ECN Forum Forums Safety Discussion and News Occupational Safety Discussion Rotten pole + Pole belt = Broken Leg

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all of your concern and I agree with FWL, this could have been Fatal!.
Leg is healing very well so my X-ray I had today, tells me.
2-way radio's of any frequency never work that well in our mountainous terrain.
I actually made the call on the VHF Fire Service, to Fire Comms in Christchurch via the Repeater System.
The PoCo UHF system is OK, but depends on Line Of Sight transmissions.
FireCom actually called the Faultsman in the area, only because I knew where he was.
With regards to the pole failing, I spoke to the Line Crew that replaced it.
It snapped 3ft below the ground, so any testing I did on the above ground part, would have been worthless.
11kV on wooden poles, Australian Jarrah timber.
They are being changed out to Concrete now.
Damn!!.

Dave55, I hear you there, mate!.
Mind you (Vikki will confirm this) I can't dance to save my own life!.
BBB, All I want to do Bren, is get this nasty darn cast off my leg, just try walking around the house with your right leg stiff.
Try bending down.
George,
The nastiest (and the scariest) thing to me was, when the pole actually gave way and about seemingly a second later, I had a cross-arm stuck in my leg and no way to get help.
What do you do?
Lie here and die or get the darn thing off your leg and summon help?
I took the later option and rolling a 400kg pole over isn't that hard, when you have an Adrenalin rush like I did.
I just thank the Lord, that no Veins or Arteries were cut in the process.

OUCH!!!!!
Been there done that, sounds you are on the mend though.

GET WELL SOON, and God Bless

Dave

Sorry for your misery, Trumpy, I don't think I could add a cast to anyone's daily tasks and be welcome anymore. Keep behaving and heal quickly, please.

I'm impressed that you had the presence of mind and the survival instincts to get help for yourself. I'm glad you didn't have to contend with blood loss also!

Hey Bren and others!.
My cast comes comes off next Wednesday, spoke to the bone specialist, yesterday, a Mr Wienbaum from NY!.
He couldn't believe how quickly I healed, I told him us Kiwi's have to, the Hospitals cost too much, he said being Jewish he could agree with that, we both laughed at that one.
He said that after I get the cast off, I shouldn't try to run a marathon.
After I saw the saw that they use to remove the cast, I asked if I could leave it on?.
He might has well have shown me a 9 1/4" Skil saw.
It'll just be great to be able to bend my leg, my night's sleep will be better!.
Take care all.
And watch them poles!.
{Mike}

Well,
The cast is off and I am slowly sort of starting to walk on 2 legs.
My leg has lost most of it's muscles and I will be on tender-hooks until the weekend.
Hey,
It's just great to be back as an Operational Human being again, Mind you, Vikki won't let me leave the end of the drive-way!.
I go on holiday next week and with the time difference I hope to have a really good Chat with you guys.
Let's get this Safety Chat going, eh?.