Foot protection

[asb151]

Saw this while searching the web. I wonder how the field trials turned out.

"Chainsaw injuries to loggers' feet continue to be the single most common injury in logging. Almost all of these injuries concern the left foot. LIRO, the New Zealand logging industry research organization, in conjunction with an armourer, has developed articulated stainless steel foot armour for the left foot of chainsaw operators to the stage where it can be tested in a large-scale field trial. It is intended to commercialize the device to give all forest workers ready access. A batch of about 80 Sabatons TM had been fitted in late October 1998. A footwear maker has taken an option to manufacture the device once the field trials have been completed."

 

[rivahrat]

i have some of them. i used them when working construction and running a jack hammer. was nice to have

 

[smokechase II]

chainsaw injuries

"The two most common places for injuries are the front left thigh and the back of the left hand"
This is from a University of Florida extension web site:
http://www.flagsafe.ufl.edu/powerpoint/chainsaw safety 3.ppt#283,3,Chain Saw Statistics

At a Stihl NW last week, a presentation by JD stated that 35,000+ chain saw injuries in 1996 had gone up to over 42,000 in 2005.

Left hand was 14,460 of those injuries.

I certainly don't disagree with the need to protect the feet, particularly the left one. Just would like your source.

Thanks

 

[musher]

Left Hand Injuries

What is the nature of these left hand injuries? Is it just due to saw operators not keeping their hand on the handlebar behind the brake? Are they doing things that I just wouldn't do?

I ask this because it seems like most on this board talk about chaps, head gear and even boots, but there isn't a whole lot of attention paid to the hands as far as PPE goes.

 

[stihlatit]

Back of the left hand injuries are probably due to one hand sawing.

Arnie

 

[smokechase II]

left hand stuff

I'm guessing that left hand injuries are mostly due to incorrect placement of the left thumb. Of course, the kickback itself could be listed as the primary cause.
Picture a sawyer putting the tip of the bar where it shouldn't be ... and ...they are not gripping the saw with both hands and both thumbs.
The saw kicks back with a surprising amount of power. The left hand can't stay with the handle bar and goes over the chain brake handle to the bar that is being rev'd at 12,500.
I've never seen nor heard, (within agency), of one of these or any hand injuries other than sharpening in the field without gloves. But the stat pictures and tables you see show lots of dots/numbers associated with the left hand.
I am aware of three instances in the last 4 years where DOC inmates have cut through boots. Two very minor, one with some nerve damage.
This is fairly embarrassing to admit now, but when the chain brakes were coming out most of us were against them. We came up with supposed reasons like they got in the way. Saws without chain brakes should not be run, period. A simple chain brake check needs to be done at the start of each shift.
All of the saw classes and instructors I've seen now-a-days are obsessive compulsive thumb placement types. As near as I can tell, that instruction is working very well locally.

 

[Lakeside53]

My understanding of the "left hand" injuries is that they are primarily from top handled saws.. holding the branch with the left hand while cutting with the right... and the saw skips down the branch. Can't remember exactly where I read this but I'm pretty sure it was from a UK Govt dept doc.

 

[THALL10326]

Saw this while searching the web. I wonder how the field trials turned out.

"Chainsaw injuries to loggers' feet continue to be the single most common injury in logging. Almost all of these injuries concern the left foot. LIRO, the New Zealand logging industry research organization, in conjunction with an armourer, has developed articulated stainless steel foot armour for the left foot of chainsaw operators to the stage where it can be tested in a large-scale field trial. It is intended to commercialize the device to give all forest workers ready access. A batch of about 80 Sabatons TM had been fitted in late October 1998. A footwear maker has taken an option to manufacture the device once the field trials have been completed."

I'm learning something new. Most the woodcutters I've seen that have gotton bitten by their trusty saw is 99% of the time right above the left knee. I feel their pain because I too put 65 stitches in the exact same spot. While I was working at work with a huge bandage wrapped around my knee one of my arborist buddies came by and started laffing at me. When he finally had me mad enough to wanna saw his entire leg off he busted out laffing. He raised his pants leg on his left leg and showed me a scare of the exact same cut. Any idea how this above the left knee cut happens so often?? I know but I'm not gonna admit it.........

