Too Many Tree Workers Killed 

Thank you for sharing this man, that was really cool

Very interesting vid. Especially the part about working alone. Pros and cons. More people on site doesn’t make it safer but a well oiled machine can definitely be a huge advantage. Deliberate tree work is my approach.

My baby brother was killed on April 6 2012 when the tree his coworker was cutting fell, bounced off another tree and hit him. Thank you for showing the OSHA report. I never knew that was a thing where they had it listed. I was able to see the incident report. He had just had a baby with his new wife and had gotten a promotion at 24. I miss him every day.

I was fortunate to save up some money and get my pilots license very early in life (I soloed at 16). It taught me the importance of methodical elimination of the small problems. Catastrophes are usually brought on by the slow buildup of small problems over time. Identifying and Eliminating the small problems that lead to the big problems is something I've carried with me to this day, and it's saved me countless times over the years. I was so sorry to hear of Jeds passing and hope his family can make it through this difficult time. Stay safe out there 👍

I also work alone and prefer it. Every tree I work, I ask myself this question. “How is this tree going to try to kill me”. I figure I’m trying to kill it and it’s not going down without a fight. Jed’s incident is a reminder to not get complacent and go above and beyond to protect yourself. I had a 8” cherry hanger fall and clip my hard hat. Would have killed me for sure if I was a foot closer to the tree. I was lucky to live to tell the story.

Speaking of the Blair Glen dude, I'm a carpenter/ contractor and no matter what trade you're in, you just don't put that kind of juju on someone. Yes anything can happen at any time including to that Blair guy with a bunch of people around him. As grown men we find what works for us and try to do the best we can safely.

I've been so close to getting injured doing tree work I get scared EVERY single time I climb. But I swear the One above truly is watching over us. I thank God I'm still alive to be able to work and provide for my family and I pray every one of you will be protected from harm and never suffer a fatal accident. Stay safe guys

Jed definitely seemed like a skilled worker and a great guy, so tragic. Elsewhere I saw that he was an early rising star in the skateboard world, and just as he was ready to hit the big time he decided he wanted to do something else and went into surfing. Eventually he got married and went into tree work. RIP, Jed, you left your mark.

I'm a bucket guy, mainly because I don't have anyone I trust to run ropes if I climb. I totally get what you mean by having a crew isn't always safer. I find myself doing a lot of extra work instead of trying to explain over and over what I want done. I work for a local company, don't have any say over who is hired or anything like that. Some people just get it, and others don't want to be bothered with learning or moving up in the industry. Stay safe out there man. Edit: this is the first video I've seen of yours. Earned my sub.

I'm mainly a solo tree worker. Not many people/customers understand the risks of tree work. Had a fall from 20ft my first year in the business. Working solo for me (while harder at times) allows me to slow everything down, the trouble and close calls come in when you're on a clock trying to be profitable. I think more of us need to learn to say no to sketchy jobs (myself included) and/or price them high enough so there's time to relax and think things through properly, and be able to afford to bring the right equipment in/people, so we get to go home at the end of the day. Have a lot of respect for your videos, and I think the more this community comes together and shares tips/and their failures, the better off/safer everyone is. Much respect

I lost my dad to a climbing accident in North Carolina in 2008. I’ve also been a climber for a few years so I definitely believe you should trust your instincts when you feel something is unsafe!

I'm a climber in NC. I follow you're youtube channel and Blair Glenn's. He's entitled to his opinion and I respect his commitment to his customers, the trees and the industry. I respect yours too and I do solo work. I also worked for OSHA as a compliance officer and know that in NC they only log about 25 to 30% of the actual fatalities in treework. I also followed Jed through Jacob and felt like I knew him just from the videos. Thanks for what you posted. Hope you continue what you do and stay safe

I do tree work as a hobby and I love it. A number of these comments touch on things that go through my head as I am looking at the tree before any of the gear is even off-loaded. Thank you for addressing this. I mainly work solo and it's always slow and methodical. Also, as a hobbyist, it is probably easier to say no to a tree and just walk away. A luxury many may not have. God bless and stay safe.

Love this message man. I was a gun ho tree worker for about 4 years. Traveling from CA to Ok I got into bigger wood than what I was used to. Learned an epic amount. Had a number of close calls myself so I’ve taken a year off but I’m going back in. Went to lower a limb, I rushed cleaning the trunk which I never do. I left stabby stobs. Inadvertently I had my safety lanyard around what I was dropping and would have scewered myself being pulled into the trunk. if the branch didn’t somehow stall after the back cut was made 😅🎉 someone was looking out for me.

There was a 1 year old that died from a tree falling on him near me a couple years ago (in Townsend MA). So you have to remember that tree work is also necessary to keep people safe, and you'll never know how many people would have died or been injured from the trees that you've cleaned up.

