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Reg, you do top work, but cant believe you dont even have cones(witches hats)on road behind chipper and under tree
tree came down quick but you would loose work contracts here in AUS by your lack of safe work method
this one looks a bit cowboyish
sorry mate,generally a fan of your work
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LoL, thanks Chopper.
Well, there were actually road signs and cones placed up to 200 yards either side of the tree…although not right under the branches or they would have been squashed, but they were in abundance…. look carefully to spot them.
Now remember, I’m just the hired help for the day, I didn’t organize the job or anything like that, but there was more to this story than me just turning up to do some climbing.
Sean, the company owner had me booked in to do some work for him several months back. We were all set and then I received a message that the work had to be postponed as something had ‘come up’! He had just recently moved house and I didn’t have his new telephone number but I just figured I’d hear from him in a week or so. Anyway, I finally heard from him Friday night after several months of hearing nothing. As it tuned out, Sean had been logging on his circular saw when something came loose and the blade shattered in his direction. Apparently, the shrapnel ripped through his helmet, cut a big chunk out of his skull (Ive seen it and its awful to look at) while the rest embedded itself in his chest. He was blind for 5 days, they’d only given him 12 or so hours to live at one point with septicaemia looking imminent.
Thankfully, his body finally responded to the drugs, and he’s been on the mend ever since. He was off work for 12 weeks and with no money coming in, a severely disabled daughter to look after also, what savings were put away have obviously gone.
When he called me on the Friday I couldn’t believe what had happened, and that he never asked for help while all this was going on. But he was asking now. I had passed the tree many times so I knew we’d struggle with only 3 of us, but I knew also that if I declined that Sean would attempt it with just himself and his groundsman….because he needs to pull back that money and is currently working 7 day weeks to do it. How could I possibly turn my back on him?
Our cowboy appearance wasn’t even a consideration, the only question was ‘could we muddle through without any mishaps?’ YES was my conclusion, and the rest is as you saw. We got paid, the client was delighted with he job and all his firewood, Sean’s back on the saddle although his eyesight isn’t quite all there yet and he will have to undergo plastic surgery this year.
When unfortunate situations like this occur the circumstances and aftermath are rarely going to be ideal, but I was happy to help and I'd do it again tomorrow if need be.
