On the job inury,are you prepared?

[avalancher]

I was reading through one of the many arborists mags that show up in the mailbox once a month, and read an article about being prepared for an on the job injury.Got me to thinking.

I went out to the truck and pulled my first aid box, and after looking through it I realized that in the world of chainsaw injuries, I was not prepared.Not even close.

I had the usual band aids, tylenol, snake bite kits. Stuff for wasp stings, a few 4x4 guaze pads, etc.But not one thing that would be of use in the case of a serious chainsaw accident.

Then it really dawned on me, for years now I have been setting myself up for certain death if that freak accident should happen.
I cut alone generally, mile deep in the woods.I keep my wood cutting areas a hidden secret, even my wife only has a vague idea of where I am at for the day.In the event of a serious deep and ragged cut by a spinning chain, I would be a gonner.
I stocked up on large trauma pads to control bleeding, a tournique in the event that localized direct pressure would not control the bleeding.Several rolls of thick gauze wraps, a whistle to attract attention if i was able to call out on the cell phone.A flare gun, suture kit, and few other miscellaneous items filled the rest out.
Last, but not least, i attached a dry erase board to the side of the fridge. I told my wife that from now on if she came home and I was not there, check the board. I will write where I am at, when I left, and when I expect to get home. Also included several numbers of friends that would be happy to go looking for me in case I dont show up.
Maybe a little paranoid, but given the possible scenario, better safe than sorry.

Are you prepared for an emergency?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Good post. I am NOT prepared. No first aid kit at all. Most times I forget to even take water. I've seen some loggers talk about using diapers for large trauma pads.

Ian

 

[freemind]

Good post. I am NOT prepared. No first aid kit at all. Most times I forget to even take water. I've seen some loggers talk about using diapers for large trauma pads.

Ian

Kotex or maxi pads are better trama pads, and sterile.

You need to add something to stop bleeding like quick clot.
If you suture, I hope you have sterile hemostats and cleaning agents. Never suture a dirty wound. Bad Juju. I also hope you know how to suture.

Just my opinion of coarse.

 

[Marc]

Yes, I carry the same first aid kit cutting that I do backcountry skiing, and hiking.

It includes-

Triple antibiotic
Sterile 4 x 4's
Large trauma dressing
Assortment of gauze rolls and tape roles
Trauma shears
Ace bandage
Band-aids (actually, 3M brand active style)
Moleskin (more for blisters when skiing, but it's in there)
Small bottle of isopropanol (good as antiseptic and fire starting)
Flint
Sam splint
Space blanket (Mylar blanket)
6' and 12' loops of tubular webbing plus a couple spare carabiners

I think that's it.... I may have some other size gauze pads and whatnot, but I've cut down on excess stuff, as my friends that I make carry it when we go hiking and backcountry skiing get all whiny about a little extra weight.

 

[avalancher]

Kotex or maxi pads are better trama pads, and sterile.

You need to add something to stop bleeding like quick clot.
If you suture, I hope you have sterile hemostats and cleaning agents. Never suture a dirty wound. Bad Juju. I also hope you know how to suture.

Just my opinion of coarse.

Learned in the military how to suture, and a pretty good training stint back when I was young in the fire department. EMT's are not taught to suture of course, but the training was very relevant to emergency treatment of a large wound.
I would take the time to suture only if the wound was not life threatening, and I did not plan on leaving right away. My suture kit has sterile hemostats, razor, and an assortment of needles and thread.

Negative on the Kotex being sterile. They will work fine for controlling a bleed with direct pressure, but forget the idea that they are sterile. If you decide to stock the first aid box with kotex, make dang sure you get the unscented ones. Prolonge exposure to scented ones with a wound can give you a serious case of irritation.
Better off with sterile bandages, you can often find them cheap at military surplus stores labeled as "combat dressings"
But, in the case of a large bleed, use what ever you got. Maxi pads are a whole lot better than bleeding to death.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I avoided the combat medic mini-course back when I was in service. The students practiced giving each other IVs and I saw the results on the arms when they got back... LOL.

