Tree Accidents

In reading through the posts, I have occasionally seen comments about accidents. Unfortunately they are always the, "I know of this one climber who..." or "Some guy in the next county..."

If you know of an accident, and have any accurate information (not just the story, but that is helpful too) please send it to me. We are looking for ways to make things safer for climbers, and one of the best ways that I know of is to learn from others.


The more accurate and detailed the account, the better off it will be. Newspaper articles rarely get the technical stuff right about an accident, but at least it gives me a source.

I would like to get to the point where we could publish something like the "Accidents in North American Mountaineering."

Please respond to my email address for comments and accident reports.

Thanks,

hey Tim ive been working in tree care and related fields for 20 years. About 4 years ago when i was with Bartlett Tree Experts, MY good friend Bob Palese was doing IPM at a condo. I had been there the day before fertilizing the plants in the early morning. The very next day he was doing specialty services and was pruning an azalea. Well there was a yellow jacket nest in the ground and he got stung once ( he was never allergic before) and within 5 min his heart stopped. the paramedics got there and got his heart going but now he was in a coma. I went to see him in the hospital and it was very hard to see a friend in that condition. Well he had no brain activity and they eventually took him off life support. Ill miss him always. I feel for his family he was only 40 years old. So do we carry bee sting kits with us out in the feild? most doctors wont even give them to you unless they know you are allergic. I think that we should have them with us!!!! john

I know this is gonna sound dumb, but a good friend of mine got 2 of his toes broken the other day. I dont know how it happened, but a guy was moving the chipper around and ran over the corner of his foot breaking 2 toes. He was lucky- it was a Morbark model 17, only 2 tires

oh yes, i forgot to mention that, if any of you remember the guy a couple years ago who won the wood chuck chipper at the TCI show- the guy got run over by a small bulldozer a few years ago and lived. sued the pants off the owner.

tree accident, I was there.

My name is Shane. I have been a tree climber for the last fourteen years. I have seen numerous accidents in my career, most of which were the victims own fault. Short cutting, horse play and pure negligence have always been to blame.
This was not the case however for the accident that I will describe.
In 1997 I took a journeyman climber position for Asplundh Tree Experts. Aspundh in case you don't know is a multi-million dollar company that specializes in electrical line clearance for big money power and light contracts.
I had been on my new crew's roster three days when we were called to an emergency tree removal. I was happy to be given the oppurtunity to "show my stuff". My new foreman, who had been with the company a long time was excited as well for the oppurtunity to show his tree savvy to the higher ups.
We showed up and looked at the tree to be removed. It was a dead, dead, dead American Elm tree. Not too big, about sixty feet at the top of the crown. At first glance both of us saw no problem with the removal. Then I noticed some bark peeling off. I pulled the bark and a sheet about six feet long fell off the trunk.
I pointed the bark out to my foreman and he agreed that the tree was "possibly" too dangerous to climb. The general foreman, who had little actual tree climbing experience, suggested we be careful. My foreman pointed out that there was a place for a bucket truck to get in. The bucket truck idea was shot down. The gist of the conversation as I understood it was: If you can't handle it, I'll give it to a crew that can.
Against our better judgement we took the job. I climbed up first and tied in at about fifty feet. I set my foreman's rope in a secure crotch and he also entered the tree. The idea was that we could assist each other with roping the limbs that were hanging over the primary power line and the service line to the P&L customers house. In our opionion the sooner we got it done with the better.
I had already taken the top out of the branches over the service line when my foreman started to maneuver into position to rope a main lead from over the primary electrical line. He secured his taut line hitch around a main lead approximately a foot in diameter.
Being that the tree was so dead and roping options were very limited, the foreman was forced to cut the branch smaller to avoid contact with the electrical wire. It is strict Asplundh company policy that the only equipment used is issued by the company. With all of the company rhetoric and boasting about "safety first", it's amusing that they supply the climbers with the bare minimum and lowest quality of equipment allowed by OSHA.
Anyway due to a lack of extra ropes or lanyards to secure himself to another lead, the foreman shimmied out on the branch about forty feet off the ground, parallel to his tie in. Our logic was that if the limb he was on gave way, that the main lead he was tied into would hold his fall.
He reached the point where he needed to cut and wrapped his lanyard around the limb to increase his balance. He was in the process of setting the pull rope when I heard the snap.
The enitre lead snapped off ten feet below his tie in. I yelled, "Hang on!" That's exactly what my formen did. He rode the limb down through the air and landed on the power line, snapping it in two. I watched as he slammed into a large lilac bush and disappeared into the bush.
I rappelled down as fast as possible and saw that the electrical line was inside the bush with the foreman. I heard no noise and assumed he was either dead or unconscious. I weighed the danger of getting shocked and decided that the foreman could very likely be in a life threatening situation. I saw his orange shirt and heaved him out of the bush. As I grabbed him he awoke from being knocked out and staggered to his feet in horror. No ****, horror.
The groundman had already called 911 and the general foreman. I did what I could to calm him and waited for the ambulance.
Here's where it gets screwed up. First to show up was our union representative and fellow climber who had been in the area. Second was the general foreman, looking like he just ate a **** sandwich, and third. No lie. Asplundh's corporate attorneys. AKA: Spin doctors. The ambulance arrived at the same time and rushed in.
While the formen lay on the ground numb, the paramedics asked him and I questions to evaluate the extent of his injuries. Adrenaline had taken over any of my defensive thoughts or emotions. I hadn't even thought of blame or why it had happened.
About that time the younger of the two attorneys asked me where he was tied in. I had no idea who they were, I assumed they were from power and light. I honestly told them that he was properly tied in and hadn't done anything wrong. I saw the two look at each other and for some reason knew I should stay on my guard. The union rep who had been on the side castrating the general foreman saw the two suits questioning me and came to my rescue.
The foreman was escorted away and I stayed for questioning with the union rep and the rest of the parties who might feel legally in danger.
The company supervisor repeatedly tried to create scenarios that he was sure had happened to try and get me to change my story. It wasn't unitl I said that both the foreman and I had verbally requested that the the tree not be climbed, that the suits decided to drop the subject.
The foreman suffered a broken rotator cup and mild concussion. He refused union legal advice and opted to go back to work two days after the doctor cleared his shoulder.
He tried to climb but was never the same. He couldn't climb more than fifteen feet without freezing up. The company gave him a bucket truck and as far as I know he's still with them today.
Today I run my own tree company in Canada. I have never underestimated the the experience I learned from working at Asplundh. Modern technolgy has been developed to make our lives easier and safer. Just because loggers used to take Redwoods down with crosscuts, doesn't mean it's the best way. Many of the "New" techniques for tree felling and roping are a bit overkill, but there are some very nifty devices out there that not only lessen the odds of an accident but provide "one more option". Isn't that what makes a good tree climber. Options.

