PPE (possible tree services thread)

[tinman44]

What PPE does your crew use? What do you think is too much or too little? Discuss.

 

[tinman44]

when climbing i wear steel toed/shank boots, jeans, t-shirt, climbing belt, helmet, gloves. I have steel core strap, geckos, and blue streak rope. of course earplugs and eye protection. some ppl use more but i think i gots it covered. saw chaps are better suited for ground crew and definately some double ear protection.

 

[tinman44]

caps are kinda pushy, dood...

its an acronym

 

[ozy365]

How about the chainsaw pants instead of chaps when in the tree?

 

[tinman44]

where are they available?

 

[clearance]

Chainsaw pants in a tree? I always wear them on the ground but not in a tree, you are probably not going to cut your legs. Think about where the saw is when you are cutting. Other stuff here is good advice, a pressure bandage in your hard hat is good to have.

 

[P_woozel]

Depending on the neighborhood,I may put my ceramic plates in my vest, though it makes it a little heavier the added protection is nice.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Chainsaw pants in a tree? I always wear them on the ground but not in a tree, you are probably not going to cut your legs. Think about where the saw is when you are cutting. Other stuff here is good advice, a pressure bandage in your hard hat is good to have.

The US, and parts of Canada, are a few places where climbers are exempt from wearing chainsaw leg protection in the tree. Think of how many people fight for their "right" to one-hand chainsaws.

Putting anything between your helmet and headgear is not allowed. Doing so reduces the support function of the suspension.

Fresco sells a nice first aid kit that secures to your saddle. I carry my ascending kit in the black pouch. There is room for a fa kit in there too.

 

[clearance]

Thanks Tom- when I was working in the bush in '94 a workers compensation board inspector walked into my strip to see me (allowed, spacing not falling). He asked questions, looked at my saw and asked where my pressure bandage was. I showed it to him and said I knew that it wasn't allowed in my hard hat. He said "B.s." and we had a good talk about stuff. He used to be a big wood faller for many years and had seen it all. He said "Listen son, if you get hit in the head so hard that you lose your hat, you are not going to be doing anything, keep it in your hat, you alway will have it, always know where it is.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I agree!

 

[Shaun Bowler]

I evaluate the tree and the grounds. I like to have as little/essential equipment with me . If I can do this without a core rope, I will. Saw rope, I will. I like to climb with only the basics, because there is enough going on that I do not want to be distracted with every posible scnerio. I do not want to drag anything more than I have to in a tree; that is just what it is, being a treeworker.

 

[hobby climber]

Shaun, I understand why you don't want to carry a lot of kit into the tree but would it not be better to "BE PREPARED" then to get yourself into a bad situation? Think about your escape plan! Ya gona sacrifice safety for speed??? Ya ever cut into wood up top only to find a bunch of pissed off BEE's ??? Look over the job, think about all the equipment you will need in the tree and DON'T SACRIFICE SAFETY!!! Just take what you need to do that job safely and effectively, a few extra pounds wont kill ya but stupidity may! (general comment, no offense meant to anyone). An ounce of prevention ...is all I'm saying. Also ,pls keep in mind that many new people read our posts so we don't want to show them any bad habits or give poor advice. Safety First!!! :angel: HC

 

[Tom Dunlap]

What you do is your choice. And...I have little understanding of Canadian safety rules. I quit wearing construction style helmets years ago. A Canadian friend of mine has said that a helmet without a chin strap is only 60% of a helmet.

If you're climbing why not carry a FA kit? I have a pressure bandage, gloves and an AR mask in my belt kit. That's within an arm's reach of me at all times. When I'm on the ground we have more complete kit in the vehicles.

 

[jason j ladue]

oh, hi there mr.OSHA. yeah, ya know, umm, funny thing about it... i kinda left my helmet at home today-

 

[jason j ladue]

guess i lost my head...

 

[jason j ladue]

just one more quick cut...

 

[hobby climber]

Hi Tom, Just to clarify my position regarding safety... I have a wife & two young daughters so I'm pro safety equipment for there sake as well as mine. Kinda like the same argument of wearing seat belts. The only time you really need it is if your in an accident. Unfortunately, you never know just when that will be! With it you stand a better chance of survival, without it...well lets just say you can read all about it in the obituaries! Like you said, its a personal choice!

 

[clearance]

Tom-your Canadian friend works for the W.C.B. of British Columbia? They recently brought in this rule about having to wear a chin strap if you are working more than 10' above the ground. The reason is because the wind could blow your hard hat off, how retarded is that, if it is that windy you should not be climbing. We all wear the construction style hardhats that have earmuffs and a mesh facescreen. We have a big first aid kit in all the trucks plus blankets, the utility gives little books that have hospital addresses and phone numbers. We all have basic 1st. aid training and electrical emergency training. This chin strap deal is totally bogus, most utility reps. do not enforce it, the one who does, we don't work for him. I do not want sh%t around my neck/throat at all choker, noose, whatever.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

HC,

Too bad more people don't realize what you do. Our obligation to work in the safest manner possible is becaues we owe our lives to our family and friends. A climber I know has a picture of his wife and kids laminated in plastic and in the top of his kit bag. They look at him everytime he gets his gear.

Cl,

No, my friend doesn't work for WCB or any governmental agency. He's a blue collar worker. Requiring a chin strap at 10' is silly. Justifying it because of wind is even sillier. I'm with you, if the wind is strong enough to blow my [non-chin strap] helmet off, I should really think hard if I need to be in the tree.

My Grandmother used to fuss about having to wear a seatbelt. She sided with the small number of people who might have lived because they didn't have a seatbelt on. She stopped fussing after the car she was riding in flipped and crashed. Her Granddaughter, who was driving, and she had minor injuires. End of the fussing. She was convinced.

 

[hobby climber]

Ya the chin strap thing is a PITA so I thought till last year. I was working for a logger(first time) last winter to clear a 27 acer bush lot. Many of the trees had these large vines growing up into them and some were quite large in diameter, 6-8+ inches. On one occasion, I cut one vine off at ground level and it sprang upward and outward, I then began my cut into the tree. Next thing I knew, this 8"diameter vine had swung back and clobbered me in the head sending me and my helmet in two different directions. In that situation a chin strap would have kept the helmet on my head and would have given me some protection as I landed striking my now unprotected head on a previously cut log! I have to take the blame for this one for not being aware of my surroundings and its hazards. Sh*t Happens and if it doesn't kill us, we learn from it!