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How many of us have been seriously hurt over the years.

Started by erin, November 17, 2018, 07:01:12 PM

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mike_belben

Praise The Lord

tule peak timber

My crew helped me re-stack the wood WITH a safety strap . We left the dried meat and skin visible as a reminder of what might have been a lot worse.
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

Fether Hardwoods

I think the issue with this poll is you are asking loggers and sawmill folks. We have a skewed idea of what constitutes a "Major injury''  :D
  

tule peak timber

When I commercially fished, major injuries were dismemberment and death in many forms.Why I quit.
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

sawguy21

X2 I worked in the helicopter industry for a number of years, too many people I knew were hurt or killed. Logging was the worst.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Wudman

I'm a forester, so I'm not in the same league with the loggers, but still spend a lot of time in the woods around heavy machinery.  In my 30 years, I have had a couple of eye injuries; one was a beech bud that didn't bother me much.  My eye watered a few minutes, but I didn't leave the woods.  I scared my secretary to death when I walked back into the office.  I didn't realize the white of my eye was solid red.  I would have been at home in a Stephen King flick.

The second was a total fluke.  I was walking from the office to my pickup.  It was a windy day.  A spec of sawdust got in my eye.  I went back inside and flushed it, but it remained a bit irritated.  That one ended up in the emergency room later that night.  It required some contrast dye and an eye surgeon to locate an imbedded spec.

Other than that, a nest of black hornets ruined my day.  They put me on my knees and made me sick, but no breathing issues.  Guess that one could have killed me.

I had a relative killed in the woods when a small poplar limb caught him.  It was about 2 inches in diameter and about 3 feet long.  It hit him at the base of the neck and killed him in his tracks.  He had just started the back cut on the tree.

I've had a couple of contractors hurt during Hurricane Hugo clean-up and another sawyer killed by a widow maker coming out of a poplar.  I lost a father and son in a truck accident and a skidder accident within about a year of each other.

One of my foreman was seriously hurt when he was a climber for a utility contractor.  He had the ultimate distracted worker story.  They were doing some work beside the residence of a "gentleman's club" owner.  His staff was around his pool working on their tans.  He was about 40 feet up a pine and went to tie himself off.  He leaned back, but he wasn't tied off.  He was swimming in the air and grabbing for nothing.  It broke him all to pieces, but he survived.  It ended his climbing days.

Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

thecfarm

One thing I see in the woods and I know anyone that has been in the woods see it too. Wudmen kinda mentioned it. A limb falling out of a tree stuck into the ground.Sometimes that stick will go into the ground 3-4 inches.  :o 
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ed_K

 Before I went into logging 1st acc I crushed my left foot clearing a house lot to build our new home after moving from Tx. I cut a 16" white birch as it fell it caught in a fork of a r/oak I was standing next to the cut stump of another tree I had dropped and the white birch slide back into the cut stump where I was standing. 2nd acc I was dragging a firewood log with a 4 wheeler and tipped it over backwards and blew a disk in my lower back which ended up with surgery.
 After going into the logging business I cut my knee after getting tired an dropped the saw into my left knee only wearing longjohns blue jeans an carhartt coveralls. The saw was almost down to an idle. Still put 4 stitches in it. That's when I learned about PPE. Also have had a close call where I cut a double stem, I cut one side and went to limbing it and marking logs I got out to the top and got laid out by the top of the second stem. Taking the first weakened the top of the second at a crotch it was a 9" limb. If I had been at the butt it would have killed me. That's when I took the Game of Logging. For the last 15 yrs I've been lucky to be clear of incidence's.
 Our police chief was killed cutting a w/pine an a big limb from a hard maple came down on him.
Ed K

Plankton

Cut my left left right above the knee could see tendons at the bottom of the cut so I lucked out and didn't end up with any serious damage. I was kneeling putting the saw back in a big ash tree I was wedging over bar tip hit the tip of a wedge and kicked the saw out and across my knee. Dont remember how many stitches but couldnt walk properly for a month or so. Hard hat has saved my life though been knocked over but never more then a headache.

