Glad I had my lid on today....

[teamtree]

Taking out the top of a dead poplar tree from the bucket and was thinking the top was going to clear a hole in the woods but one limb caught another in a nearby tree and the butt swung under causing the top to come back on me and hit me smack on top of the head knocking one ear muff off and my 200T to the ground (about 45'). It was a pretty good jolt but I have to say my lid really prevented an injury as I think it would have split me open.

When I went down to get my saw I told my guys that is exactly why you wear a hard hat. It was the type of tree you cut with your eyes closed but those can even sneak up on you.

Just wanted to share that with my fellow arborists who believe in good safety practices.

 

[gr8scott72]

Taking out the top of a dead poplar tree from the bucket and was thinking the top was going to clear a hole in the woods but one limb caught another in a nearby tree and the butt swung under causing the top to come back on me and hit me smack on top of the head knocking one ear muff off and my 200T to the ground (about 45'). It was a pretty good jolt but I have to say my lid really prevented an injury as I think it would have split me open.

When I went down to get my saw I told my guys that is exactly why you wear a hard hat. It was the type of tree you cut with your eyes closed but those can even sneak up on you.

Just wanted to share that with my fellow arborists who believe in good safety practices.

Glad you're ok. It's always a scary sound when something SMACKS your helmet. Always gets my heart going until I realise that I'm ok.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Good story, that's just how it goes too.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Since we know your head is ok...at least no worse off, how's that saw?

 

[Adkpk]

Oh dude, that was a close one. What's the diagnoses on the saw, 45'.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

glad to hear the helmet took the hit instead of your cranium. .... Mike

 

[StihlRockin']

Wow, if you were on my crew, I would have been totally shocked.

I would have been running over there like greased lightning with great concern...

to see if my ms200t was repairable.

StihlRockin'

(Thanks for the reminder.... there's no such thing as "easy")

 

[Raymond]

Yeah ya gotta watch them freak little limb hangups. I think it's one of the biggest reasons for those non-predictable bad incident.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Since we know your head is ok...at least no worse off, how's that saw?

at least no worse off...too funny.

and at the most he learned something. Gotta love those hard hats. Anytime I've taken a shot like that I'm better for it.

You get to live to learn from it.

 

[Treetom]

Glad you're ok...

Another vote for the brain bucket.

 

[Raymond]

Yes brain buckets are good but what is inside the brain bucket is even more important. This was a large error in judgement that could have easily resulted in a broken neck!

If ya learned something it's all good.

 

[Raymond]

About 5 years ago I took a nasty fall (tied in) when the lead I was in broke 15 ft. or so below me.

One of the injuries I received was a broken neck, C-2 the same disc that took out Christopher Reed. Only way they knew was from a cat scan, I think it was.
I couldn't tell though. Made me think of how many people, kids even have broke their neck at one time or another and didn't even know it.

 

[LTREES]

Glad your ok! Things can go wrong real quick. 15 years ago I was working for a crew in NJ, had a dead poplar with the top 35' snapped and hung up in a tree on a 90 deg. ( about half way up) The foreman yelled to me look out for it coming back to you. I could not see it doing that, but heeded his words. I notched the top of the break and then under cut it. The piece fell to be upright, hung in the opposing tree and the top just came at me cause the stub was stuck in the other tree. I was behind the stick but it was only 16" to 18" dia. I got hit in the hat and shoulder. Broke the hard hat and almost a knock out, took me a bit to get down. That was the biggest piece of wood that I ate. I hate poplars.

LT...

 

[teamtree]

Well, Treeco is right....I made a serious error in judgement and it turned out ok. Some people are just not happy unless they point out someone else's faults. The point of my story was that without a hard hat, I would have been hurt and I was glad I made the decision to where one and where it all the time. I bet about 75% of my competition does not where them, ever, at least not when I see them working.

And to point out, there are really no true accidents and someone is usually at fault. I am not the type of person to believe that I am not without faults and do make mistakes.

As far as the saw...my ground guy picked it up while it was still running and pull the chain brake and fired off a few revs....I was really happy.

 

[tree md]

I climbed for years without a hardhat. No one wore them when I was coming up, learning the trade. I think I saw one climber wear one in about twelve years of service before I left Atl. I finally bought one about 2 years ago mostly because I was trying to get my ground guys to wear one and wanted to set the example. I also thinks it make you look more professional on the job. When we got hit by the large ice storm here last year I was very glad to have my helmet. We were working while frozen limbs were still falling from the trees. Cutting stressed hangers all day will really make you value a helmet. I can't tell you how many hanging limbs have dropped on me as I was working my way up a tree or stressed hangers snap and come right for my head as I have made cuts but it is a bunch. Goes with the territory when you are working severly damaged trees. I still have a hard time getting my guys to wear a hard hat and I get tired of telling them over and over but I will never climb without a helmet again. I can't believe I made it so long without a head injury.

Everyone make mistakes. I have made my fair share and have paid the price before. Hopefully we learn from it and are wiser for it. I always consider myself pretty lucky to have lived long enough through some of my mistakes to have learned a thing or two.

 

[randyg]

Thanks for sharin Team

Was takin apart a dead Red Elm with bucket, 50 feet or so up and making cut on about inch and a half branch that went pretty much straight up. Well the plan was to cut MOST of the way through and let it tip away then rev to cut the rest so it could drop. Saw was sharper/reved a bit long and cut straight through. I held the saw but knocked hard hat off when it came down on visor, nose bled from both sides. I saw the light/got smarter right quick. Without hardhat, stiches at the very least I'm sure. . .

 

[Adkpk]

As far as the saw...my ground guy picked it up while it was still running and pull the chain brake and fired off a few revs....I was really happy.

Unbelievable, go team!

 

[Adkpk]

My story goes a little backwards. I have a sugar maple a customer wants me to take a dead top out of. I was up there and trimmed the dead branches on the way up but I see trouble at the top. And it sounds just like teams situation. I see that top hitting a london plain tree next to it and coming back at me 60' up. I don't do this full time so I don't need to push my luck. I think the tree is shot anyway. I'll know in a few weeks when the leaves start to bud out. If it's still got life I'll probably be posting a pic to see what you guys think.