Guys, don't get complacent out there!!!

[Evanrude]

Wow. Sobering post. I'm glad you're doing okay. Could have been much, much worse. Make sure and count your lucky stars and thank the powers that be! It takes balls to post this, but be glad you did. You're helping so many people realize, including me, that anything can happen in an instant. Some people aren't as lucky. Like you said, don't ever get complacent. I hope you're feeling alright considering the hit. At least you're feeling...

 

[madhatte]

Here's my two cents' worth.

First -- Brad, good on you for sacking up and sharing this video and story. It's a valuable cautionary tale and if anybody at all learns something from it, it's not a total loss. Vicarious learning is still learning, especially if it means not having to repeat somebody else's mistakes. Also -- video of stuff like this is a super-useful tool for improving your techniques, so for sure keep that up. There's always gonna be room for improvement.

Second -- not gonna berate you on the "no PPE" thing as we've already been over that enough here. I will say that I prefer the aluminum hats to the plastic ones because they show their damage. It's pretty easy to see when they need replaced. With the plastic ones, the instructions say to replace them any time they get whacked. That sounds pretty bogus, especially if you have a hundred-dollar Bullard, but the fact is, plastic won't give you any warning before it fails. It also holds heat way better, and therefore contributes to heat stress in any but the coolest conditions. However, you don't want to work anywhere near power of any sort sporting a metal helmet. There's pros and cons to both, but for daily work, I vastly prefer a full-brim tin hat. I have an old Mac-T and a Skull Bucket and like both.

Third -- on saving the saw, consider pulling the starter cord. It buys you some space and therefore time. Don't know if it would have made a difference in this case, but as a habit, I recommend it over just hanging out beneath the tree until it tips.

Fourth -- regarding lean and swings, I don't think what you were trying looked impossible at all. It just looks like you dutched the wrong side. Remember that the fat side is the way it will fall. If you nip the off side, you want to put a wedge under the fat side, not the thin side.

Fifth -- escape routes? I haven't heard mention of them and they aren't immediately obvious from the vantage point of the camera. Be in the habit of taking time beforehand to establish them and be ready to use them.

Finally -- I gotta hit you on not looking up. I just gotta. There's nothing more important than situational awareness. That goes for everything -- think about just driving down the street and braking to avoid a car that backs out in front of you. Not looking up is exactly equivalent to mashing that car because you were changing the song on your iPod. There's what's important, and there's what's important NOW. Falling, nothing's more important than the top of the tree. You can look down to check your progress, to adjust wedges, whatever needs done, but eyes up as much of the time as is physically possible. Then be ready to dash down whichever escape route is most appropriate.

 

[Walt41]

I think you should mill a nice shelf out of that tree and use it to hold all your PPE, maybe mount that twisted bar above it as a reminder to suit up before pulling the cord.

 

[LowVolt]

I have to admit after reading the story it was pretty intense to watch the video. Glad to see you are alright. ::thumbsup::

 

[Metals406]

Brad, I skipped a lot of this thread, it's moving fast, and there's a lot of stuff being repeated.

I'll say this, glad that wasn't a video of your death! I had my son watch it, and explained what went wrong, where it went wrong, and how it can be prevented. I've used your video as a tool, just like you intended when you sacked up and posted it.

God Bless mang, and heal up!

 

[wheelman]

Brad really glad to hear you are ok after that ordeal.
Complacency sadly is what has gotten so many people people hurt and killed in this business. As someone said earlier there is no such thing as a simple drop. I have seen more times than not guys getting hurt with small seemingly harmless trees. A good friend of mine was nearly crushed to death by a 14" DBH poplar a few years back from just not paying enough attention to his surroundings or having a planned escape route.

I think most of us are very diligent when cutting a big or otherwise dangerous looking tree, but tend to get sloppy on the routine stuff. Just remember nothing is routine when it comes to felling trees.

Stay safe friend!

 

[Farm Boy]

No more thumpin to your punkin. That time period where you are not moving in the video is pretty damn spooky. Thanks for sharing, no doubt there are others ordering crash hats as a result of your video. Heal well.

