Joseph Turner: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Nov 6, 2017: Employee is injured when struck by falling log

At 10:00 a.m. on November 6, 2017, Employees #1, and two coworkers were working to clear trees and brush from the back and side yards of a single family residence. During work, there was a red maple tree that was located on the side yard leaning towards a fence. In order to prevent damage to the fence during cutting of the red maple tree, Employee #1 and his coworkers wedged a log, measuring approximately 17 feet long and 14 inches in diameter, against the standing tree to apply pressure in the direction they intended for the standing tree to fall. The log, which weighed close to 800 pounds, was elevated at about shoulder height and rested against the red maple tree. As the coworkers stood by, Employee #1 used a Stihl chainsaw (model number: MS 391) to make a conventional notch into the red maple tree. The red maple tree fell safely away from the fence, but the log that was applying pressure struck Employee #1s shoulder and lower back. Employee #1 was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries that included a visible bulge in his lower back. lower back.