# Unsafe Chipping ?



## Lorra (Aug 23, 2006)

Later on I was able to observe the chipping from my dining room window. I had a side-view.

Isn't it pretty unsafe to stand smack in front of the feed chute (which was chest-high and tilted upward), and jam the brush in with your hands? That's what these men were doing. They'd toss the brush into the chute, then stand facing it head on and inserted their hands into the chute...from my sideview observation point, the side of the chute obscured half their arms! That's how deep in their hands sometimes got.

Is this standard protocol or is this crazy? Shouldn't they have stood several feet back from the intake and jammed the brush in with a rake? (no rhyme intended).


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## l2edneck (Aug 23, 2006)

*Yes it is unsafe?*

Yet it is done everyday.The correct way is to stand off to the side.We always made a push stick for the rakings and smaller debris.(see ima trailer guy now hehe)


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## moss (Aug 23, 2006)

A rake is potentially dangerous, wouldn't want it to get sucked in. I believe it's stand to the side of the chute and feed branches in. Hands in the chute is bad. Some people who work around chippers have no basic safety training, they may be day laborers. On the other hand you'll see many crews doing it the right way.
-moss


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## beowulf343 (Aug 23, 2006)

Lorra said:


> Isn't it pretty unsafe to stand smack in front of the feed chute (which was chest-high and tilted upward), and jam the brush in with your hands? That's what these men were doing. They'd toss the brush into the chute, then stand facing it head on and inserted their hands into the chute...from my sideview observation point, the side of the chute obscured half their arms! That's how deep in their hands sometimes got.


Hmm, am I missing something? Most chippers i've run, the chute has been knee high. Now asplundh had some tall drum chippers, but the table on them were still only about waist high. 

To answer your question Lorra, it is strange to stand right behind the feed chute. Usually you drag the brush against your side and walk it right into the chute until the feed wheels grab it. I have had my hands inside a chute but usually because someone tried to feed a branch with too wide a crotch and it won't back out or go forward so I had to reach in and cut it. Rakes in a chipper chute is a good way to have to buy a couple new rakes every week. (Heck, road rakings through a chipper is a good way to have to sharpen blades every week--sorry, my biggest pet peeve.)


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## frashdog (Aug 23, 2006)

> chest-high and tilted upward


 oompah loompas make great groundies!:biggrinbounce2:


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## Lorra (Aug 23, 2006)

*It really was chest-high and...*

I watched them closely for quite some time. The in-feed was torso high...it would NOT be accurate to say it was waist-high. The men didn't even have to lean over to jam in the brush. Also, earlier in the day, I had been standing right by it. Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer.

It was a trimming job, so the limbs weren't that thick, and a lot of smaller limbs full of leaves were attached to the main limbs.

The chip crew were also the arborists---they were the ones in the tree doing the trimming.


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## Bermie (Aug 24, 2006)

Your observation is generally right, you really should stand to the side of the chute and feed the stuff in, sometimes it's not possible if its a big branch, make sure there isn't a side branch that would grab as it goes past if it has to be chucked in from in front. Also for a push stick use a bit of what's being chipped so if it gets grabbed, no problem, then cut another one.


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## Tom Dunlap (Aug 27, 2006)

"Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer."

Hmmm...chest high??? That would make the bottom of the infeed chute four plus feet off the ground. I've never seen one that high. All of the chippers that I've seen are closer to waist height on a six foot tall person.

Standing on the side is the best place to be.


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## begleytree (Aug 27, 2006)

TD, hows the new job going? I saw your mug in TCI. congrats man.
-Ralph


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## John Paul Sanborn (Aug 27, 2006)

Tom Dunlap said:


> All of the chippers that I've seen are closer to waist height on a six foot tall person.



Some of the "whisper" drum types have very high infeed trays.

Maybe I'll get a pick of me and my buddy Dave's for you.



> A rake is potentially dangerous, wouldn't want it to get sucked in.



Plastic rakes only, I'll use worn out ones with the tines removed so there is a solid fan to push with.


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## M.D. Vaden (Aug 27, 2006)

moss said:


> A rake is potentially dangerous, wouldn't want it to get sucked in. I believe it's stand to the side of the chute and feed branches in. Hands in the chute is bad. Some people who work around chippers have no basic safety training, they may be day laborers. On the other hand you'll see many crews doing it the right way.
> -moss




What if it's a wooden rake / bamboo?

