Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300649977 - Canoochee Emc, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Savannah Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and three coworkers were dispatched to a site to help the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) remove a large dead pine tree. DOT workers had been attempting to remove the tree when their chain saw became stuck halfway up into it. Employee #1's crew determined that the safest way to remove the tree was to have it cut in two stages. Employee #1 got into an aerial lift bucket and went up with a pole saw to remove some limbs so that he could get high enough to tie a rope to the top of the tree. After tying the rope to the tree, he backed away from the tree a little while the ground crew pulled on the rope; the intent was to relieve pressure on the tree so that he could remove the stuck chain saw. As the ground crew pulled on the rope, the top of the tree fell to the ground, as did the chain saw. Employee #1 came down to get the rope, took it back up, and tied it to the top of the lower half of the tree. He then cradled the bucket back onto the truck, got out, and went over to assist in pulling the rope. There was no room for him to help, so he moved away to watch the operation from about 8 ft to the right of the ground crew. A coworker cut the trunk of the tree. After the tree fell, the coworker looked toward the ground crew and saw a limb strike Employee #1, penetrating approximately 3 in. into the left side of his chest. Long County EMS transported him to Liberty Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead approximately 15 minutes after arrival.

Keywords: CHEST, CLEARANCE, TREE FELLING, TREE LIMB, WORK RULES, TREE, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, PUNCTURE