# Man falls into chipper and dies/ Colorado



## Chronic1

LOVELAND - A man who works for a commercial tree trimming company was killed Wednesday when he fell into the shredder. 


The accident happened at a work site near the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Fountain Drive. OSHA, the federal agency that investigates accidents that happen on the job, has been called to investigate. 

The name of the worker who was killed hasn't been released. Loveland Police will have more information later today.


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## Chronic1

Tree trimmer dies in 'industrial accident'
STORY TOOLS
Email this story | Print By Felix Doligosa Jr., Rocky Mountain News 
December 28, 2005
LOVELAND -- Officials are investigating the death of a tree trimming company employee, who was found dead at work after police received a call from the man's co-worker at 1:30 p.m. 
A wood chipper with blood stains was taped off near where the body was found. Police would not confirm initial reports that the employee was killed after getting stuck in the wood chipper, but investigators said they consider the death the result of an industrial accident. 

The victim was part of a two-man crew trimming a tree at a house located at 2363 Fountain Drive, said Sgt. Rae Bontz of the Loveland Police Department. The man works for Brian's Chipping Service, according to trucks parked at the scene. 
Police have not released the victim's name. 

Investigators with the coroner's office, the police department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are looking into the death.
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## Diesel JD

Whata a terrible story! I fear these things; they can and will kill you. An arborist I know had a crew that was working in town, and one of his employees brought in his 14 year old son on a day off school. The boy got caught up and killed instantly in the shredder. From what I hear these things have no mercy on you. What i want to know is how do most people get pulled in...and is there anything you can do to reduce your chances of getting hurt/killed by one.


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## asb151

Diesel JD said:


> Whata a terrible story! I fear these things; they can and will kill you. An arborist I know had a crew that was working in town, and one of his employees brought in his 14 year old son on a day off school. The boy got caught up and killed instantly in the shredder. From what I hear these things have no mercy on you. What i want to know is how do most people get pulled in...and is there anything you can do to reduce your chances of getting hurt/killed by one.



The 2 other similar instances I know of were caused when the operator tried to free up a stuck branch. Instead of turning the machine off they reached into the inlet to try and work the wood free while the machine was running. Somehow they got caught on the wood and pulled in.

I get nervous 20 feet away from those machines.


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## Redbull

Diesel JD said:


> Whata a terrible story! I fear these things; they can and will kill you. An arborist I know had a crew that was working in town, and one of his employees brought in his 14 year old son on a day off school. The boy got caught up and killed instantly in the shredder. From what I hear these things have no mercy on you. What i want to know is how do most people get pulled in...and is there anything you can do to reduce your chances of getting hurt/killed by one.



Common sense is a good tool to have. That and a "push stick". NEVER stick your hand past the infeed table, use your "push stick". Feed brush from the side, not from behind.
Maybe we should start a chipper safety thread, kind of like MasterBlaster's Excellent Groundman thread. It would be good to have a safety manual written by the guys who use the eqiopment, not just design/build the equipment.


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## notahacker

While I was filing a saw my wife came out to the garage and told me. Then I saw on the evening news the same info here. Loveland is only 20 minutes away from me, so being this close has me concerned that I may know the tree service, or worse, the person. I saw the truck on the T.V. to try to identify the company, but it was too far away of a shot. Sad stuff.


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## Redbull

Show off


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## ross_scott

it is awful to read about something like this...not a nice way to go.


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## Ross Turner

Sad news,over here we have safety bars fitted so if you are caught by a branch & pulled towards the chipper the safety bar stops the rollers.


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## 04ultra

We have a 25hp vermeer and we rented it out 1 time and that will never happen again. The Co. that rented it tied a rope around the auto feed bar and re adjusted the switch so it would auto feed faster . That would scare the s--- out of me. When you work around this thing you have to watch what your doing with no distractions.. just my 2 cents


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## BlueRidgeMark

I hope you chewed them a new one when you saw it. Such idiocy is beyond words!


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## 04ultra

yes we had words and we dont let anybody us it anymore. nobody


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## stihlatit

Redbull said:


> Common sense is a good tool to have. That and a "push stick". NEVER stick your hand past the infeed table, use your "push stick". Feed brush from the side, not from behind.
> Maybe we should start a chipper safety thread, kind of like MasterBlaster's Excellent Groundman thread. It would be good to have a safety manual written by the guys who use the eqiopment, not just design/build the equipment.



Good idea Redbull.


