Chainsaw Accident

[Dan Salter]

It has been a horrible day as i learnt of the death of a fellow student (and conservation worker. )
I wont put names etc on here but i believe he had just completed his conservation degree (complete with his chainsaw licence etc) and was now working within the industry for a conservation organisation.

He had an accident when felling an ash tree 2 or 3 weeks ago when the classic "dentist chair" action took place which is when the tree kicks back , he was crushed or at least knocked flying and had broken ribs , collar bone, back probs and other complications.
He died of a blood clot.

Just goes to show even with proper training and safety equipment and protective clothing how dangerous tree surgery can be and how accidents do and can happen.
I just want to say to anyone who uses chainsaws or does tree felling work within their daily duties to be careful as my fellow college student was a very nice and sensible kind of guy.

[thunder]

Dreadful news Dan.

And it's not just well trained beginners to whom accidents can happen - a friend of mine badly gashed his leg when something unexpected happened with the chain saw, and he had been using them for most of his working life. Fortunately no lasting damage.

henrya

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

It has been a horrible day as i learnt of the death of a fellow student (and conservation worker. )
I wont put names etc on here but i believe he had just completed his conservation degree (complete with his chainsaw licence etc) and was now working within the industry for a conservation organisation.

He had an accident when felling an ash tree 2 or 3 weeks ago when the classic "dentist chair" action took place which is when the tree kicks back , he was crushed or at least knocked flying and had broken ribs , collar bone, back probs and other complications.
He died of a blood clot.

Just goes to show even with proper training and safety equipment and protective clothing how dangerous tree surgery can be and how accidents do and can happen.
I just want to say to anyone who uses chainsaws or does tree felling work within their daily duties to be careful as my fellow college student was a very nice and sensible kind of guy.

very true and well said dan - my condolences on your loss

I saw a freind of mine die once when the chainsaw was knocked backwards into his leg cutting open the femoral artery (he wasnt wearing c/saw protective trousers which taught me a harsh but valuable lesson) he was unconcious before we could do anything sensible and dead before the ambulance arrived

I had a near miss with falling timber earlier in the year which some of you will recall - which has left me with some nerve damage - its very mild just a bit of pins and needles in the left hand which the doc says will go in time - but as dans mates tragic fate shows it could have been far worse

the three morals here are that

a) chainsaw work is only for experts - I think they should be taken off sale in places like B+Q and from hire centres (refering to my idiot freind - who I still miss - not to dans mate , just to clarify that )

b) even if you are an "expert" anyone can have an accident , and arb is an unforgiving field where second chances are few and far between so be careful however experienced you are.

c) you only get one life so you might as well live it to the max - three score years and ten isnt guaranteed to any of us despite what we might wish to believe.

[svenrufus]

Shocking news, I'm so sorry to hear this.
If there is any way of passing on condolences to the family, please do so, as I always feel that anyone working in conservation is part of a wider family, and his death is felt by us all even if we haven't met him.
A bad day.

[Lords and Ladies]

Very sorry to hear that Dan.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

It has been a horrible day as i learnt of the death of a fellow student (and conservation worker. )
I wont put names etc on here but i believe he had just completed his conservation degree (complete with his chainsaw licence etc) and was now working within the industry for a conservation organisation.

He had an accident when felling an ash tree 2 or 3 weeks ago when the classic "dentist chair" action took place which is when the tree kicks back , he was crushed or at least knocked flying and had broken ribs , collar bone, back probs and other complications.
He died of a blood clot.

Just goes to show even with proper training and safety equipment and protective clothing how dangerous tree surgery can be and how accidents do and can happen.
I just want to say to anyone who uses chainsaws or does tree felling work within their daily duties to be careful as my fellow college student was a very nice and sensible kind of guy.

Yes. I heard about this on Sunday, as my son's girlfriend is on the same course as the poor chap. He's a family man and was apparently very well liked.

