A faller was working on a hillside in a mixed stand of
trees. The falling area had a thick layer of leaves covering
the ground and a considerable number of loose rocks. A steep
bank lay behind the faller. He felled four trees, which
fell across an old log left on the ground from previous
logging. When the next tree got hung up in the canopy, he
set his chainsaw down with the motor still running and walked
over to observe the hung-up tree.
The faller probably knelt on the old log with enough force
to dislodge a boulder wedged at its end about 3 metres (10
feet) uphill. The boulder rolled down, struck the faller,
and then pinned him against the hung-up tree. The faller
died of a massive head injury.
Safe work practices:
- Buck windfalls before falling trees across them.
- Assess uphill hazards for possible chain reactions.
- Shut off your chainsaw when assessing hazards.
- Remove hearing protection when it is not required so
that
you can listen for hazards.
