If there was a "Safety Spot" sub-forum, I think I would be the only one posting... I got hurt pretty bad again today while out logging. I bring this latest injury up because it is a situation that occurs all the time while logging, and the remedy is easy, but I have never had this result before. Anyway I was picking up my "hardwood tops" which are the top parts of the logs after logging out the Hardwood Logs earlier in the week. I had all 7 tops on behind me and was negotiating a pretty steep turn and the longest log wedged BEHIND a live tree on the frontish end, and in FRONT of a live tree on the very end of the log. Since this was a full cord of wood tree length, the skidder was having trouble forcing the twitch to make the turn, and that tree way in back was preventing it. We are talking front end off the ground, winch chattering, wheels spinning struggle here, and we all know that leads to cable breakage on a skidder. Only 3 feet of the log was jammed and kept from making the turn by this live tree, so the obvious way to fix the situation it to cut the log just in front of the live tree. Yeah you lose a few feet of log, but really what is a few pounds not going to the paper mill? So I keep carefully cutting the front of the log so the tremendous pressure is eased off. I keep doing this and the log bows a bit, Figuring I am good to go, I take my saw and cut the back part so the end will be cut off and the log will swing around...away from me. I no more than touch the saw to the wood and the tree explodes in half, the main part of the log swings around away from me like it should and like the rocket I knew it would, but the last few feet of the log ricochets off the standing live tree too, and takes me out at the shins. I flip into the air and land flat out on the ground on my stomach. It happened so fast and so hard that it knocks the wind out of me, not to mention making me feel like my left leg is broken. I can't get up for the longest time, the pain and shock hitting me, and here are my options I am thinking: a skidder with a full twitch on and 1/2 mile hike out of the woods...with a broken leg. GREAT! It wasn't though as I found out, just some major cuts from the bark, and a wide black and blue where it took me out across both legs, but man did it hurt. I was really hoping it would rain so I would not have to cut anymore, but the rain held off until noon so I kept cutting wood. I hobbled a bit and took it easy, and did NOT go down into the ravine; I will save those tops for another day, but man did.does that ever hurt. So be careful in this situation. It happens a lot while cutting tree length wood. (PS: I know, no pictures it never happened, but trust me, you will want to see Katie's legs more than mine)
This one will be saved to your "hard drive" and may save your life in the future. We all learn this way and I'm glad your OK.
I think you deserve a holiday after this adventure; you have my permission to take the rest of the week off.
Thanks for sharing your mishap. Wow that could have been a lot worse so Im glad you are more or less ok.
Logging is the most dangerous job in the US, 132 fatal injuries per 100,000. I'm glad you weren't one of those 132 today! Your wife must be really zen or a nervous wreck.
Thanks for the story, and glad that it wasn't more serious and life-threatening. I hope that everyone that reads this, takes the time to really think through what they are doing with heavy wood and power equipment. Let's all be really careful out there. Life is too prescious. Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk
I'm starting to think you should be supervised in some way? Glad you're here to tell us what to watch out for.
Glad your ok. I think you should radio back to the wife ever 2 hours or so. This could've went a horrible direction. Again, glad your safe, very dangerous work.
Glad your OK LodgedTree, that's serious stuff right there. I dropped a tree once and it fell on a 3" Oak and bent it down a few feet off tree ground. I made a cut on the Oak to clear it and it shot up like a spring hitting me in the forehead and knocked me out cold for a minute. I knew better, but I still did it. After clearing the blood from eyes and searching in the leaf litter for my glasses, my son saw the HUGE egg on my head and made me go to the hospital and checked for a concussion.
Wow LodgedTree, you need to (as my wife Fire Flake says) SETTLE DOWN! Glad yer ok , and your wife and girls need you to be as careful as possible
No we got bills to pay. I took 3 weeks off after my surgery so it is time to head back out in the woods, time off needed of or not. But we knew that going into this 2 years ago when I retired from the shipyard. It is just what you pay for living a life that most dream of; living off a farm 100% income wise, having the wife stay home full-time for the kids, seeing each other all the time, etc. But it may come to the point where I just cannot do it and she has to get into the work force. That is to be determined...
That is what they call a spring pole and that was what happened to me on March 27th that sent me to the hospital for 4 days. It was good though; not the 20 stitches to my forehead, but that I learned I had underlying health issues and ultimately that I had cancer.
