# Safety



## Cummins00 (Mar 13, 2010)

All the focus on built up danger at every corner really urks me. To me it feels like the producers and camera crew want people to get hurt, and unfortunately it seems that danger sells. I've lost a couple good friends in the woods and to trivialize it they way they have with their little joke animations and having to listen to punks like Gabe talking about safety when he doesn't have a clue in the world angers me. I watch the show and I'll keep watching and talking about it, hard not to when it's local and you see people you know. Maybe I'm taking it too personally but does anyone else feel the same way? 

I don't know .. I've seen #### hit the fan out there and it's nothing to take lightly when you see people you care about get seriously hurt. Hell I spent almost a year unable to walk after somehow not getting killed by a tree that took me down the hill and mushed me up good. Anyone else bothered by this shows focus on a complete lack of any sense of safety?


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## Humptulips (Mar 14, 2010)

Yea, I know what you mean. It seems they talk about safety but more in the terms of keep watching because some one might get squashed. I guess it's all about getting people to watch but it got so bad I just quit watching.
That's the only thing that will stop it, when people stop watching.


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## Woodcutteranon (Mar 14, 2010)

I remember at the end of last season...when the greenhorn told Pa Rygaard he was quitting because he is not appreciated...go figure...

The greenhorn said something like..."You don't appreciate what I do...I risk my life out here every minute of every day for you..."

Pa Rygaard exploded on him yelling "Risking your life? Risking your life? You aren't risking your life out here...Tell me how your life is at risk working out here."


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## Cummins00 (Mar 15, 2010)

I wonder if the belly hook breaking on Connor ever really happened - I watched the video again and if was definitely a recreation as he just dumped the long line. On another subject, anyone else think that "Earthquake" guy is a joke? I've never actually even seen him do anything other then run one direction, yell something about the sky is falling then panic and run blindly in the opposite direction.


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## joesawer (Mar 16, 2010)

The whole show is a joke and I can't stand to watch it.
I am sick of people asking me if what I do is like what they do on this show.
I want to choke the people responsible for making it so fake and presenting such a negative stereo type.


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## redprospector (Mar 16, 2010)

joesawer said:


> The whole show is a joke and I can't stand to watch it.
> I am sick of people asking me if what I do is like what they do on this show.
> I want to choke the people responsible for making it so fake and presenting such a negative stereo type.



:agree2:
+10

Andy


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## wvlogger (Mar 16, 2010)

is it just me or did the so called mount for the long line on that chopper look awfauly small. i meen come on there is probbly 6 to 8000 pounds of force on that peice when you dead lift the logs. The torsion bars on the 94 blazer i just got done cutting up(witch i must say make an awesome prybar) were 3 times the size of that ####. And the log pile eccident week after last was totally fake. You can see the shovel pull a log out of the bottom of the pile.


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## Gologit (Mar 17, 2010)

joesawer said:


> The whole show is a joke and I can't stand to watch it.
> I am sick of people asking me if what I do is like what they do on this show.
> I want to choke the people responsible for making it so fake and presenting such a negative stereo type.



Yup. Every _real_ logger I know hates the show.


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## Cummins00 (Mar 18, 2010)

Gologit said:


> Yup. Every _real_ logger I know hates the show.



If the Rygaards weren't the joke of the local logging community before ( which they were ) they definitely are since Ax-men started airing them. :monkey:


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## s37d (Mar 19, 2010)

Yeah the drama is annoying, feels more like some mtv reality show sometimes than a logging show, especially this season. I find myself saying out loud, "K, enough of man A screaming at man B, let's see some wood chips flying." If the entire show every episode start to finish was just guys cutting down trees, with no ridiculous "build-up" music attempting to incite anxiety and fear in the viewer, I'd be perfectly happy with it.


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## Saw Bones (Mar 19, 2010)

Gologit said:


> Yup. Every _real_ logger I know hates the show.




I am not a logger, but I wanted to see what you guys do. After a short time I figured out that it wasn't a good representation of what the job is like. 

I have also seen some shows about what the "Oil Field" is supposed to be like, and the only resemblence was the equipment. The rest was set up for the camera. 

