Photo of Chainsaw Injury

[Peter McS]

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people that continually to do high risk techniques are more than likely to blame other people when they get injured.

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This is quite a broad sweeping statement. In my own experiance it seems that the opposite is true. I am surrounded by many extreme atheletes in my personal life, and combined with the other tree workers I know they seem very self critical, and are always the first to accept the blame for there own mistakes and shortcomings.

 

[treedimensional]

Pete you are correct that it was a broad statement, and you should feel fortunate that you are surrounded with wise, level headed indivduals. What I was referring to was the fact that there are agencies in place (WCB...) that more than often than not, blame the company or the owner for many serious injuries. The two excuses used most often are insufficient training or none, and the second one is the pressure to complete the job. It is in the companies best interest that training is done as well as there is enough time alloted to complete the work, anything other than this should mean trouble for the company or owner.

I understand the need for the protection of the work force, but don't ever kid yourself, some in the work force are always thinking of ways to milk the system. The poor guy that cut his arm in this forum, was the victum of an accident. Who, what, when, where and how, we do not know. Could it have been prevented, YES. We all must know our limitations, and secondly, if we feel we would be putting ourselves in harms way by doing something we are uncomfortable doing, having the courage to JUST SAY NO!!!

 

[Tmannsclimber]

The old cut and chuck can be eliminated by useing a sling and carribiner. I will sling the stub flip the end that I am holding over the chain brake which is by the handle of the saw, then cut the stub and when it drops it pulls down the chain brake. That will stop the chain I still have controll of the stub and have time to shut the saw off and clip it back to my harness. I still get to use two hands on the saw and still have controll over the stub.

 

[TreeCo]

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The old cut and chuck can be eliminated by useing a sling and carribiner. I will sling the stub flip the end that I am holding over the chain brake which is by the handle of the saw, then cut the stub and when it drops it pulls down the chain brake. That will stop the chain I still have controll of the stub and have time to shut the saw off and clip it back to my harness. I still get to use two hands on the saw and still have controll over the stub.

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Somehow I don't think we are talking about the same sized chunks.

 

[Tmannsclimber]

Sorry, more often than not if it is going to damage the ground I have to rope it no matter what. I do alot of work for expensive summer beach homes for rich Chicago types. They get pissed at the slightest dimple in the ground. Or the drag marks from the brush, but they are happy to pay for the extra time it takes so thats fine with me.

 

[treehumper]

training both climbers and estimators to improve their respective skills. Better estimators/sales people means properly priced jobs that take into account the time to do it properly and safely. Better training of climbers means advanced skills to do jobs more productively without increasing the risks that are within their realm to control.

If we do this then there is less interest in legislating to reduce the costs to society of workplace injury and death. That's what it's about.

 

[Riggs]

Yo Grover you ain't( it is a word) hearing what I am saying . So Listen up !
I am willing to debate the one hand issue , no joke . I am not a dinosaur or do I need to relax , I am "hip"(like that) on the industry , I know what is up , like I said before ' "bring it!" I smacked trees for over twenty five years , I am not worried if a tree gets me , because I got alot more of them . [censored] , I typed this with two hands , does that make me a safe poster ?
Don't worry about fame grover worry about being lame .

 

[Kathy_Holzer]

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At the end of the probationary period, if you are hired, you get a pair of SIPS or other protective pants- which also serve as a type of uniform. Kind of like Team Zissou.

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That IS a good incentive...eh, boss?!?

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oh ya.. took me a week but i hear you chris. maybe there should be a rule ya gotta buy your own 2nd pair, to keep the stank down in the truck...

just kiddin..

 

[Colin]

I think in the day to day working environment often we may bend or break rules.

The problem is doggedly justifying it and publicising to the point of glorifying it. Be aware of what you are doing rather than just habitually doing it.

When I hire a bucket the driver comes up with me, another pair of hands free, done so for years and we know each other and trust each other. Cut and chuck becomes a 2 man operation but there's still critiques around who say "ha, 2 men in a bucket, look out I'd one hand cut and chuck that tree coz I'm Hercules".

Be careful where you get your advice.

In over 200 videos and countless pics you wont see me publicly bragging or showing off the dangerous practice ... sure occasionally you'll get a glimpse but I wont do crap like this.

http://www.treeworld.info/showthread.php?t=326

Fact is what you do does influence more than just yourself. And if you are using the internet, your website or whatever to glorify the practice you better change your ways and keep it private ... we have a bad enough deal already why pound it worse with arrogance.

Take a look at the top right picture in this companies web ad, they call themselves pro's (best standards, qualified etc) and have that picture ... what a joke.

http://www.arboroperations.com.au/

Funny part is I emailed and asked them to address it and change it back in May 2006, they didn't even reply.

