Incident date: 2018-01-18
NAICS industry code: 561730

An employee climbed 20 to 30 feet above ground on a cottonwood tree to cut off the top half as a part of the removal process. After the employee finished cutting the top half with a chain saw, the bottom half of the tree snapped. Because the employee was tied to the bottom half of the tree, both the employee and the tree fell 20 to 30 feet to the ground. The employee landed on river rocks and the bottom half of the tree, suffering aortal bleeding in the chest, several broken ribs, and a broken pelvis, as well as contusions to the head, chest, and pelvis. The employee was hospitalized.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Fall from collapsing structure or equipment 26 to 30 feet
code_source: title: Trees
code_nature: title: Internal injuries to organs and blood vessels of the trunk
code_body: title: Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders
severity: moderate