I didn't read every post in this thread so my apologies if I'm off the mark or repeating something. So, no safety gear they are not professionals, they're wanna be's. Many a logger and arborist over the years gave life and limb, so to speak, to make today's workforce safer. Yeah some rules may be over the top but mostly the keep us safe and for that, and those unfortunate enough to be injured or killed in the process, I'm thankful.
My old top handle craftsman has no break either, im always going to push it. Its natural movement for me, i was trained if you take more than 2 steps hit it
I never wore any sort of protective equipment other than hearing protection when I was younger. I too thought I was invincible. Fortunately I have seen enough videos to convince me that I need the safety gear now. Yeah we get a chuckle out of some of the bone heads on YouTube but the reality is they weren't laughing very hard after the fact (if they could even laugh at all). I say the equipment is there for our use. You may choose not to use it and that is on you. I'm not going to force anyone to do anything unless I am responsible for their well being. To each his own.
Sheesh, it's just a thread on an internet forum, just something to yak about. I just met these guys and I said I like them. I was simply aghast that the young man had zero safety gear up in this huge oak in a bucket. I was very surprised he didn't, at least, wear safety glasses or some type of helmet. And nope, he had no lanyard or whatever you call it in case he gets knocked out. I was just surprised a bright young man would do this day in, day out with zero safety gear. To me, that is asking for trouble. Certainly, it's his business but as I said, just something to yak about. And it seems a bit of disservice to new people reading this site that you say plenty of people did and do it with no safety gear and don't have accidents. The industries dealing with trees, logging and arborist work, are among the most dangerous jobs on earth if not THE most dangerous. Look at the stats, it's easy to find. Like many or most, I don't always use all safety gear available but I have become much more diligent about doing it and I have had some close calls and have even been 'saved' by safety gear. I think it's cool that technology has given us some protection. Sad that many got hurt and many died along the way. I have had friends lose their lives to trees.
Wow, that's rough right there. An old fellow I knew as a kid, cut short length pulpwood for a living, saw got him below his knee on day, had to take the rest off. His son was killed by a barber chaired pine.
Any insured tree company would require safety gear on their employees. If they don't a minor accident to an employee could put them out of business.
Any insured tree company should require safety gear on their employees. Just like homeowner's insurance should require wood stove inspections, at least at install. Some do, some don't. Unfortunately insurance mandates often are overlooked or not in place until an insured makes a large claim.
The only safety thing i hear is hearong protection. Ive tried safety glasses but they seem to distort my vision enough to be more of a hazard with them on. They also sweat and fog up. Tried chaps once and they seem to make me more clumsy when walking. Used a hard hat last year felling a large dead white oak. If i did chain saw work full time id use the full gamut of safety gear.
I totally agree, I choose to use safety equipment when using power tools but it is no ones business but mine. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
That may be true but the point that must be made is that WE HAVE THE PROTECTION GEAR NOW. Not to use it if we can afford it; and that Dad and Son team had the money for the big equipment so they had the money for safety harnesses, is silly. Accidents can happen at any time. My Dad got a nasty gash to his knee with a saw when it got tangled on some vines and he jerked the saw, it jerked out and fell to his knee; with chaps it wouldn't have got him.
If I am not cutting with the saw and it is running, the brake is on. It is there so why not use it for safety? My sister was helping me and I mentioned earplugs but she told me she never wears them. I can only suggest not force.
A couple of years ago a local tree monkey fell out of a tree he was working on; fell and died. I am sure his family wished he had used a safety harness while in the tree. Yes, it may slow you down a bit but isn't it better than being dead? As for making it harder to communicate; they have hearing protection with built in radios for communicating.