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## Davidsinatree

Does any one know if the chipper was a self feeder or chuck & duck. 
I am only assuming it was a self feeder??
The news report in the KC star was that the 54 yr old owner operator got his glove caught on a branch pulling him to his death.

I own and operate a 12'' aspluhnd chuck & duck. 
I have only ran a self feeder 1 time....1250 vermier..I can see how a person could get pulled in without being able to reach for the reverse bar. You almost need 2 people by the machine when feeding.

My sincere condolances go out to the family.
I am very sorry for the loss.


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## Kneejerk Bombas

Investigators screen off an area at the Loveland home where Wednesday's fatal accident involving a tree shredder occurred. (Post / John Epperson) 

Chad Swank was standing in the basket of a cherry-picker truck Wednesday afternoon, using a chain saw to trim branches from a large, dead tree at a house in Loveland. 

His boss and longtime tree- trimming partner, Brian Ganiard Morse, was on the ground, feeding the branches into a wood chipper. It was nothing out of the ordinary for the pair, who were both certified tree trimmers and had worked on jobs together off and on for about six years. 

Swank started to cut a branch, and, per his usual habit, looked down to make sure the area underneath was clear. That's when he noticed something was wrong. 

He saw Morse lying on the hopper of the chipper. Puzzled, Swank said, he thought that Morse must have turned the chipper off and been working on the machine. Swank shut off his saw to check. 

But the chipper was still running at full speed. And Morse, his legs motionless, was slowly being pulled into it. 

"So many things go through your mind at that point," Swank said. 

Frantic, Swank swung one leg out of the basket, then the other until he was hanging from the basket. He let go and fell about 15 to 20 feet. 

He sprinted to the chipper, but he knew there was nothing he could do. 

"It's one of those things I'm still kind of numb to," Swank said Thursday. "I don't know how to feel quite yet. ... It's one of those things where you don't believe what is happening is happening." 

On Thursday, Morse's family and friends, fellow arborists and authorities tried to better understand an accident that has attracted so much attention for its pure shock value. 

The Larimer County coroner's office conducted an autopsy, and, using fingerprints, they officially identified Morse, the 54-year-old owner of Brian's Tree Trimming and Removal Service in Loveland, as the victim. 

Following the autopsy, the coroner's office released a statement saying the victim was pulled entirely through the chipper. "Total morselization" is how the statement put it. 

Since there were no witnesses to the start of the accident, investigators are speculating that Morse got a glove caught in the chipper and couldn't get free. 

"What took place before the glove got caught is what we're still trying to look into," said Dean Beers, an investigator with the coroner's office. 

Beers said the chipper had a handle that, when activated, would reverse the movement of the chipper's feeder gears. It is unclear whether Morse could have reached the handle when the accident occurred. 

Swank, as well as the owner of another tree service in Loveland, said Morse was exceptionally careful. 

"He was a very good Christian man who always emphasized safety," Swank said. "It was an accident. We don't call them intentionals." 

Even in an exceptionally perilous job such as tree trimming, the dangers of the wood chipper stand out, said Roy Barnhart, who owns Roy's Tree Service in Loveland and who knew Morse. The chipper in this accident, a Vermeer BC1250A, has the capacity to shred trees up to a foot in diameter, according to its manufacturer. It would probably take only a few seconds for the chipper's blades to turn such a tree into mulch, Barnhart said. 

Meanwhile, the gears that grab branches and pull them toward the blades are unforgiving. 

"The human body has no chance" if something gets caught, Barnhart said. 

Morse leaves behind his wife, a son and two grandsons, about whom he talked constantly, Swank said. 

Morse enjoyed jogging and had run several marathons. 

Barnhart said Morse was something of a perfectionist. 

"He was a man who loved his work," Barnhart said. "He was a man who was very particular in how he did things. That's why it's hard to understand how this happened, because he was very careful all the time."

Quote stolen off another tree site with a forum, so I can't say where.


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## BlueRidgeMark

When you read something like this (whether about chippers or any other dangerous activity), one of the things that goes through your mind is, "Could I be next?". Then we read that the deceased did something really stupid, like climbing up on a running chipper to free a stuck branch by kicking it, and we think, "Oh. OK. I would never be that stupid, so I'm safe." We may not put it in words, and we may not even realize we are thinking that way, but it's there.


Then you read one like this:



> "He was a man who was very particular in how he did things. That's why it's hard to understand how this happened, because he was very careful all the time."



