Sometimes, it only takes a split second for a mundane work task to take a turn for the worse and become tragic. This is particularly true for workers who work with inherently dangerous equipment or at great heights -- or sometimes both. A man who was working with a tree-trimming crew in Ross Township is lucky to be alive after the chainsaw he was using while he was up in a tree got stuck in his neck.
The worker said the saw "kicked out" when he was using it, getting embedded in the side of his neck. The worker immediately turned the machine off, but he saw blood coming from his wound. His fellow workers helped him down, leaving the saw in place to prevent further loss of blood.
Responding to the call of a worker who was injured on the job, emergency crews had to tread lightly while taking the saw apart. It turned out that the blade went two inches into the man's body, primarily into his shoulder. The wound required 30 stitches to close; fortunately, no major arteries were impacted by the saw. If they had, the man's odds of survival would have dropped precipitously.
The man's tale serves as a reminder that even experienced workers can run into trouble on the job. This worker had been a tree trimmer for six years, in fact -- and he said he is looking forward to returning to work. Workers who are hurt on the job want to make sure they receive the proper treatment and get appropriate compensation for their expenses so they can get back to doing what they are accustomed to doing.
Source: WTAE-TV, "Man gets chainsaw lodged in neck during tree-trimming accident," April 1, 2014
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