Re: Teaching safety
dblbraid@hotmail.com
Sun, 16 Aug 1998 09:18:21 -0500
I 've been climbing with a rope and saddle since I was 15 .
1/2 Manila , canvas saddle , non locking snap . I used a
homlite mini mac dual trigger . You could bounce that saw
on your finger . Didn't use a safety line till I was 20 .
Hardhats were out of the question . We had 4 crews and 15
climbers , if you were tied in twice all the time you were
A clown . The saw was made for one hand use , why else place a trigger in the back? If I looked at myself now climbing a tree from the perspective I had when I was say 17 , I would say we are paranoid climbers . Smarter and
Safer yes but a little on the what if side of things .
Since residential tree work doesn't keep accurate records on accidents , where did all this paranoia come from ?
I know about a dozen old timers who never had a hard hat ,
synthetic rope , locking snap , chainsaw lanyard or were tied into a ladder . Were they right ? they're alive and well . I wear a hard hat every day since I was in my early 20's . I still find myself wondering why I have a hard hat on when I am pruning a tree ( have to watch that fallen plane gear) I think it looks professional but in some situations I know it is useless . If you are tied in to a piece twice on all your cuts you could be placing your self in a real dangerous situation, if that piece you are cutting is being lowered .
A fellow who teaches tree climbing schools around here was at a recent Arbor Day . I was pruning A Sugar Maple with him . He was trying to do his side with a handsaw . When he came across some bigger deadwood he asked to use my saw . He was whacking a way with one hand on that saw . Do as I say Not as I do . Were they climbing tree's wrong since the
turn of the century ? Is their a tree climbers boot hill were all the unsafe warriors are laid to rest ? I believe
climbers are a little smarter than these rules people give them credit for . The day some painters are laughing at me
because I won't climb a ladder because I'm not tied in, is the day I retire my saddle .