anyone not been hurt?

[rebelman]

Here's an old NAA quote:The improper use of climbing spurs led A. Des. Cars, author of Tree Pruning, to write the following qoute in 1881: "...the climbing spurs sometimes used by professional pruners should not be allowed. These men, paid according to the number of trees operated on or the quantity of wood cut, have no idea in pruning beyond cutting thte largest amount of wood in the shortest time. Climbing spurs should never be used by good workmen. Wounds made by the sharp iron teeth of this tool encourage the growth of injurious side shoots on the trunks, and leave defects in the wood which never disappear and diminish it's value." So basically the spike pruning is malpractice thing is more like 125 years old. Seems like I read somewhere the ancient asians considered it a serious offense. Isn't it jailable in some areas?

 

[clearance]

Thats a pretty good answer Rebelman, good quote you dug up. I hope it never becomes a jailable offence, I wouldn't be paroled for a long time.

 

[beowulf343]

Makes me wonder-if this was a jailable offense, who would be left to do ROW trimming? I have never seen a climber who works around power every day climb without spikes.

 

[beowulf343]

Well clearance, I guess guys like us will have to live with the fact that we will never be "good workmen." Even though we have years of hands-on experience, even though we can climb anything-anywhere-anytime, even though we have never caused any major accidents or injuries, even though we can do our jobs quickly and efficiently while still being safe, even though we climb more trees in a year than alot of "professional arborists" do in a decade-It doesn't matter-to these guys we will always be hacks just because we wear spikes. And frankly, I'm okay with that since just last week I had to do a removal for a c.a. because he couldn't get his rope set into the tree from the ground.

 

[clearance]

Hey 343, your a good guy, don't let the bastards grind ya down.

 

[pyro_forester]

Heh, this topic makes me thing of my first day on the job last summer. within an hour of getting to the apartment complex, I'd had a limb dropped on my head, and the bucket truck busted a hose and showered two of us with hydraulic fluid. I guess you could call it my baptism by fluid The limb didn't hurt me any, just glanced off my helmet thankfully. The guy in the bucket had to rope himself out. Needless to say, I was much more attentive with making eye and verbal contact before going under.

Climb safe,
Taylor

 

[pigwot]

Clearance:
Your comparison of spiking injuries in a tree with the observation that you have lots of scars, and they are not fatal is a flawed statement. The human body when injured can grow new cells in the same place as the injured cells had occupied. A tree is unable to grow new cells in the same way; rather growing around and sometimes covering over the injury. Yet the damage is always there... and the injury does not "heal". I looked at a Sweet gum a few days ago, and you could see dark fluid oozing out of a very familiar pattern going up the trunk... and it was last 'trimmed' ten years ago.

 

[clearance]

Clearance:
Your comparison of spiking injuries in a tree with the observation that you have lots of scars, and they are not fatal is a flawed statement. The human body when injured can grow new cells in the same place as the injured cells had occupied. A tree is unable to grow new cells in the same way; rather growing around and sometimes covering over the injury. Yet the damage is always there... and the injury does not "heal". I looked at a Sweet gum a few days ago, and you could see dark fluid oozing out of a very familiar pattern going up the trunk... and it was last 'trimmed' ten years ago.

Ten years, wow. I though that the old line about women was kinda true "How can you trust something that bleeds for five days and doesn't die?"

 

[hobby climber]

Back on topic please...

I see we have another AS.com thread thats been derailed again by the "spike or no spike" BS!!! Would be nice to have a AS.Com MEMBERS thread actually stay on topic for a change! As far as injuries go, I know of no one off hand thats been in the biz over 2-3years that hasn't received some type of injury. I would think that the majority of injuries occur in the first few years while still learning. Unfortunately, just about every mistake made is payed for in flesh & blood. Climb safe!!! HC

 

[xtremetrees]

Mistakes!??
What causes me mistakes is any other thing that can go wrong. I think attitude toward the work itself plays a part in my safety as well as the safety of others. I can live with bonking myself in the head but bonking another.??

 

[oldugly]

apologies

Hey guys I am truly sorry for derailing this thread off topic. My only purpose was to compare someone's definition of "greatness", or "celebrity status", not to reopen a dead can of worms.

In my opinion, all of you who are steadfast in your business, treat your customers well, and are striving to make even your competitors lives a little safer, are "great", and "celebrities". Whether I throw in with all your beliefs or not is immaterial. And whether I have your respect or not is totally unimportant to me.

But I should have never derailed this thread into a topic that is so opinionated that neither side will ever leave their soapboxes long enough to listen to the other.

Back on topic.....

Being hurt...I found it is not the tree that I was afraid of that hurts me, but always the easy ones...the ones that silently lets me take my guard down long enough to suprise me.

 

[squisher]

I have worked with trees for eleven years from spacing 5 years, rigging (spike climbing) spars for a highlead for five years and tree service for 1 year ( no I don't spike trims) and have never had a lost time accident.

Squisher

 

[Tree Machine]

have never had a lost time accident.

Good on you, and welcome to Arboristsite, Squisher.

 

[hobby climber]

Yes squisher, welcome to AS.com!!! Its nice to have another Canuck around here. Enjoy the show! HC

 

[xtremetrees]

Welcome squishy, climb safe.

 

[squisher]

Thanks for the welcome.

Just to clarify the safety record I want to say I know that luck has a part in it and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves because I have worked with some extremely safe people who have been seriously injured and some that have ridden the fine line between production and safety and have been killed. One of my lifelong friends was killed on a highlead last summer. Whenever my life is on the line I make sure that I've done everything I can to ensure my safety. You need a really tight crew before you can rely on someone else for anything to do with your own personal safety.

 

[xtremetrees]

I'm sorry your lifelong friend died bro.
Myfriend got paralized from the neck down. He was as good as any two of these guys here.

I think luck does play a part. Thats a powerless feeling but I deal with it best I can.

 

[walker/redmax]

My grandpa cut his leg wide open to the bone cuttin' with a 3120 above his head. Almost lost his leg but his scar is pretty bad azz:rockn:

 

[benjycreeper]

Plaster Casts are Great

I have been a professional climber for 6 year and had a couple of impressive scratches from pruning saws (silky's), and of course been ripped to death by Leyland and Spruce but never fallen out or been touched by the saw (touch wood). So why is it that when riding my mountain bike last week i would decide to fall of nd break my fibula? 5 weeks of day time T.V and unitchable itches!
It is easy to get complacent though, stay focused!!!!!!!!

Bye, Bye.............