# Morbark Death.



## Log hog (Jun 3, 2007)

Does anyone remember the man from southeast WI I think it was Pleasant Parrie who was sucked through a Morbark chipper last fall. Well I happened to be talking to the Morbark rep and he told me the whole story. He told me that company A sold chipper to company B who rented it to this tree service. He told me that they kept bumping the reverse bar for the feed wheels, I guess with the brush and there bodies. Well to make life easier they disconnected the reverse bar and the owner of the company was standing on the feed shoot kicking and jumping on the brush when he was pulled through and killed. Now that explains why they couldn't stop the machine. I was just curious if any one else heard this also. I know when this first happened everyone thought that it was the rental company's fault of the manufactures fault that the chipper malfunctioned. He told me that the lawyers where there for weeks at the dealership looking at the chippers and asking if these reverse bars come on all the chippers and if they should all work the same.


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## CoreyTMorine (Jun 4, 2007)

He must have gone through feet first, that’s horrible. That is one of the most unpleasant things I can imagine, for some reason the image jumps into my head every so often and I think about what it must be like to feel your feet getting turned into chips, and then your legs and to know that even if you get out of this your legs are gone forever. Not that your going to get out of it. By that time it’s probably up to your hips, chewing away. Maybe he passed out…

In answer to your question; nope, haven’t heard a thing about the resulting legalitiness. But I am always surprised at the things that you can rent. There are more ways for a person to kill themselves in a rental yard than anyplace else I have ever been. Its kind of amazing that the industry hasn’t been sued to death.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jun 6, 2007)

At the WAA winter show i talked to a former dealer rep who know the fellow and the company that owned the chipper.

The fellow worked for the owner and was starting his own buisness working nights and weekends. He borrowed the chipper and had kin working the ground for him.

For years I've shuddered when I see people do that, I hope his "passing" serves as a lesson for people who do not believe taht it can happen.


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 7, 2007)

A bit OT. There was a clip on the local news the other night that made me shudder a bit. Crew cleaning up a blow down over a street. Guy walks up to the chipper with a large branch, stands right agains the chipper and feeds the butt end in with the big brushy end feeding past him brushing his clothes.

Harry K


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## Industry (Jun 8, 2007)

Maybe I'm not picturing what you are saying correctly, but how else do you feed a chipper?


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## Ed Roland (Jun 8, 2007)

Industry said:


> Maybe I'm not picturing what you are saying correctly, but how else do you feed a chipper?



off to the side, never between the brush being fed and the feeder.


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## nytreeman (Jun 9, 2007)

woodweasel said:


> off to the side, never between the brush being fed and the feeder.



My first 2 chippers were an old drum vermeer and a old woodchuck that I still have as a spare,both fast feed/the knifes take in the brush so no safety,you learn fast to stay to the side or behind the limbs


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