David-L

I was hurt on Valentines day 2018. Bleeding off my injectors on a 3.9 cummins that was out of fuel in my skidder. All went downhill after I got it running and went back up to recheck the injector tightness. I slipped and my knee went in behind the fan guard, ouch. Cut the muscle complete but missed the bone and tendon by mm's. I was very lucky that day even though it was a bad cut. Shredded my cutting pants and all I did after looking at my hamburg knee is was put a compression wrap on it and tied it off with a loop of saw cord which I carry an extra in my pocket when working in the bush. It bled bad but I had a cell connection and the EMT'S where there quickly and off I went. Took about 4 months before I was really back to being able to work again. I layed on the couch and watched the Winter Olympics and tried not to go stir crazy. I don't do well sitting around. be safe all, wear your PPE and think all moves twice.





  
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

David-L

Quote from: mike_belben on November 21, 2018, 09:39:56 AM
I think youre lucky to be alive david. Dang.
I didnt' see God on that one but when I rolled my first skidder which was a JD 440B I did. Sold it and bought a timberjack and never looked back. Those small Deeres are nice but they can tip on the landing. I consider myself a good operator, go slow, but sometimes Logging can bite. Wouldn't want it any other way.
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

Pulphook

Like many non pros here, we spend many hours every week all year harvesting, clearing, volunteer trail work.
And, many many hours in training programs ( GOL, CLP, partnering with local loggers, and Wilderness Medicine ) to learn how.

Some lessons from stupid mistakes and "almosts":
Never saw when tired, cold, or overheated.
Always use FULL PPE....always.
In spite of some pros advice, I do bore cut when there's leaners, DBHs +/- 20", or just not sure of the fall. Leave a tongue, maybe some wedges for control.
Escape route planned and cleared.
Sharpened chain.
Cut at WOT.
I never want anyone nearby as a "partner". I cut solo.
No cell phone since there's no service out here; just plain careful, deliberate.
Smart to know how to use a compression wrap and blood stopping device like above....smart moves Dave ! .

I'm fortunate, since training and courses, no serious accidents. No pics.
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

petefrom bearswamp

been in the injured category several times only once seriously, knocked out by a leaner spent a few hrs in the ER.
All who work in the woods are always just one mistake away from the great beyond.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Skeans1

Quote from: Pulphook on November 22, 2018, 07:59:28 AM
Like many non pros here, we spend many hours every week all year harvesting, clearing, volunteer trail work.
And, many many hours in training programs ( GOL, CLP, partnering with local loggers, and Wilderness Medicine ) to learn how.

Some lessons from stupid mistakes and "almosts":
Never saw when tired, cold, or overheated.
Always use FULL PPE....always.
In spite of some pros advice, I do bore cut when there's leaners, DBHs +/- 20", or just not sure of the fall. Leave a tongue, maybe some wedges for control.
Escape route planned and cleared.
Sharpened chain.
Cut at WOT.
I never want anyone nearby as a "partner". I cut solo.
No cell phone since there's no service out here; just plain careful, deliberate.
Smart to know how to use a compression wrap and blood stopping device like above....smart moves Dave ! .

I'm fortunate, since training and courses, no serious accidents. No pics.
Cutting solo is just asking to get killed I don't care what training you have. You should carry a cell phone because even if you don't have cell service you can still get an emergency call out if you need to. One thing I've seen from boring and back strap cutting is the back chairing out at you especially with short bars large learners, look up a coos cut it works very well it's controlled and a lot safer.

David-L

Quote from: Pulphook on November 22, 2018, 07:59:28 AM
Like many non pros here, we spend many hours every week all year harvesting, clearing, volunteer trail work.
And, many many hours in training programs ( GOL, CLP, partnering with local loggers, and Wilderness Medicine ) to learn how.

Some lessons from stupid mistakes and "almosts":
Never saw when tired, cold, or overheated.
Always use FULL PPE....always.
In spite of some pros advice, I do bore cut when there's leaners, DBHs +/- 20", or just not sure of the fall. Leave a tongue, maybe some wedges for control.
Escape route planned and cleared.
Sharpened chain.
Cut at WOT.
I never want anyone nearby as a "partner". I cut solo.
No cell phone since there's no service out here; just plain careful, deliberate.
Smart to know how to use a compression wrap and blood stopping device like above....smart moves Dave ! .

