Saw injury- Lincoln, NE-09/19/03

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NebClimber

ArboristSite Operative
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Jul 28, 2003
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Location
Columbus, NE
Saw injury

Gentlemen:

On September 19 I was using a small overhand pruning saw to cut 3" diameter branches out of a small tree. I started to make a cut one-handed. My left hand was at least 24" from the saw, and i was using it to just kind of steady myself. It was not on the branch I was cutting. What happened next i am not entirely sure. I think the saw bounced off a small, springy branch just before i made my cut. Or it may have kicked out of the branch I was cutting. But I think the first scenario was more likely. The saw bounced/kicked and cut 7 tendons on the underside of my left wrist, a small arterey, and the ulnar nerve (this is the one you feel when you hit your funny bone). Will be 3 months until I can try to grip and lift something. Will never regain felling in 1/2 of my hand. Spent 5 days in hospital. $25K plus in medicals.

I'll make these points: never work w/o health insurance; never hire an employee w/o work comp insurance (you will be legally responsible for benefits if you do not insure this risk); never work w/o professional liability and commercial automobile liability insurance. For those w/o a second profession to fall back on, consider disability insurace or electing to include yourself on your work comp policy. I was insured, and I have returned to my past profession. I will be back.

Next point: If anyone is willing to have me as volunteer for a week or so in the early spring, I'd jump on the offer.

Finally, apart from "I told you so's" and jeers, I invite you guys to break down what went wrong, or comment on ways to avoid the most common injuries, or suggest the proper protective gear, or add any other constructive thoughts.

Thanks,

Steven
 
Brake

Did the saw have an inertia chain brake? Sounds like the chain was still moving when it hit you, need to up grade to inertia chain brake. Why didn't you cut the small stuff out of way of your saw first? Were you cutting down or up? It makes a difference on which way the tip throws the saw out. Your grip on the saw, I can't imagine not being able to stop a top handle saw with a tight grip or deciding to let go and let the saw fly clear. Were you cutting waist high or over your head, where was the saw to your body? Was your arm 24" to the left of the saw or 24" behind the saw in line with the saw if it kicked back? What kind of exercises did you do to stregthen you fore arm and wrist prior to this accident? How often did you workout? If you were tied in why didn't you have two hands on the saw? Was the saw at full throttle before you started the cut? I have more questions than answers because I have run top handled saws over 35 years and had them kick back but not had them bite me. If the kick was violent enough to throw the saw at you why did the inertia chain brake not stop the chain? Can you hit the chain brake with your thumb and set it with your finger on the throttle?
 
To answer a few questions: If an inertia brake refers to a brake that is activated by pushing a lever/guard forward, then yes, it had an inertia chain brake. Or is there a different type of brake?


I thought all of the small stuff was out of the way b/f I cut into the larger branch.

I was cutting down.

The saw was probably below breast high.

My arm was up and to the left of the saw.

To Geofore: you make a good point about not controlling the kickback. That's another reason i'm inclined to think the saw bounced off of something i didn't see b/f it ever got to the branch i was cutting. I don't perfectly recall everything. Like you, i think the saw was at least partially throttled b/f it came into contact with whatever redirected it.
 
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Ok as I read this Steve is not familiar with the safety features of the particular saw (?) Thus I gather the equipment was not tested or inspected for proper function-operation before use. Whether the inertia brake would have engaged during such kickback or sudden movement should be addressed. IMO the brake should have engaged as I know my MS200 would have-as I test it regularly (and know it’s sensitivity)- that means both brake systems. It sounds like this was a strong enough jolt that the auto brake should have engaged quickly but the bar traveled approximately 24” to inflict personal injury. Exactly what saw were you using Steven?
 
SilverBlue: I was using an Echo cs 3400. This saw has a a "front hand guard chain brake actuating lever." Is this what some here have referred to as an "inertia" brake, or is there a difference?
 
The hand guard also acts as a manual brake lever, it’s not the inertia brake. The inertia brake system works automatically without touching the hand lever engaging the brake when sufficient force trips it. So what happens when you experience kick back the inertia brake should stop the chain from moving within a certain amount of time measured in milliseconds.
 
Er...........Silverblue, It isn't the same FUNCTION but it typically is the same brake, The INERTIA comes from the mass of the handguard. When the saw suddenly moves backward the "object at rest" tends to stay at rest. The saw moves and the handguardresists coming along enough to trip the brake.

