Eye Damage

[southsoundtree]

Around the PNW, there are a lot of forest products harvested (some in very non-sustainable ways, like moss for floral arrangements) by migrant labor types.

At some point in the process, they use machetes on the low branches of trees (whether for access or harvest, I don't know). Leaves super sharp stubs, I'm told.

A local logger/ miller that lives down the road from me was walking in the forest and got jabbed in the eye by one of these remnant machete'd branch stubs. Could have killed him by jabbing though his eye socket to his brain, but instead headed through his sinus cavity. Damaged his eyeball I think, definitely damaged the socket and muscles and likely his nasal/ sinus cavity.

I don't know if he was wearing any glasses, but my guess is no. I'd bet money that he wasn't wearing a faceshield.




The guy is a big, big guy, and not in the Ah-nold way. I sorta speculate that he was winded from hiking, and went to lean sideways, reaching out for the trunk of the tree for support while standing and resting, and the stub came from the side.



Be careful out there.

 

[chris_girard]

It's funny (or not so funny I guess) that you should bring this up Sean, because people always laugh at me (or maybe that's just what I think) when they see me wearing safety glasses when I'm out hiking.

Years ago, I got wacked in the eye while out in the woods hiking around and decided that I was going to start treating my hikes as if I was out working in the woods. No I don't wear ALL my PPE, but the safety shades have saved my eyes from damage on more than one occasion.

 

[cerviarborist]

These days, I put on my eyes and ears and a ground helmet to mow the yard. I'd never live it down if I hurt myself at home with ppe close at hand. PPE may not be stylish, but injuries are even less so.

 

[lync]

If you set a good example even your kids will follow. I am a fanatic for ppe esspecially after a number of eye injuries even w/ safty glasses on. My daughter who is 13 asked me for a pair of safety glasses because she was going to be using chlorine bleach on her vollyball knee pads to try to get them clean. She made her dad proud.

 

[The_Archdruid]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd bet money that he wasn't wearing a faceshield.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I'll stake that wager. Let me know when someone wants the action on the other side, and bets the fat f*cker was wearing a faceshield when the eye gouge went down.

 

[easyphloem]

As a representative of fat f#ckers everywhere, I will take that wager, but only if you give me 50-1 odds.

SZ

 

[The_Archdruid]

No dice, EZ; you'll coach the bast*rd to testify he was "wearing a Kask helmet, full face shield . . ." and with all the goddamned things going wrong with that lid, I'd be out 50 donuts!

 

[easyphloem]

Not surprisingly, you know me all too well. Let's call this bet off and hold a moment of silence for fatty's eyeball.


SZ

 

[Rambo]

I have scratched my eyeball a few times working in with trees and also nailguns. I've also had a similar incident where i was on the job walking with my head down and walked into a low broken stubbed limb that stabbed and broke off in my face just below my left eye, to the side of my nose. Had to pull it out and bled a lot, but it didn't scar.

 

[The_Archdruid]

[ QUOTE ]
The guy is a big, big guy, and not in the Ah-nold way. I sorta speculate that he was winded from hiking, and went to lean sideways, reaching out for the trunk of the tree for support while standing and resting, and the stub came from the side.

[/ QUOTE ]

Outstanding forensic work, Sean; I think that's exactly what happened.

Except maybe it was more of a Blair Witch style of piking? He wandered around the woods for a bit, and everything started looking the same, then weird, ominous stick figures appeared . . . then whacko! Impaled in the eyeball.

I don't know? Just taking a crack at an explanation; not really my forté . . . But I renew my confidence that he was most definitely not wearing a face shield! I will back all takers, and nevermind EZ's maneuvering on this. I don't care how many donuts are wagered, I'll cover the spread against . . .