Shane,
That is an excellent story. It just goes to show, that even though some guys are higher up (at the time), they don't know everything. You guys were uneasy about it to begin with. He was just calling you out as if you werent man enough or he would get someone else that was man enough. I think I would have gone up there too. Although, if you look at it, I bet you would go on your insticts the next time.

IN 1998 I WAS GETTING READY TO CUT A LIMB OFF A LARGE TREE. THE LIMB WAS ONLY 15 FEET OFF THE GROUND, AND ALL I HAD WAS AN EXTENTION LADDER, AND A CONCRETE WALL WAS IN THE WAY TO SET IT AT A PROPER ANGLE. SO I HAD IT LEANING AGAINST THE TREE, LAYING ON THE LADDER, CHAIN SAW RUNNING I STARTED TO CUT THE LIMB WHEN I NOTICE A STRING THAT HELD A HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER. I SWITCHED THE CHAIN SAW TO MY LEFT HAND AND STARTED TO REACH FOR THE STRING WHEN THE LADDER SLID OUT FROM UNDER ME. TO MAKE A LONG AND PAINFULL STORY SHORT, I COMPLETELY DESTROYED MY LEFT ELBOW, CAVED IN MY LEFT CHEEK BONE AND EYE BROW RIDGE.
AFTER 5 HOURS OF SURGURY, PIECING MY ELBOW BACK TOGETHER AND REPLACING A SMALL PART FROM THE BONE BANK (TWO LONG PLATES AND 14 SCREWS) I WAS BACK TOGETHER. AT FIRST THE DOCTOR DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE USE OF THE ARM ANYMORE, BUT WITH EXTENSIVE SURGERY AND A LOT OF PAIN, I HAVE 85% BACK. 1 PLATE AND 4 SCREWS IN MY CHEEK AND ONE PLATE AND SIX SCREWS IN MY EYE BROW RIDGE.
I WAS BACK TO WORK THE FOLLOWING SPRING. LUCKILY THE JOB WAS THE LAST OF THE SEASON, (BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER NOT THE INJURY)
IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH TO GET HURT, BUT IT TAKES ALOT TO GET OVER IT.

Yup, I have seen or heard about too many people getting hurt while using a chainsaw from a ladder. I use a ladder, but only to get in the tree. The ladder MUST be removed before I start my saw. The only exception to this is pruning palm trees. Then I clip my lanyard around the palm tree while standing on the ladder so I can lean back and brace myself BEFORE starting the saw.

My accident was due to being in a hurry and not taking the time to listen to my own instincts. Eight trims on a residential job, we had 5 done by 11:30AM. I wanted to knock out a medium Sycamore before lunch, 5 dead limbs and minor elevation. After throwing my rope up 5 times and missing the limb I was aiming for, I got it over a smaller limb beside the one I wanted. It was only 2" diameter, but I decided it would hold me long enough to get up the 20' to the other limbs. Well, it didn't, it snapped when I was within 6" of reaching the other limbs. I've lost a year of work with little hope of returning to climbing full time. All because I was in too much of a hurry to get the ladder out or pull my rope down and throw it again.
I believe most accidents are NOT because of lack of knowledge, but rather being in too much of a hurry to do things the way we were taught.