 

[Lakeside53]

I'm learning something new. Most the woodcutters I've seen that have gotton bitten by their trusty saw is 99% of the time right above the left knee. I feel their pain because I too put 65 stitches in the exact same spot. While I was working at work with a huge bandage wrapped around my knee one of my arborist buddies came by and started laffing at me. When he finally had me mad enough to wanna saw his entire leg off he busted out laffing. He raised his pants leg on his left leg and showed me a scare of the exact same cut. Any idea how this above the left knee cut happens so often?? I know but I'm not gonna admit it.........

Ha... not as bad as you, but my wife while sorting out the laundry asks "how'd you tear your jeans above the knee like that". Hmmm... "just touched them with the saw..." that was 10 years ago.. and I went out bought chaps which I've worn ever since.

Why the left? 'cos the left leg is out further to balance the saw being held in the right hand(s), and, ( I won't admit to it here), the left foot is lifting that wood off the ground so you can cut it and not the dirt! Did I get it right?


Aren't there any left handed wood cutters?

 

[THALL10326]

Ha... not as bad as you, but my wife while sorting out the laundry asks "how'd you tear your jeans above the knee like that". Hmmm... "just touched them with the saw..." that was 10 years ago.. and I went out bought chaps which I've worn ever since.

Why the left? 'cos the left leg is out further to balance the saw being held in the right hand(s), and, ( I won't admit to it here), the left foot is lifting that wood off the ground so you can cut it and not the dirt! Did I get it right?


Aren't there any left handed wood cutters?

haha, Lake you one smart cat. You are 100% right. Another thing about that left knee catching pure hell is it usually happens right at the end of a long day. Ya got the saw out in front of ya, ya tired, ya just gots to rev it abit and all at the same time your tired and your not holding the saw up and by Joe when you raise that left leg up to merely walk you tend to raise it right up in the chain of that saw ya been carring too low cause ya tired. Thats we we old geezers don't admit how it happened but your 100% right too Lake, alot of people use that left leg to move the wood over to protect their darling chain from cutting into the ground. Did ya wife give ya a dickens about that hole in ya pants????

 

[asb151]

Why the left? 'cos the left leg is out further to balance the saw being held in the right hand(s), and, ( I won't admit to it here), the left foot is lifting that wood off the ground so you can cut it and not the dirt! Did I get it right?

You forgot to mention those small pieces that keep moving with the force of the cut. The left foot comes in hand to hold them still.

 

[THALL10326]

You forgot to mention those small pieces that keep moving with the force of the cut. The left foot comes in hand to hold them still.

You be very correct on that. That ole left foot comes in mighty handy moving stuff around, over and out the way while ya got ya hands full with the saw. Now I'm gonna pull another one on ya. Why is a chain saw cut so servere? I'll gives ya a clue, it doesn't bite ya just once. Any ideas??

 

[Lakeside53]

You be very correct on that. That ole left foot comes in mighty handy moving stuff around, over and out the way while ya got ya hands full with the saw. Now I'm gonna pull another one on ya. Why is a chain saw cut so servere? I'll gives ya a clue, it doesn't bite ya just once. Any ideas??

Maybe 'cos the leg jumps when cut? Just guessing now...

 

[THALL10326]

Maybe 'cos the leg jumps when cut? Just guessing now...

Your close Lake. When the doc sewed me up she, yes it was a she, said your gonna have 3 scars. I said what. She said chainsaw cuts most times involve 3 cuts. The chain cuts from both sides, right side cutter, left side cutter and the raker. She also told me the saw bounces on flesh believe it or not. I bought her deal on the cutters and the rakers but bouncing I find hard to believe. However on my knee there is one large scar and two small ones, one on each side so I guess she knew what she was yaking about. So in all them suckers cuts ya threes at a time in one swipe........

 

[SawTroll]

My understanding of the "left hand" injuries is that they are primarily from top handled saws.. holding the branch with the left hand while cutting with the right... and the saw skips down the branch. Can't remember exactly where I read this but I'm pretty sure it was from a UK Govt dept doc.

I am pretty sure that I have read the same statement, but I don't remember where either......

 

[wagonwheeler]

Gloves

My understanding of the "left hand" injuries is that they are primarily from top handled saws.. holding the branch with the left hand while cutting with the right... and the saw skips down the branch.

This clarifies a mystery for me. I wondered why the Stihl gloves had the engex (sp?) on the back of the left hand. I thought that it was somehow for kickback and that it would take an awful lot of that engex to run all the way across the top of the bar, around the end, and along the underside back to jamb the sprocket! There would have been a lot of cutting going on in the meantime!

Now it makes sense...