Poof. There go our illusions. It _could _happen to me.


Very sad.


Life is short. Then what?


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## Sizzle-Chest

okay, this might sound stupid, but would it be reasonable to build a chipper where the infead contains some kind of sensor and operator wears some kind of bracelet and when the bracelet passes the sensor, the chipper automatically shuts off? its not complicated technology by any means, and I dont see that it would be cumbersome. but maybe there's a reason something like this doesnt exist


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## pantheraba

I remember that question being asked on a forum before, don't remember the outcome. But it does sound like something doable. Some folks would either disable it and get hurt anyway or just not use it...that's OK, that's what Darwin is all about.

BRMark is right...I am pretty safety conscious, too, but have had some close calls...usually when I am distracted (not focused) or trying to do things too fast.


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## Kneejerk Bombas

What do you all think of the coroners grim little joke played on the family, with his cause of death? Moselization of the body, get it? The guys name was morse...get it? He got morselized... I bet his family got quite a little laugh when they read that in the paper, hey?


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## pantheraba

Not funny...it is a medical term...LOOK IT UP. No joke intended, I am sure.


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## BlueRidgeMark

Mebbe, panth, but maybe not. I did a short stint in the funeral business (call it temporary insanity), and people who deal with such things day in and day out develop a twisted sense of humor as a coping mechanism. Most keep it behind closed doors, strictly within the profession. BUT, there are always a few that have no mercy about it.

You haven't lived until you've watched a family screaming & yelling bloody murder at each other about how dear mother's funeral will be conducted. I'm a firm beliver in making your own arrangements in detail, well in advance, to cut that stuff to a minumum.


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## BlueRidgeMark

Sizzle-Chest said:


> okay, this might sound stupid, but would it be reasonable to build a chipper where the infead contains some kind of sensor and operator wears some kind of bracelet and when the bracelet passes the sensor, the chipper automatically shuts off? its not complicated technology by any means, and I dont see that it would be cumbersome. but maybe there's a reason something like this doesnt exist




Money, probably. As an engineer, I can tell you it would be a piece of cake to make something like that work, but who would be willing to pay for it? 

And if you do convince the industry to make and use them, how much success would you have getting people to wear the bracelets? You'd want two, of course. And you'd want one on each ankle, too.


Don't get me wrong - I'd like to see it, but I do see why it hasn't been done yet.


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## Redbull

If reasonably affordable, (which it should be), and they could be retrofitted to any self feed chipper, I would seriously consider it.


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## Sizzle-Chest

Redbull said:


> If reasonably affordable, (which it should be), and they could be retrofitted to any self feed chipper, I would seriously consider it.



it might be just a matter of time. there's only so many times that people die in such a gruesome yet avoidable way before people reconsider safety features. I know a lot of people complain about safety features (including me sometimes) but in many cases they are necessary


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## Koa Man

Sizzle-Chest said:


> okay, this might sound stupid, but would it be reasonable to build a chipper where the infead contains some kind of sensor and operator wears some kind of bracelet and when the bracelet passes the sensor, the chipper automatically shuts off? its not complicated technology by any means, and I dont see that it would be cumbersome. but maybe there's a reason something like this doesnt exist



Not a stupid idea, but I don't think the electronics will hold up. Autofeeds have a hard time surviving the vibration. Most guys will not bother to put on the bracelets or they will get lost after a couple of days. Safest thing is to always have 2 guys chipping. In fact, the owner's manual states that. I have chipped many times by myself, I always cut off the right angles and wide crotches. Those are the ones that create problems and always stand on the side. Standing on the side will probably prevent 99% of the chipper accidents.


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## pantheraba

Redbull said:


> If reasonably affordable, (which it should be), and they could be retrofitted to any self feed chipper, I would seriously consider it.



I had a Stihl 015 for a long time....they came without chainbreaks. Once newer saws came out and I saw how useful the Cbs could be I had my 015 retrofitted. I think it cost $110 at my local Ace/Stihl shop. Good money well spent.

Wearing the safety bracelets to prevent chipper suction would simply be a matter of discipline. I (and mine) always wear seatbelts...simple training and discipline. 

I figure the folks who don't wear them are helping cleanse the gene pool.


