Inspection Detail

Inspection: 17387317 - Rays Tree Service Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Norfolk (Regional Office) - Safety 0355112

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was working in a crew of five. They were clearing 60- to 65-foot-tall pine trees off a vacant lot. The trees had been trimmed, topped out, and control lines had been attached to them to the control direction of fall when the trees were felled. Employee #1, along with three other employees, was tending the lines as a supervisor. When one tree fell it struck another tree that had been trimmed and topped. When the cut tree started to fall, three of the men ran to west side of the lot. Employee #1 ran to east side, far enough to be cleared of the falling tree. However, the tree that was struck by the falling tree whiplashed. The top 15 to 20 feet of this tree snapped off, fell to the ground, and struck and killed Employee #1.

Keywords: TREE FELLING, TREE, TREE SECTION, STRUCK BY, TAG LINE, FALLING OBJECT