Clearance cut one-handing

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Glad you are gonna be ok, Clearance. Took guts to tell the story here, and all of us with less time on the end of the rope will be more careful for reading it.

On the r.o.w. one handing was necessary, and I had to do it alot. Developed the habit I guess, cause I still do when needed, fairly comfortably. The only training I got in that area was: Think about whats going to happen before, during and after the cut and dont get your body in the way of the saw.

After reading several discussions here about the safety issues one handing, I did review the before, during, after, and what if thought process, and changed a couple techniques, and try to do it as little as possible.

Last fall a guy I worked with cut himself in the forearm pretty badly, severed several tendons. He was doing a side job, without the right equipment, working alone. Bad decision making from the start. It continued. He decided he was capable of one handing a rear handle saw thirty feet up, only tied in with his climbing line. He made the cut, and the follow through went bad, got his left arm, and nearly cut his lifeline. I saw the wound (after surgery) and the scene the next day, partially cut rope still in the tree, and alot of blood splattered all over. I've heartshot deer and seen less blood. Seeing that made me even more careful. His surgery went well, 90-95% use of left hand. Not like new though.

I know you made none of the errors I described, just wanted to relay the story of the guy I knew who cut himself.
 
HI Clearance,
Glad your ok, and thanks for sharing it on here. I know youre an experienced guy and it reminds us all how easy it can happen.

Something sprung to mind here and i dont know if this exists yet. Seeing how common it is to cut your "other" arm when climbing, cutting one handed and holding a branch with the other is there anything out there in terms of cut resistant protection. Im thinking like chaps but a simple wrist to upper fore arm sleeve type thing. If not this could be made out of an old pair of chaps or trousers pretty easy. Only really need one, on your left if your right handed for example. I know most of us can use a climbing saw with either hand but anything crucial you wuold usually position yourself to do with your good hand. Ive heard of a lot of "light" cuts to this area but fortunatly not major ones with severe tendon severing or massive blood loss. But it could happen just as easy. And high enough up could lead to complications, aerial rescue needed or worse.

Heal well,

Trev
 
stupid question, but would chainsaw gloves prevented this?
 
I don't think that's a stupid question, 046.

I searched and found this:

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=26280&highlight=chainsaw+gloves

Personally, I don't like bulky gloves, so I wouldn't want to use protective gloves. When it's cold and/or wet, and I have to wear bulky gloves, I find that i have to be really careful as control of the saw is certainly not as good.
 
Speaking of big gloves, a while back Tom D. and myself got into a arguement about them. Toms buddy was tied in once and fell out of a tree after he cut his line with his 020, the throttle stuck because he was wearing huge mitts. Tom said the accident was caused by one handing a saw, I insisited it was because the huge mitts meant he had no control of the saw and the accident would not have happened otherwise. I figure what happened to me was that as I pushed of the top, I must have cut of the holding wood on my left side, I let the throttle off when the top was going over but it must have slightly pinched as it went and kicked the saw back a bit, as the chain was still spinning. Worked yesterday, wasn't a high production day, one handed some branches right on the edge of a fish bearing stream, took my time, was carefull, paid attention. My job out in the bush does not involve powerlines, houses, cars people or anything to damage. No matter where the tops or branches go it is not a big deal really, if they go into a creek I have a groundsmen to pull them out, unlike my fellow climbers I try not to let this happen. The main reason I one hand is prevent branches getting caught in others below them and because I have always pushed off tops, maybe I will try to limit this by inventing some new ways for myself. Again I have learned, it is not the crazy, dangerous things that get you, it is the mundane, everyday, routines jobs that can make one complacent.
 
trevmcrev said:
HI Clearance,
Glad your ok, and thanks for sharing it on here. I know youre an experienced guy and it reminds us all how easy it can happen.

Something sprung to mind here and i dont know if this exists yet. Seeing how common it is to cut your "other" arm when climbing, cutting one handed and holding a branch with the other is there anything out there in terms of cut resistant protection. Im thinking like chaps but a simple wrist to upper fore arm sleeve type thing. If not this could be made out of an old pair of chaps or trousers pretty easy. Only really need one, on your left if your right handed for example. I know most of us can use a climbing saw with either hand but anything crucial you wuold usually position yourself to do with your good hand. Ive heard of a lot of "light" cuts to this area but fortunatly not major ones with severe tendon severing or massive blood loss. But it could happen just as easy. And high enough up could lead to complications, aerial rescue needed or worse.

Heal well,

Trev

Yes,
what you are describing is already available, a french company called SIP makes them, just a slip on wrist to elbow protective sleeve. A friend of mine in Sweden says her company uses them quite often. I suppose any supplier that stocks SIP chainsaw protective clothing would have them?
 
clearance said:
Yes, its true, I cut myself yesterday one handing a MS200. There you go, Tom, Bermie, etc, another point for you guys (and girls). Windfirming a 80' hemlock, pushing of a small top, let my mind wander for a second and wham, cut close to the left wrist. Right away I grabbed a branch and squeezed it, all the power was there, didn't hurt, I felt ok and very lucky. Came down, pulled all the hangers on the way down, got some pads on it, stopped the bleeding. In the truck, in the boat, went home, got changed, went to the hospital. The nurses and the doc were very nice, scissored off the strips of skin and put in 8 stitches. Kind of embarrased to admit it to you all, but feel I should put my cards on the table. Be carefull out there everyone, be alert, the world needs more lerts.
brother clear, speedy recovery, ms 200 a powerful saw indeed , just happy it was'nt major thanks for giving us all a heads up feel better yo , j
 
glad to hear you're ok and back at 'er! Was it late in the day when you cut yourself? THe one time i cut myself was out spacing and it was late in the day and dog tired.... nicked my leg just above the kevlar on my pants... wasnt't serious but you never really know cuz they don't hurt and as you're getting ready to expose the cut you just hope it aint too bad...
 
time for changes..

Maybe we all needed come up idea to wear lightweight arm protective and it breathable. i get alittle nervious about get my arm get too close with saw while topping never know when kickback will get ya or tree took qiuck swing to throw climber saw toward you. speaking of get nick cut on leg, ALWAYS wear safety chaps, even hot days. and don't run saw if you are tired or bad mood, my chapped i had so many nicks and cut that i wasn't aware of and saved myself fom serious injuries.
Anyway is there any product of arm protective ??? i could use one of them....
Treeman67
 
Bermie said:
Yes,
what you are describing is already available, a french company called SIP makes them, just a slip on wrist to elbow protective sleeve. A friend of mine in Sweden says her company uses them quite often. I suppose any supplier that stocks SIP chainsaw protective clothing would have them?

Repeat about arm protection if you want it
 
c/s protective sleeve

Bermie said:
Yes,
what you are describing is already available, a french company called SIP makes them, just a slip on wrist to elbow protective sleeve. A friend of mine in Sweden says her company uses them quite often. I suppose any supplier that stocks SIP chainsaw protective clothing would have them?

Yes thats true. In the company I work for everybody has to wear the c/s protective sleeves since one of the employees had an accident two years ago. Since then they've prevented injury on at least two occasions. On one of the near accidents the guy cut almost right through the sleeve on 10 cm long cut right across the forearm. According to himself it would have been quite devastating hadnt he worn the sleeve. The sleeves are also easy to wear and dont make the chainsaw handling or climbing any clumsier, I can highly recommend them.
 
Arm Protection

where can i get arm protection, can i get it from website to order it???
Treeman67
 

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