Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307039354 - Beaver Creek Logging

Inspection Information - Office: Eau Claire Area Office

Investigation Summary

On February 26, 2005, the Employee #1, a self employed subcontracting logger, was felling oak and basswood trees on private property. He had felled approximately 10 trees with no apparent problems. The accident investigation concluded that Employee #1 apparently felled a tree, which got entangled in a crotched second tree, which was approximately 9 feet away from the first tree. Employee #1 then fell the second tree, at which time this tree fell forward into a third tree which was located approximately 17 feet in front of the second tree. As the second tree fell forward with the first tree, which was still entangled with it, the crotch of the second tree struck the third tree and split, causing the first tree to fall and strike Employee #1 on the head and killing him as he was retreating from the base of the first tree. Employee #1's hard hat shattered when struck by the falling tree.

Keywords: HEAD, HARD HAT, TREE FELLING, PPE, LODGED TREE, TREE, LOGGER, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, LOGGING