very Zen like- and though I spend reflective time in the canopy, I still mind my environment carefully.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
Call and respond...sometimes the only conversation on our jobs consists of 'below..clear' , 'under...roger' , 'clear...clear'.

I had another company come and sub a high lift and chipper for me...he was doing a couple extended cuts from the lift and dropped a branch without calling down when my groundie was in the area. close but missed him.
Upshot was I took the responsibility for not having a determined clear communication strategy for us and the sub company.

It won't happen again.
 
Yeah...until I can affort $600 I just got a set of cheap walkie talkies if we have a big job. We'll sling 'em on a cord around our necks.
 
I don't know Bermy, but seriously doubt she's self employed.

Therefor I was arming her with rational logic with which to wallop her employer upside the head with like a sap, see?

Jomo
 
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