Nebclimber,I really hurt for you. As Brian and Guy have said -figuring out what happened is tough because we weren't there and have never lost control of the saw like that-it is hard to visualize. Get well!

Brain, Did you really mean that you NEVER 2 hand your climbing saw or just that you haven't worried about one handing when needed in years?
 
Now I'm completely confused about the brake. My understanding is that the "inertia" brake is engaged when the the saw kicks back and forces the guard/lever against your hand. So how would this brake possibly activate if my left hand was not on the saw?

Or are you saying you adjust this same brake to be very sensitive and therefore engage simply by a sudden jolting action?
 
Steve what Stumper means is the mass( the weight of the chain brake itself) is heavier than a non-inertia activated CB. That mass causes it to react according the ' an object at rest tends to stay at rest' theory. Understand?


But what do I know about chain brakes?
 
Man, I hope you get well soon and get back to climbing.

As to your injury, I also use a cs-3400. Check the chain-brake lever; there should be a piece of metal there held in by 2 screws. It gives some weight to the handguard/chainbrake lever, and is vital to the inertia part of the operation. I've seen alot of these pieces removed to "make the saw lighter".

Did you purchase the saw new or used?
 
Sad day

Neb,

I'm almost in tears as I type this as the same exact thing happened to me May of 87. Only you my young freind bought a much more severe injury than I did. I consider myself very fortunate as I only cut one tendon and nicked four others. Thanks to the skill of a very talented plastic surgeon I have 100% full use of my left hand and an added bonus of full range of motion with my wrist.

I hope to God that you at least get that back, your left hand will never feel like it's right hand mate. To this day I get little reminders of what happened that day in May, you will to I'm sorry to say.

This is what you can expect in the coming months. Your left hand will be considerably weaker, Don't ,I repeat Don't push or do any thing more than that hand is capable of. You could break the reattacchment of the tendons, they will get stronger in time, just don't push it. It takes months or in your case a good year to break up the scar tissue that for now is probaly holding you back as far getting full range of motion in your wrist, if it starts to twing and cause pain,stop and rest it, by elavating it, your hand and wrist are telling you something, it's hurt badly and needs time to heal.

It was a good full year for before I could pull start a saw with my left hand and not feel any twinging and pulling in my wrist. Even today little things like using a scewdriver or a rachet with my left hand sends me reminders that I violated this area of my body with a chainsaw. Over exerting with my left arm same thingcold wheather same thing. But don't get dishearted with your plight, you will actually find ways to get around the pain and life becomes easier.

Even though we share the injury, it happened to me in a different way. I was working out of a the short bucket we had then, out out of boom and leaning, tried to hold a limb with left hand, sawing with right ( cross arm cutting ) limb to heavy, caught tip of running saw in wrist. The rest is history.

This is one of the benefits of these net sites, Arbormaster training, is that information on how to perform tree cutting safely is being shared and is getting more commonplace. When I was injuried none of this information was around, as I heard Rip Tomkins say "tree services worked and learned in semi isolation", I can relate to this,as I'm sure others can too. If I knew then what I know now the out come would have been different. I would have removed that limb over that TV ant. with knowledge, instead of brute force.
 
Neb,

I couldn't adequately finish that last post.

Things were really touch and go for us after my accident, as I'm sure this is how it is for you at the present time. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to fully function and do tree work again.

The financial strain of not being able to work was a nightmare, but we got through it, in time it all worked out as I'm sure it will for you.

Things may not seem all that grand right now, but it does get better, just have to give it time.

I'd like to wish you and your family all the best, and most importantly a speedy recovery.
 
saw safety

SilverBlue, I like the site on saw safety. My thought was the saw did not have an inertia brake built in or it did not activate. I thought Neb did not know what an inertia brake is or what it does from his post. My husky has an inertia brake and I'll take the added weight for the added safety it offers.
 
Husqvarnas also come with the TAC system (Triple Action Chainbrake, the others being the lefthand brake and the inertia brake)
as an extra safety option for no or very little extra cost.
It is a brake handle that is activated by the right hand.
Available for rear handle saws.
 
As posted before, I don't like using chainsaws in trees unless it will save a lot of time and/or work. I don't mind doin' lots of strokin'. 3" branches are for handsaw or even loppers, especially in tight spots. Now I'll like to use them even less.:mad:
Disability policies are affordable; I got one after my last little (3 week) vacation in the hospital. Wkmns comp is required for bigger companies but it's a bad deal for us pop 'n son operations. the other insurance mentioned; yeah it's a must.;)
 

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