P.p.e. Or not for fire wood

[Blazin]

Chaps, steel toe boots, headphones, and glasses for the most part. :chainsawguy:

 

[dellwas]

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...

 

[Rickochet]

Always!!!!! Hardhat with full face screen & ear muffs, safety glasses, chaps, safety toe boots and gloves.

I was impressed to see that at least 62% of those who took the poll are using good judgment by wearing PPE at all times!!! Great job!!!

 

[100 Watt]

I always wear boots, ear plugs, eye protection, and chaps when running a saw.
After seeing a few pics from this site I went out and picked up the chaps. I think my legs are worth the $59 at TSC. I know they're not the best chaps but they are certainly better than nothing. I actually think wearing them keeps me physically safer but also mentally. I definately think more about safety when wearing them. Maybe just getting wiser to the fact that 1 slip and everything can change.

Stay safe.

 

[Laird]

I didn't wear any when I was younger and I was lucky. When I became older & wiser PPE has saved my ass several times. Nowadays I don't fire up a saw without all of it on.

 

[WVhunter]

Leather steel toe boots, gloves, chaps, ear protection, and safety glasses. I don't wear a hard hat, probably should though.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Most important

Your brain is the best piece of PPE you can get. Unfortunately sometimes it seems to go AWOL.

Felling
Helmet with earmuffs, full wrap chaps, prescription safety glasses. I don't care for full face shields as they can create tremendous glare at the wrong time.

Bucking
Same set up. Change out the helmet for a cap and ear muffs.

Take Care

 

[gtsawyer]

Combination helmet/screen/earmuffs (I love the screen, but get a bit of small stuff in my eyes occasionally)
Chaps
gloves
(typically wear other clothing too, in case you're wondering)

I do need some new boots - the last pair gave up the ghost (25 years old and the tongues ripped out). Not sure if want to go with a "normal" boots with the add-on toe/metatarsal thingie, or simply a pair of steel toe boots. Anybody out there have experience with the add-on boot protectors? I'd love to have a nice comfy pair of Merrells with added protection.

 

[purdyite]

I've heard the statement that we wear chaps for an injury that MIGHT happen, but we should wear hearing protection for the injury that WILL ALWAYS happen if you run a saw (115 dB, 85 is the limit). I wear foam NRR 33 ear plugs AND a hardhat with muffs and use both. I like my hearing. AND chaps. And steel-toes, and face protection. Chaps are nice where I cut firewood, which is almost always in the briar patch. sometimes I even wear my leather welding sleeves to protect against the briars. They're vicious.

 

[CWME]

Helmet with hearing protection, safety glasses, chaps, steel toe boots, and gloves any time the saw is running. I generally drop the chaps when running the splitter.

When I start to get tired I quit before I make a mistake that could hurt me. If my mind is elsewhere that day I stack wood or find something else to do.

I have a thread from a few weeks ago about my Helmet saving me serious injury. Even with the helmet I suffered a concusion and serious muscle strain in my neck. Could have been a lot worse.

 

[davec]

Helmet with muffs and faceshield all the time. I've gotten whacked in the helmet enough times to know better. Even a 0.5-1" limb or sapling that lets go and smacks you will ruin your day without the helmet/faceshield, but it just bounces off with it on. Plus I find I am pretty sensitive to loud noises over time, so I wear ear muffs a lot around equipment, mostly for hearing comfort. The helmet covers all the bases in one.

Always wear my steel toe boots too, but don't always wear the chaps, though I should more. Mostly the times I'm not using them, I just forgot about them in the closet.

 

[mdavlee]

I think the poll needs more options for separate ppe. I wear ear plugs and glasses 95% of the time. Chaps maybe 10%, hardhat only if intertangled trees and falling with dead limbs.

 

[sunfish]

I wear ear muffs only. Been cuttin over 30 with no PPE, just got to pay attention
and be careful. Oh and use your brain! LOL

 

[Windwalker7]

I was bucking some logs a couple years ago wearing no PPE. I was in the pile of logs cutting away using the MS310 with 20" bar.

I was waded into the pile of wood and in a situation where it was hard to move my feet, so I just switched to cutting left handed to get a few more cuts on the log.
I lifted my right leg to roll a round out of the way and bumped it against the chain.

Lucky for me, it just put a big cut in my jeans and didn't even scratch the skin. I immediately shut the saw off and called it a day. That was my wake up call. I bought chaps and a helmet with all the trimmings the next day.

I could have had a serious injury for just being too cheap to get PPE.

 

[mdavlee]

I wear ear muffs only. Been cuttin over 30 with no PPE, just got to pay attention
and be careful. Oh and use your brain! LOL

I think that's the most important thing. I do like ear plugs and glasses. I don't like cutting without them. I don't like my ears ringing for hours after cutting.

 

[Gologit]

I wear the same PPE cutting firewood that I do when I'm logging. I might leave the hardhat off if I'm bucking in a clear area but other than that it's chaps, caulks, ear plugs, and glasses. All the time.

 

[tjbier]

Before I found AS, maybe ear plugs cuz I am used to them from work.
After AS, I now have helmet w/ ears and screen on it, which is so nice.
I have some winter cs pants on the way instead of chaps, I do 100 percent of my cutting in winter.
Use gloves almost all the time, eye protection under the face shield.
It scared the crap out of me when my little brother had the chain just touch his jeans and ripped them and left a scratch on his leg, didn't break skin but showed me how fast and easy it can happen.

 

[Wazzu]

I use earplugs and glasses or bugeyz.

 

[Stihl310]

I wear pretty much all that I can afford after a rash of injuries last year (not saw related)... After going through some pain, and ER visit's, I'd like to minimize any more time spent there.. Generally I wear a helmet w/screen and ear protection, along with steel toe boots, and saw chaps.

I had an instance last winter where I hopped off the tractor to buzz some locust saplings off real quick. I wasn't gonig to put the chaps on since I was only going to be cutting for a minute or two until I moved onto the tree I was going to work on... However I decided to just take the time and put them on... I hadn' been cutting 30 seconds when one of the locust saplings got thrown back while I was moving to cut another one... it forced the chain right into my thigh, and right into the chaps... Fortunetly it stopped the chain in no time flat and kept me from getting cut.. It ripped about an inch a half gap in the chaps... but never got into my pants...

Lucked out for sure, and I don't cut anymore without them... It only takes a second to get seriously injured..

 

[Rickochet]

I didn't wear any when I was younger and I was lucky. When I became older & wiser PPE has saved my ass several times. Nowadays I don't fire up a saw without all of it on.

Tis amazing how much smarter we get as we age!