Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1408029.015 - Usda Us Forest Service

Inspection Information - Office: Appleton Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 11:45 a.m. on June 4, 2019, a seasonal employee, a forestry technician, was tasked to fell three trees along a public trail in a national forest. The second tree was 17 inches in diameter and was approximately 6 feet off the trail in water with small trees standing and down around it. The employee was going to drop the tree down the trail due to more limbs and weight was in that direction. The employee made a conventional cut near parallel with the trail before making the felling cut. As the tree began to fall, the employee started on his retreat path on the left side of the tree when he fell in soft ground that was covered in water. The employee went to pull himself back up with a nearby stump when the bottom of the tree that was felling fell on his hand resulting in a crushing injury. The employee yelled for his coworkers who were at a safe distance. Two coworkers began cutting the tree in two spots to relieve the pressure and get the employee out. Once freed, the employee was provided medical attention by the coworkers and transported to the local hospital. The employee sustained an amputation of the right ring finger. The employee was not hospitalized.

Keywords: Amputated, Chain Saw, Falling Object, Finger, Hand, Pinned, Tree Felling