Brisbane tree climber falls & hospitalized

Ekka · 20th March 2007, 01:19 PM

On Monday 19 March a Brisbane tree climber who both contracts out and runs his own business took a bad fall.

Details at this point are sketchy, all I know is he took around a 40' fall and landed on his head.

Currently in the PA hospital and they've put him in an induced coma whilst life support has taken control of his functions.

21st March 2007, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

On Monday 19 March a Brisbane tree climber who both contracts out and runs his own business took a bad fall.

Details at this point are sketchy, all I know is he took around a 40' fall and landed on his head.

Currently in the PA hospital and they've put him in an induced coma whilst life support has taken control of his functions.

Any more news?

Ekka · 22nd March 2007, 12:48 AM

He was working on his own job and not contracting out, took about a 40' fall and landed on his head.

Word is not a sound or murmer as he fell which is unusual, also was a simple tree with only a few branches.

Russell is his name, maybe RJ's treelopping. Still in induced coma.

TREE-SURFER · 22nd March 2007, 02:55 PM

Keep us up to date Ekka. Good luck to the fella. Best wishes Russell

Ekka · 27th March 2007, 11:32 PM

Today I found out he's pretty banged up and what happened.

Had to prune off 3 limbs on a small tree. Spiked up with lanyard only, hooked arm in to support himself for lanyard reposition over the limb to spike up further ... something happened and fell.

Back of skull broken, face across front cheek bones and jaw broken requiring full recon, knee smashed full recon, ankle smashed, elbow smashed, ribs smashed punctured lung ... only now coming out of induced coma.

JayD · 28th March 2007, 06:00 PM

Poor bugger,even the small trees are dangerous,I wish him all the best,and hopefully the authorities won't flog him to much once he's fully recovered,he probably won't climb again,just go's to show you every aspect of what we do,day in, day out, is potentually life threatening.
Wishing this bloke a speedy recovery.
JayD

Ekka · 29th March 2007, 12:55 AM

Poor bugger, he's in a real bad way, real bad.

See, when I left high school I got an apprenticeship with a large company, GMH, and we were taught safety all the time.... all machines had a padlock lock off for maint etc.

But for a lot of people, they might get a job in a small place or just start helping a mate or relative.

These guys pick up bad habits and dont have the full scope nor the impact of watching what happens to people in industrial accidents ... things like, long hair caught in a pedestal drill, a foot ran over by a fork truck, using a large 300mm pedestal grinder with GLOVES on and your hands get sucked in up to your arms and ground off etc etc etc ...

Larger companies have a lot of pressure on them to train and have policies and procedures. Small tree crews or two man bands just dont have those resources. It's pretty much up to the individuals to learn out of curiosity for safer ways, but some have little enthusiasm for it. Then this happens, and in our game it can happen every day, you detach you are taking a huge risk.

I had a guy come climb for me one day on trial. I asked him to clean a palm. He spiked up (one lanyard) but it had a large head he'd have to get into. So he hooked his arm over a frond, detach from the trunk, re-attached thru some fronds... same on way down but it took a few flicks of the lanyard for him to catch it.

When he spiked all the way down I asked him what the go was and he said that's how he was taught by his old boss.

You see a problem here? Besides his old boss being an idiot this guy had little common sense. I asked him why he didn't have another lanyard, rope lifeline etc ... he said they cost too much.

In this job you might get away with that 100's perhaps 1000's of times but one day if it goes wrong you are stuffed. It's a shame this job isn't more regulated, if there were a licencing system and skills had to be learned plus displayed then we'd have not only safer workers but more profit as short cuts are out and the extra will have to be charged for the time to do it the right way.

a_lopa · 29th March 2007, 01:15 AM

I dont fully agree with that Ekka,if it was heavily regulated it would just become another paper chase and no diffrent other than the bits of paper and 5 ticks quality assured.

JohN Dee · 2nd April 2007, 05:38 AM

Right on Ekka.

Was the bloke qualified in any way or form?

JohN Dee · 2nd April 2007, 05:59 AM

Tonight my OH&S Teacher told us that since January 07 to Today April 3rd there have been 6 recorded fatalities here in NSW where the climber has fallen, ages ranging from 22 to 58.

One other bloke (Making it 7 fatalities) "Pruning" an Erythrina x syksii. He was pruning away when a large branch fell on him and crushed him to death.

She said she found it on the Work Cover website but I can't find it?

But having said that, 2007 there has been a MASSIVE influx of hacks out and about.

Atleast once a week i'll drive past a bloke (Who has a nice Chip truck/Chipper -wtf?) who is up a tree on a ladder no PPE, no harness, hanging onto the tree one hand while he runs his 200T with the other hand. On the back of the chipper it says: "Qualified Arborist", yeah right.