Ian

 

[MJR]

Those marks on the arm are better than a hang over!!!

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Suturing

If you suture, I hope you have sterile hemostats and cleaning agents. Never suture a dirty wound. Bad Juju. I also hope you know how to suture.

Just my opinion of coarse.

I have an uncle who is a "Jack of all triads and a master of SOME. Well...in his life time he's cut himself several times. His hands, fingertips mainly, are full of scars. Instead of going to the Dr. to get fixed up he has a needle and thread in the glove box and sutures himself. I don't think I could do that!

 

[trimmmed]

I have an uncle who is a "Jack of all triads and a master of SOME. Well...in his life time he's cut himself several times. His hands, fingertips mainly, are full of scars. Instead of going to the Dr. to get fixed up he has a needle and thread in the glove box and sutures himself. I don't think I could do that!

Oh boy, I remember a real bad finger cut and my WWII vet father-in-law saying no problem, he'd sew it right up, said no anesthesia necessary. Hell I almost passed out. But I didn't, I sat right there white as a ghost, while he stitched himself up. I miss that guy, I really do.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Things you learn to do in bad situations come back to help you later it seems. I think if it were a live or die situation, I'd grit my teeth and stitch away, at least I hope so. I know when you are in shock, pain doesn't hurt as bad.

Ian

 

[dingeryote]

Duct tape, clean towels, mickey mouse mattresses(Feminine pads) Military pressure bandages.


I ain't stitching nothing. That's what docs are for, and they will debride the wound better than I can.
They also will bomb you with antibiotics, so reasonably sanitary dressings will do for immediate attention.
Remember that whatever cut ya wasn't sterile and you are not gonna really add much gunk to the wound plugging it. The big issue is plugging it.

I still havn't figured out why some folks think a pack of Band aids is a first aid Kit.

If it needs a band aid, you can ignore it untill you are done.It will scab over soon enough.
If it needs more than a band aid, get to the doc ASAP and plug the hole untill you can get there.

One other thing to add to the Immediate care bag.
Small flashlight and a small knife.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[bigjake]

Super glue works great for small cuts.

You know we should kinda organize this and make it a sticky.

I never cut alone much but still you need to have the right stuff if someone
gets a bad cut.I am like you i got a good first aid kit but not much for a
serious cut.

Another thing sounds funny when its cold but i always take a fire extingwisher
i mean you spill fuel on a hot saw and your truck could be gone quick.
very good thread.

 

[SpiralAcacia]

tournique

is the most crucial item...
blood loss is no.1 problem you tackle.
carry one on your body - you may be 100 yards too far from yer truck..!
learn how to improvise from a belt, a length of rope, a shirt.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/First_Aid/tourniquets.shtml

Thanks Avalancher, this is an important topic easily forgotten!

 

[willsaw4beer]

Great thread, I agree it should be a sticky.

 

[avalancher]

is the most crucial item...
blood loss is no.1 problem you tackle.
carry one on your body - you may be 100 yards too far from yer truck..!
learn how to improvise from a belt, a length of rope, a shirt.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/First_Aid/tourniquets.shtml

Thanks Avalancher, this is an important topic easily forgotten!

Be very careful with a tournique, they can do more damage than good if done improperly.The best remedy is direct pressure with the cleanest thing that you can find.
tournique cuts off blood to the extremity, can cause a lot of problems.
If absolutely have to resort to a tourniquet, release the tension every ten minutes and seek help quick.
got a advanced life support book around here somewhere with a pic of a leg that had a tourniquet applied.It was left on until arriving at the ER some 40 minutes later. The man lost his leg because of the tourniquet.

 

[iowa]

Yesterday, my brother and a friend of mine went cutting all day long. We also found out that cutting up trees is very dangerous. I mean we all know it's dangerous but my brother and I found out very fast how things can go wrong instantly. My brother got the brunt of it yesterday.

