Accident and reminder to stay safe!!

[CuddleBugFirewood]

Well, hoping to finish cutting this job this week and got into some nice red oak on Monday.  This tract is right next to my dads farm.  (. He is in pic bucking top). Bar is 32 inch for reference. 



 

But at 1030 I was hit by a dead limb.  It was about 3-4 inches around on big end and probably about 7 feet long.  As you can see in pics, I cut my timber like they teach in gol.  I was 18 feet from tree and walking away while watching top for kickbacks.  After going back today the best I can figure is a part of a vine had grown from tree to tree and pulled this dead limb out of the tree I was standing under, which was the next tree I was going to cut.  All this right next to a open bean field.   I never saw it coming. Luckily I wear full protective gear hard hat and safety glasses probably saved my life I did end up with a broken shoulder and 14 stitches on my forehead, so I am laid up for a few weeks. 

You can see The dead limb in the first picture that hit me.  The second picture shows the relationship between the stump and where the limb and I conected.  The third picture shows part of the dead limb left in the tree.  I was just to right of that trunk.  Best my dad and I can figure anyway.

Was also glad to have my dad cutting with me that day as he expedited my trip to the ER I know I gave them a scare and I'm very thankful to have him and my family around to support me. 

Doc said no long term complications long as I take it easy.  Be careful and staysafe!!



  

  

 

[barbender]

Wow! Glad to hear your alive, but you took quite a beating :(

[redprospector]

I'm sure glad you were wearing a hard hat. There is a lot of people that would be in a lot worse shape than you because they won't wear one.

Heal fast!

[Maine logger88]

Wow that sucks I'm glad you are ok!

[lopet]

 smiley_angel02_wings smiley_angel02_wings   All the best and hope you will be up and running again soon.

[Southside]

Glad to hear you are OK.  I got hit Monday in just about the same circumstance, dead pine branch that all I could figure was got pulled.  I was slightly bent at the time and it hit just above my left hip bone on my back.  No break, but one big black bruise there.  It happens fast.

[so il logger]

Be safe. Post more pics looks like those limbs are dead fall and covered with leaves

[Ken]

Glad you will be ok.  It sure doesn't take a big stick to cause some damage when it falls from above.

[rockwall]

Get better fast and thanks for the warning.

[David-L]

Glad to hear you have gotten through that one, and can tell us about it. Hope you heal well.

                                                     David l

[ohwc]

Glad to hear you will be ok. In a perfect world we would all have a swamper watching our back. Are they teaching to cut that low manually?

[Glenn]

Glad you are ok.  This past Monday my uncle was killed when a tree he had just cut seesawed when it hit another tree.  The middle of the tree was rotten (hollow).  It jumped to the right and landed on his legs.  He was alone at the time and no cell service.  He made two attempts to cut the tree off himself and almost succeeded.  I don't know how long he lay there but several hours for sure.  His wife found him when he didn't come home that night.  He was just poking away in his bush - retired and experienced cutter.  Wake is today - funeral tomorrow.  Do not take life for granted.

[teakwood]

I am sorry to hear that.   I have a rule when i go falling: never go alone!

[Ed_K]

CBF Glad to hear you'll be ok, don't push the recovery let it heal. In 95 I had a back op. and pushed it to get back to work,now I'm paying for it.

Glenn, sorry for your to hear that your uncle passed, prayer's for you and family.

[barbender]

I'm very sorry to hear about your uncle, Glenn.

[78NHTFY]

CBF--good to hear you're OK!; Glenn: so sorry to hear about your uncle.  Let's all take an extra minute to be safety conscious, every time we are in the woods.  I rolled my skidding tractor yesterday while working alone on one of my back trails.  Getting ready to head out now to get it with some help.  All the best, Rob.

[thecfarm]

You never know what will happen. I was driving down the road when a branch hit the car. Kinda odd the way it hit,or I hit it. I must of hit it as it was falling. Never hit the top of the hood,but hit the grill and headlights.

[treeslayer2003]

i'm glad your alive and sorry to hear of your injury...........i tell every one about vines, they'll kill ya. cut off all you can and be extra carefull around trees with vines. study the tops. run like hell from every tree, i like to get at least 30 feet away when they start. i been lucky to never had a major injury in all these years. had alot of close calls and seen guys get knocked flat. you for sure scared your dad to death, mine sits in the truck now as he 73. he said he is afraid for me the whole time. i bet its bad when the saw shuts off for a while.

[beenthere]

I am sorry to hear that.   I have a rule when i go falling: never go alone!

Always nice to have someone close by.
However, getting someone to stand around and watch while doing the felling doesn't work out very often, so do most cutting alone.

What do others do?  Only cut when someone is there to watch you?
What do you have them do to keep warm?
Now 73 was a few years ago, and hope to still be cutting a few more years.