Shocking news and one to learn from. My thoughts are for his family.

Jules

[goosey]

That is such terrible news Dan, something like that shakes you to the core and makes us all realise how fragile life is. My heart goes out to his family, you and the other students.

[richardkm]

What a dreadful thing to happen, our thoughts go out to this man's loved ones.

Even though I did a 5 day course on chainsaw use and maintenance when I worked for the National Trust, I never lost my fear of them. What really amazed me was how they were used by the local farmers and the state of the saws they used. It surprises me that there are not more limbless farmers around. Mind you, chainsaws are less dangerous than tractors.

[nightshade]

I am very sorry for the young man and his friends and family
and you Dan it must be a shock,so sudden and unexpected
I am very wary and respectful of the chainsaw and was told
to retire to one side of a tree and back to allow jumping time
my instructor later hit something the blade flew back and hit
the peak and visor of his helmet, he has never used one since

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by nightshade

I am very wary and respectful of the chainsaw and was told
to retire to one side of a tree and back to allow jumping time

this is absolutely true once you have made the cut , but the trouble is that some timber such as ash and willow is very prone to the rocking chair maneuver while you are cutting

for those that dont know ,that is when a split runs up the tree from the cut then the tree pivots over about 2 to 3 feet above the cut with the timber on your side of the split whizzing up and smacking you in the jaw or chest (painful with a small tree - often fatal with a big one) and or knocking the saw out of your hands and into your body or head - I had that happen to me last year , but i was very lucky as i was using a 020 top handle (which is light) and it was knocked out of my hands and went over my head and landed point down in the ground thirty or so feet behind me

and richard you are absolutely correct never to lose your fear of the saw - the fear is your freind and will (fate permitting) keep you alive.

[jennyb]

Dan, I am so sorry for your loss. They are terribly dangerous things, but accidents do happen, even when all precautions are taken.

I agree with eeyore, they most certainly should not be used by amateurs and should not be on sale to the public.

We get our trees trimmed regularly (by professionals) but I can't bear to watch them.

Jenny

[demicav]

I'm so sorry to hear such sad news. My condolences to you and the family.

[smartie]

I'm dreadfully sorry too, Dan, for you and most of all for his family.

[Kymba]

Can I add my Condolences as well. It is an Awful thing to happen

[werdnal]

Can I add my condolences.

I hate the damned things, but my hubby has to use one at work. He's done the basic course, but I still worry about him. Won'et let him even cut up logs at home unless I'm here, as hate the thought of anything happening, but I'm sure he is often alone at work!

[almostnormal]

my condolences to you and the family, a terrible thing to have happened.

[Kayleigh]

Sorry for your loss Dan. Its just awful news.

[Dan Salter]

Thanks for everyones kind words. I would like to point out he was not a close friend of mine i only know him from around college. There are 2 ladies in my class though who were on an ND course with him who are obviously very upset.
The little i did know of him and on meeting him he seemed a really nice friendly man and as pointed out by Julie he was well liked. I feel for his family as i think he had children.

Dan

[Garden Carpet]

Dan, I am so sorry to hear this. Please accept my condolences. My thoughts are with you and his family. Please take care.
jaki

[honeybee]

Just seen this Dan, really sorry to hear about your friend, that's really awful.

I've seen really experienced people having accidents, you can never be too careful and you should always follow things by the book. The safety trousers really can save your life, stopped somebody I know cutting their leg off.

I agree with eeyore that they shouldn't be on general sale.

[PMG]

Aww that's awful bad news.

We use chainsaws at work too - I don't have a certificate or training so am not allowed to use it. Instead I am the watch-person for my colleague and buddy who does use it. Each time we go out to do a job I wonder if I will be prepared and manage to save his life if the unthinkable happens and he has an accident with it. . . the time it takes for the ambulance to get on site and then to wherever we happen to be working is very muchly long enough for my mate to lose his life. . .

Pauline