I guess they think that's what sells.


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## joesawer (Mar 20, 2010)

I think Hollyweird is as out of touch with reality as the politicians are.


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## chucker (Mar 20, 2010)

watching it on the boob tube not good! !!! seeing it in person better!! doing it your self "PRICELESS" even with a few mistakes! personal experiance is the best teacher...................


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## biggenius29 (Mar 20, 2010)

joesawer said:


> I think Hollyweird is as out of touch with reality as the politicians are.





WHAT!!! You mean Hollywood is out of touch with reality?!!!!!????? 



You just ruined my day......


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## keith811 (Mar 20, 2010)

as far as tv shows go it's not the worst show I've ever seen. as far as being real I don't know I've never worked for an operation large enough to need one of those big drag lines. I know one thing though the other week when the fat a## guy showed up the green horns pourch and yelled and threw chairs green or not any real logger would have knocked him upside his fat head


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## wvlogger (Mar 20, 2010)

keith811 said:


> I know one thing though the other week when the fat a## guy showed up the green horns pourch and yelled and threw chairs green or not any real logger would have knocked him upside his fat head



if hewould come to wv and do that he would have been shot on the spot:deadhorse:


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## garyischofield (Mar 23, 2010)

*what a ****** joke*

To see the situations these young chasers are put in with all this supposed pressure to produce is either deception or extremely poor judgment by the rygard's.That young kid running that saw limbing up a nasty softwood was straight-up insanity.I've seen enough horrendous crap in my 35 years of logging to say that scene was total negligence of any boss to put the kid in that position.He 's a gamer but he didn't have even a rudimentary clue about running that saw.I could go on for an hour about how despicable this show is.I like the logging shots ,but the rest is so phoney it's an insult to the profession.


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## Blue Babe (Mar 24, 2010)

I have to agree with all of you on Gabe not being too bright. Why would one let themselves be portrayed as such idoits, as they let themselves be shown? A question to anyone that knows them or lives in the same area? Are they really as bad as they are being made out to be? Even a new green horn should be trained in the safe way to do things instead of just being handed a saw, and told to start trimming. That is one of the quickest ways to get someone seriously hurt or maybe even killed. I don't understand what kind of OSHA Safety Enforcement Agency they have in Washington State that would allow this to be filmed and no responce on there part. It makes the Professional Loggers out there look bad. He wouldn't last long in W Va as was posted earlier by another poster. They will not tolerate his type of attitude. I promise he would be a changed man. Either he would be a better person, or he would actualy be a changed man. They would castrate him, no questions asked.


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## Jkebxjunke (Mar 24, 2010)

Blue Babe said:


> I have to agree with all of you on Gabe not being too bright. *Why would one let themselves be portrayed as such idoits, as they let themselves be shown?* A question to anyone that knows them or lives in the same area? Are they really as bad as they are being made out to be? Even a new green horn should be trained in the safe way to do things instead of just being handed a saw, and told to start trimming. That is one of the quickest ways to get someone seriously hurt or maybe even killed. I don't understand what kind of OSHA Safety Enforcement Agency they have in Washington State that would allow this to be filmed and no responce on there part. It makes the Professional Loggers out there look bad. He wouldn't last long in W Va as was posted earlier by another poster. They will not tolerate his type of attitude. I promise he would be a changed man. Either he would be a better person, or he would actualy be a changed man. They would castrate him, no questions asked.




I am guessing its a really big check


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## pachickadee (Apr 7, 2010)

Blue Babe said:


> I have to agree with all of you on Gabe not being too bright. Why would one let themselves be portrayed as such idoits, as they let themselves be shown? A question to anyone that knows them or lives in the same area? Are they really as bad as they are being made out to be? Even a new green horn should be trained in the safe way to do things instead of just being handed a saw, and told to start trimming. That is one of the quickest ways to get someone seriously hurt or maybe even killed. I don't understand what kind of OSHA Safety Enforcement Agency they have in Washington State that would allow this to be filmed and no responce on there part. It makes the Professional Loggers out there look bad. He wouldn't last long in W Va as was posted earlier by another poster. They will not tolerate his type of attitude. I promise he would be a changed man. Either he would be a better person, or he would actualy be a changed man. They would castrate him, no questions asked.



yea the rygaards are really like that. They are known through the community for high over turn, not paying bills, not paying employees, etc, etc, etc. They are a joke around here. 
Im not sure about OSHA but L&I is very aware on how they treat thier employees.
yes the production company cuts the owners of the companies big checks to be on the show. They also get sponsorships through various companies.