The sooner our Qualifications are recognised by the public the better, until then we have to put up with the hacks.

Sorry for going off topic abit... (If you want to make this post a separate topic be my guest)

Ekka · 2nd April 2007, 01:24 PM

Yes, so true mate. Customers see the big flash truck and chipper and think ... oh he must know what he is doing.

Also strange how these incidents dont make the press, like the public shouldn't be aware.

Customer perception could be ... "who cares how he does it coz that's his problem not mine" meaning if they have an accident it's no skin off their nose as long as they get a cheap job.

Did you end up whacking a washy or what?

Mike Poor · 2nd April 2007, 10:13 PM

First thoughts and prayers to the guy coming out of the coma! Second our occupation is dangerous enough if even the best safety practices are followed! There is no place in Arboriculture for detaching or getting lazy or wild or anything unsafe. A rope bag set up with a friction hitch doesn't weigh much, acts as second flipline, and keeps your line from tangling in the brush you drop as you're spiking up! Not that I need to tell the people here at Tree World. It's like the guy i saw standing on the top wrung of the ladder, one handing a gas polesaw, spear cutting limbs into the roof below!

Ekka · 2nd April 2007, 11:40 PM

Jeez Mike, a shot of that would have been superb.

Mike, you been around a while and work in a town that's arbo head quarters, are there any regs or rules etc to run a tree business or can any ole bloke grab a saw and cut away?

JohN Dee · 2nd March 2008, 04:35 PM

Bump
Up
My
Post

Yoohoo... Mike?

Arizona Kenn · 2nd March 2008, 04:59 PM

Here in Tucson we got guys that will go up a palm, trim, and do a poor clean-up for $35.00 a tree (to risk life for such a small pittance makes no sense to me.) What we do requires the utmost skill and professionalism, unfortunately there are many out there that lack a certain amount of training, otherwise they might charge more for their trade. It sounds to me though he had a lot of experience, sorry to hear about his misfortune, hopes he comes thru ok.

Ekka · 3rd March 2008, 12:58 AM

Oh, it's been near a year.

The guy cant move an arm and may need more ops. Still no climbing obviously.

20th March 2007, 01:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Brisbane tree climber falls & hospitalized On Monday 19 March a Brisbane tree climber who both contracts out and runs his own business took a bad fall. Details at this point are sketchy, all I know is he took around a 40' fall and landed on his head. Currently in the PA hospital and they've put him in an induced coma whilst life support has taken control of his functions. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

22nd March 2007, 12:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	He was working on his own job and not contracting out, took about a 40' fall and landed on his head. Word is not a sound or murmer as he fell which is unusual, also was a simple tree with only a few branches. Russell is his name, maybe RJ's treelopping. Still in induced coma. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

22nd March 2007, 02:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
TREE-SURFER Mature tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Isle of Man,UK. Posts: 413	Keep us up to date Ekka. Good luck to the fella. Best wishes Russell __________________ The Aerial Arborist Isle of Man Tree Surgeon\| All Aspects of Tree Work Andy@Aerial-Arborist.co.uk What experts say about TOPPING

27th March 2007, 11:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Today I found out he's pretty banged up and what happened. Had to prune off 3 limbs on a small tree. Spiked up with lanyard only, hooked arm in to support himself for lanyard reposition over the limb to spike up further ... something happened and fell. Back of skull broken, face across front cheek bones and jaw broken requiring full recon, knee smashed full recon, ankle smashed, elbow smashed, ribs smashed punctured lung ... only now coming out of induced coma. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

29th March 2007, 12:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Poor bugger, he's in a real bad way, real bad. See, when I left high school I got an apprenticeship with a large company, GMH, and we were taught safety all the time.... all machines had a padlock lock off for maint etc. But for a lot of people, they might get a job in a small place or just start helping a mate or relative. These guys pick up bad habits and dont have the full scope nor the impact of watching what happens to people in industrial accidents ... things like, long hair caught in a pedestal drill, a foot ran over by a fork truck, using a large 300mm pedestal grinder with GLOVES on and your hands get sucked in up to your arms and ground off etc etc etc ... Larger companies have a lot of pressure on them to train and have policies and procedures. Small tree crews or two man bands just dont have those resources. It's pretty much up to the individuals to learn out of curiosity for safer ways, but some have little enthusiasm for it. Then this happens, and in our game it can happen every day, you detach you are taking a huge risk. I had a guy come climb for me one day on trial. I asked him to clean a palm. He spiked up (one lanyard) but it had a large head he'd have to get into. So he hooked his arm over a frond, detach from the trunk, re-attached thru some fronds... same on way down but it took a few flicks of the lanyard for him to catch it. When he spiked all the way down I asked him what the go was and he said that's how he was taught by his old boss. You see a problem here? Besides his old boss being an idiot this guy had little common sense. I asked him why he didn't have another lanyard, rope lifeline etc ... he said they cost too much. In this job you might get away with that 100's perhaps 1000's of times but one day if it goes wrong you are stuffed. It's a shame this job isn't more regulated, if there were a licencing system and skills had to be learned plus displayed then we'd have not only safer workers but more profit as short cuts are out and the extra will have to be charged for the time to do it the right way. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

