P.p.e. Or not for fire wood

[TMFARM 2009]

I've been running saws since I've been 16, 57 now. Just started using PPE and should have been doing it years ago. The tests with the hams being cut with chain convinced me...

i admit i am the same way... i have been cutting for 30 some years without any thing other then gloves...even done tornado clean up in 92 around here me and three others cut over 50 cords that winter...all blow down twisted tangled with everything you can imagine one tree inside a woods had a international combine hanging in it...(we wouldn't drop it though.) but i have had my shares of close calls.i have cut the end of my own boots off before due to log shifting and pinning me in place while saw was wide open about ten years ago,and i laughed it off at the time.i had two friends die from saw injuries this last two years. thats why i have started this thread. it doesn't set in until then about all the close calls you've had.i raced motorcycles for years and always worn the proper equipment. this isn't a sport for most but should be taken seriously.... i have used hard hats at times but no chaps. but will be purchasing them soon.i have four jobs coming up,fence row clearing... i was wondering when you are cutting above waist height.do they make protective jackets? saw chains tend to not like fence too much...lol :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[dellwas]

Funny thing is that I used to work for the NS Dept. Of Lands and Forests, circa mid 70's. We had to wear protective headgear and face masks, as well as protective pads we had to wear in our work pants. Would have thought it would sink in back then. Course I was young and foolish, now I'm old and foolish, but getting better. Seems to me that balistic vests are available?

i admit i am the same way... i have been cutting for 30 some years without any thing other then gloves...even done tornado clean up in 92 around here me and three others cut over 50 cords that winter...all blow down twisted tangled with everything you can imagine one tree inside a woods had a international combine hanging in it...(we wouldn't drop it though.) but i have had my shares of close calls.i have cut the end of my own boots off before due to log shifting and pinning me in place while saw was wide open about ten years ago,and i laughed it off at the time.i had two friends die from saw injuries this last two years. thats why i have started this thread. it doesn't set in until then about all the close calls you've had.i raced motorcycles for years and always worn the proper equipment. this isn't a sport for most but should be taken seriously.... i have used hard hats at times but no chaps. but will be purchasing them soon.i have four jobs coming up,fence row clearing... i was wondering when you are cutting above waist height.do they make protective jackets? saw chains tend to not like fence too much...lol :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[woodhaven]

earplugs, steel toed boots,gloves and chaps at least 90% of the time. I try to wear safety glasses but always end up taking them off when they fog up. I need to get a helmet with a mask.:chainsawguy:

 

[rwbinbc]

I do heavy constuction and have alot of ppe laying around. Cutting firewood I'm not good with wearing ppe, But lately I'm getting better. Two months ago felling a small cherry I placed a felling wedge in it to help, Smacked it one hard swing. The wedge flew out and caught Me right below My left eye. I seen star and bleed quite a bit. Lesson learned are the hardest. I'm trying.

 

[woodhaven]

Funny thing is that I used to work for the NS Dept. Of Lands and Forests, circa mid 70's.

What depot did you work at. I worked out of Lewis Lake in the summer on the fire crew in the early 90's

 

[H-Ranch]

Tis amazing how much smarter we get as we age!

Yeah, and we thought we knew it all back then! And were invincible on top of that.

Chaps, helmet/face screen, ear protection, boots and gloves for chainsaw work. Ear protection on all equipment/loud tools and safety glasses for all hand and power tools. And the kids get ear protection for everything including tractor rides - maybe they won't end up like their father and his father before him and his father before him...

 

[shelbythedog]

Chaps, muffs, gloves, boots for cutting. Just started wearing the chaps this year though.

Muffs, gloves, boots for splitting.

Every once in awhile I forget muffs when splitting, that dang Tecumseh is so loud the ringing in my ears drowns the muffler out pretty well.

 

[dellwas]

Worked out of Annapolis District Headquarters in the winter,making fire roads and clearing along highways, and the Provincial Forest Nursery the rest of the year. Both were in Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, but the Forest Nursery is long gone.

What depot did you work at. I worked out of Lewis Lake in the summer on the fire crew in the early 90's

 

[bluesportster02]

I wear safety glasses and steel toes. when i can afford chaps i will buy and use them also

 

[Fronty Owner]

safety glasses, ear plugs, steel toed boots and leather gloves all the time.
rarely hard hat, chaps, or face shield.

 

[dancan]

I own 3 pair of chainsaw boots , 5 pair of chainsaw pants , 4 helmets with screens and muffs , boxes of ear plugs and 1 pair of chaps so I have no excuse not to wear PPE .
Sounds like I have spent a lot of $$$ but alot of this gear has been bought from guys that have "outgrown" their pants and local ads (I hate to pass up a good deal when I come across one ) .

 

[arborsoldier]

When at home, I wear chaps, ears and eye when ever using a saw. If in the woods, hardhat for sure, boots practically the only footwear I have anyway and gloves are part of my normal routine.

I am a pro user, at work all PPE is utilized. Statistics show that the non-pro users are the largest recipients of injury. A few years back a buddy of mine who was a "landscaper" was at his cabin and ended up with 98 stitches in his leg. I encourage all of you to use PPE with a chainsaw.

Some interesting reading.

http://www.elvex.com/facts08.htm

Work Safe!!!

 

[BHWood]

For cutting wood that is on the ground I always wear safety glasses, ear plugs, boots and most of the time gloves. For splitting its pretty much the same. If I did any felling I would add a helmet/face shield to my equiptment. Chaps are also on my wish list.

 

[Wolfcsm]

Eye protection: Always and good ballistic protection.
Ear Protection: Always - you never can get back hearing you loose
Chaps: Almost always - have a pair that I managed to prove that they worked
Gloves: Always
Boots: Several different pairs
Helmet when falling: Almost always

Hal

 

[jhoff310]

earplugs--only when i am running the splitter
Eye--when sawing
Gloves- always, my wife likes rough hands but not that rough
Boots-always steel toed or I dont work
Chaps--NO, I should though. About 18 years ago I was cutting a tree in my parents backyard and the chain broke, it went right up the front of my jeans tearing them to shreds, left one hell of a welt on me but didn't break the skin.

Jeff

 

[logbutcher]

I love my left thigh. The majority of serious and lucky not-so-serious slices ( ( think "only" a few stitches ) with a saw happen to YOUR left thigh quite close to YOUR femoral artery. Check out the stats. You do not want to experience another ER visit, down time, pain, laughs from the ER staff, your partner, .......and, $$$$$$.

PPE nazi says: " chaps are priceless". :censored:

 

[John R]

80% of my cutting is bucking up firewood and I wear my chaps.
I wear chaps and a helmet while dropping trees, just for stray branches that might fall from the top of the tree.

 

[Bcat22]

i never wear chaps or a helmet. my saw has a non stock muffler i bought so it is super quiet so no ear plugs either ( i like to hear what is going on around me). i ALWAYS wear a pair of safety glasses and chain saw pants. i wear steel toe boots and the pants have a tounge that straps to the top of the boots, so they are pretty safe IMO. I don't really feel like i need a helmet because 99% of the time i am cutting down small stuff or tops left over from logging. i get really great gloves from work to cut in and i wear them most of the time

 

[rustyolred]

I always wear chaps, gloves and steel toed boots when cutting wood I just wear gloves and steel toed boots when splitting.

 

[songofthewood]

All the time for me, Only takes one second to get killed or hurt bad. At my age i don't heal well especially dead.

:agree2: