# Chipper Fatality-Lakeland, FL.- march 2003



## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 20, 2003)

*Possible Chipper Fatality??*

Got a few emails.

All that is known is an unofficial report of the female part owner of a "mom & pop" servic in South FLA went through a chipper.

Maybe you guys down there can keep eyes and ears open to the media.

I cannot imagine seeing this happen, much les it being a spouce


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## TheTreeSpyder (Mar 20, 2003)

*Quick way to Disapear*

Lakeland, Florida 3-19-03

24 yr. old Lady working for her husband's established tree service,
diasappeaared into the chipper instantly when reaching inside the chute this day.

Gone,
Dead,
Splattered,
Closed Casket.

Pretty, petite, free spirt lady; 1 scream. Left a 7year old son too. Also left a screaming, crying, puking husband on the front lawn as witness with the help. 

Ran the machine occaasionally, letting guys drag. They got a safety trim from the city for powerlines, playing it safe. Just there, picking them up and disposing of them, nothing special, cool afternoon for Fla.

The homeowner had a knock at the door, while she was busy inside watching TV, in her nice home on one of our more established, but brcik streets and oaaks to match the effect. The officer had to notify her and start his report, a passsing bicyclist had to call 911 as noone else was fit to.

Kinda gotta go.


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## treeman82 (Mar 20, 2003)

Ken, did you know this woman? Sounds like you did somehow. How is the family holding up, if you know them at all?


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## Treeman14 (Mar 20, 2003)

I just skimmed through the article in the paper. It said the crew just hopped in the truck and left abruptly, leaving the chipper running. They either freaked, or perhaps something else happened??? Police and OSHA are investigating. I'll pass along details as they become available.

BTW, the same company lost a worker back in '96 to a struck-by. 30 foot peice of trunk fell on a guy. They were fined $750 by OSHA for safety violations.


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## treeman82 (Mar 20, 2003)

Brett, what paper was this in? Do you know if the article is available online to read?? If not, could you scan it in?


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## lhampton (Mar 20, 2003)

I found it in the Lakeland Ledger

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs....gory=NEWS&ArtNo=303200001&Ref=AR&Profile=1134

Louie Hampton


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 20, 2003)

I've emailed a link to the thread to a number of people.

The salient point of the article is here;



> *In the past, Davies said she had seen her friend reach in and push wood through the chipper when the wood wouldn't slide through smoothly.
> 
> "I told her not to do it," she said. "I've seen her reach in and push it in." *



Bandit 250


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## Treeman14 (Mar 20, 2003)

This is the story as it appeared in today's Tampa Tribune. 




Wood Chipper Death Probably Accidental
By DEBORAH ALBERTO [email protected] 
Published: Mar 21, 2003




LAKELAND - Police say the death of a 24-year-old Lakeland woman who was caught in a wood chipper Wednesday appears to be accidental. 
Roziland Jennifer Mowell, whose husband owns Ashbranch Tree Service, was working with an Ashbranch crew in an upscale historic south Lakeland neighborhood when she got caught in the machine, police said. 

About 1 p.m., the woman's co-workers ran from the home, at 2222 Cambridge Ave., hopped into a truck and left the scene. They called police a short while later. ``We don't know why [the co-workers] left the scene,'' police spokesman Jack Gillen said. 

Meanwhile, contractors working on the home across the street heard the wood chipper, which was attached to a company truck, continue to run. Police would not say whether the machine was still running when they arrived, or how much time passed before the workers called to report the incident. Gillen said the workers were questioned and released. 

``We do know how her body got into the chipper, but that is still under investigation,'' Gillen said, adding that details may become available today. 

The woman's entire body passed through the machine, Gillen said. 

``It is very tragic,'' he said. 

The homeowner, Judith Sellers, first learned about the death that occurred in her back yard when police arrived at her door. 

``The circumstances are certainly not ordinary. You would think that the homeowner would have known [about the incident] because normally, they would have run into her home to use the phone,'' Gillen said. 

Sellers could not be reached for comment, but a contractor working across the street from the home said he and his employees found the situation bizarre. ``It was their first day here, and we didn't hear them doing any work,'' Larry Laxdal said. ``We didn't hear any chain saws going all morning. Then, all of a sudden they all hopped in the truck and left. The only thing we heard after that was the chipper.'' 

R. Bryan Mowell owns Ashbranch, but the company lost its status as a corporation in November when he didn't file required paperwork, state records show. Mowell could not be reached for comment. 

The incident is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

It is not the first time an employee of Ashbranch was killed on the job. Sixteen-year-old Paul Plynaar was killed in July 1996 when a 30-foot tree trunk fell on him, police reported. Two months later, OSHA fined Mowell $750 for a safety violation. 

