# Man dies after fall from tree-trimming bucket Horicon , WI



## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 19, 2002)

From the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel

Last Updated: Oct. 18, 2002


Horicon - A 44-year-old man died after a tree-trimming bucket he was in fell 30 feet.

Scott Weisensel of rural Beaver Dam was trimming a
60-foot black walnut tree in the backyard of a home at noon Wednesday when a mechanical malfunction causedthe bucket to drop rapidly, Horicon Police Chief DouglasGlamann said Thursday.

Weisensel was thrown from the bucket and later died at Beaver Dam Community Hospital, Glamann said.

The accident is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
---
For ease of follow-up, could all death/injury threads include a city and state


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## Froggy (Oct 19, 2002)

*Reply*

Wow another death in the tree business. It seems every where you turn there is another death in the industry. It realy makes you think what you don't want to think. This business is dangerious. I hope people in this form see each one of these post as a learning lession and can take at least one thing from them to the job with them every day. Good luck to all of you. Keep climbing and work safe.
BB


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## Tim Gardner (Oct 19, 2002)

God be with his family. I hope he had insurance.

Two climbers that I had known personally have died in my area in the last year. I know that we assume a certain amount of risk each time we go to work but it still makes me sick to hear about a fellow arborist getting killed like Mr. Weisensel. I feel like we need to start a thread dedicated solely to tree care safety. I won’t name any names (Tom Dunlap, JPS, Brian, RB, Mike Maas, OakWilt, Stumper, Rich Hoffman, Daniel, Ken, etc, etc.) but you guys know who you are and know the business. Let’s pull together and try to make a difference.

I will add Mr. Weisensel and his family to my long list of prayers. [email protected] it hurts to hear these things.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 19, 2002)

I've asked Darin for a separate forum for deat/injury.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 20, 2002)

That's a good idea John, then we won't see the upsetting posts about how our job is hazardous. If guys see too many of these posts they might get the idea and start taking saftey seriously.
Heck these posts here might save a life! That just means more competition for the rest of us.
Yep, get rid of these darned threads.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 20, 2002)

I think it would make it easier to follow up on them.

I'm pretty sure that if you see a new post in such a forum you would take a look.


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## WillyStDruid (Oct 21, 2002)

This was disturbing news. I was in a downtown Madison bar expressing the joy of my new used bucket truck to a fellow tree service owner when I came across the newspaper clipping. According to the story in the Wisconsin State Journal, Scott Weisenel was taking down a 60 foot black walnut tree in Horicon, WI. The bucket collapsed due to a malfunction and he was thrown from it. The really disturbing part is that according to a co-worker for the tree service, this bucket truck was just safety certified two weeks earlier. I'd like to know who that company was and steer clear of them.


-Willy


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## trees4life (Oct 21, 2002)

I was talking to someone in the forestry training industry last week. He said that in North America, 1 tree worker dies every 5 days. That stunned me.

People should be performing a holding valve check every day before someone gets in the bucket. Years ago a truck was vandalized and the hydraulic hoses had been punctured. They found it while doing the check. It makes me wonder if the worker had performed the check before using it.

My heart goes out to his loved ones.

Everyone be smart & be safe.


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## Greg (Oct 21, 2002)

Life Insurance..... I sure hope he had some. 
Any one out there who is working in this business should have a bunch!! My wife is a stay at home mom & we have 3 kids. I work hard to provide a ceartin lifestyle, home, and future for my family. I am sure that most of you do as well. Think that if you died today what about that future would have to change and think of how painful that would be for who ever is left behind. I have a little bit of comfort knowing that my wife would not have to work, could still raise our kids in our home with no bills to worry about, etc... I pay less than $100 per month for that level of comfort and it is worth every penny. Up your life and or/accident disability insurance, your family is worth it.
Greg


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## Froggy (Oct 21, 2002)

*Reply*

This is a sad post. I think you guys have expressed a lot of good concern. I want to ask a question. If we need life insurance and health insurance. Why is it so D##n hard to get it if your a climber or work in tree work period. Why is it always us getting put in the high risk catigory?? We work safe and do our job professionaly. Why can't insurance people cut us a break. If anyone has got good health and life insurance let me know how to get it in North Carolina. I don't want an accident to ruin my wifes life. I'll always climb and I know there's certain risk I take every day. I love her lots and man I don't know what she'd do with out me. Man what a thought. 
Thanks,BB


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