"John Cairns" wrote:

"Peter Wiley" wrote:
John Cairns wrote:

"Peter Wiley" wrote:

Climbing up a tree as high as you can get using an
aluminium ladder,
because said tree sat back on the chainsaw bar, so you
know there's not
a lot holding it up, to put a steel sling around the
trunk as high up
as possible, so as to winch it over the direction it
was *meant* to
fall. And it's windy. And there's a 415V 3 phase power
line in the
direction it *wants* to fall. And last year you spent
2 weeks in
hospital being operated on numerous times after
falling when a ladder
slipped.....

I've quit felling trees for the year. Especially near
powerlines.

PDW
Management has mentioned on more than one occasion the
possibility that we
might have to use fall arresting gear when climbing more
than 6' high.

Not a bad idea in general; we insist on it when working
aloft on
commercial ships for example. However, dubious benefit
IMO attaching
yourself to something that's going to fall over soon,
you're just not
sure quite when or in which direction. My judgement error
in cutting
it, my responsibility to deal with the consequences. I
was going to try
jumping clear if neccesary and hope I didn't break the
same bones as
last time.

Stupidity has its price. That time I got away with it but
it was the
most scary thing I've done for a few years.

PDW

I'll admit it, back in the day we used to do some fairly
unsafe things when going up in the air, but they get
ridiculous now. Have to wear a harness when driving a boom
lift, doesn't matter that the basket is about 8 inches off
the ground. Tried to point out to the safety lady that it
was pointless, she wouldn't listen.

John Cairns

Reminds me of the time I got locked out of the parental
palace in Kenya. They were gone for the week, as were the
servants. I came home from a hot date, waved adieu to Nigel
and found the place locked and barred, boy was I in deep
poo! I finally spotted the tiny open window over the
bathtub on the second floor. I scrambled up onto the back
door rooflet and, hugging the wall, inched my way along the
sewage pipe to the window. Landing headfirst in the tub was
the pits, but I got away with my illicit date!

Seahag