Congressman Falls 25 ft off ladder

[beenthere]

The pole saw works until the limb is a few feet higher that is dead and threatening.. then the bucket trick is used with son lifting me in the bucket to cut off the limb.. such that it falls clear of the bucket on its way down. Not smart, but got the job done. 

When it didn't work well was when 16 yrs old and neighbor farm boy (24) and I were painting his Dad's farm buildings. 45+ ft to the barn eaves, 40 ft extension ladder placed in the bucket of a small Farmall cub tractor. To reach the eave height using a spray gun and not climb up and down to move the rigging, farmers son would slowly maneuver the tractor (crab walk sideways) while I stayed atop the ladder and shifted it along to the next spot to paint. Worked fine until a rear tractor tire dropped into a slight dip and the bucket moved laterally. Me, paint gun, paint bucket and ladder traveled down along the barn siding to come to a stop when the ladder caught a 12" diam post at the corner of the barn a few rungs ahead of me. Smashed up the ladder and I came to a stop standing by the post with my hand on top of the post. No injuries. Amazingly gentle stop and lucky as heck. Believe it or not, but it happened.

[Hilltop366]

My wife and I watch Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation every year. Just saying.

[Hilltop366]

There was a guy who worked for the phone company here, he was not inexperienced working with ladders and heights or pole saws etc. He wanted to trim some branches at home up higher than the pole saw would reach so he set up some metal staging and put on his safety harness and got up to the top and tied off and cut a large branch. The branch caught his harness rope and pulled him off the staging then the harness rope broke and he fell to the ground and died.

I have cut branches from staging with a gas pole saw before without a safety harness but have had a branch catch the pole saw and pull on it so I would not recommend even putting the pole saw harness on either, I would rather brake a pole saw than be dragged off the staging. Also cut the branches into shorter pieces too so they are lighter and less likely to catch things on the way down.

[Ed_K]

 Rita and I take turns on who's going up in the bucket ;).