In 1999, another tree service worker in the Tampa Bay area was killed in a wood chipper accident in Valrico. Joshua Avery, 22, of 12973 Valley Ridge Road in Dover, died when he was sucked into a wood chipper after trying to free a stuck branch. He worked for Farrens Tree Surgeons Inc.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Mar 21, 2003)

*She Left Some Finger Prints*

Published Friday, March 21, 2003


PULLED INTO WOOD CHIPPER
Woman's Horrific Death Under Scrutiny
Official tries to identify the remains while OSHA checks for violations.


By John Chambliss
The Ledger
[email protected]

LAKELAND -- The Polk County Medical Examiner on Thursday attempted to officially identify a woman sucked through a wood chipper the day before, as OSHA began its investigation into the gruesome death to determine whether there were any violations within the company.

Working for her husband's tree-cutting company, Roziland Jennifer Mowell, 24, was killed Wednesday when her whole body was accidentally caught in the chipper and sucked through the 2-feet-by-2-feet opening.

Police have said there's no indication of foul play.

Polk County Medical Examiner Stephen Nelson said it had been difficult trying to identify the woman.

"It has been very challenging," Nelson said. "We do have some fingerprints and have sent them to police."

Because no one saw the accident, all investigators could do Thursday was speculate how Mowell entered the chipper. One detective said Mowell's short stature -- she was 5 feet tall -- might have worked against her.

"If you are normal-sized, you could reach up there. But as small as she was, she could have gotten tangled up and only had microseconds to do it," said police Lt. Randy Harrison.

"It just all happened so fast," Harrison said.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Mar 21, 2003)

There is an echo of stillness where she last stood for a sec………..;
Now deafening silence roars
louder than the saws;
ears always perched for anyone to start their chipper,
and what would it sound like hear?

Like a vacuum created;
Perhaps by such a young, joyful life,
Disappearing so instantaneously leaving not even a trace here.
Somehow has cheated even time,
That hasn’t yet caught up in this place or these people,

Dangerously supplying sling shotting energy,
To journey far from the frail semblance of surviving,
To somewhere far below all too soonly.

Wee waded in and got started this mourn,
Few of us locals, closing ranks;
So Brian wouldn’t have to go back there,
To that space, and place.

The scene had just been released,
Including 3 of the vehicles.
All in all, I think ½ dozen tree services where by,
Before the sky’s own weeping, 
kept building and layering,
Exceeding all others present.

Ya know if ya can’t nod at the climber 3 blocks away as you,
Go to your job, and end up aerially compromised;
Who Ya Gonna Call?

My “50’ in 2 steps buddy” was there in bucket.
There was no better, less; just well wishes and 
Harmonized effort by all able.
Without a word, everything coming into place.

The ‘Help’ are stunned, 
Especially in this place
there seems no aim;
Just their numbing pain.

Burn this helplessness of loss in well,
As life commands everyone go on forward,
Witness those trying helplessly to reach back;
And remember why this happened,
So that it wouldn’t to you,
Or the one next to you!

This price has been high enough;
let it be paid in full!

-KC


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## TheTreeSpyder (Mar 23, 2003)

*Buddy System on Chipper Always?*

Girl Sucked thru Chipper on 3-19-3 Thread 

A BanditRep came out to where we were working together Sat. trying to put this horror behind for everyone from the family, customers, help and community; where this accident happened. The rep seemed sincere and was concerned, asking about any maintenance issues, labels etc. Got to talking to him and he said they see about one of these a year unfortunately. 

“Like this?” I said, he said “no’ he shook his head hard looking down “ there has never been one like this that I know of for this company”.

This lil’lady disappeared in an instant literally, with barely half a scream!
Her husband walked around to behind the house, where the bucket, chipper/ box dump and brand new apprentice loader where nicely backed in as he squeezed by them on ¾” plywood that was trailed back from the driveway as not to allow trucks to hurt the lawn. He went back as many times before to see what the problem was. Not finding his young wife of 1 ½ years, it was his to look around in this tightly enclosed backyard to figure out where she was, with his back now to the chipper box. When he left, someone else had to do the same dance….. both suffering shock from the immediate inertia from going so quickly from denial to sudden, ghastly realization.

No;
And know it well,
That there hasn’t been another like this,
Nor should there ever be again……

That is when he puked, totally freaked and the ‘help’ (ex-wife and boyfriend)in the front yard went racing after him as he ran screaming out of the yard(with concerned ex-wife behind him); that is why no one was there, the 2 helpers might have not even realized chipper was running, …….. he no longer cared. That is how homicide detectives and rumors got started etc. Like when I first heard about it on a scratchy mobile, while driving, being told it wasn’t accidental…… Some things ya don’t tend to repeat less you know they are true and helpful.

