Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300275971 - Weaver Logging

Inspection Information - Office: Erie Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was using a chain saw to fell and limb trees, which were then moved by a skidder operator to a holding area. He made an undercut to guide the fall of an approximately 90 ft tall red oak, and had just completed the backcut. The backcut did not match up evenly on the stump, causing the tree to twist and fall approximately 180 degrees from its intended path. Either the falling tree or its branches hit an approximately 75 ft tall dead aspen that was 30 ft away. The aspen fell across the red oak and between the forks of a double-stumped tree that was approximately 20 ft from the felled oak. Employee #1 had used the stumps as a safety area, and was struck on the head by the aspen. He was wearing a hard hat but died of blunt force trauma. Subsequent examination of the aspen's root system revealed that it had been completely rotted away. The general condition and location of the aspen indicated that it should have been removed before harvesting the red oak.

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