Man dies after going through woodchipper

[treequip]

So in essence you're sayin there aren't any WTC's in the UK?

 

Vermeer UK

 

Or you're sayin your certified chipper blokes don't make the same mistakes us silly yanks do?

 

Jomoco

 

No I was quite clear in what I said, I said, you aren't listening, now you aren't listening and you are putting words in my mouth to suit your agenda.

 

The simple fact is this, the UK doesn't have an issue with workers getting hurt or killed by large chippers the way you seem to have.

 

I appreciate that you have an issue with this and that's fine but ranting at us poor Brits is just wearing your keyboard out to no avail.

 

If this is such an issue with the corruption you allege, get on your soapbox with OSHA or your senator or whoever you need to in order to get this put right.

[difflock]

So, indeed a second groundie COULD switch the machine off afterwards, and phone for a refuse truck (cant see a lot of sense phoning for an ambulance in the circumstances is all)

That would work.

Jomoco,

We are currently working on bring our work risk assessments up to date.

Lone working is a frequently raised issue, by both staff and unions.

This to incl female public toilet attendants.

Now I guarentee, if the employer was mug enough to double-staff the toilets, there would only be one person on site, whilst the other toddled off to the shops/pub/ whatever.

And "Oh my God" dont even dare suggest tracking said staff's whereabouts.

For THEIR safety and well-being.

Cos that ud infringe their very European Human Liberties.

As a supervisor of many years(who lone works on his own belhalf) I can only conclude that SOME staff reserve the right to be, or act stupid.

Despite encourgagment.

Despite training

Despie demonstrated procedures.

Despite instruction

Despite warnings.

cheers

m

Edited June 26, 2014 by difflock

[Brett]

Its one thing bringing in legislation demanding 2 people feed the chipper(and for the record I agree in the case of whole tree chippers), but how would they possibly police it?

 

I imagine the same way they police the rule that every climber must have aerial rescue on site in the uk.

[aspenarb]

This is the first case of a man being eaten by a chipper that I have heard of and you need to put this in perspective. Worldwide thousands a week die from road traffic accidents and little to nothing is being done about that.Basic training for the use of a chipper is pretty much a no brainer but the misuse of it and how its operated once it leaves the yard will always be down to operator. I have had to give numerous b@ll@ckings to the lads over the years for leaning or reaching into chippers and in one case a guy was using his feet to stuff things through the rollers. The adage that you can build something idiot proof but someone will build a better idiot applies .

 

Bob

[Tom D]

I Bet 90% of the time chippers in the UK are being fed by 2 people anyway, ours normally are.

 

If the chippers in the US have the same features as the UK models I can't understand how these accidents happen. You get snagged and somehow dragged into the hopper without touching the stop bar??? How?

 

I'd bet that it had been disabled.

[kimtree]

i ve got a vermeer 1800xl which has a bottom safety bar which neither Morbark or bandit have on their chippers,maybe Vermeer has the patent on that design i wouldnt know.

it would be very hard for some one to go though the 1800xl without tripping the bar long before they got to the killing end

i feed my machine mostly with the loader and the safety bar does get tripped alot a bit annoying but better than the possibility of going into the chipper

[jomoco]

This is the first case of a man being eaten by a chipper that I have heard of and you need to put this in perspective. Worldwide thousands a week die from road traffic accidents and little to nothing is being done about that.Basic training for the use of a chipper is pretty much a no brainer but the misuse of it and how its operated once it leaves the yard will always be down to operator. I have had to give numerous b@ll@ckings to the lads over the years for leaning or reaching into chippers and in one case a guy was using his feet to stuff things through the rollers. The adage that you can build something idiot proof but someone will build a better idiot applies .

 

Bob

 

Seems to me, applying the term idiot to your fellow treeworkers, who by your own admission you've had to chew out for dangerous behavior when feeding chippers, denotes an unsavory contempt for crew members not as skilled as you and others who are somehow immune from making mistakes.

 

I gather you highly skilled and trained guys don't need no stinkin chain brakes on your saws either, cuz you aren't idiots, are yu?

 

One of the nicest groundies I've ever known, experienced, dedicated, sober, was eaten alive on the job alone feedin an 1800. This happened a year or so after I quit subbing for the company he worked for.

 

Guy on the right, before WTC's came out, on my crew, at the SD Zoo.

[easy-lift guy]

So, indeed a second groundie COULD switch the machine off afterwards, and phone for a refuse truck (cant see a lot of sense phoning for an ambulance in the circumstances is all)

That would work.

Jomoco,

We are currently working on bring our work risk assessments up to date.

Lone working is a frequently raised issue, by both staff and unions.

This to incl female public toilet attendants.

Now I guarentee, if the employer was mug enough to double-staff the toilets, there would only be one person on site, whilst the other toddled off to the shops/pub/ whatever.

And "Oh my God" dont even dare suggest tracking said staff's whereabouts.

For THEIR safety and well-being.

Cos that ud infringe their very European Human Liberties.

As a supervisor of many years(who lone works on his own belhalf) I can only conclude that SOME staff reserve the right to be, or act stupid.

Despite encourgagment.

Despite training

Despie demonstrated procedures.

Despite instruction

Despite warnings.

cheers

m

 

Hit the nail right on the head, On every point!

easy-lift guy

[jomoco]

So, indeed a second groundie COULD switch the machine off afterwards, and phone for a refuse truck (cant see a lot of sense phoning for an ambulance in the circumstances is all)

That would work.

 

So in essence you're sayin ignoring OSHA's number one rec to help prevent these woodchipper fatalities is fine by you mate?

 

That my following that rec, saving four treeworker lives on the job on my own crews, is somehow a negligible point, with no direct bearing on the topic of this thread?

 

Care to elaborate mate. Even your own link to the Morbark safety device explicitly states that their woodchippers should never be operated solo.

 

I gather you disagree with them and OSHA, right?

 

Jomoco

[Craig Johnson]

jomoco

I hope the reason you appear aggressive and confrontational is the lack of understanding of the English language spoken on an English forum, with the nuances and sutitalties that come with that.