I'm fortunate, since training and courses, no serious accidents. No pics.
I always have carried a good first aid kit, Clean White Towel in a big zip lock and yes that extra saw pull cord loop is more for tourniquet use. doesn't weigh anything and is always in my front pocket. I work alone and try to be prepared. That one caught me off guard though. 
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

quilbilly

One thing I would add, you can still get hurt without making a mistake. I think it's a misconception that every time someone is hurt it's because they made a mistake. I know a fellow who was walking through a stand cruising timber and a gust of wind picked up and blew a Widowmaker out that busted his shoulder.
a man is strongest on his knees

Ed_K

 Whether you have a cell phone or not carry a whistle,at least you can use it to give someone looking for you an idea of where to look. I had jobs where there was neighbors close, so I'd ask them to call for help if they ever heard my whistle.
Ed K

Pulphook

Quote from: Ed_K on November 22, 2018, 10:49:27 AM
Whether you have a cell phone or not carry a whistle,at least you can use it to give someone looking for you an idea of where to look. I had jobs where there was neighbors close, so I'd ask them to call for help if they ever heard my whistle.
Ed nailed it.
I carry a small air horn ( marine type, hand held ). If hurt, you may not be able to blow a whistle, or too cold to blow air.
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

Ianab

There is also those rescue beacons that hikers carry. Don't need cell coverage, and work anywhere in the world. Set it off and your GPS location gets sent to the local search & rescue. They send someone out to find you.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Skeans1

Quote from: Ianab on November 22, 2018, 12:30:00 PM
There is also those rescue beacons that hikers carry. Don't need cell coverage, and work anywhere in the world. Set it off and your GPS location gets sent to the local search & rescue. They send someone out to find you.
Here they're called a SPOT it's an interesting idea, I know if you're on certain company grounds by yourself you're required to have one at all times.

Pulphook

Quote from: Skeans1 on November 22, 2018, 09:00:26 AM
Cutting solo is just asking to get killed I don't care what training you have. You should carry a cell phone because even if you don't have cell service you can still get an emergency call out if you need to. One thing I've seen from boring and back strap cutting is the back chairing out at you especially with short bars large learners, look up a coos cut it works very well it's controlled and a lot safer.
Not the same trees and woodland structures back east Skeans.
Never had chairing when boring. Never had any close calls IF I was diligent. The trees here in the northeast are not your big DBH softwoods.
I'm retired WITH plenty of training since leaving service and buying a home with a woodlot. I use the the same situational awareness used in ordinance.
And solo is what most of us do since we cut when we want, not worrying about some gibone too close to a fall. We aren't pros so need to be cautious. The 261 now down to 16" bar does great for me up to 3' DBH.
Cells work only where they access towers, 911 or not. This is rural Maine with mucho 'holes'....like where I harvest and live.
That "coos cut" for trees under +/- 2' like we have mostly here is a PITA. Open face @ 90 degrees , bore or not, wedges or not, planning first. And always always FULL PPE.
JMNSHO
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

Skeans1

I've been back to Maine and the east coast a few times, even so cutting solo is asking for trouble yes I'm a professional and I would never cut alone I know better. We have more then large softwoods out here, have you heard of alder? Do you know what a coos cut is? Not being a professional is the biggest reason you need to be careful you don't see the same situations or have an eye for what's happening, always love guys like you that come out and cut a day most of the time I have to rip you off a stump.

Magicman

There are two distinctly different "rescue beacons":  Rescue Beacons

The "SPOT" system requires buying the SPOT unit and then a reoccurring yearly fee.  It sends text messages to designated cell phones and also has an OK feature.  It is satellite based so no cell service is required for the transmitted signal to be sent.  I have one of the older SPOT units but it is not currently activated.

The PLB is purchased and there is no monthly/yearly fee but it is for emergency use only.  No text nor OK messages.
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