Workplace Injuries

[john dawson]

Hi All!!

 

Im putting together a powerpoint presentation on personal injuries sustained in the world of arboriculture. I find with the people i teach now and future students tend to be very complacent about relying too much on ppe to stop injuries instead of using their common sense to avoid the situation in the first place. (Assuming they actualy bother to turn up in full dress)

 

Im after any pictures of accidents, and a little story about where,why,how it happened.

 

Preferably work related, ie - cuts, broken bits,

 

The more gruesome bloody and disgusting, The Better!!!!!!

 

just send me a pm,

Thanks

[Dave D]

maybe you could add a little section in showing tests on ppe to demonstrate that it isnt a 100% guarentee to prevent injury. whilst some companys will have us believe that their product will absolutely protect and save you, we know that isnt allways the case. eg. a helmet might well do a very good job of protecting your head from a falling branch but it wont stop your neck from shooting out your a###hole, the same as we know trousers may slow or jam a saw but not nessaceraly before its reached your leg. this should hopefully eliminate some complaicency.

[djbobbins]

Isn't there an order of risk management that says PPE is last line of defence rather than first? Something like:

 

remove hazard

remote working

safe systems of work

reduce hazard

PPE

 

Clearly in a lot of cases removing the hazard isn't possible (anyone make chainsaws with guard rails over the top of the bar?) but as has been said, relying on PPE to keep you safe may prevent a scratch to the face but won't stop a broken neck from being hit on the head by a fast falling 50kg branch.

 

Have a look at this (and the link therein) for a vid on boot testing and also a couple of pics of a guy who'd been wearing steel toe cap boots but had gone through the leather behind the toecap, then also toe, tendon etc...

 

Chainsaw boot test - Tree World

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

no pics of my 4 cuts! only one serious though, i call it my shark bite.

 

PPE can make you complacent, and increases fatigue, swings and roundabouts, better with than without.

 

Wouldnt be without my tirols and stretch airs these days.

[Taupotreeman]

No pictures I'm afraid but two bad ones and one that proves PPE doesn't always work.

1. Dismantling a large Ash in high winds, wind whipped the branch around and slammed it into my leg mushing the muscle from waste to ankle.

2. Had an eight foot chunk of wood thrown from 60 feet out of a bucket on an EPV. The guy gave no warning he was about to throw and I took the full brunt on the scone. Shattered the helmet but luckily not my head.

3. Undercutting a hung branch up a tree, misjusdged the direction of fall and the branch landed on the saw pushing it into my leg. Went straight through the chainsaw pants I was wearing without even slowing and took a nice chunk out of my lower leg. I now buy my chainsaw gear from the UK cos it's of better quality.

[Taupotreeman]

I also have a folder here with over 350 workplace fatalities in the states from falling, electrocution, chainsaw, chipper and various other incidents relating to tree work. I and a senior trainer used them for training procedures at the last company I worked for. No pictures but if they're of any use I might be able to send you a copy if you need.

[testcricket01]

1st pic was cutting and chucking with silky,

 

 

 

2nd and 3rd pic is a big silky cut a full stroke down the blade ended up with 5 stitches holding a flap of skin folded over.

 

 

last pic is the first cut i ever got dismantling a small multi stem conifer, i was anchored into 1 stem and went up one of the other stems was stood on a branch cutting and branch snaped that i was stood on, i fell and landed on my still running saw after going through a few other branches first.

[Taupotreeman]

Good advert for banging the chainbrake on after every cut there eh.

[testcricket01]

Good advert for banging the chainbrake on after every cut there eh.

 

bit hard when your half way through cutting a branch and the one your standing on snaps

[Taupotreeman]

oooooooo ouch, unlucky.