Chainsaw Safety?

[Canyon Angler]

I'm new to the site but not new to saws. Been running them as a happy homeowner off and on for roughly 20 yrs but I wouldn't pretend to have anywhere near the expertise and safety instincts as most of the folks here, probably.

I've read all the chainsaw safety guides, etc., that I can find on the net, but I wonder whether the pros here could boil it all down to a few simple but universal principles...

(To make an analogy, I've been shooting guns all my life, and to amateurs, I counsel the one golden rule that will keep them out of almost all trouble all the time: "Keep your muzzle safe and if it never crosses a person, there's almost no way anyone can ever get hurt unless the projectile ricochets or the gun blows up.")

Can anyone give me anything like that, or any rules that might not be in the books?

[One thing I'm just learning is how to cut up a tree that's been pushed down with a dozer...those cocked-spring Conibear stresses scare the heck out of me, and it's always a puzzle how to attack it...any hints on how to approach that?]

Thanks in advance for any clues, hints or advice. This looks like a really good site.

Jeff

 

[zzrjohn]

Hi CA, welcome to the site, watch the video the language is probably Swedish but you should find it helpful. follow the links.

Left hand side>Film for Bredband>Motorsagsarbete i stormskog.


http://www.skogforsk.se/KunskapDirekt/default.aspx?p=11362&bmp=11727




hth

zzr

 

[beowulf343]

"Keep both hands on the saw."

 

[1CallLandscape]

"Keep both hands on the saw."

exactly, remember to have a clear mind, focus on the task at hand and most importantly wear the right clothing and saftey items ( pants, boots, chaps, eye and ear protection)

try to get a chainsaw safety class if ones offered in your area! I took the class with Tim Aard from husky saws bout' 4 years ago and i learned a great deal of safety tips and some awesome cutting techniques!

-mike

 

[newb]

My #1 Chainsaw safty rule is "Never come in contact with chain"

 

[Jumper]

If something you are about to do looks or feels unsafe, it likely is....step back and re examine what it is you are about to carry thru with.

 

[Jumper]

exactly, remember to have a clear mind, focus on the task at hand and most importantly wear the right clothing and saftey items ( pants, boots, chaps, eye and ear protection)

try to get a chainsaw safety class if ones offered in your area! I took the class with Tim Aard from husky saws bout' 4 years ago and i learned a great deal of safety tips and some awesome cutting techniques!

-mike

Mike, despite your signature block, you forgot helmet, especially if cutting under other trees or when climbers aloft.

 

[1CallLandscape]

oops.....stupid me.....yes helmets when cutting aloft....a very good idea, otherwise life will hurt!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Chainsaw Link Page

Animation Project

 

[Kate Butler]

safety info

Chainsaw Link Page

Animation Project

Kenny, you are THE MAN! Great info and accessible as all get out - thanks.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I presume you understand what kickback is and avoid it at all costs.

 

[Canyon Angler]

"My #1 Chainsaw safty rule is "Never come in contact with chain"

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin about!

Great links and advice, thanks everyone.

Yes, kickback scares me a lot. Friend of mine in high school had a kicking saw touch his eyelid...you could see 1 or 2 tooth marks, didn't touch the eyeball. I also have a scary propensity to run the saw at less than WOT when finishing a cut or cutting little stuff, and that especially scares me with respect to kickback.

I gotta go check out these videos now.

CA

P.S. MUST the left elbow ALWAYS be locked when sawing? And what about standing behind the bar? What do you experts say?

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Yes try to keep the angle of the bar so that if it does kick up it won't hit you, it will go past your right hand side.

And don't waive the thing around after a cut: I nipped my right thigh after doing a stump, I was tired and stood up and relaxed the thing onto my leg.

 

[clearance]

P.S. MUST the left elbow ALWAYS be locked when sawing? And what about standing behind the bar? What do you experts say?

First of all not everyone is an expert. The left elbow does not have to locked all the time, never ever stand behind the bar, ever. If there is a an obstacle, use the saw righthanded. This comes up here often, some of the replies make me cringe. If you are using the saw properly you can run a screaming big saw with a short bar and the rakers filed right down, the safety chain is BS, a scam, just never look down on it, the upper end of the bar is not to be used, on purpose or by mistake. About trees that have been pushed over, watch out, they can be loaded right up. Basically undercut, backcut, try and figure out what is going to happen when its cut through. Use wedges so you dont get pinched. Even if you have to finish with one hand on the saw. And remember the rootwad can flip back over to its natural position.

 

[Diesel JD]

And remember the rootwad can flip back over to its natural position.

Definitely keep this one in mind with bulldozed and storm trees, or anything else uprooted. I have cut a lot of these doing cleanup and firewood cutting. Your best bet is to take as many limbs off of the tree as you can and realize what forces will be acting upon that log once you begin to saw on it. First there is the downward pressure of the tree's weight and then the treed propensity to roll one way or the other once you begin to saw it away from the rootball. With cahinsaws...I am no expert, but I agree that you should wear appropriate clothing and be aware of where your barnose is at all times and as clearance says, never be in the plane of the bar, standing behind it. And watch out for those springy little limbs you mentioned, they will make the saw react unpredictably and violently sometimes.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Don't forget that fatigue is the most common denominator in any accident-kickback, hitting your leg, letting a root ball fall on you. They can happen at any time, but being tired and not concentrating will increase the odds tenfold.

If you're tired, stop. A stack of firewood, or a 20 clear needing done is temporary, cutting your leg in half because you got tired and lazy is forever.

I've never seen an owner's manual say, "Don't cut tired." But maybe one does somewhere.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

 

[belgian]

Don't forget that fatigue is the most common denominator in any accident-kickback, hitting your leg, letting a root ball fall on you. They can happen at any time, but being tired and not concentrating will increase the odds tenfold.

If you're tired, stop. A stack of firewood, or a 20 clear needing done is temporary, cutting your leg in half because you got tired and lazy is forever.

I've never seen an owner's manual say, "Don't cut tired." But maybe one does somewhere.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

Excellent comment, Jeff.
The only nearly accident I encountered with my saw was excactly caused by fatigue.

 

[Canyon Angler]

the upper end of the bar is not to be used, on purpose or by mistake.

Thanks for the reply, clearance ... Do you mean that the top of the bar shouldn't be used to cut? I'm not sure what you mean, I always thought the top of the bar was OK to use for undercutting...

 

[Canyon Angler]

I've never seen an owner's manual say, "Don't cut tired." But maybe one does somewhere.

Thanks for your reply FHCW...I think my Stihl manual (or maybe my old Craftsman saw manual) said that and I agree wholeheartedly.

One thing that was annoying with my old Craftsman saw, but which was probably a good unintended "safety" feature, was the size of the gas and oil tanks. It always seemed that, right about the time when you were getting winded/fatigued, the saw would run out of gas, forcing you to stop. It used to bug me how often I had to stop and refuel, but it also prevented me from getting too winded.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Thanks for the reply, clearance ... Do you mean that the top of the bar shouldn't be used to cut? I'm not sure what you mean, I always thought the top of the bar was OK to use for undercutting...

Not stepping on clearance's toes, I read it as the uppper 1/4 of the tip. That's your kickback range. I'll backchain (top of bar) when the situation dictates, but not use the tip, even to bore.

Jeff