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## Jkebxjunke (Apr 7, 2010)

pachickadee said:


> yea the rygaards are really like that. They are known through the community for high over turn, not paying bills, not paying employees, etc, etc, etc. They are a joke around here.
> Im not sure about OSHA but L&I is very aware on how they treat thier employees.
> yes the production company cuts the owners of the companies big checks to be on the show. They also get sponsorships through various companies.



lets not forget the inevitable book deal that will probably be next...


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## Rodbuster22 (Apr 19, 2010)

I have been an ironworker for 9 years. I have worked structural and reinforcing steel. As a result, I know a little something about what it takes to keep from getting killed. 

My point is in regard to the incident at the Rygaard landing when the greenhorn got his hand bit in the choker because the operator got up on the log that the choker had not been cut loose from yet. How in the world can that be anything but the operators fault? Who told him to he was clear to run back down the hill? That guys got a job to do cuttin' that choker loose and if it takes all day then tough luck. You don't go hellin' down the hill until he tells you he's clear. I would have beat him down with my one good hand after that incident. 

I'm sure that if they had a show about settin' iron or tyin' rods I'd be unable to watch it too. It would disgust me to see complete idiots jump and holler and make a spectacle of themselves. I am a professional and I want my job done fast and efficient and with as little fan fare as possible.


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## stevohut (May 21, 2010)

Rodbuster22 said:


> I have been an ironworker for 9 years. I have worked structural and reinforcing steel. As a result, I know a little something about what it takes to keep from getting killed.
> 
> My point is in regard to the incident at the Rygaard landing when the greenhorn got his hand bit in the choker because the operator got up on the log that the choker had not been cut loose from yet. How in the world can that be anything but the operators fault? Who told him to he was clear to run back down the hill? That guys got a job to do cuttin' that choker loose and if it takes all day then tough luck. You don't go hellin' down the hill until he tells you he's clear. I would have beat him down with my one good hand after that incident.
> 
> I'm sure that if they had a show about settin' iron or tyin' rods I'd be unable to watch it too. It would disgust me to see complete idiots jump and holler and make a spectacle of themselves. I am a professional and I want my job done fast and efficient and with as little fan fare as possible.




That is a very interesting trade you chose. I would love to have the 6th sense you must have developed to be up on that high iron. Being able to trust your mates and know that everybody thinks in unicin is something everybody should know when the deck is stacked against you. It's hard to find that co-operation and skill in people. I worked many years as a plastics processing technician. You work in pairs, with overhead cranes and 6000lbs of solid steal tooling dangling 10' above your head. One guy mans the controls on the crane and the molding machine while the other guy works the other side of the machine. Sometimes you have no idea what is going on but you know the guy you work with and adapt his style to yours. You could get crushed in the machine or shot with a wad of hot plastic that sticks like glue the worst thing you can do is touch it. All you can do is run for water, touching it just spreads it around. That trade showed me some valuable lessons in safety which I use in the bush to my advantage. But that second guy is the best tool you can have next to your chainsaw.

steve


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## JimM (Nov 6, 2010)

I realize this an old thread, but I gotta ask.
Do (non-TV) loggers usually wear any eye protection? Other than a faller wearing bug-eyes in the first season I never see anyone wearing anything , except a couple guys have what appears to be prescription glasses. They are always hammering on stuff, using chop saws on cable, running chainsaws, flinging wire/cable around, just #### flying everywhere all the time. Makes me cringe. 
I'm just a firewood guy but I never go cutting without safety glasses. It is often the only safety gear I use, but to me the most important. I simply will not work in the woods without them.
Is it a TV thing, or is it just not used in real life either.

