Tree cutting accident

[WinterDeere]

Sawyer safety rule #4. Have someone with you.

I do a lot of tree harvesting, as we're heating a very large and very old inefficient house with firewood, as well as supplying wood to a few others on occasion. I'm often in a situation of having to cut out in the woods myself, so my wife and I have established a check-in policy. She calls me a few times during the day, at least once every 2 hours, if she hasn't heard from me sooner. Additionally, I call her before I fell each tree or grouping of trees, and tell her, "if you don't hear back from me in 10 minutes, send the ambulance." It's a workable system, for anyone who must cut alone.

 

[ArlyA]

Not all "saws" are chainsaws. Many ER visits are due to table saws and other woodworking saws.

It was chain saw accidents I was referring to.

 

[charlessenf]

falls or a few concussions

Reminds me of that Old RR quote "I've only had a few concussions and I'm here to help"

 

[Todd727]

Dead trees scare me. If anyone knows a great (safe) way to get them down I would like to know about it. I won’t stand under one and cut it. I have envisioned a saw with a long handle supported on a turn pole. Allowing one to stand far off and get the widow maker down.

 

[Thereisagod]

Ive got TWO broken limbs hanging 50 feet up 100 foot tall maples. The aftermath of this past late winter storm. The broken branches are about the size of my calf. Hundreds of pounds just held by a split or two. Every time the wind blows I look up with hope that one or the other might have come down. Not yet though. I am getting to feel it's going to take another heavy wet/icey snow storm to bring them down.
In the meanwhile, I look up and hurry past whenever I need to be out in that part of the yard.

I've quit mowing there. It's so shady, grass doesn't really grow, weeds and moss mostly, not worth the risk.

Sending good vibes to the injured fellow!

Widowmakers.... Labels don't get applied for no good reason.

Unusual for Maple branches to "hang in there" like that. Oaks - yes - but in my experience Maples crack and fall.

 

[Thereisagod]

View attachment 826087

Dyn-o-mite?

 

[Ghost River Retrievers]

Ugh! This thread reminds me of the dozens, maybe hundreds, of hanging or hung-up limbs I have around my property as a result of a major ice storm early this year. Many of my pines are nearly stripped of limbs on their north side. I've removed the easy-to-get-to limbs, but some of those which are higher up are still in precarious positions. There are a couple which I've been studying on to figure out a safe way to get them down; there are others which I'm concerned that there's not a safe way to get them down

 

[yooperterry]

Hard hat, face shield, ear muffs and approved chaps. I wear LeBlonde competition chaps, not cheap but excellent protection. Any chain can easily aputate an arm of leg in a second and just a glancing cut can be many. many stitches and rehab if you sever a muscle or tendon. Been there, done that and the last 'mistake' cost me 108 stitches and a helluva lot of hurt afterwards.

Not cheap? But it last for years so it's a very good investment. Once you have it, you'll always have it.

 

[ArlyA]

Here one for you guys. I'm not cutting it...

 

[Ken45101]

Hard hat, face shield, ear muffs and approved chaps. I wear LeBlonde competition chaps, not cheap but excellent protection. Any chain can easily aputate an arm of leg in a second and just a glancing cut can be many. many stitches and rehab if you sever a muscle or tendon. Been there, done that and the last 'mistake' cost me 108 stitches and a helluva lot of hurt afterwards.

I was a volunteer firefighter/emt. We had one guy where the saw kicked back and it got him in the face. Not very nice. One of our other lieutenants had the saw cut him in the thigh. He was lucky, no serious damage.

I have a multistemmed ash tree dead and falling along one of my trails. I am not getting in there, even with heavy equipment. Any vibration could break off another branch. I'm hoping this winter will take care of what's left of the tree.

Ken