traffic control falling trees

[clearance]

Please tell me what you guys do for controlling traffic during removal treework. I usually just keep on cutting but today I started to think about it. I went to cut down some firs that were overhanging a powerline beside a major road to make room for a road improvement project. We chunked a couple to about 50-60', just stems. I had the excavator (Hitachi 210) get behind them to push them into the open, traffic was stop and go/crawling because of roadwork ahead. When I was putting in the undercuts people in thier cars where really looking at me, I started to think I was doing something wrong. I left lots of holding wood and had buddy push them, then I cut somemore and got out of there. They went down like I wanted but I could see people in cars just cringing. I got to thinking, what if I was a moron, cut off all the holding wood and they went over backwards, ripped the line down and landed on a car. That might have been what the people in the cars were thinking. Whaat do you guys do or think about this?

 

[Old Monkey]

I fell my first big top on frozen ground this winter. I'm a westcoast boy and I didn't think a little cold weather would change anything. The top plowed into the ground where I wanted it to go. Then two big chunks of wood bounced up off the frozen ground, flying up and over my head. One lands short of a house window and the other lands between two parked cars. I was very lucky. As to your question, something unforseen is always out there waiting to happen, secure the falling area. Be an arse, make people wait, stop traffic even if you are falling stuff away from the road.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Hey Clearance, aren't you the one who is so concerned about human safety? You remove any tree that might ever fall and kill a person, yet you don't care much about poeple. I don't get it.

 

[chipper]

Maas: looking at your biography, one would think that you are a balzy, fearless kind of guy. What gives?

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Traffic control ,proper control on big job's usualy involves a truck load of cones and signs and two competant guys to stop the traffic completely when needed ,if you don't already know this are you sure your the rite man or with the rite company for road side work ??? after all your putting OTHER peoples SAFETY AT RISK !!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Maas: looking at your biography, one would think that you are a balzy, fearless kind of guy. What gives?

No, I'm a big ?????.
I just think that tree work is hazardous enough, not taking standard safety precautions is foolish. It has nothing to do with balls, really.

 

[clearance]

Mike you are not helping, thanks. I am just asking to get other opinions, I have cut down lots of trees that had to be "money shots". No room for error, like beside powerlines, roads, buildings. Trees that could have been blocked down more, but hey ya gotta have fun, I have confidence, just wonder if I am doing the right thing, thats why I'm asking.

 

[Treeman14]

From a liability standpoint, you are assuming a huge burden. Even though you've done this for years, even though you're an expert feller, faller, whatever, it only takes one mistake to spell disaster. An unseen hollow or punky spot in the hinge, a moment of inattention, a sudden gust of wind, and a routine job turns into a fatality. I prefer to err on the side of caution. Set up a work zone with signs and cones, and use a flagger to stop traffic during critical drops. Yes, it takes longer and costs more money. BUT, how much would a lawsuit involving death or serious injury cost you? I've done several large removals for the Florida Department of Transportation along their rights of way. We went hog wild with traffic control. Cones, signs, variable message boards, flaggers, and police. $880 per day just for traffic control.

See if you can find a copy of the WATCH book. Work Area Traffic Control Handbook. Its a good source for standard cone and sign setup.

Be safe.

 

[Treeman14]

just wonder if I am doing the right thing, thats why I'm asking.

NO

 

[clearance]

Brett-thanks a lot, a fatality that was my fault wouldn't cost me any money but it would haunt me forever. Never really thought of it like that, but sh%t does happen.

 

[Treeman14]

a fatality that was my fault wouldn't cost me any money.

Huh??? I'm not sure how to answer that??? Are you serious?

 

[clearance]

Brett-my boss has big insurance, anyways, in this province workers cannot be held financially liable for financail damages ever. They cannot sue thier employer, nor can thier employer or anyone else sue them for what happens at work. The workers compensation board pays for injured or killed workers, insurance companies pay for injured or killed members of the public. If someone died because it was my fault, money is probably the last thing I would be thinking about for a long time, in any case I would quit my job.

 

[topnotchtree]

If you are pushing trees over with an excavator, why don't you have the bucket hold the backside of the tree while you cut? When you are done cutting you can get out of the way and let the ooperator push. This way with the bucket holding the tree in place, it will not fall backwards.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Good job topnotchtree, you have successfully described how several fatalities a year take place!

 

[clearance]

Thanks-topnotch, I work with some excellent hoe operators, they get right behind the tree, stick the teeth on thier bucket or rake into the tree and push. I get out of the way after I put in the backcut of course. All the hoes that do treework have forestry packages on them (r.o.p.s. + heavy bars to prevent anything entering the cab. Cut down lots of trees this way. Mike you should stick to what you know, Topnotch and I cut trees DOWN, we know what we are doing, thanks.

 

[NickfromWI]

This way with the bucket holding the tree in place, it will not fall backwards.

You mean, it might not fall backwards.

You guys aren't taking clearance seriously, are you?

love
nick

 

[clearance]

Look, Nick I was just asking about what you guys do. I originally said "what if I was a moron and cut off the holding wood" Cut down many trees with excavators, competent to do it, the reason that I am going to change my ways is as Brett says "what if?" Don't start hacking on Topnotch about hoes and trees, that is another topic, this is traffic control.

 

[Chucky]

Hey Clearance,

Speaking of lawsuits, don't forget about your hazard signs. If they say the sexist "men at work" or "men in trees," you'd better get rid of them fast and replace them with the more politically correct "workers in trees" -- lest you'll have a lawsuit on your hands by a group of militant feminists!

 

[spacemule]

Hey Clearance,

Speaking of lawsuits, don't forget about your hazard signs. If they say the sexist "men at work" or "men in trees," you'd better get rid of them fast and replace them with the more politically correct "workers in trees" -- lest you'll have a lawsuit on your hands by a group of militant feminists!

The only way I could see that holding up is if the crew has women on it.

 

[daddieslilgirl]

EXCUSE ME????? it should read that way anyways. and as for flaggers my husband has a really great groundsperson, the flagger on the other hand is a different story..the other day hes holding the paddle up on the STOP and waving cars to go and limbs are falling because the guys in the buckets were cutting! this person could have gotten 1 or 17 people hurt and/or killed not to mention people in the cars! and just for the record i flagged in nj with almost no experience but i know the difference of stop and go!! militant feminists! thats rude