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## SteveBullman

pantheraba said:


> I had a Stihl 015 for a long time....they came without chainbreaks. Once newer saws came out and I saw how useful the Cbs could be I had my 015 retrofitted. I think it cost $110 at my local Ace/Stihl shop. Good money well spent.
> 
> Wearing the safety bracelets to prevent chipper suction would simply be a matter of discipline. I (and mine) always wear seatbelts...simple training and discipline.
> 
> I figure the folks who don't wear them are helping cleanse the gene pool.




all the manuacturers would need to do to help with compliancy would be to make the bracelet a workmans watch aswell


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## Rygel

Well i know this sounds bad to have to force workers to do and i dont agree. But my brother worked for the state doing roadside- to include some tree work when they were in/on the road, He said if they were the "chip crew" they couldnt wear gloves. Seems that the one making this rule up never had to operate the machine but in this situation it is the way to go. But then they probally never tried to force a holly into a chipper!


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## Redbull

I wouldn't force my guys to do it, but if they didn't than they would receive disciplinary action, just like they would if they didn't wear any other piece of PPE. I am not at the stage in my business where I need to hire anyone full time, but even my part time guys know: if you don't want to follow the rules, you don't have to work here. Asking them to put on a bracelet is a lot less bothersome to most than telling them to wear a hard hat. If it's a part of your operations PPE, than they comply or say bye-bye.


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## chipper builder

For those of you who don't KNOW. Brush chippers are all fitted (with in the last three years) with TWO different stop bars, one at leg height on the end of the feed table which is activated by bumping it which stops the feed system . The second is in the control bar either by pushing all the the way or by pulling it towards you all the way.


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## mdlmjohnson

There is another design protection that wouldn't be practical in machines designed to chew up whole trees, but is present on the Vandermolen WoodPro AVP tractor (pto) powered chipper/shredder that I have. It will handle brush up to 5-6" diam but the hopper feed lip is on a 45deg. angle and the lower lip is about 4-5' above ground in normal use. You just toss the material in over the hopper lip and gravity takes it down to the flywheel, blades and flails. 

The size of the hopper is such that unless you are the size of Wilt Chamberlain, even if you reached over the hopper lip, you couldn't reach the blades anyway. Of course, I realize that someone stupid enough could stand on something and reach in, but at least you can't do it inadvertantly. 

The arrangement of the hopper also protects against being hit by material ejected from the machine since anything ejected will be directed up and outward by the hopper and the operator is not standing in the line of fire. It also renders a power feed unnecessary as the incline of the hopper is sufficient to direct material down to the blades and, once in contact, the blades action draws the rest of the material in. I use this machine for reducing all hard and soft material (leaves and weed stalks as well as all brush and woody material smaller than what I use as firewood) and it is both fast and efficient. As I recall, it requires 22 pto hp to run.

I am not a professional and the safety aspects of this machine is one of the major reasons why I bought it. I think that the design is far preferable for any non-pro, especially anyone working alone. They also make stand-alone engine powered machines. Can be seen at www.vandermolencorp.com/NAVFRAME-6.htm


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## BlueRidgeMark

Sounds like a good design, but it might not work for the big stuff.


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## xander9727

I've never heard the term "morselization"..........The few OSHA and related reports I have read about these type of deaths used the term "total body fragmentation".

I like the latter term......morselization makes me think of food.......or mice.....both are kinda odd thoughts under the circumstances.


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## xander9727

As far as bracelets go.....they are good in theory. I've lost several of those Livestrong, breast cancer, yellow ribbon, etc. and I never even knew they were gone. If you make the bracelet really strong it could cause other problems. It would be easier to design it onto the back of a glove. You could use a magnetic tag like in stores......it would be cheap and disposable.

My $.02


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## Chronic1

Sizzle-Chest said:


> okay, this might sound stupid, but would it be reasonable to build a chipper where the infead contains some kind of sensor and operator wears some kind of bracelet and when the bracelet passes the sensor, the chipper automatically shuts off? its not complicated technology by any means, and I dont see that it would be cumbersome. but maybe there's a reason something like this doesnt exist



Really good idea, not stupid at all. I haven't been up here lately, too much work. LOL. 
I hated to hear about this. For me, I have also felt "yeah, I'm very safe...", and find times when I'm really tired or feel like taking a short cut......and realize how #@%& dangerous this job is. I have a passion for tree trimming correctly, and that's why I do it. Seeing stuff like this makes me feel terribly sad for his family and friends. EVERYONE......BE CAREFUL ! Be Safe as you can. Don't rush to finish the job 'cause you got another customer waiting, If you're tired...STOP for god sakes. If you need some time off to let your body rest...DO IT. You all know this drill. I don't EVER want to see an article like this again. It makes me physically ill.

