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

[mtfallsmikey]

Those films on arc blast are all made by the safety equipment industry.

Never seen it in 25+ years in the trades. (did see a 200 amp 480 volt oil heater blow the door off once)

Ever price some of their garments?

It is a risk, but those films are a little slanted to the "worst case"

C'mon, like anyone is going to arc all three conductors with a 2" copper bar.

Take a look at this, see if you thnk it was made by the "safety equipment industry"...This poor dude died.



Arc Flash While Racking a Breaker - Video

 

[slowp]

Seriously?? The majority of people bashing in here are older then me (22), y'all are acting like a bunch of woman. Some of y'alls comments towards the guy would make me slap you. Not punch but slap because y'all are acting all like pms'ing women.




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I AM a bunch of woman. By the way, love that purple color.......pastels are very nice, very feminine. But you might have problems getting into the He Man Woman Hater's Club with purple.

 

[slowp]

That's a good point. From one perspective, it looked like the direction was obvious, but I don't think anyone here would plan a fall from a single photograph. It's a hindsight issue...it's easy to tell which way the lean is once the tree is falling.

Now that things have settled, I'm going to have another go at what I was trying to do in the first place. If it causes a stink, I hope someone will be able to pick something useful out of the ensuing mess.

I have nothing new to offer, but if there is something here that someone has not heard before, it is worth posting. This is just the way I do things, and I hope someone with more experience will offer some alternatives. There may be a few people on this site that have nothing to learn about falling, but I'm not one of them.

A big problem here was cutting through the holding wood. One way to avoid this is to dog-in where you want the back cut to end (or farther ahead for larger trees, with a "reset" once the first part of the backcut is parallel to the face).

For the sake of discussion, let's assume the lean was known, and this was a fall 90 degrees from that lean. from the description, the diameter of the tree made it necessary to do the backcut in 2 parts. Also from my interpretation (because the holding wood was severed), it seems the first part of the backcut was made on the side away from the lean. The lean was misread, so it wasn't a conscious decision, but the end result brings up a useful point when the lean is recognized.

In my view, the first part of the backcut should be on the side of the lean, so you have maximum holding against the lean. This should go a long way towards avoiding getting the bar pinched. I would start the second part of the backcut at a dogged in position maybe 45 degrees from being parallel to the face. The idea is to taper the holding wood so that it is thickest opposite the lean to swing the tree towards the face. If the tree doesn't start to go, then continue deepening the back cut so that the holding wood remains tapered.

In some cases, I have experimented with putting a Dutchman on the lean side, which closes as the tree shifts stopping the leanward movement of the tree if there is sufficient holding wood opposite the lean. This is supposed to shift the weight towards the face. My question is, would having a Dutchman in place make it more likely or less likely for the bar to get pinched while making the backcut?

I realize that all of the above is painfully obvious, but I'll gladly risk being obvious on the off chance that someone is not familiar with it.

Thank you, I have learned something.

 

[madhatte]

My question is, would having a Dutchman in place make it more likely or less likely for the bar to get pinched while making the backcut?

Yes, and that's what you want. If it rolls enough to sit on the bar, it'll roll enough to keep going onto the face, freeing the bar. When swinging a tree, pinching the bar on the off side is often your first clue that the top is moving. Then it sits forward, the wedge tips, and the face begins to close. There's a vid in the F&L forum of me doing exactly that.

 

[edisto]

Yes, and that's what you want. If it rolls enough to sit on the bar, it'll roll enough to keep going onto the face, freeing the bar. When swinging a tree, pinching the bar on the off side is often your first clue that the top is moving. Then it sits forward, the wedge tips, and the face begins to close. There's a vid in the F&L forum of me doing exactly that.

NOW we're cooking with gas. Thanks Madhatte!

Won't let me rep you though...guess I have to spread it around.

 

[madhatte]

Don't thank me -- thank the far better fallers than myself on this board that I learned from!

(as an aside, it occurs to me that this may be a new form of "apprenticeship", where folks remotely train each other via interwebs. It's less formal, and there's certainly less accountability, but when it works, it works.)

 

[tjbier]

Wow Brad, glad your ok after that! I bet your had a worse feeling about the whole thing after watching the video of what happened. Scary .

good reminder for all, thanks for sharing .

