# Company Fined $80,000 for 2001 Accident



## trees4life (Sep 2, 2003)

Attached is a copy of an article reporting a judgement made earlier this year, against a company after a climber was was injured. Unfortunately, I do not have any specific details, but can guess some of the infractions due to the judgement.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Sep 2, 2003)

That was a burocratic statement, what they seem to be saying is that he was not tied in while working.

Now Canada has some presidance for going after companies who do not make their people work properly.

If we don't do it the governement will decide the best way.


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## trees4life (Sep 3, 2003)

I've never heard of a work positioning system here and I was unable to locate a 'work positioning' system in the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety regs. The fall arrest required in tree work here is the same as the work positioning system required by OSHA. Semantics.


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## mrtree (Sep 3, 2003)

Fall arrest and work positioning systems are not the same and certainly are not a matter of semantics. Check out the construction safety book and the ASWP book and talk to a few people and find out the difference.

As for Capital Arborists good ridence, they are not in my oponion a company we need operating in the nations capital. Interestingly this one of the companies Jumper worked for.

Michael


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## Matt Follett (Sep 3, 2003)

Fall Arrest Systems (FAS) and Work Position Systems (WPS) Fall Restricting System (FRS)

Trees4Life, I'm pretty sure (office is packed... just moved... can't find it) everything is well laid out in the OHSA books, certainly is in the 'Arborist Safe Work' practices developed in part with the Farm Safety Assc. But anyhow Work Positioning System holds the worker in place, though short devices which won't allow you to fall more the 'X' distance (1m in Ontario)... Fall Arrest System slows your fall if you do... used generally in scaffold work high steel, etc Travel Restriction System (TRS) doesn't let you get to were you can fall (ie edge of bridge)

in tree climbing we have adopted a mix match, our climbing rope will allow some degree of fall arrest (I'm interested what will happen with these more static climbing lines in red tape juristicitions...) our lanyard is a work postioning system... and pulling up slack as we assend our rope is our travel restriction/work position... 

There is some thought in Canada (Ontario) that we will see body harnesses mandatory... ie over the shoulder types... great more gear and weight bla bla bla 

What's really important here is the injury and the fact that complacency caused an accident, they are a tree company with the gear... and somebody, in the essence of time perhaps took the risk of climbing without gear, we all know it happens but we need to invite discussion, and awareness that it can't, educate the consumer on the safe ways of doing things and decrease the need for speed in the persuit of the all mightly dollar.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Sep 4, 2003)

The biggest problem with the Fall Arrest is that it requires doral connection to limit worker injury in case of an actual fall.

This is the main reason for the US arbostist industry arguing for the use of the WPS symantics. Also a FAS is not intended to bear load most of the time durring normal work., some are actually designed to limit range of motion.

The Line, Lanyard, Saddles system is primary for worker positioning and seondarily for fall arrest.

This is why the Z100 speaks to WPS in climbing and FAS for bucket use.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Sep 4, 2003)

i'd think full body is a lil'more comfy in Canadian climate than'ere. i think that a loaded positioning system, that you face where you're being pulled into (and springy legs); than a loose fall arrest pulling you from blind side. 




> _Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel _
> *..... Somebody needs to beat that lawyer with a stupid stick(hey, i couldn't leave that part out....).
> 
> 
> ...



And just why should they get to read it whenst the rest of us can't?




And how come i'm the only one that can't put me on ignore? i think that is somehow unfair that everyone can ignore me except me!:alien:


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