# Line Snaps, Kills 30 yr old man



## billygsims (Aug 9, 2009)

This is a lil off the tree buisness but worth a mention considering the amount of cables and pulleys used in the buisness. 

Last Monday in Arkansas where they are building the I530 to I69 interchange and young man was killed by a turnbuckle that snapped. He was on a dozer with the cable attached to a "cherry picker" that has fallen over in soft mud the night before during a rain storm. When trying to right the overturned equipment the turnbuckle attaching the cable to the picker broke. The buckle went throught the back glass of the dozer (there was no safety cage) and decapitated the young man. He never knew what hit him and now a young wife is without a husband and a Mother and Father are grieving. Please be careful of cables and pulleys and respect their power. You may not have a second chance either. 

Billy Sims


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## tomtrees58 (Aug 9, 2009)

rip that happens all to Afton tom trees


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## Haywire Haywood (Aug 9, 2009)

billygsims said:


> He never knew what hit him



That's the way I want to go. Have a walk through a nursing home and you may agree.

Ian


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## smokechase II (Aug 9, 2009)

*Sorry day*

There is so much power in equipment.

I just realized that I have absolutely no idea how strong turnbuckles are.
I would assume that they should be the same strength as the cables they are 'intended for'.
ASS U ME both I guess.

===============

I now like the idea of cages with lexan backing.


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## Shaun Bowler (Aug 9, 2009)

I learned a lesson in the 70's about standing/ working in the bite while being a choke setter.
I do not know if that was the position this man was in, but if something breaks, you can almost predict where it will shoot.


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## MotorSeven (Aug 10, 2009)

Haywire Haywood said:


> That's the way I want to go. Have a walk through a nursing home and you may agree.
> 
> Ian



Dead nuts on Haywire!!!!!

....just say no to "Depends"...........

RD


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## taylor6400 (Aug 12, 2009)

I guess Im wondering what a turnbuckle is...or why that was used and not a shackle. I picture a turnbuckle as having either a hook on each end or a hook and an eye on the ends with internal threads that can be turned for length and tension adjustment. Is this what was being used? i guess i picture these in small sizes and have never seen one that would be large enough for a load-bearing pull. I would use a shackle here. Is this just different terminology than i am used to? 

Either way, thats a horrible accident, and it easily happens. I have seen a clevis hook from a broken chain go through the tailgate of a bronco and into the back of the passenger seat. Luckily; no passenger in the seat. There is incredible force behind this stuff at extreme tensions. Always be thinking if this sucker breaks what could happen.


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## Bermie (Aug 13, 2009)

I watched a 3" hawser snap while they were tying up the cruise ship last week in St. George's, the crew were winching it tight from the ship and BANG!!!...luckily it was slanting down from the stern to the bollard, the short bit fizzed across the water and slammed into the wall below the bollard, if it had been a horizontal line, someone would have been hurt as there is a park bench there and people like to congregate!
The long bit went towards the ship...bang, whizzzz!

I was felling yesterday, had a redirect to offset the pull, my pal using the truck to pull the line..I had to tell him about 'the triangle of death'...never stand inside the line and pulley in case it all goes BANG!


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## outofmytree (Aug 14, 2009)

Sad to hear about this sort of thing.

I quoted a job only 10 days ago to remove a stick, the remains of a Washingtonia filifera. 1m across at the base and only 2m high. The reason I was called in was the HO tried to pull it out with a truck and steel cable. The cable parted whilst pulling and tore off two fingers and 1/3 of his palm on his right hand. 5 hours of microsurgey could not reattach his fingers.

I retire ropes after shock loading or 2 years or obvious signs of wear. We spend so much time talking about saw safety I think we sometimes forget there arer many ways to get hurt in our trade.

Stay safe people.


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