Help Mike

he is now out of the hospital and recovering. fractured sternum. He was flopping a sugar maple for a friend of his. (not a Singing Tree job) they wanted to keep the hammock hooks so he spurred up eight feet and notched it. the 20 foot spar above his head came over, the tip hit first before coming iff the stump and rebounded the butt into his lanyard smacking him up pretty good. he was six days in the ICU but is now home and recovering well.
 
looking at the scene of the accident, the stump and the spar, I am just thankful that it was not way way worse. To leave the hammock hook should have meant that he cut the spar two or three mor times before flopping it. there was plenty of space to flop but he tied himself into the trunk basically tying himself into the RED zone. I skilled feller could have dropped the spar all in one but it would have meant cutting a very low angle notch and getting the spar to come off the stump flat. He cut a steep notch, one that allows for control in direction but meant that the log hung on to the hinge diving the nose into the ground first.
 
treebing said:
he is now out of the hospital and recovering. fractured sternum. He was flopping a sugar maple for a friend of his. (not a Singing Tree job) they wanted to keep the hammock hooks so he spurred up eight feet and notched it. the 20 foot spar above his head came over, the tip hit first before coming iff the stump and rebounded the butt into his lanyard smacking him up pretty good. he was six days in the ICU but is now home and recovering well.
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Thanks for sharing Kevin, keep us updated on his status and let us know if there's anything more we can help him with !
 
treebing said:
skilled feller could have dropped the spar all in one but it would have meant cutting a very low angle notch and getting the spar to come off the stump flat.
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Getting spars to fall just right is tricky business. They drop fast and just a tiny bit of asymmetry can throw the whole thing off. I think the tip could have hit first even with a very low-angle notch. So I am skeptical about how a skilled feller would ensure both that the tip doesn't hit first and that the whole pieces lands where desired. I'd like to learn though.
 
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Nish said:
Getting spars to fall just right is tricky business. They drop fast and just a tiny bit of asymmetry can throw the whole thing off. I think the tip could have hit first even with a very low-angle notch. So I am skeptical about how a skilled feller would ensure both that the tip doesn't hit first and that the whole pieces lands where desired. I'd like to learn though.
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I agree entirely with everything you just said. I have trouble getting em to land flat from up in the air. I'm just saying that it's probably a possible cut by someone. Definitly not something I would trust myself to accomplish.
 
I'm thinking a very low-angle notch combined with a much higher-angle snipe to help direct and push the piece forward (away from the stump and lanyard) right after the hinge breaks free at an early stage. Beranek calls something like this the "early departure face".
 
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treebing said:
looking at the scene of the accident, the stump and the spar, I am just thankful that it was not way way worse. To leave the hammock hook should have meant that he cut the spar two or three mor times before flopping it. there was plenty of space to flop but he tied himself into the trunk basically tying himself into the RED zone. I skilled feller could have dropped the spar all in one but it would have meant cutting a very low angle notch and getting the spar to come off the stump flat. He cut a steep notch, one that allows for control in direction but meant that the log hung on to the hinge diving the nose into the ground first.
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Should have chunked it down.
 
In no way suggesting this is an acceptable way to do this, but I work off a ladder, (not tied in) when asked to leave an 8 or 10' high "stump". As soon as the top starts going over, I come down a rung or two, bail off the ladder, and get out of Dodge. I'd rather risk spraining an ankle landing badly than what happened to Mike, or worse. Have had a rung on a ladder once get whacked and badly bent doing same.
 
Nice to see the amount of support his guy has gotten. We are all quick to get laughs at someone's expense watching someone do something stupid, yet same crew of guys can support, aid, and break down to learn from another arborists learning moments.
Hope he and his family get thru his recovery time smoothly and stress free(as close as possible anyway). Hearing his experience might just save me from sharing a similar experience as some point in my cateer so thanks for relaying the story
 
Donation sent, I can't speak for his accident but when I had mine it was excellent to be surrounded with solid support. Get well soon guy.
 
We have all done a "friend" job. Lots of distractions, not our normal focus like working a day for a stranger. Hope he has a full recovery. I always value reading and knowing about the accidents, it helps us all stay safe. These things happen in an instance, he could have climbed for 30 years and had 3-4 near misses like this and not gotten hurt. There for the Grace of God go I (or the members of my team). I felt $50 was appropriate....next!
 
Nish said:
Getting spars to fall just right is tricky business. They drop fast and just a tiny bit of asymmetry can throw the whole thing off. I think the tip could have hit first even with a very low-angle notch. So I am skeptical about how a skilled feller would ensure both that the tip doesn't hit first and that the whole pieces lands where desired. I'd like to learn though.
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Experience and messing up can be excellent teachers. It sucks and hurts when someone gets effed up in the process.Heal well Mike! Really take the time to examine every situation though out your career, obviously learning from others as well never hurts as bad , almost literally.. Take your time to examine each cut and each tree and get very into how each tree reacts, file it away in mental toolbox , then you can start to delve into which style cut will produce results that you need to achieve, based on the information you've taken in about each situation from past..problem is there not all the same even if monotonously similar alot of times.. what you think you know(trees are tricky) about how the Tree will react baised on past results or you can rely on hear say or someone you trust teaching you step by step when your in over your head,but confident enough you can do the cuts necessary to achieve results intended. For instance something like pelorus says under here isnt necessary.If you minds made up this is the "best " way Just put a rope in it. Set the cuts up with hinge that'll hold until your clear. climb down nice and easy then signal for the pull once your clean..
Pelorus said:
In no way suggesting this is an acceptable way to do this, but I work off a ladder, (not tied in) when asked to leave an 8 or 10' high "stump". As soon as the top starts going over, I come down a rung or two, bail off the ladder, and get out of Dodge. I'd rather risk spraining an ankle landing badly than what happened to Mike, or worse. Have had a rung on a ladder once get whacked and badly bent doing same.
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Cause what if you fall and can't get out the way.. Could end up worse than Mike. Pelorus!/
Nish I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from a little here. With the cuts and such .. I mean there's just soo much variation and variables with Tree work its hard and takes alot to come together for successful outcomes on the regular if your attempting to go big on a perticular occasion, which every person I've seen comes to those points where theyve grow confidence to attempt something .. I think it starts with lots of prevision ,that isn't that common or easy to find. Yet it can come through practice and patience with attentively paying attention to details along the way.

 
Nish I may have quoted you only because what you said inspired me to write that little bit of hub bub. After i read it i just instictvly pressed reply. I have no idea your experience. You maybe found my post useless. Nonetheless there you have it.
 
Treetopflyer said:
For instance something like pelorus says under here isnt necessary.If you minds made up this is the "best " way Just put a rope in it. Set the cuts up with hinge that'll hold until your clear. climb down

Cause what if you fall and can't get out the way.. Could end up worse than Mike. Pelorus
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Could happen. Might happen.
Could be your world and my world are very different worlds.
Perhaps you missed the part about "in no way suggesting this is an acceptable way to do this". I've broken enough bones, and had enough sutures to last me through the rest of my arb career, so I try to keep my stupid actions to a bare minimum, thanks.
Hope Mike makes a full and rapid recovery.
 
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