Dangerous Jobs

[TreeGuy]

I had a dangerous job for about 25 years. Got to a point where I was nervous to go to work, so got out of it and started another business for 14 years now. Paid off the building and now going to retire after selling building and equipment. One of the lucky ones without a permanent injury and still alive.
Past job was falling , mainly for helicopter shows where conventional harvesting couldn't get to. Did some contracting as well. I did 3 years post secondary, 2 at BCIT/forestry, but still went into falling. The adrenalin rush was there at times so were the injuries and hospital stays.
Thing with trees is they can be unpredictable with hidden surprises in a 13 foot hollow yellow cedar. Think about the possibilities of it going pear shaped and one can usually get the tree down without too much drama.
Was also poc fire guy for 19 years. Thing with being a fire fighter is one usually does have the option to deal with a dangerous situation and will usually have options to deal with it in a safer way. I was always told, "you did not start the fire so don't unduly risk your life to deal with the fire" Risk VS. benefit was always going through my mind as a fire fighter and later as an officer.
In falling, several trees, snags actually, over the years I found too dangerous to cut down so we blew them. Several wraps with B-line and all was good. Jacking a half rotten 6 foot hemlock tree so it would not fall into a creek was an interesting exercise as well.
Now I get a chance to putter around the house if one of Okanagan's drivers does not get me first.
Regarding remuneration, a couple of years ago I was told a company up north were looking for fallers, day rate for 6.5 hours on the stump was $700.00 all found. I worked with several over the years that were functionally illiterate. Career fire fighters I believe are paid very well. perhaps some have post secondary education, but I believe if you pass all the tests and are selected, a rookie has a very good starting wage. Many FF's in Penticton can push $80-110,000 a year with a great pension.

Much respect to the fellers out in the bush. Exposed to many hazards and a far distance from emergency help.

I was also a POC firefighter. I think the big difference between FF and the tree world is that FF are always training. Also when *bleep* are at work there is a whole team supporting each other. When I was at the top of a tree it was only me.

[TreeGuy]

...


Dad to a female ginger teenager









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jump.jpg

Rap attack? More info?

[JayByrd]

Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) compiles accident statistics from media accounts of accidents, OSHA website reports, and various other sources. Between 2009 and 2013 TCIA recorded 408 fatal accidents from tree care operations, 47 of which were aerial lift operator fatalities in the private and public sectors. Of those 47 aerial lift fatalities, 14 were related to electrical contact and the remaining 33 were falls. Thirteen of the 33 falls resulted from unsecured workers (no fall protection), 12 were boom failures, one was an aerial lift tip over, and seven did not have enough details to determine the cause. This stakeholder noted that the data does not track which fatalities involved getting struck by a tree branch.

US data.

Certainly no disputing the risks involved in that field. My wife's family all worked in forestry, including fallers and other dangerous positions. I've heard the horror stories. But even the data you provided, only mentions deaths, not injuries. Not saying it's less valid, but it can be hard to get the whole picture.

[normaM]

Most dangerous job ever had was working in the Inner City of a large place. Gotta admit it was as exciting *bleep* at times :)

[TreeGuy]

I had a dangerous job for about 25 years. Got to a point where I was nervous to go to work, so got out of it and started another business for 14 years now. Paid off the building and now going to retire after selling building and equipment. One of the lucky ones without a permanent injury and still alive.
Past job was falling , mainly for helicopter shows where conventional harvesting couldn't get to. Did some contracting as well. I did 3 years post secondary, 2 at BCIT/forestry, but still went into falling. The adrenalin rush was there at times so were the injuries and hospital stays.
Thing with trees is they can be unpredictable with hidden surprises in a 13 foot hollow yellow cedar. Think about the possibilities of it going pear shaped and one can usually get the tree down without too much drama.
Was also poc fire guy for 19 years. Thing with being a fire fighter is one usually does have the option to deal with a dangerous situation and will usually have options to deal with it in a safer way. I was always told, "you did not start the fire so don't unduly risk your life to deal with the fire" Risk VS. benefit was always going through my mind as a fire fighter and later as an officer.
In falling, several trees, snags actually, over the years I found too dangerous to cut down so we blew them. Several wraps with B-line and all was good. Jacking a half rotten 6 foot hemlock tree so it would not fall into a creek was an interesting exercise as well.
Now I get a chance to putter around the house if one of Okanagan's drivers does not get me first.
Regarding remuneration, a couple of years ago I was told a company up north were looking for fallers, day rate for 6.5 hours on the stump was $700.00 all found. I worked with several over the years that were functionally illiterate. Career fire fighters I believe are paid very well. perhaps some have post secondary education, but I believe if you pass all the tests and are selected, a rookie has a very good starting wage. Many FF's in Penticton can push $80-110,000 a year with a great pension.