 

[Dennis Cahoon]

Brad you ignorant "CULL"!.......as I used to say almost everyday......."Just another Lucky Day in the woods"......Hahahahahahaha!

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Well, I said my peace. I'll be going now.

One last thing--brad, you've got a wife and daughter to think about. I do hope you keep that in mind then next time you feel a temptation to take a shortcut. We only get one life--no resets. Never forget that.

SPACE......I'm going to rank this post as one of your most constructive posts that I've read! Well written!

Brad.....good thing you got a 'do over'! Like others have said... THANKS FOR POSTING YOUR MISTAKES!

I've found myself in some tight situations....thinking....that was stupid! I just about killed my dog....she came running along just as the tree fell.....the tree glanced off her back pushing her away.....she stays away when the saw(s) are running now!

 

[almondgt]

"I was out videoing the 390XP for you guys. I was alone. "

I blame the camera for the mishap. Yes, the camera was a major distraction. You were on a mission to contribute once again to this site. Your mind was reeling with.... The camera is rolling, I have to do a good job on cutting this tree down, everyone will be watching, i'll only get one chance at this video. Who knows what else was running through your mind besides saving the 390. Thoughts like that took your focus off the job at hand. I don't know if the outcome would have been different without the camera but I think the video camera was the negative force that resulted in your near death experience. I would not want to read in your obituary "he died for his love of arboristsite site"

Real good friend of mine died several years ago from a WidowMaker. He was working alone!-

Glad your still around. You've impacted many

 

[RiverRat2]

Wow just found this thread,, Complacency,,,

Wow Brad you're one lucky dude. I always wear a helmet whenever I'm running a saw, unless its in my backyard cutting on a test log.

It can happen to anyone, experienced or not. 2 summers ago I lost a relative, he was a faller and had many many years of experience, got hit in the head with a branch, died instantly.

Brad,,, I know you understand how blessed you were today,,

What Im about to laydown,,,,I havent talked about much,,,,,

After Hurricane (late fall 2008) Ike we had a ton of work,,, 3 stumprinders working and 3 sometime 4 removal crews getting the blowdowns off of houses and out of peoples driveways, yards, etc,,,, 3rd day evening into it We lost one of the best arborist I ever worked with,,,, 20+ years of experience falling/climbing all sorts of Hazard trees,,,, after work one evening he had mentioned to some of us about a large 30"+ red oak tree with some widow makers hanging in it by the back door and driveway of his house and he wouldnt let his wife and kids come home till he had it on the ground,,,, he was by himself except for his youngest 5 year old son.. the wind damage in the canopy had really rearranged the trees natural symmetry and it must have been pretty lopsided ,,, he got it on the ground ok but looking at his notch and where it ended up he must have misjudged the trees balance as evidenced by the location of his face cut and the direction it layed,,, consequently it rolled on the stump guess how much,,,, 90°,,,, Well.... while he was pushing the now cut top/limbs with his tractor/front end loader to clear the driveway a 3" sprung forked limb unloaded and sprung back and hit him square in the throat/temple breaking his neck and crushed his skull,,, he died 30 minutes later with paramedics trying to resuscitate him,,, The five year old was riding in has lap and narrowly escaped injury,,,, Never tackle any problem tree with a lean or deformity that has unsymmetrical structure by yourself,,, another set of experienced eyes during size up are invaluble,,, thats what they make good bull ropes and arborist equipment for,,, Johnny made a good living doing professional arborist work as long as I knew him,,,We had ground a many a stump behind his work,,, I cant tell you how all of this has affected his family,,, complacency and getting in a hurry got him....

Life is very fragile,,, If you remember I cut through one side of the hinge of a 30+" butress flared yellow pine with my ported 390XP, about october of 2011 only difference it rolled 90° on the stump but still fell pretty much where we wanted it,,,, but as soon as I went through the hinge the butt set down on the bar and snatched the saw right out of my hand, all I could do was scat and squint back over my shoulder,,, the saw was dogged in the butt of the spar and all I could do was watch it sling/twist off of the stump riding the butt,,, I was blessed that I had the presence of mind to let go and run the other way,,, and luckily we had just raked all the saw briars away fron the stump with the track hoe so the sandy soil was soft and the saw made it ok with just a smushed muffler and twisted dogs,,, rule of thumb,,, dont go on any falling jobs without an extra set of experienced eyes,,, We can always replace a saw,,,,,,
Oh,,, and cutting through your holding/hinge wood is not good bussiness no matter what the trees disposition is,,, ever,,,, as it is what controls the tree as it slides off the stump and your stumpshot is what launches the spar away from ya

Glad you are some what OK and hopefully as you stated,,, the positve here we all learned a valuble lesson,,, Dont go cut any more trees for us when you are alone,,, we all know you can build a really good runner,,,

 

[bcorradi]

Great post RR2.

