Inspection Detail

Inspection: 124425158 - Mark Bohannon

Inspection Information - Office: Vt Department Of Labor - Vosha

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on August 2, 1994, Employee #1 cut a tree that became lodged in another tree at the top of a 20 ft ledge. To dislodge the tree, Employee #1 winched a John Deere 440 skidder toward the top of the ledge. He attached the wire rope from the skidder winch to the lodged tree, and began to pull the tree toward the top of the ledge. The skidder began to slide sideways on the ledge and snapped the wire rope. With Employee #1 in the driver's seat, the skidder dropped over the 20 ft ledge and rolled approximately 450 ft down the ravine. Employee #1 was thrown from the skidder and killed. His body was found approximately 30 ft below the bottom ledge.

Keywords: EJECTED, TREE FELLING, WIRE ROPE, ROLL-OVER, STEEP GRADE, LOGGER, SKIDDER, LOGGING