Wearing Helmets

[John Paul Sanborn]

I wear one almost everytime I get out of the truck on a job.

I've had dedwood hit my pot and knock me silly.

I'll let large branches slide by me and bump the pot.

I've taken those swings into the trunk, mostly when I'm doing a swing traverse and miss . Chinstraps help making the second bump hurt more.

Who else has "used" their brain bucket saving them from injury?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've had a couple noggin-knockers that woulda been a lot worse without my 'helmet'.

 

[Jumper]

I was pulling hangers out of a large maple my boss was pruning, gave a big one a hard tug with the pole pruner, and it came down alright, along with another one I did not even see as being cut, that hit me right on the top of the head and kncked me flying into a snow drift. Would have been nasty without a lid. I guess I got used to wearing helmets with all that jumping and running around in the bush with the Army, so it was no big deal to wear one for another job.

 

[xander9727]

I wear one and make my employees wear one. I have been hit on the noggin a time or two and was really thankful I was wearing a lid.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I was taking the very last itty bitty piece of top out of a cottonwood that I was removing , and about 60 ft up when the wind picked up and went the other way, and it came back ontop of me. it was just a little piece but it smacked me on the noggin and the riggin line was layed across my flip line. It scared the hell out of the home owner and I must say it was my scariest moment climbing. It all worked out ok but I have a nice reminder scuffed into my helmet to always check wind and lean on stuff like that. It tore the sleave on my Colo State Football hoodie. Thats what ticks me off the mos

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I have one, plastic, of my own with the bill broken in two and a crack from forehead to top that kept me from being a veggie. Or did it... ?


Another helmet has a big dimple in it the prevented a bad headache.

I was talking with a friend tonight about risk management vrs. safety. Weearing a helmet is a safety issue, wearing a chin strap is risk management.

Tom

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Ive had a couple of sconnings from cones while doing crane jobs and general dismantles on pinus radiata. took a swing in a norfolk pine and headbutted a stub pretty hard, yeah brain buckets rock.
I love helmets, I attribute to them saving my life at least a dozen times, I have killed 5 motorbike helmets, couple kayaking, one rock, one mountainbike and my hockey helmet has some great scars!!!

I got fm radio in my work lid muffs, great for keeping the brain going and tuning out chippers, saws, the girlfriend etc. It only works in one ear so I can still hear outside noises. I also keep a first aid patch zip tied on the adjustable strap that sits just above the back of my neck so its always with me and easy for anyone else to find.

 

[preach it]

When I worked with my dad cutting trees he always made me wear one. One of the times he was cutting down a large spruce tree and I stood back out of the way. When the tree went down it hit a small dead tree and made it come down too. Only the small dead one hit me square on the hard hat. It about made me cross eyed for a few minutes but I was convinced from that day on to wear one. That happened thirty three years ago. I now have my own business and have always worn one. It has saved my head from many an injury and probably my life.

 

[TREETX]

I always wear a helmet. It is hard to convince people that they should stay out of your work area and that what you are doing is dangerous if you don't wear a helmet.

I have never had a "save" by a helmet, but it is an essential piece of performance equipment. Just like a helmet on a football player or shin pads on a soccer player. They may not need them in every game, but they give users the protection and piece of mind to use quicker, more aggressive moves (like competition style swinging traverses).

I have wondered about shin guards for some applications. I have noticed that when missing my mark on long swinging traverses, my shins often take a beating. I can see shin guards allowing one to make more aggessive moves.

.02

 

[jmchristopher]

I always wear one when I work and when I show jobs to crews working for me - leading by example.
In my last office we kept an old one around that had a lovely set of chainsaw teeth scrapes from a pretty dramatic kickback incedent.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wear pads.

I can stand all day on my spurs.

 

[jamie]

lids

i always wear it, saves me head.....

when learnig to cut, i had 2 scotties left and there was a wee dead thing inbetween, stuff it it though, ill get myself some more room, there was a fence behind me and i thought aye it will make the gap between teh 2 scottys, cut it and it hung up....brute force and ignorance kicked in and i tried to push it thru....tried again and it went.....as it fell i thought where'd the top go......then it hit me......literally

that knocked some sense into me....oh i had the lid on....

as for pads, some cutting trousers work like cusions on your thighs


jamie

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thighs?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by Tom Dunlap
I was talking with a friend tonight about risk management vrs. safety. Weearing a helmet is a safety issue, wearing a chin strap is risk management.

Wearing your own is safety,
making the crew wear them is risk management.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

maybe they have spikes like the braces you see in forest gump in scotland. "Gaff Forrest, Gaff!"

"Mama always said lifes like a bunch of line clearances, you never know whats gonna get you"

I do agree with chainsaw pants padding your legs when in gaffs, not to mention the valuable protection the offer in wet tea towel fights!

I also have a petzl rockclimbing helmet with earmuffs fitted but I like the extra protection of a brim. (or peak)

 

[heartland]

I've always worn one, from the first day I started climbing over 1.5 yrs ago. Guess I was brainwashed by all those ArborMaster videos....

It has come in handy on a few occasions:

-loose hangers
-pulling a snagged lanyard
-unexpected swing of the throwbag
-getting banged up in trees with tight/twised branch structure (Cedar Elm for us down here in TX)
-getting the ole "slap" while loading brush in the trailer

 

[jamie]

pants

sorry MB i meant legs in general......

as for the Gump reference...whatcha trying to say like

jamie

 

[murphy4trees]

Seems ike those that don't aren't bragging about it much here..
I slammed my head into a the customer's ladder, hanging off the back of his garage today while grinding stumps...
Very doubtful that I would have done that if I wasn't wearing the helmet....
Like everything els... gotta have the right helmet for the right job...

 

[wiley_p]

I,ve broken 2 helmet's so far. Certainly would have cracked skull if not wearing the helmet. Worn helmet/hardhat for 17 years now gone to a few crews where that was a foreign concept, that was first of many thngs to change. It would be funny to ask one of the crew what happens to ones head when caught w/o helmet/hardhat on tyhe jobsite.

 

[John Ellison]

I've wore a tin hat forever too. Not what a climber would want to wear but it has saved my noggin a couple o times. Once a choker setter had a 1 1/8" bull choker bent over a 5' spruce and then he let go of it. The nubbin is about the size of a small coffee cup. Line that size is pretty stiff and it flew over the top of the log and whacked me a good one. Nocked me down but didnt hurt my head.

John