ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A man died in Allentown on Saturday after falling about 20 feet from a ladder. Officials say he helped a friend cut branches.
It is the second tree-cutting-related death in the area, according to 69 News, in less than a week.
Officials tell 69 News they are seeing more incidents involving tree and shrub trimming as the weather improves. We asked experts for safety tips.
69 News noted that a team from Harmony Tree Services worked all day Monday to chop down a giant tree in an Allentown backyard piece by piece.
“We know every single hazard of all the equipment we use,” said Ben Goldman, who owns Allentown. “Because there are no second chances, there are no replays.”
In our region there have been two deaths related to tree felling in the last few days. On Saturday, Touni Bsiela, 43, fell about 20 feet from a ladder, officials say, while helping a friend cut branches in Allentown.
Last Thursday, 19-year-old Ryan Schock was felling trees in Carbon County when a branch fell about 90 feet, hitting him on the head and killing him.
“It’s called ‘struck-bys,'” Goldman said. “So that’s when you get hit by a free branch.”
Goldman says it’s the most common accident he’s seen.
“So we tie them up and yell ‘All right’ when we’re about to drop a branch,” he said.
The Lehigh County coroner tells us that now that the weather is getting warmer, he’s seeing an increase in incidents involving tree and shrub felling. He adds that it’s important to hire trained professionals whenever possible, especially for large jobs.
“We take safety number one,” Goldman said. “So we have safety meetings every week.”
Goldman’s team was spotted using a spider lift on Monday. He says it’s safer to stay out of the tree, although you can be safe in a tree with the right precautions.
“Make sure you commit to something healthy that’s at least the size of your wrist,” he said.
And you should always tie yourself in twice, says Goldman: with a primary climbing line and a lanyard, in two separate locations that are far enough apart.
“They shouldn’t be right next to each other,” Goldman said. “So if you cut one off, you still have the other.”
And always check all your gear before setting off to make sure there are no defects or faults anywhere.
The Lehigh County coroner tells 69 News it’s important to have a buddy system where at least two people work together. He says even if you have a cell phone with you, you might not be able to use it if something happens.
You can find more information about safety when pruning trees here.
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