Another NY Fatality

classictruckman said:
That's true, short blocks of wood are not a good idea, I remember as a teenager I was sent out with a guy to drag brush for him to chip. Towards the end of a long day as I was bringing over one of the last piles I saw him pick up a small stub block 4-5" x 5" long, he tossed it in and like a cannon it shot back out and got him right in the crotch, I fell down right where I stood because I was laughing so hard, in fact I probably added a half hour to the job cause I just couldn't stop laughing.

I'm pretty sure that was the last time he did that though.
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Now that is some funny fucking shit....
 
classictruckman said:
That's true, short blocks of wood are not a good idea, I remember as a teenager I was sent out with a guy to drag brush for him to chip. Towards the end of a long day as I was bringing over one of the last piles I saw him pick up a small stub block 4-5" x 5" long, he tossed it in and like a cannon it shot back out and got him right in the crotch, I fell down right where I stood because I was laughing so hard, in fact I probably added a half hour to the job cause I just couldn't stop laughing.

I'm pretty sure that was the last time he did that though.
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That is what is known as "a self debriefing incident".
 
I'm from Guilderland NY and personally know the crane operator and the tree service owner. I know most of the tree guys in the local vicinity. The tree service owner has been doing tree work since before he was legally old enough to work. His whole family is in the tree business. There wasn't any rope involved. The poor kid was temporary help for the day. He has no family other than his fiancee and her 3 young kids. He was a high school and community college graduate. I haven't talked to any one that was there yet. I heard the crane operator had laid down the pick and swung the boom for the next pick. When he looked again he said all he saw was legs on the feed table and the bloody mess in the almost full chip truck. Somehow the feed rollers ripped his torso in half. I can imagine that since it was a crane day everyone was hustling to get the job done. It's normal for them to have a three man crew with the owner being the climber. I'm assuming with the small crew that they were dragging large brushy limbs and nobody was close enough to help the kid out. Every greenie should be instructed on chipper operation and the safest place to stand ... along side the feed table. I recently moved out of the immediate area and haven't been able to talk to anyone from the job site yet. When I do I will share any info I find. Everyone needs to watch out for each other. Especially the greenies. Work safe and work smart. God bless us all.
 
Outrageous, a first day, temporary employee operating the chipper during a crane operation. This is not "Work safe and work smart." this is manslaughter.
 
mrtree said:
Outrageous, a first day, temporary employee operating the chipper during a crane operation. This is not "Work safe and work smart." this is manslaughter.
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I was implying everyone needs to work safe and work smart. And as I am hearing from another tree service owner who is in this same circle that grew up together doing tree work for some 35 years, said the kid actually fell into the feed table while another employee started horse playing with him. That kid died from needless stupidity. He was instructed not to operate the chipper at all. My next post on this will be after I talk to the crane op and the buiss owner. I'd like to hear some first hand accounts on this for the straightest story possible.
 
As an additional note the chipper has already been returned to the owner after being inspected for safe working operation and no citations have been issued on that end.
 
I was implying everyone needs to work safe and work smart. AGREED

And as I am hearing from another tree service owner who is in this same circle that grew up together doing tree work for some 35 years, said the kid actually fell into the feed table while another employee started horse playing with him. That kid died from needless stupidity. He was instructed not to operate the chipper at all. IF this is true it is murder on the part of the second employee and a huge lapse of supervision on the part of the owner/supervisor.

We cannot blame stupidity alone. The employer must know that first day employees are not likely to do exactly as told and therefore require constant supervision and reduced job requirements. Further the second employee has likely horsed around before and therefore the employer/supervisor should have been aware of the need for enhanced supervision.

The owner has to hold responsibility for the actions of employees on the job-site.
 
I couldn't agree more with mr tree and timber jack. That employee is one of the most lowest forms of life on the planet. There is more to what I heard that I am not sharing do to it being through the grape vine. I myself am a business owner and know how impossible it is to watch everything going on at once. Especially at a job site where there are several areas of activity, ie the actual tree, crane, landing zone, and chipping area. That employee initiated the horseplay and it was over as soon as it got started. So ... yes it is stupidity on his part and I hope he pays dearly for it. It is very unfortunate for the owner to have this incident follow him. His business name is tarnished by this and it is his livelihood. Very sad to see happen to a guy I know that invested so many years into a career with no incidents until this. Even sadder for the poor kid who lost all. I share hoping someone might learn something from this. Most of us know better ... unfortunately some don't.
 
I talked to the crane op on the job. He said nothing of horse play. He said the brush was chipped up and the victim was raking. Another person was on the other side of the chipper with a dingo. Crane op moved crane to get another piece of wood and when he swung back the incident had already happened.
 
Allmark thank you for your post. Even though the crane op lives within 5 mins from me, I still haven't run into him yet. I had also head there was no brush and the mini was busy running around. I'm glad to hear that there was no foolish play going on. That had angered me even thinking about it. I hate getting info through the grapevine. It always seems to get twisted out of proportion.
 
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