# Throwline through chipper



## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 7, 2003)

While I was in VA, a buddy I work with had a scare.

they did not bag up the throwline because he was going from tree to tree with it. they also were chipping as they went.

The line got in some brush, went into the chipper and wrapped around the drum.

then it burned past his wrist, melting a line in his cuff, and the bag which was tied off to the line end whacked his thigh and wrist bone.

What would have happend if he did not have long shirt cuffs? What would have happend if it had taken a wrap on his wrist before catching on the drum?

All he can say is he was darned lucky (yes, he does talk like that) allways will pack the line up right away. I'll be getting him a cube at the show.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 7, 2003)

Between the two guys on the job there is around 40 years of climbing experiance. Just a couple of good guys humping brush too fast.

Both own thier own companies (micros) and are 2 of my best clients, and some of the safest operators I've ever worked with.

We all make mistakes from time to time, the purpose of this page to learn from others mistakes. Not to go off on some half-cocked rant based on weak assumptions.


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## tophopper (Nov 8, 2003)

JP,
Scary story, hard to imagine (prior to hearing this) that throwline could be real dangerous on a job site. Ive heard stories of ropes being pulled through chippers. My fear would being having the tail of your rope getting sucked in and snapping you right out of the tree. 
Whenever i am in a tree where it may be possible for any rope to potentially caught, I make sure that everyone and anyone is fully aware of where my rope is at all times, either that or simply wait to chip. 
i imagine had it not been for his cuff, he would probably have some serious to moderate skin and tissue damage.


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## Newfie (Nov 8, 2003)

I guess the morale of the story is that potential accidents and mishaps are just waiting to happen NO MATTER how much experience, once vigilance to details gets lost in the rush.

I can't say that I can blame Brian for his opinion. If this kind of thing can happen to "experts" why would anyone want to stack the odds against themselves by working with a crew of retards and misanthropes.


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## MasterBlaster (Nov 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel _
> *JPS- I do not care if you think of my words as 'some half-cocked rant based on weak assumptions'. F you. I have a real phobia about my rope getting caught by a groundman and drug off toward the chipper. Like tophopper I pay close attention to the tail of my lifeline. I'm sorry that you do not care for the words I used to try and describe just how strongly I feel about this. F you again. *




Such a productive post!
I suspect in real life your a tiny, little mouse that doesn't play with others very well.
Cyberspace seems to swell your head a tad, eh?


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## rborist1 (Nov 8, 2003)

:Eye:


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel _
> *JPS- F you.....F you again. *




 

You constantly remind us how old you are, it's about time you start acting something close to it.

I tire of you petty little negative outbursts. It detracts from the site. 

This forum is for thoughtfull discussion of accidents.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by tophopper _
> *JP,
> Scary story, hard to imagine ...I make sure that everyone and anyone is fully aware of where my rope ... i imagine had it not been for his cuff, he would probably have some serious to moderate skin and tissue damage. *



Yeah John, even 2-3 weeks after, his eyes got big telling me. 

He has some bruising still from the line bag D-ring hitting him. Just think what it would have been if a carabiner and/or shot bag had been on!

Once I was throwing a line on a very hot day, I had a little line behind me and it went up into my armpit and put a burn streak 4 inches long in the soft tissue. My buddies arm could have been cut bad with that Zing-It.


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## Davidsinatree (Nov 9, 2003)

*throw-line burn*

I rope burned both arm pits at different times this summer wearing sleevless shirts, that hurts like  Deoderant makes it feal even worse, I learned a good lesson. I make sure that line is ALL in front of me now before I launch it.  Hope yer buddy heals up quik.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 9, 2003)

*Re: throw-line burn*



> _Originally posted by David Hardman _
> * Hope yer buddy heals up quik. *



It was mostly Tom's pride, and he's a humble amn. So there was no long lasting effect. Aside from lessons learned that is.

The "funny" thing about it is that the other fella (Dave) that was working with him almost fed my spectra in this past Wednesday.

I was setting a line while he was chipping (I was sub'ing to him) and I had to yell and jerk the line.

That is how I heard the story about Tom's close call. I worked with Tom the next day and got heard the whole thing.


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## tophopper (Nov 10, 2003)

ive had throwline burns on both arms before and they sting like you wouldn't believe. Lat year I was making a throw while wearing my saddle, when I released the throw the bag made it about 20 ft out in front of me then the line snagged up on my saddle someplace, the bag stopped dead in its coarse and came shooting back at me, i tried to move but wasnt quick enough, the bag (14 oz.) nailed me right in the adams apple and knocked me on my arse. My throat was sore for a week. And I thought the line burns hurt


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 10, 2003)

I had one hang up on a red oak bark flake, somewhat low on the tree 

I tried to pull it off to no avail, then on hard jerk and it came rileing twards me.

