Summary of fatalities in arb

[John Hancock]

SUMMARY OF FATALITIES In Arb Industry BY HSE FROM 1

APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

 

 

A 28 year-old self-employed tree surgeon was killed whilst felling a tree at a private

dwelling. He had climbed into the tree by using an extended ladder and was carrying

a chainsaw to cut branches. His father heard a shout and discovered him bleeding

from a cut to his neck. He died from a deep laceration to the neck caused by the

chainsaw.

 

A 54 year-old self-employed contractor died whilst using a chain saw to fell a tree. He

had made a sink cut (taking a wedge from the trunk to dictate the direction of the fall)

and then went on to make a number of felling cuts - cutting through the remaining

part of the trunk to allow the tree to fall. The tree was being felled using a telescopic

handler and a homemade grab attachment to hold the tree and prevent it from falling

towards neighbouring property. As the tree moved, a cracking and splitting noise was

heard and the tree fell out of the grab towards the chain saw operator. He died from

injuries likely to have been caused by being struck by the tree and the chainsaw.

 

A 28 year old self-employed tree surgeon was found dead in a tree with severe

laceration to his neck. He was discovered by his employee, who had been working at

ground level, suspended by his rope and harness in the tree. He was in the process

of pruning a multi-stemmed willow tree in preparation for felling it. There are no eye

witnesses but it is assumed that the chainsaw kicked back causing a severe

laceration to his neck. He died from his injuries almost instantly.

 

A 37 year-old forestry worker was hit by a falling tree during a tree felling operation.

He was felling a tree when a dead tree leaning against it fell striking him on the head.

It is not clear whether he was trying to free the tree he had felled from a hung up

position or whether the dead tree slid down the trunk of the tree being felled crushing

him. He died from head injuries.

 

Further info can be found at…

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/pdf/fatal0708.pdf

[bob]

makes thought provoking reading

cheers john

[Highland Forestry]

Yep, just backs up all my thinking behind the immense ammount of paperwork I do.

There will have been legal implications as well as H & S implications surrounding all of those cases.

 

God forbid anything like that will hapen, but when it does, if you are employing someone or even employed by someone, everyone involved owes it to each other to make sure all insurances are valid and that all protocol has been adopted and abided to.

[PeteB]

Yoikes. Play safe please guys. Remember all your ppe and don't assume it'll be okay.

[nepia]

SUMMARY OF FATALITIES In Arb Industry BY HSE FROM 1

APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

 

Every one a tragedy for many people.

To those who work safe - well done and please keep it up. You only need to fall out of a tree once in your life...

 

To those who don't - please do. Your recklessness or lack of thinking can have effects far beyond those you think of.

 

For a trade with such inherent danger the majority actually perform very well; compare yourselves with average car driver vs. road fatality stats. - horrendous.

 

No room for complacency though.

[Mesterh]

Sad but interesting reading.

 

Some of the stats on the HSE web link are a bit of an eye opener.

[John Hancock]

Sad but interesting reading.

 

Some of the stats on the HSE web link are a bit of an eye opener.

 

 

Sorry its such a morbid subject but I thought it was well worth sharing. Take the time to go into the HSE web site and read the statistics – like Mesterh said – a real eye opener!

[Billy]

shows me that farmers are generlly lacking upstairs, i read about 5 cases of them not applying parking brake on telehandler's and tractors and having them roll and crush them against feed bins and barns and stuff, also someone tipped a tipping trailer up then proceeded to disconnect one of the hydraulic pipes under the raised body...No need to say what happened next.

[Mesterh]

On page 51 theres an interesting bit about non-fatal injuries, it seems that not many self employed peeps list there accidents

Either that or employee's are very very careless:scared1:

[jojam]

jist like an old woodcutter told me,every one's(tree that is) is out to get you.good advice i think coz when the brown stuff hit's the fan the tree usually always wins!