We fell 2 - 20" + walnuts right before lunch and figured we could get them done before heading off to eat. So my friend started on one tree, limbing and bucking and my brother and I started on the other tree. We got all the branches off of it and most of the smaller limbs. Now after this tree fell the trunk actually stayed on the stump. The stump was around 3' high. So the main trunk was around 20' + in length then Y'd off to 2 larger limbs. I decide to take on of the legs off. But the other leg was pile drived into the ground from the fall. I cut the one leg at the crotch and when it was cut the tree rolled off the stump and down a very low grade hill a bit. I was down grade from the tree so it came towards me. I back peddled fast and was fine. However, after keeping an eye on the trunk and clearing my mind of what just happened, I seen my brother standing with his back to me. He was watching me and standing inside the Y. When that tree rolled, the limb that was in the dirt came up, spun, and hit him in the lower lip. It was around 6" limb. The limb put his bottom teeth through his lower lip and smacked his nose pretty good. He was standing with his back to the limb that hit him. However, when it spun he must have heard it and looked. That's when it hit him. I'm thinking it's good he got hit in the face, rather than the back of the head. He could have been knocked out or killed.... He was very lucky and it was a not so friendly reminder that even after the felling is done with, that tree is very dangerous.

We will be putting a first aid kit in the vehicle now and be more careful. We always have been and sometimes I am too careful,but because he is 9 yrs. younger than me and seems to be more resilient. You guys can remember when you were 20 right. I hated to see something like this happen, but at the same time it really wakes you up and makes you think. "WHAT COULD HAPPEN?"

 

[freemind]

Learned in the military how to suture, and a pretty good training stint back when I was young in the fire department. EMT's are not taught to suture of course, but the training was very relevant to emergency treatment of a large wound.
I would take the time to suture only if the wound was not life threatening, and I did not plan on leaving right away. My suture kit has sterile hemostats, razor, and an assortment of needles and thread.

Negative on the Kotex being sterile. They will work fine for controlling a bleed with direct pressure, but forget the idea that they are sterile. If you decide to stock the first aid box with kotex, make dang sure you get the unscented ones. Prolonge exposure to scented ones with a wound can give you a serious case of irritation.
Better off with sterile bandages, you can often find them cheap at military surplus stores labeled as "combat dressings"
But, in the case of a large bleed, use what ever you got. Maxi pads are a whole lot better than bleeding to death.

Uh, being the new guy, I ain't gonna argue. BUT those Kotex are sterile. Your right, you should ONLY use the unscented. You think thread is sterile? I presumed you had a suture kit, containing sealed, sterile sutures. The only place for needles and spool thread, is in a SHTF scenerio, and ONLY after boiling the thread. Cutting firewood is NOT a shtf thing.

I am only going to suggest you buy Vicryl sutures and ditch the needle and thread idea.

I also have cat gut sutures, that are used for sub-q.
I have no doubts you have training, but you never know, I might have a little myself.

I have a small kit I carry for vehicles, that will get me out of a situation quick. A medic bag is at home, next to my bug out bag, where it belongs. Are you going to carry all those supplies on your belt, away from your truck, when you are felling and sawing? To be truthful, you are not going to carry a medic bag over your shoulder.

 

[J.W Younger]

good idea to carry benidrl if lergic to bees/wasp like me

 

[wdchuck]

We can all agree that prevention is the best measure to take.

Tailoring a kit to fit our individual circumstances and abilities would make good sense. Seeing as most of the members here have had little to report in the way of serious injuries is a perfect indication of the value of awareness in the woods.

Work safe guys, blood is not dip for sawchips.

 

[wdchuck]

good idea to carry benidrl if lergic to bees/wasp like me

Anti-histamines are a great way to buy a person time, possibly even save a life. I also keep Benadryl handy during stinging insect season.