Much respect to the fellers out in the bush. Exposed to many hazards and a far distance from emergency help.

I was also a POC firefighter. I think the big difference between FF and the tree world is that FF are always training. Also when *bleep* are at work there is a whole team supporting each other. When I was at the top of a tree it was only me.

What got bleeped? I didn’t cuss, LOL

[dirtybiker]

I can only speak about fields I know.
The Transportation Industry is the largest Industry in the World.
One segment, trucking.
You do not earn unless those wheels turn.
All roads, all conditions.
They are out there being injured and dying every day.
At best, back, hip, neck, shoulder and knee problems
Prostate and heart issues a high possibility.

Auto body
The list is long on this, from Chemicals to equipment fail.
Burns to cuts to crush injuries.

Grain Farming. Many types and pieces of equipment.
Many types of dusts.
And now combine( ) any and all from the previous two I covered.

Be safe out there.

[Queen K]

Dangerous can have different meanings. Is the most dangerous job, the one with the most workplace injuries? Or the one with the most severe injuries? And as Queen K pointed out, some situations are dangerous to a worker's well-being, even if they're not physically dangerous. Do those count? They probably do if you're the one exposed to them.


"Most dangerous" is subjective. I want data!

Whoa there, CHWS can be slapped, punched, other wise hit, kicked, physically dragged down to the floor if a client falls and grabs on to us, needle stick injuries and if you count being infected by viruses as physical, then yup, physical indeed.

[sobrohusfat]

...
Dad to a female ginger teenager

More info?

At almost 18, shes been showing signs of finally becoming human - so its not so bad now.
...there was a long time where just the look in her eye could have made a rabid mountain lion flee.

Rap attack?

Yes and no (thats the BCFS lingo)

In the 80s i joined a Kusawa Initial Attack Rappel crew (Kootenay National Park)

These guys:

... eventually got to go up to play with the Yukon Jumpers for a while.

These guys

There were a few dangers;
- sudden change in weather & fire behavior sent us scrambling
- clearing the approach to helipads (falling trees below pad - right at the edge of drop-off into oblivion)
- landing in trees (one guy had the dead treetop he was hung-up on break above him ...sending him falling to the ground with the widow-maker falling after him)

but mostly it was just a whole lot of fun living the dream with a bunch of awesome friends.

Does getting to work count?.

absolutely!

....ive experienced way more OH SH adrenaline flowing moments negotiating travel on northern BC-Alberta highways than in all my glory-days in the bush.

[Queen K]

Yup. Same here, and that's on the streets of Kelowna.

[dirtybiker]

Whoa there, CHWS can be slapped, punched, other wise hit, kicked, physically dragged down to the floor if a client falls and grabs on to us, needle stick injuries and if you count being infected by viruses as physical, then yup, physical indeed.

And you did not even go into Mental aspects.

I could not do this, helping these people along on their final days of the journey.

Right to the last breath..Nope, not for me..dealt with enough of that plying the
highways of our great Country.

That is serious strain...

Just on this alone qualifies as dangerous.

[TreeGuy]

At almost 18, shes been showing signs of finally becoming human - so its not so bad now.
...there was a long time where just the look in her eye could have made a rabid mountain lion flee.

Me not understand.

[dirtybiker]

" you're gonna die in 3 seconds skippy".
.

Faced that one down a few times. Honestly...

Yet, .............here I stll go..

Shocks the heck outa me too...

[JayByrd]

Whoa there, CHWS can be slapped, punched, other wise hit, kicked, physically dragged down to the floor if a client falls and grabs on to us, needle stick injuries and if you count being infected by viruses as physical, then yup, physical indeed.

Yes I know. I was referring to situations such as verbal abuse or sexual harassment, which you alluded to in your post. Stuff that doesn't necessarily result in a Worksafe claim yet is still harmful to the worker subjected to it.

[alanjh595]

I once had a job as an Industrial off road, end dump driver. I drove one of those big 'Tonka" trucks.....during the Hope slide highway rebuild, 40 years ago. I was almost killed twice during my time there.
One of the greatest experiences of my life. Not the death part, but the experience of being a driver of such a large truck.
I did have to deal with a man that was killed in an explosion and had to assist with picking up the bits and pieces of what was left of him for the coroner. I was 22 at the time.

[MAPearce]

Sure do. So many things can happen in Healthcare it isn't funny. I'll elaborate later.

Yeah , sometimes Momma comes home wrecked...

oldtrucker » Yesterday, 5:20 pm

Healthcare....I'm gonna guess workplace violence?

It goes deeper than that Truck... When the wife comes home at midnight and goes straight to the kids beds just to make sure they're "there" , I know she had a rough shift ...