Very Very Very close call!

[devo]

Folks I gotta tell you what happened to me yesterday. I'm posting this in the hopes that next time one of you goes to do something like this, you'll stop and think what if.

I've been helping a friend now and then cut and skid some hardwood logs out of his bush. Its a pretty simple operation using a 100 HP tractor and a chain. He isn't looking for big production or anything just wants a few logs out (especially now that I got a mill). Yesterday was a nice day so I went out to get a few.

Long story made short, we were coming out to the field to where we have the pile pulling a couple of decent sized logs. Heading up a little incline I give the tractor some extra throttle and bang, last thing I remember is seeing my hard had flying out the door of the cab. Next thing I know the tractor is stopped, and I can hear my friend yelling into his cell phone that he needs an ambulance. I pretty much blacked out for good after that.

The hitch of logs had grabbed a little stump and the chain had broken. I figure this happened just as I gave the tractor gas. The chain snapped back towards the cab, smashed through the back window and hit me square in the back of the head. For what ever reason I had my hard hat on, just didn't realize I was still wearing it. The chain hit me so hard that my hardhat, brand new has 2 large cracks up the back of it!.

After a lot of poking and prodding and xrays at the hospital they decided I would be ok. Mild concussion, and a good case of whiplash.

The doctor told me in no uncertain terms that I was very lucky to be alive. If I hadn't had my hard hat on, I would almost certainly be dead. I can't begin to describe how much this has rattled me. I've had close calls in the bush before, but never anything like this.

Some of you are probably saying "what a dumb a$$", and maybe I deserve that. I'm always the first to preach about being safe and aware, and in truth if I had just stopped for 2 seconds to think what if, I would have done things differently.

The only reason I thought this was worthy of this section is that we all do it. It didn't need to logs behind a tractor. Could have been one of you guys using a winch to load a log on a trailer, or just pulling someone out of a ditch. Please stop and think about the what if.

[tnlogger]

now thats getting too close for comfort  glad your ok

[Paul_H]

I'm glad you're here to tell us about it devo.A good solid whack on the melon and the shock that follows is quite a rush.

I absolutley hate chains for pulling logs or tightening bridge lashing because when the break there is always a link that is unaccounted for and where and which way did it go? If you can,get ahold of a good 3/4" cable choker for pulling logs.

[Roxie]

Thank God you are ok.....but accidents happen to the very best of them.  That's why they call them accidents.  No one sees them coming.  You HAD a hard hat on (thank God) so no one can call you dumb.  Now, there might be some worker out there that thinks his hard hat is just a piece of fluff.  You've set THAT record straight.  Again, thank God you weren't hurt seriously.  

[redpowerd]

whadda rush! glad to hear yer ok, devo. ive had the same hit me in the shoulder. very scary!

what do cables do when they break?

[Swede]

devo; I think thats what we need somtimes, someone telling about what can happen. Thank You, and I´m happy You didn´t get more hurt. I´ve seen some chains and cables breaking, what power is in them but I´ve never seen someone get killed or hurt of them. They all was some inches too short.

If You in the future, or someone else need help for wiplash there is a Swedish doctor working in US. He may not do what he is doing in Sweden, we still make experiments with pigs and eat pills not helping anyone much. (Gov. decision) >:(

http://www.unmc.edu/whiplash/pages/testimonial.htm

Swede.

[Ernie]

hey Devo  it sure is nice to have the Big Guy upstairs on your side.  Glad you're OK

Ernie

[Jeff]

We only got have Devo Lord. Thank you for watching over him.

[Paul_H]

A short cable cat choker 14-21' wont do anywhere near the damage a chain will.Chains tend to throw links or sometimes hooks.
On the outside wall of my parents house where they sit around the patio,there is a grab hook from a chain that is now hanging by a cuphook at head level where my Mum usually sits.

Some people were clearing the land next door and dragging logs with a chain pulled by a 966.The log hung up and the chain let go and the hook flew over 200 feet and smashed into the side of the house and bounced across the deck.It left a good sized dent in the Cedar siding.

