Tutorial for safe pole saw use?

[Howard Justice]

ArboristSite Friends,
I’m looking for a Pole Saw Tutorial. I spent some time reviewing several available on you tube today. No single vid seems to cover it all. Need something that addresses safety, proper use of extension, front cut and back cut - so not to “hang” it in a limb, appropriate PPE - headgear, and a bit on maintence. We have overall safety training coming up in Spring for new vols. We have several Stihl units. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[ammoaddict]

Helmet is a must. Don't ask me how I know.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[sawfan123]

Just remember this: Gravity.
If you contact Stihl, they can set up a class for safety training by a factory rep.
They will fill in details.

 

[Philbert]

Some things I try to teach:

The STIHL pole saw manual says for cutting ‘0° to 60°‘ - not ‘overhead’. That’s a little bit of wisdom that you can appreciate quickly.

Since you are cutting from the sides (not from above), it is important to figure out which way a limb might ‘swing’, pinching the bar.

It’s OK to take limbs in smaller sections to reduce likelihood of pinching. It’s also nice to have a manual, sectional pole saw (or other long push pole available) for when the bar does get stuck 10+ feet in the air.

The telescoping pole is surprisingly fragile (and expensive to repair). Do not let them use it to pull down hanging branches, or twist/pull when stuck. Another good reason to have a sectional pole with a hook.

I like using a pole saw horizontally, to release tension in tangled brush piles from a safe distance.

Philbert