OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14444244
L C MITCHELL LOGGING
AYLETT, VA—
Event description
EMPLOYEE STRUCK BY FALLING TREE LIMB
Investigation abstract
ON MARCH 21, 1984, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 AM, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS FATALLY INJURED WH ILE FELLING TREES. HE WAS USING A HUSKIE SAVANNAH CHAIN SAW WITH A 20 INCH BAR. THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE DEATH OF EMPLOYEE #1 BEGAN WHEN HE CUT DOWN AN OAK TRE E WHICH, IN TURN, FELL AGAINST AN ADJOINING, DEAD OAK TREE. THE TOP OF THE DEAD OAK TREE SNAPPED AND FELL INTO A NEIGHBORING PINE TREE. EMPLOYEE #1 THEN PROCEED ED TO CUT DOWN THE PINE TREE. AS THE PINE TREE FELL, THE DEAD OAK LIMB FELL WITH IT. THE OAK LIMB STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1 ON THE HEAD, CRUSHING HIS SKULL. EMPLOYEE # 1 WAS AN EXPERIENCED LOGGER, AND IT IS NOT KNOWN WHY HE NEGLECTED TO REMOVE THE DEAD OAK LIMB BEFORE BEGINNING.
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 48 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 496
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
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