Peace,
Chris


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## Toddppm

chipper builder said:


> For those of you who don't KNOW. Brush chippers are all fitted (with in the last three years) with TWO different stop bars, one at leg height on the end of the feed table which is activated by bumping it which stops the feed system . The second is in the control bar either by pushing all the the way or by pulling it towards you all the way.



Maybe on the ones you build ? Homeowner models? But not ALL of them, my new commercial model doesn't and I only remember one that did?


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## BIG JAKE

Koa Man said:


> Not a stupid idea, but I don't think the electronics will hold up. Autofeeds have a hard time surviving the vibration. Most guys will not bother to put on the bracelets or they will get lost after a couple of days. Safest thing is to always have 2 guys chipping. In fact, the owner's manual states that. I have chipped many times by myself, I always cut off the right angles and wide crotches. Those are the ones that create problems and always stand on the side. Standing on the side will probably prevent 99% of the chipper accidents.



If enough folks die they'll(feds or maybe city gov'ts)mandate safety devices on new equipment. Machines already out there could be made to autostop with sensors that trigger off of movement-when motion in the feed tube stops it kills the motor. That alone might buy the unfortunate just enough time to see tomorrow. You could make an autostop/kill using a few sensors and a relay or two to ground the ignition. Maybe one motion sense and a static light curtain to keep it on when empty as in between loading branches when there's nothing in there, but kill the motor when it jams. Or maybe one infrared sensor that could detect an appendage in there and kill the motor that way. As far as reliability they make some pretty good stuff these days-cheap too. You can make redundant sensors(back-up) with an LED that tells you when one of em' fails etc. But it still works with the backup etc. Granted I'm just throwing things out there but I do this sort of thing for a living. Lot's of possibilities. 
The other problem is those things spin down slowly-as in your maybe you're dead any way. At least the ones around here capable of pullihg in the entire body-they spin a long time after you kill the engine. So you could slow it down pretty quick with lots of pretty inexpensive devices such as hydraulic or electric brakes(mount a disk brake rotor or drum to shaft possibly)if you have access to the shaft.
On simpler side if you weld you could cut down the access hole size to only what is necessary or workable(adjustable), maybe a single bar that pivots over the hole or something like that. I don't use those things so don't know the exact config but most things can be modified or made to work. If not buy a brand that can or has safety features built in. But I suspect no one really wants to replace that equipment until necessary due to cost. Maybe a leg tether. Just ideas maybe someone can use.
I don't like seeing guys die. The bottom line is for everyone to make it home every night in one piece.


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## xander9727

Big Jake wrote:
"On simpler side if you weld you could cut down the access hole size to only what is necessary or workable(adjustable"


That's what I want.........a smaller infeed throat......


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## Redbull

A smaller infeed throat will just shift the problem to ripping off limbs instead of taking the whole body, in which case the person is likely to bleed out. I think the glove idea is best and can work exactly like the alarms like Xander said that would simply reverse the feed wheels when activated.


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## xander9727

I agree with Redbull!


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## sal b

*chuck n Duck vs Self feed*

work with older chuck n Duck chipper and self feed and i hate using the chuck n duck. it really beats the crap out of me. the big chipper self feed Vermeer 1800 19 inch capacity on the other hand is a dream to work with. still in awe when you send a monster chunk of wood threw that thing. but i think a chuck n duck will give you more injuries but a self feed will kill you.


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## jmack

*iowa*



chipper builder said:


> For those of you who don't KNOW. Brush chippers are all fitted (with in the last three years) with TWO different stop bars, one at leg height on the end of the feed table which is activated by bumping it which stops the feed system . The second is in the control bar either by pushing all the the way or by pulling it towards you all the way.


y'all build some mighty fine chippers out there in iowa dont ya?


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## jmack

*exceelent machine*



chipper builder said:


> For those of you who don't KNOW. Brush chippers are all fitted (with in the last three years) with TWO different stop bars, one at leg height on the end of the feed table which is activated by bumping it which stops the feed system . The second is in the control bar either by pushing all the the way or by pulling it towards you all the way.


 they have approved safety devices like the man sez this was just that an unexpected event with a bad outcome it seems to me that this accident got huge press cnn newspapers etc. jersey had one, owner and helper both chipping into bandit intimidator.. anyway helper gets pulled in feet first owner reverses feed bar too late took the groundie to the waist 911 called had to pry owner off the lifeless groundie sobbing and cradling him, owner was sedated groundie dead at scene. grisly, great safety videofor guys who have been in the biz for a while, out of new mexico called I felt comfortable about a line man who gets blasted and loses both arms, its utility so when you show it to tree guys you get laughs snickers the usual everybodys hardcore, right/ ten minutes in, the laughing and side chatter stops dead quite, this guy holds up in the screen his metal claws where his arms were and says he got comfortable. who knows what happened to this guy lets hope he didnt get comfortale with a bc1250 God rest his soul heaven called him home, my condolences to his family freinds and the co worker who jumped from the bucket.


