The Crushing Of The Blaster

[treelooker]

Thanks for taking the time to teach a valuable lesson.

pm me your mailing address and i'll send you some loaner reading material for when you get sick of the tv.

 

[High Scale]

Hope you heal quickly old geezer, best wishes to ya.

 

[GASoline71]

Thanks for describing the incident Butch. I wish you a speedy recovery my friend.

It does/can happen... even to the BEST in the business.

Now I know I'm stayin' on the ground.

Take care mang!

Gary

 

[JamesTX]

Glad you're going to by ok MB. Amazing how quickly accidents happen.

 

[SkwerI]

Slipping chokers can hurt! If I don't have a fork or nub to prevent slippage, I'll take two wraps with it. Although those tuflex slings don't slip much. Steel chokers can be a PITA.

Heal well, Buddy.

 

[jamie]

shit man, that aint good, hope you heal quick and well

Jamie

 

[Big A]

hope you make a full and speedy recovery, Butch, another valuable lesson to all, and well described!

 

[Newfie]

I got the pucker just thinking about your foot blowing out the sides.

Heal up and rest easy.

 

[roller]

get better soon..

 

[Al Smith]

It could have been worse,glad it was not.Let me however caution you about a crush injury to an extremety.I'm sure you already know that extremeties are prone to infection,yourself being a some-what student of medicine in the past.

I'll give the Dutch uncle talk now ,take extreme care not to get infection in that foot .That said,I hope for your speedy recovery.

 

[TC3]

I got the pucker just thinking about your foot blowing out the sides.

Jayzus, me too ! I missed that (tiny) detail ?!? Forty stitches, lawd... and a blow-out means jaggedy skin, no clean slices there. Justdammitman.

 

[vharrison]

I'll give the Dutch uncle talk now ,take extreme care not to get infection in that foot .That said,I hope for your speedy recovery.

Dutch Aunt talk: do what the uncle says! Very proud of you MB, by all accounts on you not being on line, you are following doctors orders. We miss you on line though. Keep that foot elevated and tell the kitty cats to clean their litter boxes! Ah, you have Doc for that, never mind

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wonder if I should post this at the Buzz/move the thread to the Garage?

And I DID have two wraps, Brian.

 

[Paul B]

be steeled for the toungue lashing that you will get from it, regardless of actual cause/effect. If you do keep it here it will seem like you are trying to hide it though, more fuel for the fokkers. when you are ready, bring it out, ignore the bull and take it from there Boss.

 

[darkstar]

Naw, Leave the thread where it is bro. Do, post it elsewhere though.

My foots been hurtin all day Butch. That split effect is ohhgggaa..

Hey i got 17 staples and 37 internal stiches once from a chain saw buried in the back of my calf.

You rock MB...

It happens to us all TREE MEN AND WOMEN.

Tree work without injury ever ? , Nonsense.

Heal fast and have a shot for me would ya?

Dark

 

[SkwerI]

And I DID have two wraps, Brian.

Man, that sucks Bro. Heal strong and leave a spare set of keys to the forum for Gigi so next time there's somebody to sweep out the trash while you're away.

 

[chucky]

Anywho. as I was about to cut point B, the crane operator said to come on down and cut it at the base. Normally I would do that, but that woulda required me to call a groundie over to help with a tagline so the butt wouldn't hit the fence, and they were rear-ends and elbows deep cleaning up. We were kinda rushing because we wanted to knock this job out so we could do another that day. I was just gonna cut it higher (point B) and be done with it, but it WOULD be nice to take it in one lift so I called over a groundie, set a tagline and proceeded.
It would have been an easy day.

Here's where I made my main mistake - I FORGOT/DIDN'T THINK!!!

I didn't factor in the extra weight that was gonna be loaded on the sliding sling. The second it came off stump, the sling slid up to those forks before stopping, causing the butt to shoot to the ground. MY MISTAKE was forgetting about the slip potential of the sling, and having my foot under the load PLUS having debris around the base of the tree.
I tried to jerk my leg outta the way, but I failed. It caught the outside of my left foot, a glancing blow. I really don't know how hard it hit, and it was immediately lifted. It kinda bounced when it hit and I'm sure (even though originally they hindered me) the logs and crap plus my spurs helped to keep my foot from taking the full force of the load.

Thankfully, there was no nerve/blood vessel damage of any consequence. And again, thankfully, the three broken bones (2 metatarsals and tha heel) were clean breaks that were still in position and therefore no surgery was necessary. It blew out the sides of my feet, so they sewed it up with about 40 stitches. I'm is a splint cast at the moment and on mar 9 I go back for a real cast and a check-up. THAT is when I'll know for sure what is up.

My mistakes as I see them;

1) I was under the load.

2) I completely forgot about the slipping potential. The bar was 2" too short, so I was having a hard time finishing the cut. I put myself in an akward position in an attempt to finish the cut. I also assumed it would be like any other lift - just raise and float away.

3) I was under the load.

4) I used the wrong tool (short bar) to make the cut.

5) I should have stuck to my original plan of cutting it at point B

6) I was UNDER THE LOAD!

Geezus, I don't believe in psychic shit but something funny told me to check into the tr'ousers tonight. Butch, sounds real painful, but good to hear it isn't worse, much worse.

I know nothing of crane work, and I see what what you mean when you list
the things that you did wrong, but to me it all comes from your above statement in red. And we've all done it. Rushed it.

Thanks for posting this for everybody, a lesson to the young hotdogs that even the masters can make mistakes, and to always think safety first.

Won't be long and you'll be right back doing the big work, Butch.

 

[No_Bivy]

wow! I hear ya, under the load!. Speedy recovery MB. Got any pics?

 

[NickfromWI]

MB- thanks for manning-up and sharing it with us. We all hope you get back in the trees soon, but you better give yourself the right time to heal.

I say post it on treebuzz.

love
nick

 

[pantheraba]

I agree with Nick...we're all human. Times I have gotten hurt I was usually distracted or rushing. Your lesson may help somebody else make good decisions.

 

[tntree]

blew the side out, makes me think of that squashed turtle on the side of the road. Yuck and owwweeee. . . like biv said any gory pics? heal up, when you pull those stitches make sure you end up with "she loves me"

"Under the load" and "kinda in a hurry" sticks out -- good red flags to remember. If some of the Buzz can't look at it as a learning tool, then fug em, post it

 

[No_Bivy]

MB, I will remember this.Sorry it happened to you.

 

[Old Monkey]

If you do post picts of your foot please take pity on those of us with a sensitive nature by adding a warning.

 

[Bodean]

Gnarly Butch,

Gnarly bones breakin, blowin out the sides.

Get well Soon.

I guess a foot is better than your head.

I'd say post at the Buzz.
It's a great example of how Rushing only hurries Ruin.

 

[Paul B]

I guess a foot is better than your head.

now THAT is some cool bedside manner... HA!