A shock that Jed passed. He's such a knowledgeable professional. I learned a lot from him to work on my own backyard.

"think alot before you do stuff, and work very deliberately without being distractecd" Very good advice, and unfortunately heeded by very few day in and day out. Unfortunately many tree guys (myself included at times even though I make a point of working cool, calm, and collected) often lose this when on the job, especially when time is running out and your reaching the end of the planned time. Unfortunately, many people don't understand how stress (being in a hurry is stressed) impacts intelligence. The more stress you are, the more it degrades your ability to think and process. The same is true for being tired and especially for being exhausted. Owners, managers, and foremen need to pay attention to their crew. Not just how they are performing, they need to pay attention to moral and energy level. People who are in decent shape (not shot at the end of the day or coming into work already tired from previous work. Depending on how hard work has been recently, even a weekend is not enough time to truly recover from the week before) and in good moral, can be motivated and engaged. Motivated and engaged keeps the mind running sharp, which means they will be quicker to recognize danger and better able to react when necessary. I love tree work. I love it, in part because it is dangerous. I can't focus on things I don't feel are relevant or important. There are so many ways to get injured or killed in tree work that you have to maintain awareness when near the work area. As far as working in a team, I enjoy getting things done with others who are motivated and engaged. Its an amazing feeling when things are going smooth and things are getting done. At the same time, as you said, they can also injure or kill you if they don't know what they are doing or aren't paying attention. Sometimes even when they are paying attention. There are situations where a misunderstanding of what is intended to happen can cause a serious accident. Anytime I'm working in a crew, before I move into something, I ask myself "how are things moving now? How will they move in a moment, and when I do what I plan to? Who can injure or kill me, and who can I injure or kill?". Given, this analysis is second nature by now and doesn't require much attention usually. I do my best to encourage those around me to think this way as i've seen some near misses with chainsaws and equipment. Also rigging. Never been hit as hard as you showed, however I've had some close calls. Sometimes my fault, sometimes the fault of the guy on the rope, which is also my fault. As the climber, it is my responsibility to make sure what is about to happen is within the capabilities of the ground support, and that the way I have things set up will allow the ground support to do what they need to for things to go smooth. I don't rush those around me as I'm aware of what rushing does to stress, moral, and how it increases the chances of mistakes or injury. When I find myself getting impatient, I remind myself if they weren't there, I'd have to come down and do it myself, or would not be able to do it at all. Usually helps keep perspective and keep communication calm and constructive. As far as new people wanting to get into tree work, I encourage them to find a good company, and give them an idea of what to watch out for. Maybe this would be a good video for you. What you want new people coming into tree work to understand and be aware of from day 1, and things to give attention to as they progress. If you made it this far, thank you for your time

Excellent video. I hope a lot of folks see this video. It brings to the forefront the fact that tree work, which may be an adventure to some, or just a job to others, is a very dangerous undertaking. Those involved in this type of work need to sit back every now and then to reevaluate their attitude towards said work. Go over your methods, check on your technique, safety check equipment, etc......and never take it for granted.

RIP Jed, my deepest condolences. This is a super harsh reality of our profession. Its our duty to always keep our heads on a swivel and think safety..safety..safety. It can happen anytime and anywhere and only take a second. It don't have to be huge jobs or even ones we consider "dangerous". We must stay sharp and not become complacent in our work Stay safe everyone

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither.”Benjamin Franklin. God bless the republic. Thank you for your videos and I’m glad to have you as a countrymen.

Hey man I can’t believe I just stumbled upon this video. I was watching then my heart sank when you mentioned Jed Walters. I knew him when he started out in tree work. I was his Forman out here in New Mexico. Break’s my hart to hear that. He was always striving to learn. If you have any links to his videos I would love to see them. Thanks. And yes there has been way to many deaths in this industry.

While studying safety and working in the construction business, I learned that many accidents are often preventable with personal protection equipment (PPE), caution and working slowly & diligently. I've watched many tree-trimming videos and I'm shocked at the minimal to no PPE. I'm constantly on guard for accidents which I learned from riding motorcycles.

Excellent discussion. Great point Blair Glenn brought up about working alone. Stay safe people.

I work solo all the time. I feel just as safe or safer. 100% responsible for my safety. Had others put me in danger too.

I have worked with skilled crews. I have worked with unskilled crews. I have worked alone. I can’t honestly say I feel more or less safe either way. I just adjust the techniques I choose to use. I love what August said about being deliberate.

