Who Has the Most Dangerous Job?

U.S. Navy Safety Center ^ | 2004 | U.S. Navy Public Affairs Office

[rogator]

Timber cutter or faller is a more specialized and descriptive term.
Cutters actually fell the trees. Buckers cut them to length and trim branches. Various other occupations; choker-setters, chasers etc. do other things with the downed trees.
Cutters work fast often using specially tuned saws and chisel sharpened chain for maxium production and in this area (OR and WA coast) normally only cut six hour days to insure maximum alertness.
All the cutters in my acquaintance do not want their sons to be cutters.
I have never heard of a cutterette but have seen an article in the local liberal newspaper about a choker-setterette.

[rogator]

I don't think you are talking about the same kind of tree cutter that I am.
A good cutter might drop 30-100 12"+ trees in an hour.

[Denver Ditdat]

Good point. We've had 43 Presidents of which 3 were murdered.

Make that four - Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy.

[fish hawk]

It's not really "how many were killed" but the potential of danger and risk to be killed. Do you think that if any number of people had the chance they would try to harm President Bush? And I don't mean just foreigners. America has enough kooks on its own. I'd be willing to bet that if not heavily protected as they are, all of them would have been killed right up to today. God forbid.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Is it just a matter of being on the right side of the tree when it comes down, or is there some other specific danger involved?

[Thor_Hammar]

For the record, the Navy rate for on-duty deaths is 9.37, and the Marine Corps rate is 21.75.

I suppose that's because the Navy and the Marine Corps -- despite the efforts of some running for president who have repeated attempted to cut fund for new weapons system and training -- have managed to become better trained than lumberjack and truckers.

[Doctor Stochastic]

A train is allowed to stop in the forest to let a timber cutter off.

[Coleus]

President Garfield died in Long Branch, NJ in 1881

[ASA Vet]

Yep, I forgot Garfield

[fso301]

Would be interesting to know life expectancies by profession.

Some white collar work has to be downright unhealthy.

I heard something a few years ago about the short life expectancy of pro-football players.

[Light Speed]

Anyone in a standing Islamic army circa 2025-30.

100,000 deaths per..100,000

[tubebender]

They are call Timber Fallers here behind the Redwood Curtain but I think Choker Setters are hurt more often...

[DentsRun]

Timber cutter or faller is a more specialized and descriptive term.

I guess I lead a sheltered lifestyle. I never heard the term before. Thanks for the input.

[CurlyDave]

The rate per 100,000/year computes to 32.6 for US Presidents.

Could you explain how you did that calculation?

First see post 23--four were murdered. Reagan was shot but survived, so that doesn't count as a murder although it adds to the danger.

I get 4 job-related deaths in 215 years. If I divide 100,000 man-years by 215 and multiply by 4, the result is 1860 job related deaths per 100,000 man-years.

This clearly tops the chart for job-related deaths.

[thoughtomator]

Interesting that police, with all the perennial claims of how dangerous the job is, don't even make the list.

[cynwoody]

Reagan was shot but survived, so that doesn't count as a murder although it adds to the danger.

Also, a certain Richard Lawrence took two shots at Andrew Jackson in 1835. The gun misfired both times, and Jackson attacked Lawrence with his walking stick before he was arrested. Like John W. Hinckley, Lawrence was committed to the loony bin.

Then there was that guy in 1994 who flew a Cessna into the White House lawn.

And in 1974, a guy tried to hijack an airliner to fly into the White House. He shot the pilot and copilot, but was stopped by police before he could take off.

And let's not forget Guiseppe Zangara, who got off five shots at FDR during a 1933 motorcade in Florida, missed the president, but succeeded in murdering mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago. Zangara fried in Old Sparky a scant five weeks later.

[cynwoody]

Oops. I left out the two women who have tried to kill the president, Squeaky Fromme and Sara Jane Moore, who made separate attempts, 17 days apart, to kill Gerald Ford.

[MarMema]

or is there some other specific danger involved?

chainsaw use and kickback.

Lots of deaths here in the Pacific Northwest because of this....a friend's young son last year, in fact.

[MarMema]

What's The Big Deal About Kickback?

Kickback is one of the greatest saw hazards. It occurs when a force throws the saw rapidly and sometimes uncontrollably towards you. It is a very violent and sudden motion which can severely or fatally injure you. There are several causes:

* an abrupt change in wood character -- hitting a knot or a nail
* striking a nearby limb with the tip of the moving chain while cutting
* running the chain too slowly
* twisting the saw in your cut so the chain grabs
* using a dull or loose chain
* having a loose grip on the saw or cutting with only one hand
* not paying attention

But kickback can be prevented by a few steps and precautions on your part. These DO NOT PREVENT kickback completely, but they do reduce the possibility of it happening to you.

* Always hold the saw firmly with both hands and keep the left arm as straight and stable as possible
* Use a saw equipped with a chain brake, anti-kickback chain, or other Anti-kickback devices.
* BUT, do not rely exclusively upon safety devices.
* Watch for twigs that can snag the chain -- the area should be free from any obstructions.
* Cut with the lower part of the saw blade-not with the tip or nose.
* Maintain a high saw speed when entering, cutting and leaving the wood cut.
* Keep the chain sharp.
* DO NOT cut above mid chest height -- the saw is too close to your face.
* DO NOT cut brush or shrubbery.
* Use only replacement bars specified by the manufacturer.

This post in memory of my friend's son, killed by kickback at age 21 last year while working as a professional tree cutter.

[PRND21]

US taxpayers, if Kerry wins.