Inspection Detail

Inspection: 111590964 - Wells Cutting Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Tumwater Service Location, Tumwater, Wa

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was felling timber to create a right-of-way for logging road construction. He had felled and bucked a 27 in. fir and then felled a 36 in. fir. He had made three bucking cuts and was limbing his way to the fourth bucking cut when he was struck from behind by an 18 in. alder. This tree showed no external signs of rot or defect, nor any signs of damage from being previously brushed or otherwise injured. Apparently, Employee #1 could not hear the alder falling because his saw was running. He died of head injuries and trauma to his upper torso. Examination of the alder tree's root system revealed a single live root, approximately 4 in. in diameter. The accident was determined to have been unavoidable.

Keywords: HEAD, TREE FELLING, TORSO, TREE, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, LOGGING