Hey new subscriber here I have been doing small tree jobs for a while now. New to climbing only about 6 months in. I'm self taught and through watching videos learned alot. My wife hates that I do some jobs alone but typically won't climb alone unless it's something small. After seeing the video Jacob put out about jed it really put into perspective how dangerous this job is. I always do the typical safety stuff like checking my ropes and all other equipment but never really take into consideration how quick things can turn on you. I always use a double tie in if I'm cutting and not moving around but all this is a huge eye opener for me. Thanks for putting it into perspective , i guess ill hug my kids extra tight before I go out from now on. Rip Jed you were an inspiration to many.

I had a desk job in an office for 35 years. I'm very surprised I didn't die from the stress of the absolute pressure cooker I was wedded to. As a child, I loved climbing maples & white pines. Now retired, I love taking them down, piece by piece, for my friends.

We'll miss you, Jed. Rest easy. I agree with you 100%. I'm a solo climber and take extra precautions when climbing, but I still think it's safer than hiring ground workers. It's also important to assess yourself each day to ensure you're bringing focus and your utmost attention to each job. Some days it's okay to say "It's not my day" and leave that job to mentally regroup. I'll also add that your disclaimer at the end of every video about it NOT being a "How-to video" is an important point to make. "The story of how you did it" doesn't require the approval of anybody. As long as you continue to prioritize safety, the opinion of anybody else just isn't important. Love your videos, Spencer. Be safe.

If we are at the topic of tree work accidents, guys, have a few safety tips. This might be interesting for those, who are just getting started, but maybe for some pro´s too: - wear your PPE, don´t be the "a pear of jeans will do"-guy - stay all the time in close contact via radio with other loggers/operators, so you always know what everybody else is up to - when choosing your work-gear, treat yourself to some high-vis equipment, it might just keep you from getting hit by a log grapple or a processor - don´t get blind to your work and always pay attention to the smallest details, it will keep you alive - get the proper chainsaw education and attend courses, holding a chainsaw and cutting firewood in your backyard does not make you a faller - work with people that seem serious and somewhat experienced (still, accidents can ALWAYS happen so stay sharp) - maintain your equipment (check your chainsaw pants and helmet for expiry dates) Where I am from, we say every 100th or so tree is going to be a mess-up, but if you follow a few basic rules, you can avoid most situations. Happy and save cutting everybody !!!🌲🌲

My name is Michael and I'm down here in Florida. I've just subscribed to your channel and I really appreciate this video even though at first watch it stresses me out to think about an expert tree guy getting killed. I've had to work alone quite a bit and I still work alone sometimes. I've been doing tree work and climbing for about 9 years. One of the things that I've done my entire career along with reading books, watching videos, and learning from experience... Is to pray before during and after felling trees. I often pray before I climb and while I'm climbing. I also think God when I get down safely. I have a wife and two kids to take care of. I have grown closer to Jesus working in the trees.

I was a single seat military jet pilot years ago. Same conversations had regarding single pilot vs crew. The saying in Naval Aviation is that the NATOPS (aircraft operating and safety manual) was written in blood. The death rate in the early years of jet aviation was stupidly high. Implementation of rigorous procedures brought the rate down substantially. I’m new to the tree business and trying to be as smart about the business as I can. Love ur work.

I'm a retired landscaper and did tree work for about 30 years here in eastern Washington region, in that 30 years I escaped death 3 times and am here today to talk about it, it's my opinion that over confidence is the main reason, you have to look at big trees as super structures that deserve respect and you can truly never predict the hazards of trees

a lot of good points here, i primarily work alone but I have been doing treework for 20 years. eventually you learn whats coming from where and why, in the case of inbred jed that all goes out the window, he was probably a far better tree guy than me. I fear for the younger guys solo or on a crew. the point you made about crew work potentially being more dangerous is true, my closest calls and injuries have mostly all come from working with other people, you feel rushed or there are just X factors from other people being involved. my motto is "dont be a cowboy" safe treework should be boring and uneventful. R.I.P. Inbred Jed.

Situational awareness is crucial. That and sobriety in the moment of what you are doing and what your task is.

My old boss , one of the best tree men i know, really good at problem-solving and thinking things through, got bounced out of a bucket truck 60ft up last year. He always tied in. That day somehow he forgot. He came down on the edge of the headache rack and it gutted him. Broke all kids of stuff. Both legs, pelvis, shoulder, and many other small bones. He almost bled out, and was saved by his climber who was working the ground that day witb a sprained ankle.. dude was a highly trained arborist and fireman. Saved his life . It dont matter who you are, how good or careful you are.. accidents are called that for a reason. Stay safe brothers. Its a dangerous job, a slight lapse of concentration, overlook the slightest thing, a freak accident... anything could happen.

Really well thought out video. I’ve seen a lot of people come through this industry in 17 years, some of them need to hear this sort of discussion more often. I’m saving this one.

