Safety Equipment

[Magnumitis]

not running a saw anymore without it. stepped into the b/c. 8 stitches in my left knee. i feel very fortunate and am humbled. the look on my son's face scared me more than my injury. LESSON LEARNED:msp_ohmy:

 

[Slamm]

Sometimes is takes an injury, before you see the beauty of safety equipment. Glad that was all the damage that was caused.

Sam

 

[Guido Salvage]

Mine was a 4" gash on my right leg that took 2 layers of stitches to close.

 

[Magnumitis]

Mine was a 4" gash on my right leg that took 2 layers of stitches to close.

yum. wear chaps now?

 

[Anthony_Va.]

not running a saw anymore without it. stepped into the b/c. 8 stitches in my left knee. i feel very fortunate and am humbled. the look on my son's face scared me more than my injury. LESSON LEARNED:msp_ohmy:

Yep, and learned pretty easily I'd say. The hard lesson would have been your leg cut half into. I was lucky, and my workplace made all fallers wear PPE. Now that I'm out of the Pro level logging, and seen my share of injuries, I've carried on the tradition of PPE, so to speak. Always will. I wish I could talk the others at work into it too. They may get that hard lesson one day, but I pray they don't.

If nothing else: leg, head, and eye protection is a must IMO. It's too easy to slip up guys.

 

[fearofpavement]

HUH? WHAT'S THAT? OH, ear protection is a good idea too?

I have a "go get some chaps" scar on my left leg. Now I have 'em and wear them too.

I also recommend wearing a hard hat even when cutting stuff on the ground. In the case of a violent kick back, a bar whack to the head with a hard hat is better than without. And they are cheap. I see them at thrift shops for two or three dollars pretty regular. Even new, not expensive.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Glad it wasn't worse. Maybe some of the experienced cutters on AS can suggest technique/footwork to lessen the chances of left knee laceration from stepping left to right into a coasting chain while bucking/limbing. Dealer said that was the most common injury. I've practiced my footwork on this but other techniques would be more time-tested.

 

[bryanr2]

was this with the new Stihl 461?


I took a saw across the top of my boot 2 maybe 3 years ago. Was holding the log with my foot, it was wet outside and the wood was slick. Had made the cut almost all the way thru, rolled the log and put the top of the bar back into the log. About the time the saw cleared the cut, I slipped/ log rolled, and I brought the nose of the bar across my boot. My boot felt immediately wet. I hobbled to where I could sit down and get the boot off, expecting to be short one big toe. Luckily, the saw was not wot and when the log rolled so did my boots and the sole took alot of the rpms out of the scenario. Still hurt like hell. Had multiple stitches in my toe. The infection that followed a month later (bc I had to put a shoe back on and earn a living for my family) really cost me financially. And had I not gone back to the hospital- could have cost me my foot (it was black up to above my ankle and on fire). Lesson learned though- scotch the damn log with something other than your foot or any part of your body that you would like to keep.:hmm3grin2orange: A funny sidenote: I can tell when the weather is about to change cause my toe starts to ache all these years later.

 

[Magnumitis]

Glad it wasn't worse. Maybe some of the experienced cutters on AS can suggest technique/footwork to lessen the chances of left knee laceration from stepping left to right into a coasting chain while bucking/limbing. Dealer said that was the most common injury. I've practiced my footwork on this but other techniques would be more time-tested.

thanks, that would be great. my idea is to just slow the hell down. :msp_thumbup:freshly sharpened RS went right through three layers of carhartt denim.

 

[hamish]

If your feet are moving your chain shouldn't be.

 

[Magnumitis]

was this with the new Stihl 461?

yes it was. very disappointed in myself.

 

[Magnumitis]

go patriots!

 

[PJF1313]

Chaps minimum -

Head, eye, ear, hand better yet.

During the "Sandy" clean-up, we had an experienced crew from Mid-NY come down and help us out.
All 8 of them where G.O.L level 5 certified.

One had a kick-back on a tangled tree, and had his 365 come across his hip - no harm, just a scared individual with a messed-up pair of chaps, and a clogged clutch.

The second had an encounter with a chipper. Fortunately, it was "only" a "flesh wound" got his hand cough in the reversing bar of the chipper, and took a chunk out between his thumb and index finger, while wearing leather gloves.

The third, had a limb from a widow maker fall on him. On his head. Without his "brain-bucket", he wouldn't be here now. 3 MRI's, and a month later, he is finally able to go home to his family.

Now, this may be extreme to you, any, or all, would not be here to see their familys again without their safety gear.
I personally hate gloves, but now will ware them anytime I start a saw.

You just don't know....

 

[BDM53ENT]

Are the Chaps you see at Home Depot or Lowes dependable, for an occasional cutter, or should you step into something better?

 

[Overtrained]

Most accidents happen when your in a RUSH!!!! Think back on a time when you hurt yourself, even something minor. More then Likely you were cutting corners trying to make up time or not planning out all the right steps of a job before getting started and you got hurt.

 

[Overtrained]

go patriots!

Not this week:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[mr.finn]

I used to run a saw all the time without any sort of ppe on my legs, bought a pair of the pro forestry pants. Only thing with those is they are on all the time. Replaced those with chaps, those stay on most of the time also. It is like a seatbelt in a vehichle, if they are not on something doesn't feel right. Oh and helmet with eye and ear protection goes without saying.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

The dead heat of summer is when I have the most trouble. Boy them chaps will burn you up. You just have to think about the consequences of not wearing them and make yourself do it. You will get used to them. It's taxing on the legs wearing them 6-7 hours a day though, but it has to be done. You have to think about your family too. What happens if you are put out of commission for a long time? Wear the chaps!
The helmet is alot easier to get used too. I actually find mine pretty comfy, and it blocks the sun off your eyes good. I wear a skullbucket full brim hat. I like it alot better than the newer designs out there, but it's just what I'm used too. It's lightweight and does the intended job really well. A pair of Stihl saftey glasses and some earplugs and you're good to go. I only wear steel toes, but metatarsals would be even better. I just can't stand meta boots though, but they are safer.

 

[Typhke]

Most accidents happen when your in a RUSH!!!! Think back on a time when you hurt yourself, even something minor. More then Likely you were cutting corners trying to make up time or not planning out all the right steps of a job before getting started and you got hurt.

True, was fixing some minor issues on saturday with an angle grinder. Didn't have eye protection on and got a piece of metal on my eye lid. Kept scarring my eye every time I blinked. Couldn't get it out and after a few hours, gave in and went to a eye doctor to have it removed.

Second time for me first time, 5 years ago, I was wearing eye protection but a little piece still got in my eye and screwed my first day on my summer job.

You're a lucky man mate! I always wear chaps and special shoes cuz my father almost lost a toe. He cut himself just behind the steel nose and hit the bone in his toe. Bad luck because of the steel nose but good luck of the 'little' damage it did.

 

[056kid]

If your feet are moving your chain shouldn't be.

Well how's a guy supposed to get anything done?