 

[PLMCRZY]

I AM a bunch of woman. By the way, love that purple color.......pastels are very nice, very feminine. But you might have problems getting into the He Man Woman Hater's Club with purple.

Not trying to get into a club. Trying to make these girls stop whining. Maybe you could be there role model?


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[Gologit]

Not trying to get into a club. Trying to make these girls stop whining. Maybe you could be there role model?


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Girls?

 

[edisto]

Girls?

Careful...he already said he was going to slap someone...

 

[RandyMac]

Careful...he already said he was going to slap someone...

slapping is what girls do.

 

[edisto]

slapping is what girls do.

I don't believe you...










...got pictures?

 

[Gologit]

Careful...he already said he was going to slap someone...

With his purple purse no doubt.


Back on topic...How are you healing up, Brad? I've seen guys hurt worse just falling down on a payday Friday night but that doesn't mean it's any fun.

 

[Typhoon]

Brad, I am glad you are here today to share this with us. I think all of us guys, regardless of who we are, feel a little too powerful sometimes with our saws and sometimes lose perspective. Brad probably remembers that about 2 years ago, I sent him a brand new 357xp that had been crushed. I had only ran about 10 tanks through her, and a situation not too different from what happened in this video, happened to me. I was tired, it was the end of the day, I was working on a slope, and got in a little bit of a hurry to dump a rock maple that I needed to get to the mill. Long story short, I misread the lean and she sat back on my bar. Started driving wedges, tree started falling in slow-motion. I had time to grab my saw, but opted to bail instead because of the slope.. was afraid I might trip and fall. It's a good thing I did.. because the top took out another top and a widowmaker landed almost exactly where I would have been if I would have retrieved my saw. Saw ended up crushed... no biggie. Brad fixed that saw and I got a new saw. Speaking for myself, I appreciate very much that you posted this vid Brad. Sometimes I find myself doing a quick limbing job or just bucking a "log or two" and don't want to to put on the helmet because maybe I left it 100 ft. away. Never again! I will walk the 100 ft. I didn't realize how complacent I can sometimes be until I watched this. And I don't know if I have ever seen such a ''close call''. Another thing that can be taken from this vid is... even though Brad was not wearing proper ppe, and maybe misjudged the tree a little, Brad is experienced, and knows what he is doing. The guy eats, sleeps, and breathes saws. In comparison, guys go out in the woods all the time with ZERO experience and attempt this kind of work. Sometimes they don't walk back out. Hats off to you Brad... chances are good that by posting this, you have helped many many guys be more safe. Get well soon friend!

 

[Tzed250]

What are you his father? Go tend to your children.


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You sure don't need any help looking like a fool do you?

You see, me and Brad go way back. Both good and not so good. From long before you were a member here. Notice how he liked the post you quoted?

The post was a poke in the ribs for someone that came way to close. Injected humor, a stress reliever. I am truly thankful that Brads' wife and daughter still have him coming home to them.

BTW, purple is regarded as the signature color of sexual frustration. That being the case, go help yourself.


.

 

[PLMCRZY]

With his purple purse no doubt.


Back on topic...How are you healing up, Brad? I've seen guys hurt worse just falling down on a payday Friday night but that doesn't mean it's any fun.

It's a hand bag thank you


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[PLMCRZY]

You sure don't need any help looking like a fool do you?

You see, me and Brad go way back. Both good and not so good. From long before you were a member here. Notice how he liked the post you quoted?

The post was a poke in the ribs for someone that came way to close. Injected humor, a stress reliever. I am truly thankful that Brads' wife and daughter still have him coming home to them.

BTW, purple is regarded as the signature color of sexual frustration. That being the case, go help yourself.


.

I guess that's what I get for sticking up for Such a swine....

I apologize


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[K7NUT]

I know I deserve all of the scolding you guys can give me, but I know the mistakes I made.

I'm not going to say a word Brad, It could happen to anyone.

On a lite note, anyone ever contact you about being a "double" for My Name is Earl?

Thanks for sharing and good to remember.

 

[forestryworks]

It's a hand bag thank you

:hmm3grin2orange:

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iuygRWVwuUI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I'm not going to say a word Brad, It could happen to anyone.

On a lite note, anyone ever contact you about being a "double" for My Name is Earl?:laugh:

Thanks for sharing and good to remember.

LMAO. I can see the resemblance.