Good wake up call video. All these tree videos are fun and so is the work but in a spit second it can all be over. Jed dying was a shocker as he was very smart. Very sad news and I can't imagine what the guys on his crew experienced that day either. I saw another video of a wedge attack and you just reinforced on my brain how easy it can be to lose an eye from just pounding one in. Stay safe and look forward to more content from you.

It's not only professionals. I'm located in eastern PA, and the ash trees are dropping everywhere. I was told first hand about a guy who asked his seasoned father in law to drop an ash tree in his backyard. A branch broke off when it started to go, and that was his last cut. There are so many dead ash trees around, and people need wood for heat. Obviously, they are an easy target because many are huge without a whole lot of branches to deal with, but they are deadly. Jed's passing was a shocker, really has me thinking about my part time passion.

Complacency and rushing are the two most dangerous things!

Thanks for the video, brother. I have been a tree surgeon, trained originally at LA Rec & Parks, with an emphasis on first ornamental tree surgery, and then line clearance, which got me my journeyman call at Water & Power when I was 23, where I worked for much of my career, first with LADWP, and then out of the Hall, with the IBEW, and like you, I've been doing side work alone, mostly, unless it was a really big job, for 45 years. The mantra at Water & Power, as well as Parks, was ALWAYS: Safety First! So, I was never worried about the "danger", as that was part of the thrill, but also, the danger was only as real as: 1) I made it dangerous, by doing things that pushed the envelope of safety too far; and 2) my perception, and that never exceeded my knowledge, training and experience, as I always felt I could complete every job safely, and did, and still do, whether doing line clearance, still, or side jobs... But you are right, too many guys are getting killed in the last few years in freak accidents! Last year I lost my best friend, and the best tree guy I ever knew, another tree surgeon, Dave Cerigioni, doing a routine job around some primaries, and a can, with a service drop... I don't know what's going on, the jab affecting mental cognition, or what,? but the trend of fatalities is like I've never seen before in the 45 years I've been doing this great work.... It's terribly sad, but I am not going to stop. One quick observation about the tree videos I see on here, (though I've only watched a few, and the ones I did watch discouraged me from watching more): the crazy desire for clicks on here has driven people to push the boundaries of good judgment and reason well beyond any expectations for a good outcome, is my observation, a guy who has performed at at very high level for decades as a #1 tree surgeon on performance evaluations. Thanks for the video. Safety first, brother! God bless.

Ditto, I've had the same experiences. Everything from inexperienced ground crew right on down to the wedge issue. I was working an oak stump and had 3 wedges in. On the 2nd hit to the wedge it shot out at me and hit me right into one of my finger knuckles. I can still feel the bruise 😕 in the bone to this day. Working solo comes from being put in a spot of danger too many times at the hands of another. Just makes sense to eliminate the hazard. You're not alone in that respect. I'm with August on the issue. Has both pros and cons. I think Reg prefers to work alone as much as possible also. 😎✌️

Bro! So yes, man once I started watching your early videos I was all set in my mind this was what I wanted to do -- but then my Uncle talked me out of it because of his friends who have met a fate like you described. So I went towards the welding and other odds and ends. Great video and very sobering for sure! Stay safe and with us Spencer! Your content is too awesome! (even your older handyman work).

My best freind Brad meinert was in a bucket truck 12 yrs ago. He was working near a transmission line got to close and took 90000 volts to the back of his neck this happened near St George Utah. He had 35 years of experience at his funeral arborist all over Utah paid respect to him for being such a great mentor!Brad is missed very much

Tree guy for over a decade and fireman for 16 years here. The expendable thing hit me close to home. Great video and a great reminder to slow down and think. Be methodical and have plan B’s in place for expecting the unexpected. as a paramedic I keep a CAT tourniquet with me at all times around saws. Recommend the same…. It’s a simple way to save your life. Stay safe out there 👍

All men die few men ever live . Do what you love follow you're heart what will be will be RIP to the fallen .

I'm a landscaper but I do a fair amount of tree work and Jed's fatal accident really got me thinking. Jed was a seriously experienced and talented arborist. I do what I consider "the easy stuff" and sub out all rigging/high risk work. But the job that killed Jed I could see myself taking. No rigging, away from all structures. Just get it on the ground. I've always been very careful but this was a wakeup call.. when a guy way more talented than me doesn't make it home that's just downright scary. Tree work is no joke. RIP Jed.

