Dirtman2007
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2007
- Messages
- 1,202
- Location
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Occupation
- Heavy Equipment Operator
Well today my greatest fear happen, being injured on the job.
Today we were clearing trees with the excavator. Pine trees were around 80 ft tall and had an average diameter of 14-20 inches, some up to 30". I would knock down about 3 or 4 trees then myself and our other helper would cut logs out of the trees for the lumber mill. I was cutting one log away from the stump, tree was probably 16" around. I noticed that the chainsaw kept binding up, but this usually happens so I did not pay much attention until The famous word Oh SH*T. Within a second the 60' long log broke loose and came flying back onto me, smashing into me and landing straight on my leg pinning it to the ground. I still dont remember how the chainsaw whineded up next to me with the engine off and the blade in the locked position. I do remember looking down and seeing this massive log lying on my leg, from the knee down was under the log. I knew nothing was broke, but I could not get my leg out. The helper come running over to see what happened, then asks I he should get in the excavator and move the log. My immediate responce was NO!, If the log did not break my leg I'm not going to let an unexperience operator break it trying to move the log. I had Him run to the truck and get a shovel and dig my leg out. Thank god the ground was all soft, so it just pushed my foot down in the ground about 12". Once out I looked and only saw one small area where the skin was bleeding. Then Back to work, no more chainsawing for me today. One Stike is enough to get my attention.
Just makes you wonder what would have happen if I was working alone.
I still have that moment flashing in my head.
Today we were clearing trees with the excavator. Pine trees were around 80 ft tall and had an average diameter of 14-20 inches, some up to 30". I would knock down about 3 or 4 trees then myself and our other helper would cut logs out of the trees for the lumber mill. I was cutting one log away from the stump, tree was probably 16" around. I noticed that the chainsaw kept binding up, but this usually happens so I did not pay much attention until The famous word Oh SH*T. Within a second the 60' long log broke loose and came flying back onto me, smashing into me and landing straight on my leg pinning it to the ground. I still dont remember how the chainsaw whineded up next to me with the engine off and the blade in the locked position. I do remember looking down and seeing this massive log lying on my leg, from the knee down was under the log. I knew nothing was broke, but I could not get my leg out. The helper come running over to see what happened, then asks I he should get in the excavator and move the log. My immediate responce was NO!, If the log did not break my leg I'm not going to let an unexperience operator break it trying to move the log. I had Him run to the truck and get a shovel and dig my leg out. Thank god the ground was all soft, so it just pushed my foot down in the ground about 12". Once out I looked and only saw one small area where the skin was bleeding. Then Back to work, no more chainsawing for me today. One Stike is enough to get my attention.
Just makes you wonder what would have happen if I was working alone.
I still have that moment flashing in my head.
Last edited: