My first close call ... TOO CLOSE

[Abflyboy]

Ordered some Labonville saw chaps monday morning.

I will try to post a pic later if the spouse hasn't patched up my pants already.

I've been thinning out a bunch of standing dead and old growth elm and pine from a flood plain on a ranch lately. 026 got close enough to make a 4" cut in my jeans on top of my left thigh. I never felt it, never knew I was that close to myself with a moving chain. Missed my leg though. Heck, I'm never close to myself with a not moving chain.

It was one of those days. Probably shoulda called it off, wind was blowing every direction, falls weren't going where I wanted, rolling off the stump, undergrowth was THICK, etc. Find a tree that needs felled and it already has one or two widomakers on it.

Anyway, I've always been a SAFETY FIRST person, find the SAFE way to get the job done, but it can happen just that fast. I was LUCKY. Not going to bank on luck again.

I have stickers on the top triple clamp of my motorcycles. They read ATGATT. All The Gear All The Time. I always wear my gear when I ride. Saws are no different.

As far away as I was from any facilities, it could have been a bloody mess with my dead carcass at day's end when I finally got help.

I know this has been mentioned before, but I figured I ought to share my little story.

Be safe, y'all.

 

[buck futter]

Wow

Thank you for sharing. Also glad your not dead. I have recently gone into the safety profession after years of production mode. I can appreciate your experience. I am glad it got you attention with out getting you.

I loved "atgatt". I think I will use that Great saying.

Thanks again for sharing.

 

[echoshawn]

Glad you're ok.
Takes these posts to make us all reconsider our PPE usage.

 

[GeoffM]

It is never too late to learn and it has probably happened to everybody at sometime. Glad you were not really hurt. Stay safe.
geoff.
:chainsawguy:

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Do you recall what you were doing that led to this? Might help someone avoid the same fate, chaps or no. It's good to talk about what it takes to stay safe.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

..Was cutting up wood one time and the fellow I was with was bucking up on a big log, stuck his leg up to help the saw...it wasn't a pretty sight when he pulled his leg back down. I don't think chaps would have helped him that time!

 

[Bus Driver]

This story from my area.

Teacher, soldier dies after falling from tree - Winston-Salem Journal: Local News

 

[singletrack100]

I had one "pre-chaps" incident in the mid-'90's, cutting firewood, where on a hot day I was cutting shaggy bark juniper (alone, like usual). It was late in the day and I had not taken breaks as I wanted to get done (clue #1). I knew I had a dull chain (clue #@) but kept going, thinking I would "horse my way through the end" (clue #3). I ended up kicking back and hitting my thigh just above the knee. I really did not feel anything, but it ripped my pants about two inches and left what looked like a pencil mark where the chain hit (thank God for the dull chain!).
Since then, I have evolved into chaps, and have also been a sawyer on wildfires, where chaps are mandatory. I have had three incidents since then, 1 personal with chain moving, 1 on fire with chain moving and 1 on fire without chain moving. Chaps saved my @$$ all three times; and it only takes ONE of those 4-6 layers of Kevlar to do so on a full-speed running sharp chain to do so!.
I won't even FIRE a saw nowadays without them, regardless of circumstance!
Happy Sawing!
Duane

 

[magictoad]

To the op, glad you are still all in one bit.

In the uk we tend to use either full protection waist to heal trousers or full protection front and knee to heal back, not sure if the chaps i have seen on this sight are legal in the uk, even if they are legal i would not use them.


It only takes a split second of lack of concentration with no PPE to end up in a meat wagon.

Even with all the PPE some chainsaw usurers i have seen could be summed as ATGNI.

All The Gear No Idea.

 

[Philbert]

In the uk we tend to use either full protection waist to heal trousers or full protection front and knee to heal back, not sure if the chaps i have seen on this sight are legal in the uk, even if they are legal i would not use them.

Most of our chaps are either called 'apron style' (cover the front of the legs from waist to instep), or 'full wrap chaps' (adds coverage to the back of the calf, but not the upper part of the rear thigh). There are some others as well.

Someone in another thread posted about a cut to his belly - most chaps would not protect you there, so have to agree that they are not a substitute for good work practices.

Philbert

 

[ErikTheRed]

To the op, glad you are still all in one bit.

......
Even with all the PPE some chainsaw usurers i have seen could be summed as ATGNI.

All The Gear No Idea.

I thought it was ATGNB.

All The Gear No Brain


@Abflyboy

Thank you for the reminder!

Good to hear you are still intact!

 

[xxl]

Thanks for posting glad your okay Stories like this inspire others to get chaps and other ppe

 

[BobT575]

Wow Thats scary! I once knew a guy that told me if I really loved my Dad that I would buy him chaps! I guess he was speaking for times like these were you are alone in the woods and away from help! We defiantly are getting a set for this seasons cutting. I got my Pinky this year when the saw kicked back and my hand went over the busted chain break guard. Didnt even feel it and kept cutting till I saw the blood coming out of the glove haha. Really put into perspective how fast these things can ruin your day. Glad the outcome was positive.

 

[Abflyboy]

Labonville full wrap chaps will be at my house tomorrow!

I have been wearing a forestry helmet for a long time. Been hit in the helmet hard enough to ring my bell several times by stuff falling out of trees I'm felling. Don't want to imagine what that would have been like without a helmet!

Do you recall what you were doing that led to this? Might help someone avoid the same fate, chaps or no. It's good to talk about what it takes to stay safe.

Philip, I was thinning out some smaller growth and some smaller deadfall that was in my escape route and my fall zone. I do remember getting hit by falling branches right around then. I am not certain exactly what happened because I was not aware until afterward.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Labonville full wrap chaps will be at my house tomorrow!

...I was thinning out some smaller growth and some smaller deadfall that was in my escape route and my fall zone. I do remember getting hit by falling branches right around then. I am not certain exactly what happened because I was not aware until afterward.

Likely the chain was still coasting from a cut when you got hit with the branches. Unfortunate timing; PPE is the only way I can see protecting against these sorts of unforeseen events.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

... They read ATGATT. All The Gear All The Time....

glad you're okay. i always tell youngsters who are working with me to KYHOYA. (keep your head outa your ass). all i gotta do is say kyhoya and they know.