24yo climber from AL here. Been climbing for 6-7 years, residential, line clearance, etc. I had my foot broken while attempting to rig a large section of wood (similar to the example you gave of the rope guy not letting it run). I learned that my life is largely in the hands of my ground guys in those situations. That was 3-4 years ago, and I got right back in the saddle after recovering. Sometimes calling the shots yourself is safer than having more variables in the equation. Thanks for the video

This is a great message to all persons working in the tree care profession and timber harvesting industry. It is a message that should be shared and echoed by other tree care RU-vidrs and social media types as a reminder to the dangers of this industry. The message should not be taken to scare people away from our industry, but rather keep them sober to the realities and dangers of tree work. Well said Mr. Spencer, I look forward to continuing to follow you and your channel in 2023. Stay safe and Stay alert!!

Good video, lots of great points. Don't think I'll change professions to tree climber anytime soon but will become a subscriber to your channel.... seriously though thanks for sharing.

Great video. Money and the thrill is what drew me into the field. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, that being said I dono if I would want my kids following in my footsteps. Be safe out there, working alone is good and fine but when you work with a tight knite group of guys it also adds a level of safety. I’ve been working with the same guys for 4+ years. Like you said when other come into play often makes the work space more dangerous.

Out the other day clearing a woodland path of limbs and a few windblown trees, which had come down in two recent storms. Both of us are qualified for the work at hand, both hold relevant medical certification. My friend who’s worked with chainsaws for probably 30yrs. and is on the ball with safety, especially with disabled volunteer groups. Has never had a chainsaw accident. Anyway, he’s recently, 1-2yrs. gone with a battery saw for the smaller stuff, as it’s just easier and much more quiet. He still packs the petrol saws just in case. But for the most part, he runs a battery saw. So we’re dealing with a fallen stem, around 20” (500mm) dia., so not big. All going well, when he has a momentary lapse in concentration. The saw is out of the cut and running down, a split second from applying the chain brake. The chain nicks his trousers, (pants) near the top of his thigh. Thankfully, that’s what cut-protection is for. Just slightly tears the outer material, not the protective layers beneath. It’s a sobering reminder, how easily things can happen. Now I’m not against battery saws but if he’d had the noise of a petrol saw, perhaps his consecration would have been greater. Who’s to say? But it really made him think on it. We took a break there and talked it through. What happened; was he happy to carry on, etc.? We both carried on after the break. But it made both of us think about it.

Good input ! I used to have a full time crew, then Obama-care tripled my health insurance cost for everyone, and I had to change up or go under. Now I do about half of my jobs solo, and make more money doing so ! And the other half are the big take downs, crane work etc, I climb and have another company share some great guys to get it all done safe and professional. We all make money and this why I have no “employees “ but still bid everything ! You make a great point when you are working solo, it is much easier to plan it out, set it up, and execute it ! You know what you and your equipment can and can not do! And you are not as prone to younger worker that have not developed the skill or knowledge required to finesse something just perfectly ! It is often safer to do it by your self, and call for help when it’s time to drag brush ! Scott

Jed's gems of knowledge that Treeson shared made me a better woodsman and his death has shocked me into a promise to myself. I'm going to take much more time looking up before I touch a tree. I also just saw cottontop3 get whacked with a widow maker after the tree hit the ground.

Rip Jed we lost a wonderful man and a amazing tree guy. Prayers for his family my they find some kind of peace 🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️

Appreciate the video. One of our customers was killed last week cutting a Mexican Fan Palm. He was 51 years old, a very experienced climber, and a super nice person leaving a family behind. We heard of another guy that had to be rescued from one of these trees by another climber. It's sad to hear of these guys just trying to make a living for their families leave this world too soon. It takes a lot of focus and discipline for tree guys and gals to stay safe. Such sad news, thanks for sharing this, take care!

I love the area you’re standing. Looks like a nice shop or something sitting in a concrete slab?? Anyway, very nice shop/shed thing

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. I work for utility line clearance and just started climbing I watch as many videos and safety tips as I can I’ve been in this company for 1 year and already heard of multiple accidents but nothing can prepare you for the unknown freak accident type of situation. We recently had a co worker pass away a Groundsman to be specific. Nothing or no one is really safe group or alone. Sometimes luck saves you it’s really crazy. I love my job and everything in this video made me realize no matter what something can always happen to anyone ground guy or climber

I worked for about 6 months in trail clearing/maintenance following a hurricane, and it was enough for me to realize that it was too dangerous of a job for me to do it long term. I only had one near miss as a newbie in some of the messiest, craziest situations for someone to cut their teeth on, but I figured that even residential tree work was too much risk exposure for a long term career. There's a concept of the "safety pyramid" that says for every 100,000 unsafe acts/situations, there will be 1,000 near misses, 100 minor injuries, 10 major/lost time injuries, and 1 fatality, or some variation therein. Of course the exact ratios depend on the industry, but it's fairly representative of the idea. Going off of that logic, the odds of a major injury was only 1:100 in my near miss situation. That's just too much for me, especially considering that the longer you work as an arborist, the higher the odds that one of those near misses ends up being an accident.

