About got gutted!

[CCC4]

Everyone should know the dangers of logging, take those dangers and complicate them with pushed over/hung up timber and you really need to be aware. I have been on a long grind lately and being pushed to my limits. Today, towards the end of the day after being in a strip pushed over with the Hydro Ax, I got tired and careless and almost caught a big one! Two lengthy pine were pushed over together, I cut both off at the stump, cut one top out then on the next one...well I was fuzzy and didn't watch my pressure. Upon releasing the 2nd top at WOT, the tree swatted me compressing my 661 chassis into my stomach and throwing me 6 ft through the air backwards!! Think about that for a sec...the bottom of the saw hit me in the stomach with the chain speed wide open! Man that was close!

Just remember to always be aware of your surroundings, I was exhausted and it almost cost me a major major injury! Be safe out there!

[Jeff]

Glad you are here to tell us about it. NOW DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!

[Ken]

Very glad to hear this did not turn out bad.  All of us who have worked in a
production logging environment have had close calls or have been injured.  Might be time to take a break and refocus.
Cheers
Ken

[CCC4]

I need to take a break, I plan on taking my Son fishing this weekend and resting for a couple days.

Jeff, I will certainly try to not let that happen again! 

[North River Energy]

^
Given the circumstances, you might consider taking him fishing tomorrow.
Glad you're more or less Ok.

[Ed_K]

 End of day is what gets you. I limbed out a b/oak this afternoon and released a hemlock branch onto my nose, wow cuts on your nose sure do bleed. Hit so hard it knocked off my helmet and dropped me to the ground. Not sure how I got the saw away from me.
Glad we're both ok, but don't do it anymore I cant take wacks like that.

[thecfarm]

I betcha when you wake up in the morning you will be looking for that truck that hit ya.  :(    Not trying to be funny,glad you are OK.
We bought back 11 acres of The Farm. It had grown up to white maple,2-3 to a clump. I was cutting them clumps all day long and they was hanging together until they hit the ground. I was cutting a 2 clump right next to a shed that was built on the land. This time they did not stay together. One split off and hit the roof and skidded back and set the saw flying and set me just about as far too!! Saw was fine,but man,my arm was some skinned up. I hurt for a few weeks after that.

[BargeMonkey]

Wow and ouch.    I read your posts and you cut ALOT more wood by hand than most of us do, shows that it can happen to anyone of us. Hope you feel better.

[isawlogs]

   Glad to hear you came out of that ok and are taking a day off. 

[treeslayer2003]

bro, we were just talking about this........take off a few days.....please. they will live if you don't show up to the woods a couple three days.

[beenthere]

Thanks for posting.
In either case, did the chain brake activate and stop the chain?

[customdave]

Man that was a close call, or wake-up call, either one glad your ok. Play safe out there....


                      Dave

[timberlinetree]

Yikes! Glad you, and Edk are all right. Work safe out there!

[Peter Drouin]

Over the years, I have learned to stop cutting when I get that tired.
Good that you're ok.

[thecfarm]

In my case,I can't remember. BUT I do remember checking for body parts and making sure all parts was moving and not seeing any red coming out of them.

[CCC4]

beenthere, the chain break did not activate. Not really sure why, the saw is in good shape and fully functioning. The only thing I can think is the angle, I mean it happened lightening fast and I cant figure out why the break didn't pop off.

2 more days and I'm taking 2 off. Have a great day everyone, stay safe!

[samandothers]

CCC4
As beenthere stated thank you for sharing the near miss.  These things help keep in the forefront the dangers we need to be on guard for.

[grassfed]

Glad you are ok.

More and more I am trying to teach myself to quit for the day or at least stop and take a break when I notice myself getting tired and careless. When I think that I will just cut one more tree or skid one more hitch I try to pause and tell myself that it is time to quit now and that the tree will wait until tomorrow.

[Corley5]

Everyone BE CAREFUL out there.  Glad you're alright CCC4.  I don't like hand cutting at all anymore.