[CuddleBugFirewood]

Glenn sorry to hear about your uncle, I will say a pray for him and his family.  That would be one of my worst fears for my family. 

so il logger... the branch was a dead limb in the tree that you see on old or stressed red and white oak (the kind that dry up and weather on the tree).  When I was sitting there after being hit I was thinking what the heck hit me as i was looking for a fresh limb, but it was the dead one.  I'll try to get some better pictures when I get back there again.  I'll spray it orange.  Where are you located?  I am ava/campbell hill area.

[Autocar]

It can happen so fast it is scary as H but thats part of being a logger and prayers for the fellow that lost his life. Life is short be sake fellows !

[Ed_K]

Yrs ago I did a tsi job where all I cut was grape vines ahead of a shelter wood cut. It was 7 yrs before the forester ok'd the cut.

[samandothers]

Glen sorry for your loss.  Prayers said for your uncle and family.

Cuddle so glad you had on the PPE.

Thank you both for sharing.   I think this helps to reinforce the need for safety and PPE. It is also good to hear of the things that can go wrong to help others of us to prepare.

[78NHTFY]

...got my "little skidder" back upright and good to go.  As Autocar said, it happens fast: felt it start to slide, got off quick and ran the winch to a tree.  Angle was bad and when I pulled the cord she just flopped over.  Hopefully it will start in a day or two when the oils resettle.  Again, let's all stay safe.  All the best, Rob.

  ;

  ;

 

[so il logger]

Ok I gotcha. Glad your ok I'm probably 100 or so miles away from you give or take. Olney/Flora area. Im sure we know some of the same people  ;)

[beenthere]

Wow!!  You sure do keep the underside clean for pics.

Was the FEL up that high when it went over? Not that it made any difference.

Glad you had time to get off and not be under. Makes one wonder if one should really be wearing that seatbelt or not. I don't, but maybe should.

[treeslayer2003]

I am sorry to hear that.   I have a rule when i go falling: never go alone!

Always nice to have someone close by.
However, getting someone to stand around and watch while doing the felling doesn't work out very often, so do most cutting alone.

What do others do?  Only cut when someone is there to watch you?
What do you have them do to keep warm?
Now 73 was a few years ago, and hope to still be cutting a few more years.

i don't want any one within two tree length of me while falling. i am alone most of the time unless dad has no load to haul, then he is on the landing.

[Maine logger88]

Glenn I'm sorry for your loss thoughts and prayer be with you and family.

[cutterboy]

This thread has helped me make up my mind. In my woods there is a dead cherry tree....really, two trees that are joined together and separate about eight feet up. After they separate they head in different directions. I'd like to salvage any good lumber that could be got from those trees but I haven't been able to decide if it is too dangerous or not to fell it. Now after reading this thread I think it would be foolish to take a chance with it so I'll just leave it for the woodpeckers.

Glen, I'm so sorry about your uncle. My heart goes out to your aunt and the whole family.

Cuddle, I'm glad you are still around to tell us about your accident. A while ago I was hit by a falling branch that fell from a different tree than the one I had just cut down. It does happen fast. No broken bones, just a very sore wrist.

   Cutter

[WV Sawmiller]

Cud,

   Thx for the reminder. I just got a new mill and am enjoying it but I cut 2 large poplars today and realize cutting big trees scares me every time. One of these I cut through and it just sat on the stump. My notch perfectly balanced the weight pushing the other way. I went back to the barn and got wedges and when I got a large wedge under it went right where I wanted. I should have had the wedges with me all the time. I will be more diligent about wearing my hard hat in the future after reading this. I am cutting on steep hillsides and everything about cutting trees scares me. I guess all you can do is be aware and take all reasonable precautions.

Glen,

   I am truly sorry for your loss and hope your family can concentrate on the good times you had with your uncle rather than his loss.

[WDH]

I, too, have been hit in the head and shoulder by a falling limb.  The hard hat saved my life, too.

I see pictures and videos of people running a chainsaw with shorts on, no shoes, no safety glasses, no hard hat, etc.  Rank amateurs. 

[Ianab]

All the safety gear and precautions can't give you a 100% guarantee that you wont be hurt.

But they do increase your chances.

OP had a hard hat, and wasn't working alone. Both are sensible precautions, and both helped in this case.

The other person need not be standing and watching, they could be driving a skidder. or bucking firewood 50 yards away. But they are nearby, and should be watching / listening (and you for them)  If they don't hear a saw for a few minutes, they should wander over and check you are OK. What you don't want is to be laying there bleeding, and not be found until you don't come home for dinner.

[clww]

Glenn-Very sorry to read of your uncle's passing. My condolences to the family.

CBF-That reminds me of the limb that got me in the woods years ago. I wasn't as fortunate.