FLYING WEDGE

[Limbrat]

My partner and I took down a 70' pine and a camphor over a mobile home yesterday. The camphor had grown around and into the pine from ground level to about three feet high. After lowering and blocking everything down, leaving a twenty foot spar on the pine, I cut through the camphor stump, thinking we could separate the two. My partner, who had taken his safety glasses off, attempted to drive a wedge in to split it off and on about the third hit, the wedge flew out and struck him above the right eye. The wedge flew so fast, I didn't even see it and put a pretty good gash in his eyebrow. An inch lower and it could have been catastrophic. He learned a valuable lesson and one we should all heed, wear your glasses, even when you don't think you need them.

 

[cory]

Glad he is okay.

Good lesson. I had a wedge knock out a front tooth back in the day!

 

[pantheraba]

My wife works with ophthalmologists...she sees burst, punctured, cut...RUINED....eyes all the time. From paintballs, pencils, sticks, stuff.

It's pretty common for part of a wedge or something being pounded to chip off and become a missile. The chip can come from the wedge, the axe/hammer, etc. We don't always see the piece fly, usually doesn't hit someone. When it hits an eye it is catastrophic.

Nail guns are bad news, too. Glad your guy is OK.

 

[Limbrat]

I had a wedge knock out a front tooth back in the day!

Ouch. I've often thought about throwing a lanyard or line with a 'biner on it and breaking a tooth, but not a wedge. Sounds like keeping the face shield down while driving wedges might be a good idea too.

 

[MasterBlaster]

He got lucky!!!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Ouch. I've often thought about throwing a lanyard or line with a 'biner on it and breaking a tooth, but not a wedge. Sounds like keeping the face shield down while driving wedges might be a good idea too.

I keep my lips together when throwing my lanyard or climb line around.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

PPE, like safety glasses, there is a reason.
For Rob, it was a piece of bark thrown by a saw. His eyes had just healed from corrective surgery. Just friggin' DUMB.
Lucky he has a drivers license now.

 

[Jed]

I NEVER wear my safety glasses.
Might be a good time to start.

 

[gf beranek]

Old cracked wedges have a wistful history of breaking and flying into a fallers face. Throw those cracked bastards away.

 

[Jed]

Duly noted!!

 

[MasterBlaster]

And good advice!