Although, I haven`t been involved in any major accidents yet, touch wood, I came very close last week while carrying out a crown reduction on a large false acacia. I was about thirty foot up the tree and about fifteen foot out on the limb trimming back about 25%, when one of the groundsmen accidently threw the other end of my lifeline through the chipper, and luckily he realised almost straight away. Fortunately I was not hurt by my saw as i was pulled from the position I was cutting in, But I did lose 3-4 metres of my rope, and I had a false crotch/cambium saver on the end of rope that was chipped which didn`t do our vermeer any favours I`m sure.

does the ground man still walk! mine on my second day of training was trying to get my rope out from under a branch that the homeowner had moved to get his car out. he started pulling it and didnt realize that the pull was not from the branch but from me! when i got down we discussed the " pull me out of a tree and you better run" theory! dont worry guys me teacher did most of the work! i was learning the equipment/ trust issue. this little incident didnt help!

I read somewhere that a climber was actually pulled from the tree by a chipper.Ground crew fed the limb with climbing rope wrapped around a snag and bam! Down came climber,graveyard dead.You are lucky .

Just one more reason to keep sharp knives on your chipper! I have always had 2-3 lifelines of different lengths. I try not to use a rope any longer than I need. No sense having 40' of rope coiled under the tree getting snagged in the brush if you don't need it. I use my 75' lifeline ten times more than my 125' lifeline. If the tree is under 50' tall, I use the shorter rope. Less to coil up when you are done, too!

Being semi-retired from this sport, and semi-healthy too, I now only pick on semi-big trees. My safety line is 100' long, and I only take on work that size or smaller.

My fall was from an extension ladder too - like Brian said - too hurried, no lanyard tieoff.

lanyard with an adjustable cam

I got fed up with my chicken strap. It's the kind you make yourself with a peice of climbing line and taut line hitch. It's perfect for trees up to about three feet in diameter. Anything bigger, is a real ***** to adjust as you climb.
This guy up here in Montreal hooked me up with a cam device that your rope slides thru. You can tighten or loosen with one hand, and ways about as much as a D-ring.

lanyard with an adjustable cam

I got fed up with my chicken strap. It's the kind you make yourself with a peice of climbing line and taut line hitch. It's perfect for trees up to about three feet in diameter. Anything bigger, is a real ***** to adjust as you climb.
This guy up here in Montreal hooked me up with a cam device that your rope slides thru. You can tighten or loosen with one hand, and ways about as much as a D-ring. I know of several accidents from climbers spurring out while either tightening or loosening a pinched taut line lanyard.

hard hat/hard head

I am 34 and have been climbing for 7 years and a lic arborist through the state of Rhode Island.I was also a volunteer firefighter/emt for 11 years on a heavy rescue truck.I never thought that someday I would be the victom! I own my own tree company and employ 2 ground men(brush monkeys).All we do is climbing no bucket trucks,which I have grown to like because I have other tree and landscaping companys hire us out when real tough jobs need to be done.It all started on a day were rag weed polline was very high and my allirgies were kicked into high gear.I am reluctant not to take any allirgy meds will I am climbing.As I dawn my climbing gear which consist of hard hat,saftey glasses,leg chaps,kevlar arm gards,rubber palmed gloves and harness I start what should be a three hour job removing about ten limbs from four trees over a house. All was going to well, I just bought a new sthil pole prunner that I let a salesman talk me into.I found alot of use for it while in the tree(not having to limb walk as much).After about two and half hours the chip truck needed to be emptied,I thought that I would have had enough room too finish the job.So I told one guy to go empty the truck but it was close to cofee brake and the other guy needed to go by the bank (he didn't have a lic to drive the truck so I let them both go.I got my climbing ropes up the tree about 20 feet higher than the limb to be cut( tied of to the trunk). I only had one branch left to cut and thought I would be alright alone.Just after the left I relised I didn't have my pole prunner up there with me.So I decided to limb walk to get to the end and cut small pieces.After I was out about 12 to 15 feet I lost my balance. I fell head first and swung into the tree trunk! My hard hat was knocked of my head and I swung back into the trunk from the other direction, this time I hit without the hard hat and was knocked unconcious. The nighbors saw me hanging and called 911. some how they got me down to the ground. when I woke up in the back of the ambulance I could not feel my arms or feet!After a stay in the hospital for 4 days I walked out with nothing more than a real bad head ache and a sore back. Thanks to weiring my proper saftey equiptment I walked away with some spinal swelling and a hurt ego. That day I learned that I made a few real bad mistakes.one, I never should have been alone. and two I should have waited for the guys to come back because the dump was only 1 mile away.

A testiment to the nesesity of a chinstrap. The muffs are not enough.

my accident didn't come from a fall but from prep work on the ground. i was using my saw to clear some small trees from around the tree that i was going to drop and that small stuff got tangled in my chain and made the saw come back and get me. it took a 7" by 1" deep chunk out of my left knee. the moral of the story is when you are clearing small stuff use a brush cutter. but i recovered to near prefect use of my leg. but i was takeing down a small tree so i didn't want to fuss with the chaps for 5 minutes of cutting but that was my mistake.

Think I'll stick to using the chipper.