Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316196500 - Allcare Tree Surgery Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

On October 31, 2011 Employee #1, a part of a two man crew removing trees from a local area. Employee #1's coworker was in the bucket truck approximately 45 ft in the air, sawing off limbs and trunk sections and lowering them by rope to Employee #1 on the ground below. Employee #1 then removed the rope and feed the tree parts into a properly guarded and baffled chipper. Employee #1 apparently forgot to remove or did not completely remove the rope from a section of the tree prior to putting it in the chipper. The rope was coiled around Employee #1's shoulder and as the rope was pulled into the chipper it tightened around his arm until it popped off. Approximately 75 ft of the rope had been pulled into the chipper. The force of the tightening, sent the arm flying up over the building and into the front parking lot. The coworker lowered the bucket and noticed Employee #1 laying on the ground with his arm missing. Employee #1 was taken to a local hospital, where he stayed for several days, doctors were unable to reattach his arm.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, ROPE, CHIPPER, TRUCK, ARM