Do you wear any?


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## osujake (Nov 7, 2010)

Can't speak for all but locally I have seen Cutters wear no safety glasses (sometimes sunglasses) but they wear hard hats. I formerly ran an auto repair shop for a Major Tire Manufacturer and the rules followed OSHA. I worked hard to enforce safety glasses. I set the example wearing them all the time making it a habit where I actually felt uncomfortable or odd in the shop area without them. I had some employees that were very receptive and others that were not. The culture was there and that made the difference. In other shops (same company) safety glasses and other safety equipment is only used when the big boss is around as well as following other rules. It all depends on what the culture is and what is important to the supervisor and their enforcement. I am sure it is similar across all industries.


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## homelitejim (Nov 14, 2010)

Watch a youtube video of a pro or an amateur cutting wood and read the comments below the first thing is about safety and PPE. Yet watch a show about pro loggers in the field and the only commonly used PPE is a helmet and maybe a pair of steel-toed boots. Now when i read comments below the videos i know it is just a guy at a saw shop trying to sell the PPE he has had in stock for years. I'm a firewood guy and all i wear is pants a long sleeve shirt, steel-toed boots, and gloves. I am ordering a helmet before i go back out in the woods, my head is pretty hard but not that hard.


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## 2dogs (Nov 14, 2010)

PPE is a personal decision when it is just you. Listen and learn and then make your descision. If you work for someone else then you might have input but you will wear what you're told or take a hike. 

One man's choice may not work for another man. I could never wear regular safety glasses because I sweat too much plus I wear Rx glasses at times. So I use either mesh goggles or a mesh shield I've had for 30 years. Helmet systems don't work well for me because I am too rough on them and parts break off. Not a fault of the system, just me. Still I like the system for milling and firewooding. The system works well for chipping.

I've worn chaps for 25 years and they are second nature too me. Still I take them off if I have to move fast at the stump. BTW I only wear FSS chaps, never the cheapo Stihl/Husqvarna type.


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## slowp (Nov 16, 2010)

The only steel toed boots I see in the woods are the rubber Viking calks. They just happen to have steel toes. I wear them in the wet season, now, but could do without the added weight of the steel. They are the lowest priced, but durable rubber calk and that's why we wear them. 

Most folks pay attention to where their toes are. I will admit that the steel toes are great for kicking stobs and branches off logs.  They'd probably make a great hardhat punting boot. Maybe I'll try that this winter? Got new people who don't know me, what a good impression that would make.


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## Humptulips (Nov 17, 2010)

Ok, so I'm mostly out of it now but up until about 4 years ago I logged every day. Things have evolved over the years. I never saw any kind of safety equipment except a tin hat for years and even the tin hat sat on a stump at times. Now L&I is pretty hot about some things. Chasers get the worst of it chaps, ear plugs and glasses. The glasses only get worn when L&I is around in my experience. I was a hooktender and spliced a lot of line chopped line with a wire axe, used a line saw and once in a while a cutting torch. Never used any kind of eye protection. Mostly we didn't have any. I refused to use chaps and still do. I just didn't use the saw on a continuous enough basis to warrant the extra weight and restriction. Had two chain saw cuts in my life both on my fingers. Can't stand the ear plugs but I will admit I could have used them over the years. Mostly they weren't available until recent years. The muffs are a joke around here. You have to have a full brim in our rainy enviroment and the two don't go together.
Steel toed boots aren't needed or required and they're cold in the winter time.
The one thing that has cut accidents in the woods. Most real loggers are out of work, replaced by hydraulic shovels. They fall, log, buck , limb and load all without a man on the ground. Put a lot of men out of work! The days of the highlead, slacklines and towers are gone. Obsolete as spar trees and sled donkeys.


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## Rodbuster22 (Nov 19, 2010)

I recently worked with a guy that spent a few years workin' rods in Seattle, WA. He told me that the loggers as a general rule were really good Ironworkers. He said they weren't afraid of anything and could work like hell.


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