Does This Look Safe To You?

[polingspig]

I would like to know....

I was just wondering why all the branches below him have already been cut if he can't get the bucket down any farther?

I have also been trying to picture a scenario where the he wouldn't be able to lower the bucket at all because of an obstruction. I know that happens, but look at the angle of his boom. The truck would have to be outside the wires with the first pivot point behind him level with or lower than the lines. If that is true, I ask again: How did he get the branches below him?

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Without anymore evidence it is useless to speculate any further other than to say in this industry, let nothing surprise you...one can get into any number of restrictive situations.

Likewise, one can find themselves in the habit of reaching everything that they can per bucket move. It's quicker to bend down and reach out a little further while you are out there, than to micro move the bucket two or three times as much like it's your first day on the job.

The bottom line is that he is perfectly safe in that position.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I don't have much bucket work under my belt, I'm in one maybe once a month, if that.

Looking at the stubs below, he had to have been able to position the bucket to get those cuts in, working up the pole.

My assumption is that he was lazy and did not want to move for one last cut.

Production above all else, you cannot waste 30 seconds being a little bit safer.

If that is "safe" SOP, IMO it is pushing the envelope.

 

[Tekko]

Stupid idiot i say! I´d never do that, i can barely look down from a step ladder without trembling, making the ladder rattle.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

I don't have much bucket work under my belt, I'm in one maybe once a month, if that.

Looking at the stubs below, he had to have been able to position the bucket to get those cuts in, working up the pole.

My assumption is that he was lazy and did not want to move for one last cut.

Production above all else, you cannot waste 30 seconds being a little bit safer.

If that is "safe" SOP, IMO it is pushing the envelope.

Do you drive with both hands on the wheel...10 and 2?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Do you drive with both hands on the wheel...10 and 2?

Spurious argument, the risk is not as great. Though in heavy traffic, and foul weather I most certainly do drive like that.

If he can bump the bucket down a few feet it is better on his body and on his overall risk profile.

Pushing the boundaries on occasion is not a bad thing, but for it to be SOP is flirtin' with disaster.

My stance on this site is not complete Z133 compliance, but an awareness of ones habits and how often one introduces unnecessary risk into the daily routine.

If you have a scenario where you cannot complete the job safely without doing this, then the brief exposure to risk is ok. I am not putting it on the same level as standing on the lip of the bucket.

If you have one or two cuts like this to do to avoid resetting the truck, most of us would lean out.

IMO to lean like this to avoid moving the boom is silly, it is unsafe and uncomfortable. "ow, my back did not like that!"

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Spurious argument, the risk is not as great. Though in heavy traffic, and foul weather I most certainly do drive like that.

How do you figure? Have you been in traffic lately?

Our perception due to the comfort of redundant routine leads us to believe that two vehicles with a closing speed of up to 140+ mph that manage to just miss each other, even "x" amount of times in "light traffic" is something to caress the wheel about. Yet some people won't fly even though it is still one of the safest ways to travel.

If he can bump the bucket down a few feet it is better on his body and on his overall risk profile.

Perhaps, if he has a bad back, but I'll bet he's used to it and looks to be in good physical condition.

Pushing the boundaries on occasion is not a bad thing, but for it to be SOP is flirtin' with disaster.

In my opinion, we flirt with greater disaster when we step into traffic, for example. He's just leaning out a little and he's doubtlessly secured with belt and leg pressure. Still, no one wants to flop out anyway. In that line of work, no pun intended, He's used to reaching out of the bucket due to many restrictions and if you ask him about this as flirting with disaster, he'll laugh. His risk profile is off the charts daily...leaning a bit out the old bucket is hardly in league with the rest of his day.

My stance on this site is not complete Z133 compliance, but an awareness of ones habits and how often one introduces unnecessary risk into the daily routine.

For one, if you are in such practice, it probably is safer as a result. However, if this isn't a habit, then the risk factor has the potential to be greater for lack of experience, familiarity, and/or physical fitness. "How often" isn't always a factor, and is in no wise alone in calculating risk, or compound risk probability.

