Had a close call this Sunday helping my junior out dropping some Bluegums...
The rope we had used to pull the tree over with the excavator became pinned under a bough, and I went to cut it free. However, I did not want to work under the heavy, overhanging boughs, so I decided to trim them off first.... the boughs were about a foot above my head. I immediately thought about the common rule: "Don't cut above shoulder height". But why? Well, I was about to find out....
As I cut through the bough (it had about an 8-10 inch diameter, it dropped sharply, and drove the saw down with it.... straight onto my thigh..... thankfully, the fibres from the protective pants stopped the chain in short order. I did not even realize what had happened until it was too late. Thank the Lord the chain did not make it past the fibres, so I walked away with only a bruised ego and destroyed sawyer trousers.... not even a scratch!
Lessons learnt:
1. Don't be in a hurry! I wanted to get the rope out to get started on the next tree, and acted hastily.
2. Don't cut above shoulder height... why? Now I know! People are too weak (at least I am) to stop a saw being driven downward by gravity and a falling (pushing) bow....
3. Even if I had known what was coming, I would NOT have had time to activate the chain brake.
4. I have said it before, but ALWAYS, ALWAYS, wear your safety gear!
Hope this helps prevent something similar from happening to someone else. Picking up new trousers this Thursday!
A very grateful Mike signing out....
The rope we had used to pull the tree over with the excavator became pinned under a bough, and I went to cut it free. However, I did not want to work under the heavy, overhanging boughs, so I decided to trim them off first.... the boughs were about a foot above my head. I immediately thought about the common rule: "Don't cut above shoulder height". But why? Well, I was about to find out....
As I cut through the bough (it had about an 8-10 inch diameter, it dropped sharply, and drove the saw down with it.... straight onto my thigh..... thankfully, the fibres from the protective pants stopped the chain in short order. I did not even realize what had happened until it was too late. Thank the Lord the chain did not make it past the fibres, so I walked away with only a bruised ego and destroyed sawyer trousers.... not even a scratch!
Lessons learnt:
1. Don't be in a hurry! I wanted to get the rope out to get started on the next tree, and acted hastily.
2. Don't cut above shoulder height... why? Now I know! People are too weak (at least I am) to stop a saw being driven downward by gravity and a falling (pushing) bow....
3. Even if I had known what was coming, I would NOT have had time to activate the chain brake.
4. I have said it before, but ALWAYS, ALWAYS, wear your safety gear!
Hope this helps prevent something similar from happening to someone else. Picking up new trousers this Thursday!
A very grateful Mike signing out....
for no reason...