As an arborist thank you for talking about the young people who don’t realize the risk and yeah when lowering guy doesn’t understand to let it run a little bit is hairy

It's definitely a matter of when, not if. I hate it for Jed and his family...seemed like a great guy. I've had my fair share of close calls, and a few that have left marks...but at the end of the day the world keeps turning. Stay safe, my friend!

Keep in mind.. Most of these guys are dying doing what they absolutely love.. unlike a massive percentage of other guys doing other lines of work.. There is Light in the Dark.. we can't give up.. Condolences go out to the families!

I really appreciate seeing someone think deeply about things like this. I really enjoy all the tree work videos and it seems like fun exciting work but it’s really important to have that self reflection. I’ve worked construction all my life and too many deaths there too. Also I know what you mean about working with guys, I think sometimes there’s just a mentality of pushing it and it can get dangerous quickly.

I think the first real injury I saw was a very experienced ground guy pound wedges and the tree wasn’t big enough and it hit the holding wood bounced back and Broke his eye socket, I was very new and he was still just a ground guy. Thank you for sharing this is great. I’m still pretty new and this really just helped me recognize the seriousness of this job.

R.I.P Jed !! You will forever be missed .

RIP Jed. Nice synopsis. Climb safe.

Our local tree guy was a rope climber, no buckets. Loved his job. He'd trim our 40 footers every few years. He fell from a different tree and broke 30 bones. The branch broke that was holding him. It was probably so fast and un-expected. I saw him a few months ago using a walker. So scary. Then the past few weeks roads and walk ways have been super icy. I fell and smashed my tail bone. took 3 weeks to heal, bruised not broken, but you could think it was. This tree guy while healing up, with crutches now, slipped on the ice, landed on the crutch and broke his femur. The first fall from the tree broke pelvis, ribs, arm, vertabrae. i dont know them all. Then the leg now. Oh my Life is rough for many many people lately.

Thank you for bringing light to this. I had to share to my Facebook

It really puts things into prospective that we as humans are not in control of consequences of certain things that happen. What happen to Jed was purely a freak accident and I hate it for is family, friends, and the guys that worked alongside him. Back in September of last year my wife, 2 year old, and myself headed out to my brother-in-laws land so I can help him build a deer stand for his pasture only to find him electrocuted by his own welder. We as humans have to identify the risk analysis of everything and make good judgment calls to avoid fatal mistakes. Tree work is a dangerous job along with other lines of work but you can’t get tunnel vision or rush into something not taking the right steps. I wouldn’t let the comment bother you but you know the apparent risks of solo tree work. Stay safe out there brother!

Yeah that was tough news to hear. Jed seemed like a great guy with a wealth of knowledge and certainly seemed to have a healthy respect for the dangers of his job. A little internet sleuthing also revealed Jed's wife recently fought off an aggressive form of breast cancer. Poor kiddos nearly lost their mom and now don't have a father. Talk about real life stress! I also noticed in a recent video Jacob Rogers posted on his YT channel, he was high up in a tree and accidentally cut his lifeline, secondary rope. 😳 Just a fluke thing, and he still had his flip line, but it has to put the fear of God in you to realize it can happen in a second!

Hello, George here. solid topic. I work alone often, almost always. Blair cares and his words will be in my head along with my own. For me, part of what makes me feel so very alive is doing something that requires all my abilities. I am not a thrill seeker, rather I am a life seeker and I feel very alive when I figure out a smart way to bring a tree down and get it bucked and split. I find working with others divides my attention while I am concentrating on the tree and my saw. I like to work with my buddy, and together, we are safer for all the obvious reasons. I find it chilling to hear that Jed died. It made me think of all the times big limbs got thrown as a tree fell... I will think about all of this more. Very meaningful post, thank you. George.

Very good video sir! Blair was not trolling you at all he just cares and has a good point. I'm sure we all have stories of when working with a crew presents extra hazards like if someone is inexperienced or just makes a mistake. Working alone is safer in a way by removing some of those variables, but if you fail to prepare for those worst-case scenarios you might have to prepare to fail. Rip JED.

I agree Spencer. Great video.

As a solo tree person I was bothered by the comment by Blair. I too have had more "incidents" happen when working with/around other people. So as for me #iworkalone 🤘

Great video. I have a hanger I’m in the middle of dealing with. They are currently cinched together ready to pull together. I have spent more time looking and thinking then actually working. I am confident I can do the job without getting underneath anything but I didn’t actually cut today without help running the winch to keep everything under control and be a second spotter. The now leaning tree hit me with a 3”x10’ branch out of nowhere a few years ago. I was just walking underneath it and bam, the tweety birds came out. I kept my feet under me but that took absolutely everything I had at that moment. Great video and great reminder to take one more look at everything before committing.

