What's the worst accident you or your workers have had while on the job?

[jasonnau]

I always think to myself as I'm changing blades on the lazer "It would really suck if this thing fell on my head". Has anyone ever had something like that happen? I've had a few broken bones so far on the job. I want to hear some stories out of you guys. Any ways to avoid them might help some of the new guys too.

[DJ'sLawnCareSvc]

this past friday, basically ending the season for me- my helper was edging a driveway, with the trimmer, cleaning the edge- shot a rock into a glass door..... only thing thus far

[jasonnau]

I didn't think about that. Share the worst personal or property accident you or your workers have had.

[turfrider1020]

7 , 8 years ago i was doing a leaf removal and cut on some condos
i had a 61 great dane chariot, you know the one with the rigid steel grate for your step up, it was wet and when i stepped up my foot slipped and all the way up to my knee it just ripped my skin right away
hurt like hell for some time

also had an accident my first day with a surfer, 1st day on it and got a little messy on a wet hill mower rolled up me leg up to my knee, only inches from taking off some toes

thank god

ok, this will be the good one

my 1st season i got out of my truck....boss asked to see if we could get this one done before it started raining, so i was looking around and there it was , i got hit by lightning, just a splash off of a tree , but it threw me back about 30 feet, and then about 7 years ago i was putting the gate up on my truck and got it again

[N.TX]

I almost caught the chainsaw in the forhead. I was cutting somthing that was grown into the chainlink fence, standing on something that wasnt stable and caught the fence and kicked it back. I dont think It would of killed me had it got me because it was a little chainsaw and didnt kick back with too much force ... just unexpectedly ... but I was about 2 inches from an emergency room visit and an ugly scar or maybe worse.... .............sure made me think twice about getting too comfortable with using a chainsaw.

[a plus bob]

A few years back I was aerating a lawn I reached down to pull leaves out of the tines like I had a hundred times before but this time I bumped the lever that turns the tines and pulled a plug out of my hand and they had to sew my thumb back on. That sucked !

[jasonnau]

Mine aren't too bad, but all of them were stupid on my part.

1. While trying to unclog my own gutters (during a thunderstorm) in the fall two years ago I stuck an aluminum ladder into a puddle to get to my clogged gutter unclogged ( the overflowing water was washing out my landscape beds and I feared it would flood my basement) I climed up thinking I could pull the joints apart (they were screwed in with rusted screws) I then went into the house and got a metal coat hanger ( I know, I'm an idiot) (I knew it when I did it, but I thought to myself, this will take about two seconds, and what are the chances). As soon as I stuck the coat hanger in, there was a flash of lightning. The lightning hit somewhere very close (not me), but it made the whole right side of my body go stiff for a second. Needless to say, I'll never do something that stupid again.

2. Last winter, I went to the nursery to look at some plant material. It had been wet the past week, but was all frozen this day. It was really cold. I got out of my truck, put my hands in my pocket, took about 5 steps and tripped over a big frozen truck rut. Because my hands were in my pockets, I couldn't catch myself and broke two ribs. Luckily it was December and I didn't have much work to do.

3. I broke one of the long bones in my hand (inbetween your wrist and fingers) while mulching. It was at a fountain at the Mariott. The fountain was made of marble slabs, which contained the fountain and some small planting beds. The beds started at about 3 feet off the ground. I was kneeling on the edge of the fountain with a bucket of mulch. I leaned over to get the back and lost my balance. As I threw my arm up to catch the ledge, I missed and rolled my body onto the back of my hand and the marble lip. And that's why I had to buy my lazer. I wasn't going to be able to use the walkbehind controls for about 4 weeks. Glad I have the lazer, but that mistake cost me $9,200 dollars if I wanted to keep my accounts mowed without delay.

[360ci]

I had my brother, who's been helping me part time for the last few years now, decide to clean the mower off after a cut without a glove on, and just after he brushed off some leaves around the deck, burned his forearm on the cylinder head of the engine. it's fairly stupid because it was the first, and last time, he has done this without the proper gloves!

[Turf Dawg]

Put a chainsaw in my knee, after using one for 20 plus years then had a brain fart.

Was removing a stick from a sod cutter and somehow put enough tension on the belt and rolled my thumb around the pulley and belt. Blood blisters, bruise and took months for it to work right.

But by far the worst was one that hurt the pride. Lets just say Taco Bell + Texas heat + the trailer being too far away. The one day that I wore jeans I filled my boot up, and yes their is something that smells worse than my feet.

[timberbrook]

Originally Posted by turfrider1020

my 1st season i got out of my truck....boss asked to see if we could get this one done before it started raining, so i was looking around and there it was , i got hit by lightning, just a splash off of a tree , but it threw me back about 30 feet, and then about 7 years ago i was putting the gate up on my truck and got it again

Do you have a jet black head of hair with a white streak down the middle? Just wondering. Man getting struck by lightning would really suck.