When my Dad found it he walked over and asked if they were missing.
something.They were still looking around their area for the hook.

Cable is more forgiving.

[Buzz-sawyer]

Devo
I had a D-4 cat stuck, so the neighbor kid came down in the BIG John Deere to pull me out.........Well we ended up using a good high tensile log chain (2 of em) ...one snapped and thank God lost some of its power before smacking the glass exactly like you did.
I will not be a part of any more chain trick with the big boys!!! Thats why we got cables 8)

[OneWithWood]

Devo, I am glad you escaped serious injury.  Thanks for posting the story.  All of us take a chance once in a while, usually when we are tired and in a hurry.  Your post will hopefully keep me thinking more clearly about what I am doing, when I am doing it.
Another big danger with pulling logs, especially with a tractor, is hanging the log on something and flipping the tractor over.  I almost flipped my JD450 Crawler one time.  Put a seatblet in it after that and a scary slide down a slope.  Some people think I am anal because I wear that set belt any time I am on the machine.  I even wear the seatelt on my tractor when I am mowing.  It only takes on close call to make a believer out of you.

[slowzuki]

You are a lucky man, but I am curious how the chain got angled up to hit you in the head?  Never supposed to pull from anything but the drawbar for the flipping over reasons.

I'll certainly be more careful with chain in the future!

[Bro. Noble]

Devo,

Sorry you got hurt,  but glad it wasn't worse.

I just got in from cutting logs this morning and thanked God that my son and I both made it back in safely.  Asked his protection on the way to the woods also.

I worry more all the time about accidents.  You just can't forsee some things no matter haw careful you are.  In my advanced age,  I hurt easier and heal slower ;)

[Arthur]

Glad your OK.

My wife keeps a photo album of my mishaps.

So far she only has 4 mishaps in it.  Im lucky due to the fact that so far have seen the mishap happening and have got out just in time.  Except when I rolled the bobcat, just had to hangon and hope for the best.

Found that logs and tracks dont mix either.  Goes for a white knuckle ride.

arthur.

[devo]

Thank you all for the kind words. Believe me no one is more glad about how this turned out than me!

I was out to where it all happend today and figured a few things out. It pretty much was just as I described except it wasn't the chain that hit me, it was the hook. I found it lying on the floor of the tractor, seems somehow the pin that conects the hook to the chain had somehow broken. I can not for the life of me explain how that hook got to flying up towards me. I was pulling off the draw bar.

I'm experienced enough to know about trying to log with chains. I own a perfectly good cable skidder, and a Farmi winch, but it didn't seem worth the time and expense to bring either out to my friends for a couple days of logging. Guess that was a pretty stupid decision, but it made sense at the time.

[rebocardo]

> what do cables do when they break

Usually cut a person in 1/2 or take their legs off if they get hit. They usually die of blood loss before they can get rescued.

Getting hit in the head with a shackle on the end of a broken strap happens to people all the time while yanking stuck vehicles.

Cable or chain, both can easily kill or maim you if they break and you are in their recoil line. I am glad to hear you survived this one. Having a headache rack made of 12 guage or thicker metal with 1 inch openings is a good insurance policy on the back of a cab or pick up truck.

[Paul_H]

Only going to get hit by a cable if you are within the cable length which is never a good idea,where a chain can send links or hooks flying a great distance.
The headache rack is a good thing to have.

[james]

saw a d-11 break a 1 1/2 in cablefive foot fron the cat the flying cable cut a 14 in dis doug fir off 4 ft from the groundno one hurt but some peoples pants did need cleaned out !
james

[Chris J]

Devo, glad to hear that you're okay.  Talk about an unforgetable experience.

We had some photos of a decapitation accident come into the office quite a few years back.  I don't know exactly what the 3 fellows were doing, it was some type of outdoors work, but a cable snapped & nailed all 3 of them at about neck level.  I can still see those photos in my mind.