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Case No.31


Worker killed by a tree falling from the roadside during lumber collecting work
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[Circumstances of Incident]

This accident occurred during the cutting and collecting of larch logs.

A group of six workers was engaged in this operation. Two workers were loading logs on a truck at a flat space downhill from the cutting site, where another worker was cutting larch trees some distance from the truck. Three other workers were collecting lumber on a road near the site by using two machines. One of these three workers was hit by a tree standing at the roadside that suddenly fell over on  him. The victim was waiting with his colleagues  to remove logs from the machine.

The victim was immediately hospitalized but died from  neck injuries. 
[Causes]
The following can be cited as the major causes of this accident.

1 The immediate cause of this accident can be attributed to a strong wind on the day, causing the tree to fall over.

2. Three days before the accident, the tree has been used to install a pulley through which a wire rope was used to haul felled longs to the loading site. It is possible that the tree was exposed to considerable weight and that its roots had been loosened.

3. The tree was growing on a steep slope of some 35 degrees. A pumice layer was found some 40cm below the ground surface.  Accordingly, it appears that the roots were not held with  adequate strength  to withstand the pulling force.
[Type of business] Lumber felling
[Type of accident] Crushed
[Number of victims] One fatality
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