 

[treehumper]

I like the safety ball caps in the lower left pic.

Too often training and mentoring are sacrificed to production. Underselling a job (i.e., estimating instead of selling) leads to pressure to find shortcuts to enable the company to make money or a the least break even. When an accident occurs these causes are often revealed. If the training was adequate, mentored and safety enforced, job priced right, then the company wouldn't be found at fault. The law is an a$$, we can complain all we want but still have to live and work within the bounds of law or be prepared to pay for the consequences.

 

[TC]

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Yo Grover you ain't( it is a word) hearing what I am saying . So Listen up !
I am willing to debate the one hand issue , no joke . I am not a dinosaur or do I need to relax , I am "hip"(like that) on the industry , I know what is up , like I said before ' "bring it!" I smacked trees for over twenty five years , I am not worried if a tree gets me , because I got alot more of them . [censored] , I typed this with two hands , does that make me a safe poster ?
Don't worry about fame grover worry about being lame .

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Do what you want Riggs, I couldn't give a shite.

You bore me to death with your incessant whining and moaning.

 

[rentachimp]

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Gareth: Nice "My Space" you got there. I like the quotes too.

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haha I got them all off of here, I think.

My myspace is pleasant. There's a link to my band's myspace on there, too.

You can hear me sing, but I wouldn't recommend it

 

[rentachimp]

How about if you're cutting the stump flush to the ground and your arms are tired and the exhaust is blowing in your face and the posture you have to adopt is terrible; would it be acceptable to 'one hand' or even swap hands over so you can be more comfortable.?

I'm talking 1ft plus stumps; the boring ones.

 

[Mrsmorningwood]

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Gareth: Nice "My Space" you got there. I like the quotes too.

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haha I got them all off of here, I think.

My myspace is pleasant. There's a link to my band's myspace on there, too.

You can hear me sing, but I wouldn't recommend it

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I thought you sounded great, Sugar! But PLEeezzz...It's ZEPPELIN

 

[rentachimp]

I am ashamed

 

[treebing]

i personally think that people use chainsaws way too much. I rarely pull out the chainsaw for anything less than 3 to 4 inches as a self-imposed rule. In a pruning, I will leave the chainsaw strapped to the center of a tree or just leave it on the ground and ask the groundguy to pass it up if I ever come to a point where I need it. Why would you want to lug a 8 pound bulky motor to the extremities of branches for anyway? There is nothing out there that a handsaw cant handle with minimal effort. with a chainsaw you have to deal with pulling that danm cord, sometimes multiple times, then it gets caught in crotches. It throws you off balance while moving around the tree leading to fatigue. It gets dirty, it gets dull, you have to sharpen it. there are so many ways that chainsaws can kill you too. For anything less than three inches, a good handsaw is faster and easier with out a doubt.

I am always really suprised when I see climbers who dont even carry a handsaw, or they have some old pressed metal fanno that can barely get through a sucker. You can always tell a tree that has been pruned with a chainsaw as well. it always has knicks and bruises everywhere, the cuts are all rough.

There was a good example of a chainsaw pruned tree at the charlotte climbing competition. The champion, Matt Hodges,really laid it out very frankly to the judges about how horrible it looked. Also, No Bivy's wounded hand was undoubtedly from a sloppy chainsaw stub. I fail to understand why anyone would cut a sucker with a chainsaw.

People complain about the price of good handsaws, but it really isnt all that more than a chainsaw chain. Whats 30 bucks every couple of months?

So in conclusion, I think as opposed to ranting against one handed chainsaw use, I think we could save a lot of accidents by simply not using a chainsaw at all.

 

[No_Bivy]

Come on now you weight weenie, a chainsaw is key in a tree, consider it weight training for your next comp. Hhahahahahahahahaha!

 

[easyphloem]

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Also, No Bivy's wounded hand was undoubtedly from a sloppy chainsaw stub.

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Carl Halas and Randy Ogle pruned that entire tree (with the help of Carl's groundman, Charlie). None of the three used a chainsaw in the tree. That's all I know about that.

Now, on the Master's Tree..... that was ugly. It was actually pruned by an Asplundh guy from a bucket with a pneumatic polesaw.

U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi, your just UGLY!!!!!!!


Yeah, I agree with you about the overuse of chainsaws for petty cuts. The world would be much quieter if more climbers took your attitude towards keeping a sharp and ready handsaw.

I really enjoyed meeting you, bing, looking forward to seeing you compete for years to come!

SZ

 

[Colin]

No chainsaw? Insane in the membrane!

 

[treehumper]

Not "no chainsaw" just reducing it to another tool used appropriately instead of like the proverbial sledge hammer to drive a finishing nail.

I'm all for it. Try to do as much handsaw work before pulling up the chainsaw.