I think another good point you bring up is to avoid the temptation to save the saw and worry about your own safety.

 

[tree monkey]

happy to see you standing. iv'e been there more then once. it's good you showed the vid, it will help others learn.
i'm not man enough to take a hit like that to show some one the wrong way to do something. your the man.

rep sent

 

[dingeryote]

Everybody has beaten ya up, on stuff you are already beating yourself up over already. Thanks for posting the carnage as a reminder to all of us, and as a chance to rethink our own mortality.

I got around to watching the vid. You're darn lucky.
Glad to see you only got a Husqvarna trademark and a headache out of the deal. Looks like you aren't done with your work here yet...good thing you are slacking somewhere.

You're lucky the butt didn't kick and squash you like a bug when it hit the other tree. It's actually kind of wierd it didn't.
Get off the stump when the Kerf opens next time. Folks don't get lucky like that more than once and saws are cheap.

You gotta go back out there and clean up that stem, and maybe drop a couple of those other trees.
Don't linger and think it to death either. Ya know what ya did, and what you need to do different.
Just bring one of the crew with ya to nag a little next time.

Good having ya still here.:msp_thumbsup:

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[oscar4883]

Kudos to you Brad for posting the vid. I wear a Petzl helmet and usually forget it is on until I hit my head trying to get in the truck with it on. Very comfortable. If you decide to fall alone a nice, simple mechanical advantage system is cheap to set-up and easy to install. It will let you get out of harms way and pull things over. My grandfather spent a winter in a coma after getting hit in the head by a widowmaker while falling timber in PA. Making a bad mistake in most situations is really not all that bad, but when working with trees it often ends in death or learning how to walk again.

 

[Arrowhead]

Glad your OK Brad. Stuff can happen at any time. I got to quick stories.

This was about a year ago. I was helping an older friend of mine drop a few trees and cut and split into firewood. I put my chaps and helmet on before we started. He smiled at me and said, "dang, you get all dressed up just to cut some wood, I never cut myself in 30 years of running a saw." I said I'd rather be safe than sorry. About 3 weeks later, we had a storm and it blew a large branch off one of is yard trees. He started cutting it up, then ended up in the ER with 17 staples in his leg from hitting it with the chain.

About 3 years ago, my Dad was helping me split wood. I dropped a huge Oak in the treeline behind my house. My dad is not in the best of health and usually sits on a bucket running the levers on the splitter. (which is a huge help) It was windy that day. I dropped the tree into the picked cornfield so I could position the trailer and splitter close to the tree. We loaded up the truck and trailer and were finished for the day. My Dad stood up and walked over to the truck for a bottle of water. Just then, I heard a loud clank. A huge dead branch blew out of another tree and landed on the splitter, crushing the bucket my Dad was sitting on 45 seconds earlier. You never know... be safe.

 

[k5alive]

i don't know if you can see her but i believe lady LUCK was there somewhere, glad to see you're ok

 

[dingeryote]

Hey Brad!!!
Notice the "H" is already on the front? :hmm3grin2orange:

Gotta bust on ya a little, cuz nobody jokes with the dead.
Laugh a little between counting the blessings for the 4 millionth time.:biggrinbounce2:

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[wigglesworth]

WOW.

Part of me wants to yell at ya, and the other part is just glad ur ok.

U BOZO!!!

Glad ur safe man, your daughter needs her daddy. Wear ur skull bucket!!!


Tis all...

 

[Hddnis]

Glad you're safe.

Next time you go falling please take the rocket donkey with you, let him run the saw.:hmm3grin2orange:




Mr. HE