A few of the guys around town are commenting that a sudden preference in tree calls for not having a chipper on their property!

What could have made this situation safer?

Should there always be more than one person at a running chipper(another person within 2 steps?)? And then no one stick any body part in etc.


Drink this in deep and allow it to bruise you,
And bruise you deeply, take that chance;
Of all things take from me, this that I pass
Maintain that tender bruise conscientiously,
Staying sensitive to how you got it;
And anything that comes close to it, makes it sore.
Let the price of this lesson to us be paid in full.


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## treeman82 (Mar 23, 2003)

While I don't think that you should be putting too many people on the job of chipping, I also think that a person should not be left to their own devices with a machine of that size. I think another person should be within range to keep a watchful eye on the person operating the machine. Like that any complacency on the part of the chipper operator can be addressed before an accident occurs. Usually it's not the first time you do something foolish that an accident happens, it's once that foolish behavior comes to be a habit that problems can occur, and those habits can be hard to break. Who wouldn't agree that it's so much easier to just push scraps into the chipper by hand, than by having to get a push stick? However how many of those same people would agree that it's even easier for the machine to remove those hands and whatever they are attached to?


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## treeguy347 (Mar 23, 2003)

It sure doesn't sound like the safest of companies. What was a 16 year old doing on the jobsite. I think tree work is a "hazardous occupation" therefore prohibiting anyone under 18 from working there? If he was legal, why was he standing in the drop zone? Was the woman trained in the safe operation of the chipper? Did she just get complacent about safety practices? Both deaths are very tragic, but very preventable and should never have happened. My sympathies and condolences go out to those that knew them.


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## Stephen Wiley (Mar 23, 2003)

Years ago, same machine with modified apron. I had a groundsman who had climbed into the feed area. 
One of my climbers enroute to another tree could only see his hands on the top of the machine. 

The commotion which ensued got my attention (I was at the top of another tree), my climber proceeded to beat my groundsman with a branch. Hopefully, to beat some sense into him.

I am thankful, that he was there at the time, a fraction of a second later and I would be dealing with the same results as posted here.

My sympathy's to all those who have been directly impacted by this tradgedy.

From that day forward, I had stipulated company procedure of two groundsman working at the machine. That may not be practical for smaller machines. But by far superior in safety performance.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Mar 24, 2003)

What about an increased safety switch, where by if operator let's go drive backs up and or stops?


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## Tim Gardner (Mar 24, 2003)

Push sticks (cut from limbs) are free and if feeding a chipper from the side it is hard to get sucked into them. Safety meetings are a good thing. If not once a day then once a week. 

All the crews I have worked with, look out for each other. It is that split second that your "buddy" is not looking is when things go wrong. Teach your guys how to run a chipper or teach them to stay away from it.


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## SilverBlue (Mar 24, 2003)

http://www.banditchippers.com/safety.html
Bandit even offered a safety upgrade kit to those who are registered with them, would this kit have made a difference?


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## geofore (Mar 26, 2003)

*push stick*

I have to ask how many of you cut push sticks before the chipper gets started? You need to cut half a dozen or more and set them aside for push sticks only. When you have large piles of brush to chip place a push stick to mark where and when the chipper is to be moved, sure enough the last guy to feed the chipper before it is moved feeds it the push stick rather than carry it and needs another when the chipper is moved to the next pile. Next question would be did the guys on the ground have a saw to cut push sticks or was that not a thought on their mind before they started chipping.


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## Yellowdog (Mar 31, 2003)

*chipper safety*

I am one of those guys who operates a chipper by himself (at least half the time). There are a number of safety precautions I take, however, I still find myself doing things that aren't very smart. My chipper has two safety issues, infeed rollers and loader/grapple. I have walked into a stopped and extended grapple and given myself a headache (no, I wasn't wearing my hardhat but should have been). 

What I have learned makes sense. You should wear a hard hat (protect yourself from being knocked unconscious especially if you use a loader/grapple on chipper. Wear tight fitting gloves that won't get caught on a stick. Even if you are at the side of the chipper, you can break an arm if the gloves don't give and you fail to hit the reverse bar fast enough. Always load from the side. I admit I load small material from the front (2-3 ft pieces) but don't push them in except from sides or with a stick. This is important. I personally use my feed rollers on slow, steady speed but that is still fast enough to pull someone in if a glove or some clothing part gets hung up.

Another good reason to load from the side is that feed rollers can knock a log up, down, or side to side plus a drum or disc can spit material out and if you are in the line of fire...ouch! 

Since I mostly work alone, I work steady, slow, and keep a healthy respect for the pain and suffering this machine can cause. I truly wish I always had someone on site to help..

My two cents.. Jason


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