:yoyo:


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## RedlineIt (Aug 27, 2006)

I work in an area with a lot of sudden slope changes, it is not terribly unusual for us to have the chipper infeed deck on the ground or, conversely, at belly button height. I imagine it can be the same in Colorado.

If the crew you observed were on level ground, then their hitch on the truck is way too low.

When the ground level angles put the lip of the chipper infeed too high, I will sometimes just pull the truck forward two or three feet. Often that is all it takes.

Sometimes I can't afford pulling up two feet. The streets are tight here. In that case I will drop the chipper on a pair of wheel-chocks and level it out with the jack.

Keep thinking in terms of how you will get the job done safely. You won't go wrong with that.


RedlineIt


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## Lorra (Aug 27, 2006)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> Some of the "whisper" drum types have very high infeed trays.
> 
> Maybe I'll get a pick of me and my buddy Dave's for you.
> 
> ...



When you say "whisper" I assume you mean a quiet engine in the chipper. This machine was actually very quiet---it had a rather low humming sound. When the brush went through, it sounded like a giant whoopie cushion. Maybe if I reviewed the Vermeer web site I can identify it.


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## boo (Aug 27, 2006)

Lorra said:


> I watched them closely for quite some time. The in-feed was torso high...it would NOT be accurate to say it was waist-high. The men didn't even have to lean over to jam in the brush. Also, earlier in the day, I had been standing right by it. Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer.
> 
> It was a trimming job, so the limbs weren't that thick, and a lot of smaller limbs full of leaves were attached to the main limbs.
> 
> The chip crew were also the arborists---they were the ones in the tree doing the trimming.


yeah, allowing you to be in the work area does say something about them.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Aug 27, 2006)

Lorra said:


> Later on I was able to observe the chipping from my dining room window. I had a side-view.





boo said:


> yeah, allowing you to be in the work area does say something about them.




boo, help us out here. What does the fact that a person watched them out of their dining room window tell us about the tree crew?


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## boo (Aug 27, 2006)

Lorra said:


> When you say "whisper" I assume you mean a quiet engine in the chipper. This machine was actually very quiet---it had a rather low humming sound. When the brush went through, it sounded like a giant whoopie cushion. Maybe if I reviewed the Vermeer web site I can identify it.






Lorra said:


> I watched them closely for quite some time. The in-feed was torso high...it would NOT be accurate to say it was waist-high. The men didn't even have to lean over to jam in the brush. Also, earlier in the day, I had been standing right by it. Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer.
> 
> It was a trimming job, so the limbs weren't that thick, and a lot of smaller limbs full of leaves were attached to the main limbs.
> 
> The chip crew were also the arborists---they were the ones in the tree doing the trimming.



Sorry for any drama..... I may have become nerve struck or something.


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## arboralliance (Aug 28, 2006)

*Soooo...*

Lorra might have been better off saying "I watched them closely from afar"...

English lessons yay...:greenchainsaw:


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## Lorra (Aug 28, 2006)

boo said:


> yeah, allowing you to be in the work area does say something about them.



When I was standing right by the machinery, it was shortly after they had arrived. They hadn't even begun working yet. In fact, they hadn't even yet gotten their things out of the truck. I left well before they pulled out their saws.


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## Ekka (Aug 28, 2006)

I think Lorra needs to buy a camera.


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## Lorra (Aug 28, 2006)

Ekka said:


> I think Lorra needs to buy a camera.



They were standing smack in front of the feed chute, shoving things in with their hands. Period. Why is this hard to believe? Is this how you would do it? I've always read you should stand to the side, and when things need to be shoved in, untangled, etc., to use a stick. Correct me if this is the wrong way to do it.


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## begleytree (Aug 28, 2006)

Lorra said:


> They were standing smack in front of the feed chute, shoving things in with their hands. Period. Why is this hard to believe? Is this how you would do it? I've always read you should stand to the side, and when things need to be shoved in, untangled, etc., to use a stick. Correct me if this is the wrong way to do it.




Sure, you're right, that is the correct way to feed a chipper. That doesn't mean thats the way guys do it all the time though.
I know guys who push with their hands and feet all the time, with no repercutions, also know a guy who does it the right way that is missing a couple fingers. I think you are perfectly safe on a disc chipper, to kick the feedwheels in neutral and untangle what you need to, then go back chipping. The regs disagree.
Thing you have to remember is that most regs are written by people who aren't even in the industry, or by Ralph Nader feel good types. That doesn't mean the regs are more safe or less safe than any other way, their just regs, and are supposed to be adheared to. Theres no gurantee that the regs are up to date with current practices and newer equipment.
-Ralph


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## rebelman (Aug 28, 2006)

I think he means when she stood close to test the height.


