southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
My groundie of about 4 months and I were removing two big leaf maples over house for the last two days. The one had about 7 main leads from about 20' up to 70'. When I dropped one top, I brushed another very old bigleaf maple in the front yard (lots of dead wood and such), breaking a branch in the front yard tree. It was barely hanging on.
As normal, I alerted the groundie that there was a widow maker (about 3.5' at the butt end). Had him walk to where he could see it from a different angle. Told him that we'd have to shoot a line up and pull it down. Told him it was barely hanging on by a little bark and the support from a few branches.
I was working both trees from the same high TIP. I'd turned my back and swung to the other tree. There was a lot of roping so a lot of bits of downtime for the groundie, and there was ample room to work, so I figured no big deal. I'll be on the ground in a little bit, and we can get the hanger down, if it doesn't blow down on its own. Plenty of room to work around that widowmaker danger area. I'm always trying to tell the guys to look up before coming under the tree.
When my back was turned and switching trees, he looked up, saw it was still there, then came under the widowmaker (not under me, as they are well trained in "Call and Respond" for "Coming under?"--"You can come under."). He started cutting up a top and I hear the saw running behind me. I turn and see the widowmaker blow out of the tree and hear/ see it land about 5' away.
"Holy F$#@!!!"
I descend and went over to him with the widowmaker to explain to him, "This widow maker that we both looked at together almost brained you!"
He said, "I looked up before coming under, and it was still there. It must have come down after I came under."
Well yes, that it did and that is the problem.
Two points to think about more that other obvious ones:
FATIGUE doesn't help judgment.
EYESIGHT is important. I have very good vision, and protect is vigilantly. I have to have it to do my job. What about the groundies' eyesight. I don't have health benefits for myself or two person ground crew, but am thinking of finding out what is the basic out of pocket expense for an eye exam and work-appropriate eyeglasses. I know that he doesn't have the money for them, and it would benefit both of us. Good eyesight can help a groundie exam the rigging for a second check that all is running right, no crossed lines, no rope running across the block's sling, etc.
Never have I heard eyesight being mentioned, but it should be something to think about.
BTW,Anyone know about good anti-fog compounds to rub on glasses?
Be safe!
As normal, I alerted the groundie that there was a widow maker (about 3.5' at the butt end). Had him walk to where he could see it from a different angle. Told him that we'd have to shoot a line up and pull it down. Told him it was barely hanging on by a little bark and the support from a few branches.
I was working both trees from the same high TIP. I'd turned my back and swung to the other tree. There was a lot of roping so a lot of bits of downtime for the groundie, and there was ample room to work, so I figured no big deal. I'll be on the ground in a little bit, and we can get the hanger down, if it doesn't blow down on its own. Plenty of room to work around that widowmaker danger area. I'm always trying to tell the guys to look up before coming under the tree.
When my back was turned and switching trees, he looked up, saw it was still there, then came under the widowmaker (not under me, as they are well trained in "Call and Respond" for "Coming under?"--"You can come under."). He started cutting up a top and I hear the saw running behind me. I turn and see the widowmaker blow out of the tree and hear/ see it land about 5' away.
"Holy F$#@!!!"
I descend and went over to him with the widowmaker to explain to him, "This widow maker that we both looked at together almost brained you!"
He said, "I looked up before coming under, and it was still there. It must have come down after I came under."
Well yes, that it did and that is the problem.
Two points to think about more that other obvious ones:
FATIGUE doesn't help judgment.
EYESIGHT is important. I have very good vision, and protect is vigilantly. I have to have it to do my job. What about the groundies' eyesight. I don't have health benefits for myself or two person ground crew, but am thinking of finding out what is the basic out of pocket expense for an eye exam and work-appropriate eyeglasses. I know that he doesn't have the money for them, and it would benefit both of us. Good eyesight can help a groundie exam the rigging for a second check that all is running right, no crossed lines, no rope running across the block's sling, etc.
Never have I heard eyesight being mentioned, but it should be something to think about.
BTW,Anyone know about good anti-fog compounds to rub on glasses?
Be safe!