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## OutOnaLimb

That happened close to home. Just another reminder of why we need to stay ever cautious around the tools of our trade.

Kenn


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## Chronic1

Chuck and duck, god I hated those chippers.


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## Chronic1

Then again, I started working with guys who didn't use any protective gear, drank all night and smoked dope all day. Good god.


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## Koa Man

I bet if you took a survey, you will find that Bandit chippers have killed or maimed more people that all the others put together. It is NOT because there are more Bandits out there, because I don't think Bandit has more than 50% of the chipper market. Seems like most of the chipper injuries or fatalities I read or hear about have involved a Bandit. How about you guys?


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## BlackenedTimber

I had an old Fitchburg 14" Chuck and Duck for years, and never had any injuries... but we always fed the brush from the side, and always had atleast two people chipping... 

As far as the gloves with the sensors, I think as long as you explain to your workers that the gloves will keep them from getting maimed/killed by the scariest piece of equipment on site, they will wear them without question. 

I have used a Vermeer BC1250 for the past few years, and have had no problems with injuries, however, It does seem that the culprit in most of the tradjedies I hear about is a vermeer. Gotta be really bad PR for them. Its a shame, they make great machines.


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## xander9727

The reason people are getting injured by Bandit and Vermeer chippers is the fact you have to be an idiot to buy one 

Any Arborist with a lick of sense would run a Woodsman!




You guys make it too easy.


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## Chronic1

Vermeer makes the best chipper on the market IMHO.


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## ktate2002

*Perhaps a similar device could save lives*

The video at this site www.sawstop.com has an interesting video that says it all.


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## xander9727

Chronic1 said:


> Vermeer makes the best chipper on the market IMHO.



How many comparisons have you done?

I ran 9 chippers before I bought a woodsman......3 were vermeers. I liked the vermeer the least, then came the morbarks, then bandit and the woodsman I liked best. This is based on perfomance not price. I haven't run a conehead yet but I intend to in the spring. If you haven't shopped around it may be a good idea before you purchase your next chipper.

My $.02


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## BlueRidgeMark

ktate2002 said:


> The video at this site www.sawstop.com has an interesting video that says it all.





 *WOW!*


I want one!


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## Chronic1

Morbark, asplundh,vermeer,bandit ......I know there are others......lol...maryjane memory.


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## Chronic1

xander9727 said:


> How many comparisons have you done?
> 
> I ran 9 chippers before I bought a woodsman......3 were vermeers. I liked the vermeer the least, then came the morbarks, then bandit and the woodsman I liked best. This is based on perfomance not price. I haven't run a conehead yet but I intend to in the spring. If you haven't shopped around it may be a good idea before you purchase your next chipper.
> 
> My $.02



Thanks for the info, it will definately be used next time around.


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## BlueRidgeMark

Chronic1 said:


> ..lol...maryjane memory.



That's funny?


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## SilentElk

This accident happened only a couple of miles from my house. never heard of the company but I feel for his family. Thats a rough way to go. I still dont see how an experienced operator could fall victim to this type of accident if they were being remotely safe. Not tap dancing on the back of the machine and the such.


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## BlueRidgeMark

SilentElk said:


> I still dont see how an experienced operator could fall victim to this type of accident if they were being remotely safe.



Complacency? It kills a lot of people.


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## ned coed

*chippers*

i.ve been servicing a chipper today, it,s an awsome piece of kit the feed jaws are 16inches wide and it will eat pine telephone poles no problem. the guy who owns it told me a story of the earlier model to this. a guy was feeding large branches into it and as he fed one the jaws pulled it through but the guy had,nt noticed a side branch sticking out sideways so as it pulled the branch through it hooked onto the back of the guy and dragged him straight into the hopper through the jaws and cutters and spat the bits into the trailer!. i treat these bits of kit with the utmost respect. regards,NED.


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