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## rebelman (Aug 28, 2006)

sorry, one page behind.


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## boo (Aug 28, 2006)

Lorra said:


> When I was standing right by the machinery, it was shortly after they had arrived. They hadn't even begun working yet. In fact, they hadn't even yet gotten their things out of the truck. I left well before they pulled out their saws.





Lorra said:


> When you say "whisper" I assume you mean a quiet engine in the chipper. This machine was actually very quiet---it had a rather low humming sound. When the brush went through, it sounded like a giant whoopie cushion. Maybe if I reviewed the Vermeer web site I can identify it.





Lorra said:


> I watched them closely for quite some time. The in-feed was torso high...it would NOT be accurate to say it was waist-high. The men didn't even have to lean over to jam in the brush. Also, earlier in the day, I had been standing right by it. Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer.
> It was a trimming job, so the limbs weren't that thick, and a lot of smaller limbs full of leaves were attached to the main limbs.
> The chip crew were also the arborists---they were the ones in the tree doing the trimming.



I gathered that you were close enough to hear the machine at operating distance, and watched closely.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it almost sounds like trouble for the ones that tolerated you. 
it could have been another thread that struck the nerve.
please forgive me if I'm out of line.


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## Ekka (Aug 28, 2006)

Lorra said:


> They were standing smack in front of the feed chute, shoving things in with their hands. Period. Why is this hard to believe? Is this how you would do it? I've always read you should stand to the side, and when things need to be shoved in, untangled, etc., to use a stick. Correct me if this is the wrong way to do it.



Corr, she's another fiesty one.

A pic would solve a lot of problems like make/model and in feed shute ht.

Most machines have the feed rollers set far enough back that you cannot reach them and many times you do have to stand at the front stuffing small bits in and twisting turning stuff. The shute also serves as a table to do this but is long enough to prevent your hand getting grabbed.

You wouldn't happen to know another member called Trinity Honoria would you? I reckon you two will get along fine.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Aug 28, 2006)

Ekka said:


> Corr, she's another fiesty one.....
> 
> You wouldn't happen to know another member called Trinity Honoria would you? I reckon you two will get along fine.




Lorra, just so there's no misunderstanding, you've just been paid two high compliments.


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## Yellowdog (Aug 28, 2006)

Tom Dunlap said:


> "Yes, it was chest-high, and I'm 5-8. It was a Vermeer."
> 
> Hmmm...chest high??? That would make the bottom of the infeed chute four plus feet off the ground. I've never seen one that high. All of the chippers that I've seen are closer to waist height on a six foot tall person.
> 
> Standing on the side is the best place to be.



Maybe the were standing on a low spot and chipper was pointed down hill. Maybe??


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## John Paul Sanborn (Aug 29, 2006)

Lorra said:


> When you say "whisper" I assume you mean a quiet engine in the chipper.



Sorry, whisper is a modle brand that became synonomous with the style






Vermeer made a larger one like this.


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## l2edneck (Aug 30, 2006)

> Sometimes I can't afford pulling up two feet. The streets are tight here. In that case I will drop the chipper on a pair of wheel-chocks and level it out with the jack.




Becareful i once had one flip backwards runnin WOT almost cut my hand off between the table and feed.Shot chips sky high i can laugh about it now but was very scary when it happened,i never chip unhooked any more. 

It was a 12 inch drum chipper and we had lil logs loaded on the table when they were gone to dump the truck.


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## Bill G (Aug 31, 2006)

If need be I can measure the height of my Asplundh Whisper. It is an older model and not as clean as the one posted by John.

Bill


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## M.D. Vaden (Sep 1, 2006)

This thread reminds me of our area near Medford and Jacksonville, Oregon.

There are some safe climbers and tree services here. Some of the professionals care.

But I've never driven by more work sites where tree workers are stuffing a chipper without hearing or eye protection, or working in and under trees (with a climber overhead) without hard hats.

And this is in plain sight. A third of this stuff has been right to the side of the main streets.


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## juststumps (Sep 1, 2006)

Lorra said:


> They were standing smack in front of the feed chute, shoving things in with their hands. Period. Why is this hard to believe? Is this how you would do it? I've always read you should stand to the side, and when things need to be shoved in, untangled, etc., to use a stick. Correct me if this is the wrong way to do it.



I've always read you should stand to the side, and when things need to be shoved in, untangled, etc., to use a stick.

where does one read this, if one isn't in the biz???


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