Thank you for sharing what’s on your mind. I have been preparing to enter the tree world in spring, and I tell myself that sitting in a chair is just as hazardous to one’s health as operating a chainsaw. Much of my work experience is in the municipal wastewater business…..and it seems like the invisible, “essential” people are surprisingly replaceable. I had two lineman out to my property last year for squirrel damage, and both arrived solo in bucket trucks…..I asked why they work alone, and they said they were short staffed…..that feeling of being extendable does not bode well for morale. I was a fan of Mike Rowe’s show called Dirty Jobs, we could use more press like that.

Safety in numbers, or not

Be safe man RIP Jed

Great video, man. A timely reminder for everyone. The same fractured wedge incident is captured on camera in an Austria Forst video from 20th Nov 2016, entitled "Full in my face". Glad you survived it with your eyesight and your good looks intact. Stay safe.

First time seeing your channel, so true about too many tree workers being killed! I've had a few near misses myself one time I was shovel logging a big maple and had the front glass up on the excavator, when the tree hit the ground a chuck of the top flew back about 80 feet and took out the rear window missing my head by inches, happened so fast I didn't see the piece headed my way.

I just watched your RU-vid video on this. It’s a big topic. I’ve got more than 15 years of being a production tree climber. My thought is this: you can and should do what’s sensible and try to be safe, but be humble and pray for safety. “Safety is of the Lord.” Wisdom is a gift from God given to those that ask. God gives grace to the humble but he opposes the proud. And if you are humble and prayerful and know the Lord, He may still decide to take you. It’s His decision. He is good and there is no darkness at all. So don’t climb trees without being close to God. I have felt many times that the danger of a particular job may be the death of me. It’s a terrifying thought. So be prepared to die (but try real hard not to). Be prepared to meet God, even if you make it to old age. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” “the wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God and the joys of heaven into damnation) but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (from the book of Romans). Jesus took the wrath of God on the behalf of all who will acknowledge they are sinners and receive His gift of dying and resurrecting in our behalf. It’s faith in Christ plus repentance of sin = eternal life.

Very grateful to you for sharing your experience, which only time can give. Listen up you younger guys to what he's said, especially about thinking the job through and not rushing. Thanks

Ya man, had a pucker factor just last night. I work on a mtn grooming ski trails. Wind picked up, gusting up to 50 mph. Shouldn’t have even been out, but there’s always the pressure to go and make a good product for skiers. I was trying to get back to the barn but had trees coming down that were blocking my way. I Came across a tree blocking the route back that had fallen. Next to it was a dead stander blowing in the wind threatening to fall on top of the downed one I needed to remove. I was forced to fell the big dead standing tree before I could cut the other one. Problem is that it was off the trail, waste deep snow, blowing 50 and I had no idea the internal condition of the wood. It could have easily been rotten making hard to control and with no way of escaping of it fell the wrong way. Sucked. It’s no joke. Most people have no real idea of how dangerous it actually is. Thanks for posting, I saw the other video you referenced before this and man they’re punching me in the gut right now. My heart weeps for his family, leaving kids at home is unbearably sad.

Good video Spencer. I feel safer working in my woods without others because I have to keep an extra eye out for them and be ready for for them to be in the way. I was cutting down a couple trees last fall for my niece. I dropped one and started limboing it’s. Her husband came right in tight on me grabbing the brush before I was ready. I had to adjust my workflow to get it done safely. He was just trying to help but, definitely isn’t woods wise. I had two cheap Tractor Supply Timber Tuff wedges bust up like that on me in one day a few weeks ago when it was -5. I always wear the Pfanner with the shield down. One hit the shield. In the videos that I saw Jed in he had such a calm confident mentoring disposition with safety in mind. RIP Jed

Expendable worker. My last full time job it was obvious that I was expendable and was almost expected to die on the job. After a couple of near death experiences, including some broken ribs, they fired me for insubordination for not going the extra mile. In small companies you are the safety culture. They will continue to push you until you quit or die.

Hey fellas, I have been in the industry for some time and the best way to avoid accidents is to follow the rules some of them: Never climb just by yourself, always use two hands on the chainsaw and two points of attachment etc. And for those that don't trust ground people on the rope, train them! The words of the arborist who said that he was setting a bad example for some may sound a bit harsh but he is absolutely right. Just remember: how many mistakes are needed to get injured/dead? For some just ONE.

Wow, testify. If you're working lumber, you might as well be working the high steel on a skyscraper. Had an extended family that was a tree man and managed to live to old age - too tough for me! Much respect.

