Climber fell

allmark

allmark

Participating member
I dont have too many details but what I was told by a dealer. A local climber was reaching around a tree to cut a branch and cut his climbing line. He fell 40' and landed over a log on his back. Last I heard he was in serious condition in the hospital. I know there arent many details but I figure it is worth us all keeping in the back of our minds what can happen. I try to get an update.
 
You know, I tell people I worry more about getting struck than falling... but maybe not. I've now cut two ropes and a lanyard with handsaws and a folded polesaw... the lanyard was cut to failure and I was lucky to not be leaning on it at the time. One of the ropes was a rigging line, the other was a lifeline.

I swear I think hand saws are the most dangerous tool an arborist uses.

I hope the climber you mention gets well and climbs again.
 
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You know, I tell people I worry more about getting struck than falling... but maybe not. <font color="red"> </font> the lanyard was cut to failure and I was lucky to not be leaning on it at the time. One of the ropes was a rigging line, the other was a lifeline.

I swear I think hand saws are the most dangerous tool an arborist uses.

I hope the climber you mention gets well and climbs again.

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Blinky I just responded to your "ipod it a tree" posting in another thread. Our brains are the most dangerous tools we use. You need to leave the ipod on the ground and start paying closer attention to your ropes!
 
TreeCo and GB... I hear what you're saying, I respect your experience completely... but you guys are reading more into that post than was actually there.

I pay lots of attention to ropes, I've been using technical climbing gear since I was 17... 30 years ago. When those ropes were cut I had no iPod, I was paying attention. Maybe I can start another thread to outline each case but the bottom line was I was under external pressure to work FAST... and I'm not fast.

I really don't post questions like that to start a moral discussion. I use the judgment of a father and a guy with long experience doing dangerous things. Music doesn't interfere with my cognitive ability nearly as much as worrying about how fast I'm going.

...and really, total time using an iPod in a tree, 6 hours out of the last 150. I wish I'd never posted that or the chainsaw positioning thread; I ask a question and get judged like I was a little kid.
 
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.. I ask a question and get judged like I was a little kid.

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Your spanking hurts us a lot more than it hurts you!
grin.gif
 
I too once cut my own rope and fell. Ironicly, by also reaching around the trunk to cut a limb my lanyard was caught under.

It made me remember an old timer telling me, "That's not a smart thing to do, Jer."

Do I still do it? Yes, but believe me before I do I take into account where my ropes are now. And then check again.

We're only human, Blinky, and we all make mistakes. My own accidents in this business have nearly all been a result of not paying enough attention, and going on impluse instead.

Didn't mean to ruffel any feathers
 
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