Ejected Sawhead Tooth Penetrates House Trailer

BACKGROUND: A feller-buncher was cutting trees in the South one summer day. The feller-buncher was equipped with a disc cutter sawhead.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The machine operator was trained to operate and service the feller-buncher. He had been operating this specific machine for two years.

UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: The feller-buncher was operating near a private house trailer residence. The sawhead discharge chute was directed toward the house trailer.

ACCIDENT: While the sawhead rotated at high speed, one of its teeth separated from the disc and was ejected out the discharge chute. The tooth traveled more than 250 feet and passed through the house trailer.

INJURY: No one was in or near the house trailer at the time of this accident. No one was injured. The tooth damaged several of the house trailer’s walls.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: Follow all safe operation and maintenance procedures and heed all cautions and warnings described in operator and service manuals when inspecting, maintaining, and operating feller-bunchers with sawheads. Operate these heads so that debris discharge is not directed towards people, equipment, buildings, or livestock. Thoroughly inspect sawteeth, sawtooth holders, all retaining bolts, sleeves, nuts, saw discs, and felling head assemblies regularly. Take extra care to replace all nuts and bolts with new ones when changing teeth on the discs. When tightening sawtooth bolts, tighten them to the torque specified in the operator’s or service manual.

Courtesy of the Forest Resources Association: forestresources.org.

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