28th March 2007, 06:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
JayD Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 977	Poor bugger,even the small trees are dangerous,I wish him all the best,and hopefully the authorities won't flog him to much once he's fully recovered,he probably won't climb again,just go's to show you every aspect of what we do,day in, day out, is potentually life threatening. Wishing this bloke a speedy recovery. JayD

29th March 2007, 01:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
a_lopa Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Drouin Posts: 903	I dont fully agree with that Ekka,if it was heavily regulated it would just become another paper chase and no diffrent other than the bits of paper and 5 ticks quality assured. __________________ Free Tree Industry Link Directory

2nd April 2007, 05:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
JohN Dee Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 796	Right on Ekka. Was the bloke qualified in any way or form? __________________ Don't tell me the sky is the limit, when there are footprints on the moon. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Red : Green : Blue

2nd April 2007, 05:59 AM	#10 (permalink)
JohN Dee Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 796	Tonight my OH&S Teacher told us that since January 07 to Today April 3rd there have been 6 recorded fatalities here in NSW where the climber has fallen, ages ranging from 22 to 58. One other bloke (Making it 7 fatalities) "Pruning" an Erythrina x syksii. He was pruning away when a large branch fell on him and crushed him to death. She said she found it on the Work Cover website but I can't find it? But having said that, 2007 there has been a MASSIVE influx of hacks out and about. Atleast once a week i'll drive past a bloke (Who has a nice Chip truck/Chipper -wtf?) who is up a tree on a ladder no PPE, no harness, hanging onto the tree one hand while he runs his 200T with the other hand. On the back of the chipper it says: "Qualified Arborist", yeah right. The sooner our Qualifications are recognised by the public the better, until then we have to put up with the hacks. Sorry for going off topic abit... (If you want to make this post a separate topic be my guest) __________________ Don't tell me the sky is the limit, when there are footprints on the moon. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Red : Green : Blue

2nd April 2007, 01:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Yes, so true mate. Customers see the big flash truck and chipper and think ... oh he must know what he is doing. Also strange how these incidents dont make the press, like the public shouldn't be aware. Customer perception could be ... "who cares how he does it coz that's his problem not mine" meaning if they have an accident it's no skin off their nose as long as they get a cheap job. Did you end up whacking a washy or what? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

2nd April 2007, 10:13 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mike Poor Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Urbana, IL,usa Posts: 76	First thoughts and prayers to the guy coming out of the coma! Second our occupation is dangerous enough if even the best safety practices are followed! There is no place in Arboriculture for detaching or getting lazy or wild or anything unsafe. A rope bag set up with a friction hitch doesn't weigh much, acts as second flipline, and keeps your line from tangling in the brush you drop as you're spiking up! Not that I need to tell the people here at Tree World. It's like the guy i saw standing on the top wrung of the ladder, one handing a gas polesaw, spear cutting limbs into the roof below!

2nd April 2007, 11:40 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Jeez Mike, a shot of that would have been superb. Mike, you been around a while and work in a town that's arbo head quarters, are there any regs or rules etc to run a tree business or can any ole bloke grab a saw and cut away? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

2nd March 2008, 04:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
JohN Dee Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 796	Re: Brisbane tree climber falls & hospitalized Bump Up My Post Yoohoo... Mike? __________________ Don't tell me the sky is the limit, when there are footprints on the moon. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Red : Green : Blue

2nd March 2008, 04:59 PM	#15 (permalink)
Arizona Kenn Sappling Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: arizona Posts: 26	Re: Brisbane tree climber falls & hospitalized Here in Tucson we got guys that will go up a palm, trim, and do a poor clean-up for $35.00 a tree (to risk life for such a small pittance makes no sense to me.) What we do requires the utmost skill and professionalism, unfortunately there are many out there that lack a certain amount of training, otherwise they might charge more for their trade. It sounds to me though he had a lot of experience, sorry to hear about his misfortune, hopes he comes thru ok.

3rd March 2008, 12:58 AM	#16 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,405	Re: Brisbane tree climber falls & hospitalized Oh, it's been near a year. The guy cant move an arm and may need more ops. Still no climbing obviously. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors