Not really excited to share this but feel obligated....
The rigger, groundie, and climber were me, myself, and I....
I took too big a bite when removing an ash limb the other day as part of a piece by piece removal.....
I had an 11mm rope supported by a natural crotch tied (bowline) to a block. the base was trunk tied. Through the block I had another 11mm rope tip tied and to a porta wrap on my truck...
I was planning to slowly cut the limb at the butt end of the limb (which was about 20 feet off the ground) and as the tips came within reach - cut weight off with my poles saw from the ground, then lower the rest of the stem...
I was in spikes and climbed with a flip line to the butt end of the limb, The rope holding the block ran up the trunk I was climbing and was against the trunk and within the "circle" created by my harness and flip line. With my two tie ins secure I started to cut the limb.....
As the rigging tightened up, I turned off and attached the saw to my harness and As I prepared to climb down, the line holding the block failed at the bowline knot holding the block - and the rope exploded with a sound not unlike a shotgun blast. The block was driven into the ground a few inches, the rope that had been holding the block released its tension and burned the inside of my arm at the elbow.
I climbed down, did a bit of first aid and worked the rest of the day, happy in the thought that it could have been much, MUCH worse....