For example, if you've been running a chainsaw with knowledge and skill everyday for years accident free, it doesn't mean that your odds increase every day that you'll have a mishap. There are many factors and the probability is relative to such.

In contrast, HO buys a chainsaw, cause he's sick of getting "ripped off" by tree people. He is an engineer, (that means he's smart) and reads the direction and warnings before firing up the new poulan to drop that old oak out back of the new property. opcorn:

Whose risk profile is greater?

Oh and unnecessary risk is somewhat of a relative term in certain context.

If you have a scenario where you cannot complete the job safely without doing this, then the brief exposure to risk is ok. I am not putting it on the same level as standing on the lip of the bucket.

Naturally, now if he was really hotdoggin and had one foot out of the bucket and one hand on the saw while waving with the other, then I'd say something altogether different. But he appears to be a professional risk profile analyst and a pretty good operator too.

If you have one or two cuts like this to do to avoid resetting the truck, most of us would lean out.

IMO to lean like this to avoid moving the boom is silly, it is unsafe and uncomfortable. "ow, my back did not like that!"

Silly to some, quicker to others. Some would say moving the boom 3 times as much is silly, while others say safer.

Nevertheless, you won't catch me leaning out like that all day either, but I'll reach everything that I can before moving and often I'm well out of the bucket…..well, in the morning anways.

 

[extremewoodwork]

Whatever the point is

Do you drive with both hands on the wheel...10 and 2?

I dont know the point in leaving that stub to begin with or the point in cutting it off later for that matter. I do know that instead of leaning out of a bucket with restricted movement I personally would have used the pole saw for that particular limb. Oh yeah and No it does not look safe.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

I dont know the point in leaving that stub to begin with or the point in cutting it off later for that matter. I do know that instead of leaning out of a bucket with restricted movement I personally would have used the pole saw for that particular limb. Oh yeah and No it does not look safe.

Good point...lol...but besides the point. I think he's a perfectionist.

Obviously his movement is not as restricted as others. And yeah, given the option, I'd have used the polesaw.


Alot of things look safe and aren't, and other things look dangerous and aren't. He's safer than it looks, though I'm sure his mom/wife/girlfriend would not feel very good about it.


The defense rests. Hang him high at noon boys...doesn't matter to me, I'll be on my lunch break. :jester:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Good point...lol...but besides the point. I think he's a perfectionist.

I think he was cutting his scarf to push the top off

 

[Bigus Termitius]

I think he was cutting his scarf to push the top off

I can see why at first glance it might appear that way. I had to zoom in to be sure. At this magnification it's clear that he's going for the one stob.

 

[Bermie]

He is at full extension of his upper body and arms...it sure doesn't LOOK safe.
I know it can't FEEL particularly good on the lower back and shoulders...

But we can't see if he has a fall arrest harness on, we can't see if there is an obstruction for the bucket or boom...so several factors to the equation are missing. Plus or minus either way would determine overall 'safeness'

I don't like the way it LOOKS, which was the title to this thread!!!

 

[Industry]

The way things LOOK from the ground may be vastly different than they do from my bucket 3 feet from Primary. I also tend to remove all stubs like that. I have seen them wreak havoc with branches, etc. when they hang up or bounce off the stub. One of the guys who works for the company I do didn't flush a stub one day and had a pine limb bounce off of it and land across 3 phase. 3 pretty blue flashes later, power is out to 15,000+ people.

 

[Timbersports]

Both hands on the saw, can't beat that...

 

[JimL]

my opinion, His hoses are toward his back, on our booms they come out the front of the bucket, if thats the case with him he could have the boom flipped over, lower boom down all the way and swing under the wire. Think of a backwards L. He may not be able to lower himself anymore. Ive reached like hell before working a stacked 3 phase to get everything. Though I would think he might be able to lower his upper boom to the back side of the tree and get to it easier, maybe not..

I keep both my feet on the bottom of the bucket/sawdust though, his might be, never know the guy might be 6'4" tall.

 

[JimL]

on second thought, scratch what I just wrote, the step one the side of the bucket is toward his back so he isn't flipped over..