# Logging accident on Farm



## Drive_1305 (Jul 30, 2006)

I don't know him real good, but a young fellow 25, where I work was hurt bad earlier this year cutting logs. Him and his dad cut some logs now and then on their farm and haul them to the sawmill. He was cutting a 20" white oak that was leaning and it kicked back and fell on him. I thought it had just broke his leg, but I got to talking to him and he said it hit him in the chest knocked him down and fell on him. He had a punctured lung, lost his gall bladder, and lost a lot of blood internally-plus it broke his ankle. His dad was with him and he had to cut the log up to get it off him. Then when the ambulance came, his mother was the paramedic. He said she kept her cool until they got to the hospital (25 miles) then she broke down. He had insurance but the bills totaled about $60k for the hospital and $50k for the doctors. Sounds like to me he was lucky he didn't die. I think he's been off work for about 4 months.

I don't know much about cuttting timber, just what I read here and on the net. I told him I read where those leaners were dangerous and when they kick back like that I think they call it "barber chairing". I also told him I think the pros bore the saw into the tree to do the back cut. Didn't seem like he had ever heard of baber chairing or these techniques so maybe he wasn't experienced enough. But accidents happen to the pros too. He said he loves cutting and wanted to get into it more, but now he's kind of scared of it. I've only talked to him once about 20 minutes but he seems like a really nice fellow that loves saws and cutting wood.


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## Jim1NZ (Jul 30, 2006)

Hope he gets well soon.

It makes professional training sound cheep doesn't it. Im not a big fan of learning the hard way, especially when your life's at stake.


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## 046 (Jul 30, 2006)

always sad to hear someone getting hurt...

I'd never heard of barber chair before joining AS. 
there's life saving information offered here!


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## BlueRidgeMark (Jul 30, 2006)

046 said:


> there's life saving information offered here!



Yes, the most important piece of info available here is this:


*It's not as simple as it looks!*


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