A 76-year-old Grey Highlands man is in critical condition after he was injured while tree cutting with a chainsaw.
Grey County OPP say the man was cutting down trees on his Grey Rd. 4 property at about 1:42 pm on Monday, when he was hurt.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital, before being transferred to a Toronto hospital.
The OPP are reminding homeowners that tree care and removal can be hazardous because it requires a knowledge of tree physics, dangerous tools, and cutting techniques.
Homeowners who attempt it could be injured by falling limbs, malfunctioning equipment or the tree.
Safety tips for tree trimming:
- Do not trim trees in dangerous weather conditions.
- Assess the area for hazards before starting the work.
- Operators of chain saws and other equipment should be trained and the equipment properly maintained.
- Use personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety glasses, hard hats, hearing protection.
- Determine the tree's felling direction. Address forward lean, back lean, and/or side lean issues.
- Determine the proper amount of hinge wood to safely guide the tree's fall. Provide a retreat path to a safe location.
- Do not climb with tools in your hands.
- If broken trees are under pressure, determine the direction of the pressure and make small cuts to release it.
- Use extreme care when felling a tree that has not fallen completely to the ground and is lodged against another tree.
- Inspect tree limbs for strength and stability before climbing.
- Never turn your back on a falling tree.
- Avoid objects thrown back by a tree as it falls.
- Assume that all power lines are energized. Use extreme caution when moving ladders and equipment around downed trees and power lines.
- Be alert at all times.
- Do not work alone.