Just enough time to step around and back, the thing took me low in the back and cracked a rib.


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## MasterBlaster (Nov 10, 2003)

Dang! You guys are gonna kill yurselfs!


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## njarbor (Nov 17, 2003)

a few weeks ago i was trying to free a bag one of the yahoos i was working with got snagged . so im pulling on it with a piece of wood and all of the sudden , the mofo frees up and flies at me at like mach 1 . i instinctivly crouched down and turned where it proceeded to nail me in the back right on my kindeys..


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## xander9727 (Nov 17, 2003)

Last week one of my guys did the same thing and hit himself in the nads. It's hard not to laugh. No permanent damage 'cept for his pride.


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## njarbor (Nov 17, 2003)

last time i got hit with anything like that was varsity hockey in highschool . got nailed from behind and wizzed blood for 2 days


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## Yellowdog (Nov 30, 2003)

*Barb wire can get pulled in too*

I have a real fear of things getting tangled in with the brush. We often chip large piles on ranches and along fence lines. It doesn't happen often, but we sometimes come across barbed wire wrapped in through the trees. The problems occur when we are chipping cedar trees that are dead and have turned a rusty brown. This makes seeing pieces of wire very difficult. I have never actually chipped wire but once or twice pulled dead trees close to the chipper only to find a long strand of rusty barb wire hidden. That gives me a real scare. I can only imagine wire getting hung up on me or someone working with me while it is quickly wrapped around the drum!


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## njarbor (Dec 2, 2003)

that would feel marvelous to have barbed wire tear your leg giving you a little taste of teatanus


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## MasterBlaster (Dec 2, 2003)

Little scratches like that oughta not slow you down THAT much!


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## njarbor (Dec 2, 2003)

just today i had a thornbush wrapped around my whrist while it went through the chipper. it felt good in a sick kinda way


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## xander9727 (Dec 7, 2003)

Rocky,
We do not live in a perfect world. I find it hard to believe that JPS is a loose cannon. I have had people make the same mistake twice. It is the attitude of the person when they make the mistake that is most important. I had an employee that made alot of mistakes but never the same one twice. When confronted he would shrug his shoulders or roll his eyes and half heartedly apologize. He was a true hazard to the work place. His apathetic attitude would have lead to someone getting injured had I kept him employed. Another employee still has to be reminded to keep an eye on the end of the bar while bucking. He has worked for me for 8 months and I have a real problem with people who use my saws as a trencher. When confronted you can see the pain in his face. He sharpens all of the chains (voluntarily) if he hits the dirt. JPS gave us a little info on this subject. Your better off not making blanket statements without all of the information. You don't have to agree with everything people say......you also don't have to respond.


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## Yellowdog (Dec 7, 2003)

Rocky,
I think you nailed on the last one. It's the dangerous one's that don't notice they are doing something dangerous. That's what gets us hurt. We all make mistakes but most people with common sense either learn from the mistake or stop in the middle and correct it.


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## xander9727 (Dec 7, 2003)

> _Originally posted by TreeCo _
> 
> It seems that by the time people learn to sharpen chains they know better than to trench with a saw. Just my experience.
> 
> Dan [/B]



Dan,
I don't let him file the chains. I use a bench mounted grinder. For production work I explain less and get much more consistent results with a grinder. The employee I'm referring to is very dedicated but doesn't grasp concepts as fast as most people. What he does specifically is: While bucking he will pull on the dogs and angle the saw to far allowing the tip to contact the ground. This happens once every six weeks or so. It happened every couple of weeks when he started. Nobody is perfect and short of the trenching issue he is a safe and loyal employee.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Dec 8, 2003)

*Climbing rope in the chipper.*

I was on a job and an old highschool buddy saw me working and came over to say hi. Amoung other things he told me the story of how he got hurt doing tree work.
He had just come out of the tree and was walking around getting ready to go up another, while the ground crew was chipping. you can guess what happened. Somehow his climbing rope went in the chipper. Nobody saw what happened next, but as the rope got pulled into the chipper, it hooked his leg, pulled him down to the ground rendering him instantly unconscious, and dragged him about thirty feet towards the chipper before the rope came off his foot and disappeared into the chips.
The way they figured out what happen was only buy the location of his hardhat, marks on the ground, his ankle damage, and rope in the chipper.


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## xander9727 (Dec 8, 2003)

I'm not quite sure how I would handle that situation. I can't think of a nice or socially acceptable response. Any suggestions?


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## MasterBlaster (Dec 8, 2003)

And people wonder why Brians so touchy on the subject!


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Dec 8, 2003)

If I'm climbing near the chip crew, I carry my rope in a bag with me.


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## MasterBlaster (Dec 8, 2003)

I keep it off the ground fer dang sure!

Thats one of the reasons I've taken to using a shorter rope nowadays.


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