Death in SW Wisconsin

[Riggs]

We learned that from George Bush , if we don't know , we make sh*t up.

 

[jim454]

I pull trees with a truck or loader all the time, sometimes I set a block to a good anchore to get the machine out of the fall zone. Sounds like a combination of lack of the right gear and inexperience.

 

[ChiroBen]

I am a chiropractor with some experience in trees.

INJURY FROM A SECOND TREE

I am a chiropractor, who has done some tree work on and off the ground.

I treated a patient who is in business cutting timber and milling wood. He was injured by a second tree. The man felled a tree. The tree being felled hit the ground and sent out shock waves through the ground. The force transmitted through the ground shook a second dead tree loose from the branches of a 3rd tree it (the 2nd tree)had fallen into.

The second tree swung down and swatted the man toward his chainsaw. The chainsaw was running, with the bar pointed in the direction of the man. The man missed hitting the saw, but broke his pelvis. Looking at his x-rays, I counted 9 screws holding his pelvis in place. I don't know if the tree broke the pelvis by crushing it, or if it just got whacked real hard.

He was an experienced man in the woods, but he was hit with a surprise that put him out of commission for months.

Ben

 

[tophopper]

Shock waves?

 

[ChiroBen]

shock waves

The concussive force of the tree striking the ground. This happened in Michigan. It wasn't an earthquake.

Ben

 

[treehumper]

Goes to assessing the work area for hazards. Sometimes we don't really look for this type of hazard but the story is a real wake up call for those of us that work in forests where there are many more snags.

 

[Smallwood]

We actually have an area we work in and the customers all have artesian wells. We have to rope everything down even if we have room to drop the trees because the shock waves can collapse the sandstone domes on the wells. We've had this confirmed by a hydrologist. As far as shock waves knocking down snags--I dunno; seems like a stretch.
Phil

 

[Riggs]

After I read that my moniter fell off the table.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Whenever Riggs post, I read!

 

[easyphloem]

[ QUOTE ]
I am a chiropractor with some experience in trees.

INJURY FROM A SECOND TREE

I am a chiropractor, who has done some tree work on and off the ground.

I treated a patient who is in business cutting timber and milling wood. He was injured by a second tree. The man felled a tree. The tree being felled hit the ground and sent out shock waves through the ground. The force transmitted through the ground shook a second dead tree loose from the branches of a 3rd tree it (the 2nd tree)had fallen into.

The second tree swung down and swatted the man toward his chainsaw. The chainsaw was running, with the bar pointed in the direction of the man. The man missed hitting the saw, but broke his pelvis. Looking at his x-rays, I counted 9 screws holding his pelvis in place. I don't know if the tree broke the pelvis by crushing it, or if it just got whacked real hard.

He was an experienced man in the woods, but he was hit with a surprise that put him out of commission for months.

Ben

[/ QUOTE ]


Happy April Fools Day!


SZ

 

[TC]

I dont think chiroben's post was an april fools. I have experienced of the very rarely seen arb shock wave syndrome or ASWS for short in treework in the past.

I remember felling a large white oak onto a hard lawn, this sent shock waves through the hard clay soil back into the wooded area from whence the white oak fell, once the shock wave had reached the wooded area it proceeded to cause timber mayhem within the wood, it was like being in a tumble dryer arbor style. Trees started dropping like greek columns in the battle of Troy!! we had to sprint for cover onto open ground.

Trying to explain what happened to the home owner was very awkward. Riggs dont know nothing.

I hope none of you guys ever have to experience ASWS like what we did that fateful november day back in 2007.

Here is a pic of our companies forensic team trying to establish exactly what happened, they're all ISA Certified Arborists. They deduced it was definatley shock waves.

 

[Blinky]

Nice try Grov.

ASWS... I'm sure that's in the 'Glossary of Arboricultural Terms' somewhere.

The bit about 'dropping like Greek columns' was just plain artful.

 

[TC]

Blinky,

Here's a pic of one of our groundies looking for a throwbag in the area of woodland devastated by the shock wave.

 

[Blinky]

C'mon Grov... a throwbag? Where's the outrage at no PPE in a harzardous tree zone. You get an A for perseverance... but it's April 2nd now.

 

[TC]

Not only did the shock wave destroy part of the wooded area near the lawn, it also wreaked havoc on the client's house, they were'nt too happy about that I can tell you. Another reason why you should always have insurance when doing treework.

 

[easyphloem]

Where's the respect for the guy pulling the tree down with a tractor?



Surely tractors are shockwave proof?



SZ

 

[Riggs]

Your right , the guy deserves a hats off . I'm worried about this guys method of pulling trees over , one hand on the hat , thats not safe.

 

[Blinky]

I don't think that hat is ANSI rated either.

 

[Colin]

Nor his as$.

 

[TC]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm worried about this guys method of pulling trees over , one hand on the hat , thats not safe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Riggs, anything that provides a mechanical advantage has to be considered, that horse can pull the equivalent of 5 men. As to one handing a hat, it allows for better visibility of the tree being felled, sometimes compromises have to made.