OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #995415
DAVEY TREE COMPANY
LOUISVILLE, KY·
Event description
EMPLOYEE WORKING IN TREE; TREE FELL OVER, KILLING EMPLOYEE
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 AND HIS HELPER WERE SENT TO A RESIDENTAL AREA TO FELL A GUM TREE. TH TREE STRUCK THE GROUND, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY THE TREE TRUNK AND W AS KILLED. E TREE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET IN HEIGHT, AND HAD BEEN WORKED ON BY THE COMPAN Y TWICE BEFORE (1979 AND 1985). IN 1979 THEY HAD PRUNED DEADWOOD. IN 1985 THEY P RUNED DEADWOOD AND INSTALLED TWO METAL CABLES BETWEEN TWO BRANCHES OF THE TREE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING IN THE TREE, TRIMMING ONE OF THE BRANCHES. HE HAD ALREADY CUT THE CABLE BETWEEN THE BRANCHES AND HAD MADE TW O CUTS OFF THE BRANCH HE WAS TRIMMING. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS PREPARED TO MAKE ONE MORE SIX-FOOT CUT OF THE BRANCH. AS EMPLOYEE #1 TIED OFF IN PREPARATION FOR THE CUT, THE TREE FELL IN DIRECTION OF THE CUT. EMPLOYEE #1 FELL WITH THE TREE. WHEN THE
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 30 M
- Nature of injury
- 6
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 496
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Hazardous substance
- 8880
- Task assigned
- 1
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