Love your message, thank you! RIP Jed and my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones in tree work. As primarily a solo Sawyer in post burn areas, and a family at home, I will sometimes take days to determine a cut plan.

I have a lot of trees down from a November storm. Still cleaning up. I have a lot of leaners. Scary. I have a big tractor. I don't mess around. I drag the trees out to a safe area. Luckily my land is level. I push those leaners over with my backhoe. A few that were too dangerous I called a professional logger. He came with his big saw and dropped them for a couple hundred bucks on Sunday morning. No way am I messing with anything that's not straight forward. I've made it to my late 60's playing it safe. If I have to think about something too much then I'm not qualified. I appreciate your mind set. But climbing trees for a living? I've never had the mental makeup for hazardous work. Really like your videos. True reality television.

This was a great discussion. I think sometimes it's safer with a crew, sometimes its safer alone. Just two days ago, I took down a large Walnut tree with another fellow. He had his own ideas, which he pursued but wasn't what I was thinking. Then I needed to come in and get it down after a badly placed face cut. It wasn't pretty, but I am glad I brought lots if wedges. Oh, that's why I only use my own hickory wedges - they never shatter like plastic will. Under the right conditions, high rates of loading (like impact) cause plastics to react more like glass - purveyors of plastic wedges do not share that information. Again, thanks for an intelligent discussion.

Thank you. I am 2 seasons into trees. Started on the ground and now learning to climb.... very sobering commentary.

Thank you for sharing your experiences… after 35 years of being a Utility arborist never become complacent:)) I have 4 friends that have been killed in the last 7 years.. never stop learning and thinking that you know everything… cheers

Commenting on working solo or with others. I'm still very fresh in this industry working in Ontario, Canada and the number one thing that I've been taught while working with a crew is communication, it's so important as I've heard situations of groundies not paying attention when dragging brush to the chipper and the climbing rope is tangled in the brush leading to the climber cutting his rope. Scary stuff so please assess each job thoroughly and take safety seriously, your life is worth more than how you treat it.

I was drawn to the title as I just had a near death experience cutting down an old oak for firewood. It buckled in half while falling down hill. The top came back with gps precision and nailed me on the left shoulder as I was moving away. The top was only about 5" at the point of contact but was also at the furthest point in the the arch of falling so was really moving. 2-1/2 days in a trauma center making sure the damage didn't go life threatening. If it had hit a few inches over it would have driven my head into my chest. Not a pretty corpse. I'm a farmer and have been cutting wood for 40+ years. My knowledge is limited, no pro training, and I'm thankful for all the videos on RU-vid to try and pickup my game a bit. Accidents are lurking everywhere, I mean everywhere! We don't know how uninformed we are till we get hurt, have close calls, or get informed from someone who knows. Scary vid, and I'm still shaking from my own incident.🤕😁

Amen brother! I am 65 years old & I bought my climbing spikes, harness & safety gear to tie myself in. I am a first time climber! I will start small then move up! I am excited but very cautious!.I have a full use gym coming Thursday this week to get in shape! 🤩🤩🤩🤩

The guy you are talking about who had died from a falling tree branch after a storm was Jed! Very well know for his knowledge. The crew he was working with did not see the large branch (1" dia x 10' in length) The person who really took it hard (Jake) had this on his channel Guilty of Treeson. The video title is "Jed I love you" I had watched every one of Jake's videos and I got to know many of Jake's friends and I almost felt the pain watching that video. You would only understand more if you saw all the videos with Jed.

Thank you , thank you, thank you. Your stories and observations are heard and will be considered. I sure value hearing you put it all this way.

Blair Glenn's advice was solid. Arborists/tree climbers should always work with at least one trusted individual. I'm not talking about the minimum hourly guy who does not know the ropes because he is all you can find. Climbing is the riskiest skill job your can choose. You need to take every precaution to decrease each and every risk. Having a second set of knowledgeable eyes on the tree, the ropes, the geometry and mechanics is always valuable. Sometimes we have to work alone and we should try to make those exceptions instead of the norm, exercising extreme caution with every cut. Blair Glenn has decades of tree related experience and quite frankly, probably has forgotten more about tree work than I will ever know.

Best 18 minutes I've spent in awhile. Thx.

I’m an owner of a tree contracting company in the 🇬🇧firstly sorry to hear about Jed, very tragic. As for solo working, it shouldn’t happen, never would I send a worker out with a chainsaw on his own, if an accident did occur the HSE would have a field day with you and your company. Looking for the risks/ dangers in tree works is more important than doing the work itself. Suspended hung up timber is one of the biggest killers in this trade, a young lad called Charley purkiss- Mcendoo was crushed and killed by a hung up branch in 2019. Such a shame.

This is a very interesting perspective. Thanks