Emergency crews successfully rescued a tree company worker trapped under an overturned spider lift on Tuesday morning August 27th near Port Republic, Maryland on the Western Shores south west of Washington DC.
The incident occurred alongside Battle Creek, a heavily wooded area to the east of the town, where the arborist was working on trees along a boardwalk when the lift somehow rolled down the slope towards the creek, trapping him under part of the machine.
Emergency workers were able to extract him from the machine and given the severity of his injuries and location decided to airlift him to the nearest hospital with a Trauma centre.
Vertikal Comment
This sort of thing happens more often than makes sense, and we have covered a few of them over the years – for example See: - Spider overturn
Chief
I am now in my 54th year in the tree business and unfortunately I still see these accidents happening far too often.
Spidertom has got it exactly right. Even with all the training operators still do the stupidest things.
It's ironic that equipment that should make work safer is reported in this journal linked to fatalities on a regular basis.
I think the biggest problem is lack of common sense which seems to be in short supply in most industries.
I hope the guy recovers.
Spidertom
This incident seems very different to the other example you offer - this is clearly a roll over whilst tracking, and it doesn't seem many proper precautions were taken to traverse a slope with a top heavy machine - no outriggers deployed in anticipation of a potential roll over situation - tracks appear to be on narrow - just not enough caution or consideration to traversing a slope in general.
The other example was a machine set up and working, and sounds like insufficient spreader pads beneath the outriggers.
In both examples though the common factor would appear to be operator error. Be that through lack of knowledge, or training, inexperience, overly cavalier attitude perhaps?
Chief
I am now in my 54th year in the tree business and unfortunately I still see these accidents happening far too often.
Spidertom has got it exactly right. Even with all the training operators still do the stupidest things.
It's ironic that equipment that should make work safer is reported in this journal linked to fatalities on a regular basis.
I think the biggest problem is lack of common sense which seems to be in short supply in most industries.
I hope the guy recovers.
Spidertom
This incident seems very different to the other example you offer - this is clearly a roll over whilst tracking, and it doesn't seem many proper precautions were taken to traverse a slope with a top heavy machine - no outriggers deployed in anticipation of a potential roll over situation - tracks appear to be on narrow - just not enough caution or consideration to traversing a slope in general.
The other example was a machine set up and working, and sounds like insufficient spreader pads beneath the outriggers.
In both examples though the common factor would appear to be operator error. Be that through lack of knowledge, or training, inexperience, overly cavalier attitude perhaps?