Western PA logger killed 2/27/04

[woodhog]

This is from a local newspaper.
" a 32 year old Western PA man was killed in Warsaw township. Jefferson County Thursday Feb, 27."
" The man was cutting a fallen tree into sections, when a partially cut tree, which he had been working on earlier, began to fall. Police say he tried to get out of the way of the falling tree, but was hit in the back by the tree."
" He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner".

That is all my paper said.

 

[geofore]

a tree falls

This is why they outlawed cutting trees to fall them like dominoes. Don't partially cut a tree and walk away from it to come back and finish it later. This guy didn't live long enough to learn the hard way that this is a mistake. Any flaw in the tree or even a light breeze can set it in motion. It may be in motion and you don't notice because it moves so slow till it hits a critical point over the center of balance. By the time you hear the crack of wood breaking, the catostropic failure is already in motion and you are not. NEVER start on a tree and walk away half way done and think you didn't cut enough to upset the tree. This guy was no doubt thinking he hardly started the cut so it was safe to clean up the other tree first and come back and finish the tree that killed him later. It is not a safe practice. Finish one before you start the next one.
Once the cut was made, the safe distance would be twice the distance as the hieght of the tree, away from the tree, just as if there were a second faller working the tree. Until the tree is down, it is not safe to working near it.
Do I clean up the LZ or finish dropping the tree? You made the decision when you started the cut in the tree, FINISH the cut and don't second guess. You don't get a do over.

 

[NeTree]

^ Something like that.
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