[ST Ranch]

CCC4 -Glad to hear you are OK - IMO close calls are usually a good time to rethink our work plan.
As Peter and others have said above, it is hard to quit when we feel ourselves getting tired, especiaaly when we have production goals to meet.
As I get older, I too find it hard after about 6 hours to keep going and find I start to loose my sense of balance and mental focus. 
If I have to keep working [working with a crew], I usually slow down, think things through and do everything by the book [use my wedges, clr the escape route, good footing, etc] and try to avoid the high risk work till next day.
Sounds like some R&R with family is timely and please "stay safe".
Tom

[SineWave]

Whoa. Sounds like you could have been cut in half in the blink of an eye.  Glad to hear you're OK.

Be careful out there!

[bushmechanic]

Glad to hear it was a near miss. When I worked with a paticular logging company in 1999 I witnessed such an injury. A 60 + manual faller had the same type of injury only he split his stomach open. The forman had to hold it all in until he got to the medics. It sure could have been worse for you!

[Autocar]

Anymore I try to work till 2:00 then I am pretty well beat. I cut till noon today then skidded everything I had on the ground. I wanted to cut five more but two trees later I knew enough to throw the towel in. Tomarrows another day, work safe everyone.

[mills]

Nothing beats falling trees... unless it's cold beer, barbeque, or messing with the missus.

But too much of any good thing can get you in trouble. :D

Man, watch out for yourself. I really enjoy reading post from friends, and through the years I've made several friends on this site.

[Ed_K]

Beenthere, my chain brake activated and staled out. Good thing cause when I went back today and looked over the area, the saw was only 3' from where I knelt down to catch my senses.
CCC4 it's good there wern't any trees behind you.I've seen trees swing like that and mow other trees over.

[OH logger]

Thank God you're ok. stay safe all cutters!!! ;)

[WDH]

Clint,

Thanks for posting this.  It really helps to keep us cognizant of what can happen.  I am glad that you are still kicking. 

[Nemologger]

A logger that sells to my cousin in south Mo didn't come home on the 8th of Dec, Randy Parsons was his name.his wife called around and couldn't find him anywhere so someone went to the jobsite after dark and sure enough he was dead. A vine pulled a small tree over and it hit him on the back of the head when he released a larger tree. He worked alone so no one really knows when it happened...He just didn't come home.
So please Guys be carefull.

[thecfarm]

Nemologger,sad to hear things like that happen.

[timberlinetree]

Oh no! That is very bad and sad. Our thought and prays for the Parson family.

[treeslayer2003]

 :(

[Ed_K]

Very sad thing to hear this. I did a tsi job where all I cut was grape vines some were 8" thick,Forester said it would be 5 to 7 yrs before they would let a logger in to cut the timber. Had some real nice yellow birch.

[Ed_K]

CCC4, how you feeling today? any black and blues?

[CCC4]

Nemologger, very sad to hear of the loss. Vine encroached timber is always very dangerous. Hope and prayers for his Family.

[CCC4]

Ed_K, I got away rather well, felt like I pulled a muscle under my ribs and my shoulder was a bit jacked up, but nothing major at all. How's that nose? Man I hate them on a frosty morning.

[CCC4]

I ended up working Saturday due to rain coming in. Friday was bad for me though as far as being tired, just hit the wall physically. Got rain today so I was happy for a day off. Prolly wont cut 2moro either with it being too wet.

I got married recently so my wife and I went and took my Son to Karate Friday night and out to dinner afterwards...tell ya what...seeing my Son really helped my spirits and provided me with a fresh outlook for my work on Saturday! Emotional and physical exhaustion can work hand in hand and really make for a bad recipe at times.

There were some very nice things said in this thread and I just want you guys to know how much I appreciate your concerns and well wishes. Thank you!

[Ed_K]

CCC4, along with skun up nose, I got a black eye and mild concussion. been having headache's since not bad today tho.