Inspection Detail

Inspection: 454893.015 - Backwoods Logging Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

On June 4, 2012, an employee had cut and trimmed a 50 ft tall red oak tree with 25-in diameter. Approximately 16 ft from the red oak tree stood a 63 ft tall sassafras tree with 11 in diameter. As the red oak tree fell, the red oak made contact with the sassafras tree making the sassafras tree a danger tree. The employer was operating the skidder and had just parked on the skid road below the red oak and sassafras trees. The employer intended to hand the choker cable, from the rear of the skidder, up to the employee, so the employee could hook the choker cable to the red oak tree. The tree would then be skidded to the landing area. As the employer was about to hand the choker cable to the employee, he observed a broken limb from the sassafras tree which had landed in a nearby maple tree. The employer told the employee to make sure he did not walk in front of the sassafras and maple trees. As the employee retrieved his chain saw from the end of the red oak tree, the sassafras limb, hanging from the maple, fell and struck the employee in the head. The employee was killed.

Keywords: Falling Object, Head, Skidder, Struck By, Tree, Tree Felling, Tree Limb