Worker trying to clear stuck wood chipper pulled in
Associated Press
Posted July 8 2005, 8:47 AM EDT
TAMPA -- A construction worker was killed when he was pulled through a wood chipper as he tried to clear it free of jammed tree cuttings.
The man, whose name was not released, may have been trying to use his feet to push debris through the machine Wednesday, authorities said.
``These are incredibly dangerous types of equipment. Usually what happens is something gets stuck, and the victim tries to clear it with his hand or foot, then they get pulled in,'' Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesman J. D. Callaway said.
No one saw the man, who was in his mid-40s and lived in Tampa, pulled into the machine, Callaway said.
James Hardman said the man had worked for his company, James Hardman Construction, for about a year.
Hardman said he turned off the chipper when he realized what had happened.
A Tampa tree trimmer was killed in 2004 when he climbed into a wood chipper and kicked a large bundle of branches through it.