ROD HOOKER LOGGING

CRUSHED AGAINST A FALLEN TREE BY ANOTHER TREE

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS LIMBING A FALLEN PINE TREE. HE FINISHED. EMPLOYEE #2 STARTED TO CUT DOWN ANOTHER TREE. AT THIS TIME, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS IN THE CLEAR. EMPLOYEE #2'S CHAIN SAW PINCHED AND HE WENT TO GET THE SKIDDER TO PUSH AGAINST THE TREE TO RE LIEVE PRESSURE ON THE CHAIN SAW. THE TREE WAS SUPPOSED TO FALL TO THE NORTH. UPO N RELIEVING THE PRESSURE, HE GOT OFF THE SKIDDER AND STARTED TO FINISH THE CUT. UNKNOWN TO EMPLOYEE #2, EMPLOYEE #1 HAD APPARENTLY SEEN A LIMB HE HAD MISSED AND WENT BACK TO THE LOG TO CUT IT OFF. HE WAS CUTTING THE LIMB WITH HIS BACK TOWAR D EMPLOYEE #2. AS THE TREE STARTED TO FALL IT TWISTED AND FELL EASTWARD ONTO EMP LOYEE #1. EMPLOYEE #3, THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY, WAS YELLING AT EMPLOYEE #1 TO G ET OUT OF THE WAY. DUE POSSIBLY DUE TO THE CHAIN SAW NOISE, EMPLOYEE #1 DID NOT HEAR HIM. HE WAS STILL BENT OVER THE LOG WHEN THE FALLING TREE HIT HIM, CRUSHING HIM BETWEEN THE TWO TREES.