Why We Tie-in Twice...

[Boomslang]

Slightly irrelevant

 

[TimBr]

I think this fella was F'ed in the A' when he unclipped without being tied in but he thought he was tied in and that explains the sequence of events on the video prior to the impact and subsequent screaming.

you can see his hesitation to act after he starts to fall because his brain hasn't caught up yet to the realisation he is def falling despite his conviction that it can't be happening - rookie mistake probably better that he has moved on to another profession.

I'm using a handheld computer right now, so I can't see the details you are describing, but I suspect that I still won't be able to see them once I watch it on the big screen. I think you are probably just much more perceptive than I when it comes to seeing such subtle things. I will try hard to see what you describe the first chance I get to watch it on the big screen.

Tim

 

[southsoundtree01]

For starters, revealing ignorance here, I don't even know what a "C clip" is, but it almost sounds like an open-sided piece of hardware, or at least one with a weak, non-locking gate on it.

It sounds to me like a friction hitch would not have helped his cause, because it was the termination end of a DdRT rope that failed to hold him due to inadequate hardware to attach his terminal end to his harness, in combination with a poorly tied termination knot.

Had he taken the time to load that rope up with his weight before disconnecting his lanyard, he would likely have come out ok, because that terminal end would have popped off just the same, only he'd still have his lanyard holding him.

This gets back to my own rule about checking all of my connections prior to making a change in my climbing systems. As long as you are sitting there safely hanging in your saddle, fat, dumb and happy, you are in no danger, generally speaking. When I go to make a change, I walk through all of the connections that I have to the rope and tree, seeing which are connected and taut, which are connected but slack, and which are not connected at all. The changeover is one of the most hazardous times in the tree, for me personally, because a quickly executed mental error can have grave consequences.

It is really good of this climber to keep this video up as a warning to others. I hope he's wrong about being in pain for the rest of his life, and that his body eventually heals itself.

Tim

Check your new system visually, slack your old system, weighting the new system, or vice versa, then unclipped the old system. I always load my new system.

 

[TimBr]

T&D Stump Grinding and Tree Service, Birmingham, Alabama.
Did anyone notice you now have to watch it on YouTube, because "Playback on other websites has been disabled by the video owner"? Guess he didn't like us nit picking his style. Probably laughing at us because "Those idiots on the Buzz don't even know what a c clip is!"

It's too bad he felt the need to do that, but I understand it being tough to put up with being ridiculed. I was just trying to figure out what went wrong. I respect him for leaving the video up, as I said earlier. I'm glad he's still willing to leave it up on YouTube, at least.

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

I can't help but think the guy was thinking about the camera going, the world watching, the customer there........lots of distractions and he was playing into them. (besides all those other things)

 

[jakemilarch1]

First time I ever witnessed a tree guy spike climbing to remove a large pine was very interesting and still haunts me. The homeowner I was working for called in some local cowboys who moon lighted in the removal business. First the crew jumps out of an old pick up one guy one pair of spikes one line which was used a s a tag line not a climb line. Takes his shirt off fires up a smoke no Ppe there's your first sign of imminent disaster. Lanyard in starts saw no face cut huge top connected with a tractor pulling to hard. Barber chaired saw stalled he passes out smashed to the spar homeowners and groundies screaming bloody murder. No spikes no extra rope no experience including myself. The fire dept rescue is a long long way. We all feared the worst no way to help the man. Five minutes or so it seemed passed finally he came too started his saw finished the cut came down tucked his tail and ran home thankfully alive a few busted ribs. We all learned a lot that day.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TimBr]

Great post, thanks for sharing that experience. I hope the guy healed up ok. It makes me wonder how long he had his spurs and had been climbing and cutting. I can easily see how back in the days before the rapid exchange of information on the internet, it could be tough to acquire the knowledge necessary to stay safe.

Tim

 

[Jeff]

First time I ever witnessed a tree guy spike climbing to remove a large pine was very interesting and still haunts me.

That's quite the intro to tree work! Sounds like you recognized the 27 or so things they did wrong, so that was a really good first days lesson. I've learned a lot from my dumb mistakes, but I try even harder to learn from other people's dumb mistakes - Costs less money and does less damage to my body that way.