Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18826859 - Cox Trucking Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING IN THE WOODS CUTTING TREES TO BE HAULED TO A LOCAL SAWMILL. HE WAS TRIMMING THE TOP FROM A PREVIOUSLY FELLED TREE WHILE STANDING IN THE FALL RADIUS OF A SECOND TREE WHICH HAD BEEN NOTCHED. FOR SOME REASON, THE SECOND TREE HAD NOT FALLEN WHEN FIRST CUT, BUT WAS LEANING TO THE SOUTH. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS USING A GASOLINE-POWERED CHAIN SAW TO CUT AND TRIM TREES. THE WEATHER WAS PARTLY CLOUDY AND BREEZY. THE GROUND WAS WET FROM EARLY MORNING RAINS. THE WORK AREA WAS LOCATED 25 FEET FROM A HAUL ROAD AND ON A SLOPE. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD JUST FINISHED CUTTING THE FIRST BRANCH FROM THE TREE HE WAS TRIMMING WHEN EITHER THE WIND OR VIBRATIONS FROM EQUIPMENT CAUSED THE SECOND (NOTCHED) TREE TO FALL IN HIS DIRECTION. HE WAS STRUCK A GLANCING BLOW ON THE HEAD AND KNOCKED TO THE GROUND. HE SUFFERED A MASSIVE FRACTURE OF THE FRONT OF HIS HEAD WHEN STRUCK BY THE 24 INCH DIAMETER TREE. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS THE ONLY TREE CUTTER WORKING IN THE WOODS. THE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRM WAS RUNNING THE SKIDDER MACHINE SKIDDING CUT TREES OUT OF THE WOODS TO THE LOADING AREA. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WELL TRAINED AS A TREE CUTTER AND HAD BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR 22 YEARS. THE EMPLOYER PROVIDES HARDHATS, EYE GOGGLES & GLOVES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, TREE FELLING, WORK RULES, SKULL, TREE, STRUCK BY, LOGGING