Uh ... safety first?

[wavefreak]

So I took a look at the accident forum. Yikes. It's way too easy to forget people die doing this stuff. I'm pretty sure my wife won't object to purchasing good safety equipment. I have ear protection (-20 DB earmuffs and disposable plugs worn together) and eye protection. And a hard hat. Apparently chaps are recommended. What say you?

I'm not so sure about my eye protection. They're polycarbonate wrap around 'sunglasses'. But after reading an article where a chain link on a commercial machine pierced a 3/4" polycarbonate shield, I'm thinking these cheap-ass things may not be so good. Is there any standards on eye protection?

It seems the biggest safety tip is to look at what your doing and figure out all the ways it could go wrong. Do it again. Then cut. Patience and work smart.

 

[excess650]

I use a Stihl helmet with integral wire mesh shield and earmuffs. Its good for keeping stuff out of your face and light hits as well as some nosie protection. Chaps with multiple layers of kevlar are definitely a good idea. Steel toes with metatarsals or boots with kevlar inside are also worth looking into.

Your saw should have a working chain brake and chain catcher. If the saw tries to kick back, the brake should stop the chain. The catcher helps in case of chain breakage, or just throwing a chain.

Common sense when using a chainsaw may be the most important item.

 

[redprospector]

So I took a look at the accident forum. Yikes. It's way too easy to forget people die doing this stuff. I'm pretty sure my wife won't object to purchasing good safety equipment. I have ear protection (-20 DB earmuffs and disposable plugs worn together) and eye protection. And a hard hat. Apparently chaps are recommended. What say you?

I'm not so sure about my eye protection. They're polycarbonate wrap around 'sunglasses'. But after reading an article where a chain link on a commercial machine pierced a 3/4" polycarbonate shield, I'm thinking these cheap-ass things may not be so good. Is there any standards on eye protection?

It seems the biggest safety tip is to look at what your doing and figure out all the ways it could go wrong. Do it again. Then cut. Patience and work smart.

I would recomend using any real safety equipment that you can get your hands on. But keep in mind that if you get too bulked up with padding, or inhibit your sight (like some of the so called eye protection does), it could be a safety problem.
In my opinion the hard hat should be first on the list.
Chaps, eye, and ear protection are a must too though.
Don't cheap out on the safety glasses, get the best that you can afford.
I wouldn't worry too much about being hit in the eye with a chain link from your own chainsaw. If you are hit in the eye with a chain link then odds are that it was from someone elses saw, or a feller buncher/processor or what ever. If it was from a meer chainsaw, good safety glasses should deflect it. If it is from a feller buncher, etc. we'll probably read about it in the injury & fatality forum.

Andy

 

[BobL]

So I took a look at the accident forum. Yikes. It's way too easy to forget people die doing this stuff. I'm pretty sure my wife won't object to purchasing good safety equipment. I have ear protection (-20 DB earmuffs and disposable plugs worn together) and eye protection. And a hard hat. Apparently chaps are recommended. What say you?

I'd be going for the -30dB Peltors

I'm not so sure about my eye protection. They're polycarbonate wrap around 'sunglasses'. But after reading an article where a chain link on a commercial machine pierced a 3/4" polycarbonate shield, I'm thinking these cheap-ass things may not be so good. Is there any standards on eye protection?.

I wear a full face poly carbonate shield when milling and reserve the hard hats for bucking and falling. I also have a hard hat/polyc face shield with integral battery powered respirator for really dusty wood.

 

[wavefreak]

I must say that as I've been digging into this, I've gained a new level of respect for loggers. I can run down to Home Depot and grab some framing lumber any time I get the urge. It never crossed my mind that the guys that harvest that wood risk a lot so I can play Mr. DYI. Logging must rank up there with those crazy Alaskan crab fishermen.

 

[mtngun]

I don't see the need for a hardhat while milling or while cutting firewood. Felling, yes, but I do very little felling.

I now wear chaps while milling, even though there is no obvious danger to the legs in my typical milling position. If nothing else, the chaps help keep my pants clean.

Sawdust in the eyes is a nuisance while milling. Not really a safety issue, just annoying. I've thought about getting "bug eye" mesh goggles, but heard the straps may interfere with ear muffs ?

I do wear ear muffs.

Recently I started wearing rubber chainsaw boots. Admittedly, they are not very comfortable, but I feel safer wearing them.

Your biggest danger while milling may be hurting your back trying to wrestle logs and slabs. A peavy/cant hook is handy for rolling logs around. Slabs can be a challenge. Sometimes I just pick up one end of the slab and let the other end drag on the ground..

My chainsaw accident happened while limbing a downed tree. Limbing involves cutting near the tip of the bar, which invites kickback. Plus, you are constantly turning this way and that. Plus, you are climbing over branches and/or balancing on top of the log. Limbing may be the most accident prone chainsaw activity.

 

[hazard]

Have a saw that you are comfortable with. I recently bought my stihl 260 for limbing so I wouldn't try limbing with my stihl 044. The 044 is way to heavy for me and I get fatigued fast with it.

Since joining this site back in July or so last year I have bought labonville chaps. I like them and don't cut without them now. I have never had an accident with the saws after 15yrs of using them but it only takes once. I look like a dork with them on but they are comfortable in cooler weather. Not sure about 80 degree day though.

Chris

 

[BobL]

I don't see the need for a hardhat while milling or while cutting firewood. Felling, yes, but I do very little felling.
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Limbing may be the most accident prone chainsaw activity.

I agree and this is why wearing a hard hat while limbing and cutting firewood is a good idea. Kickbacks can reach as far back as a users scalp. Hard hats save as many people from kickback as they do from falling limbs.

I agree with you that while milling, using a CS is a lower risk activity than messing with the logs and cants. I wear chaps whenever there is a CS involved so that I stay used to them. Normally I start and stop my mills on the log rails but occasionally I do not use rails. Combined with the fact that I use remote throttles and this means a throttle cable, the most dangerous time for me is picking up a 72lb running mill with a 60" blade and placing it on the log - if I was to trip and the cables get tangled, the power head could go WOT and I could fall onto the mill. This is always done with extreme care and chaps!

 

[redprospector]

I guess for some folks a hard hat isn't necessary when milling, or cutting firewood. But some people mill, or buck up the tree where it fell. If that's the case then there is always a chance of danger from above. That's why you'll never see a saw boss, woods boss, or scaler walking around in a logging area without a hard hat. If you've ever been hit in the head by a cone from a fir tree falling 75 to 100 ft. you'll know what I mean, much less a 2" stick that's 18" long.
If you have the equipment to move your logs out in the open, then you might not need a hard hat.

I did have a saw boss one time that told me I was so hard headed that I shouldn't need a hard hat.

Andy

 

[LAndrews]

All good inputs!

One tiny contribution: I like to wear a 3M/6300 respirator when I'm running the saw because the exhaust fumes are pretty well concentrated right there and strong castor fumes really burn the lungs. Plus it keeps the inhaled dust level way way down.

Does get annoying when I'm doing anything strenuous - it's hard to get enough air through them.

Anybody care to recommend some kevlar chaps/boots?

 

[Brmorgan]

I agree and this is why wearing a hard hat while limbing and cutting firewood is a good idea. Kickbacks can reach as far back as a users scalp. Hard hats save as many people from kickback as they do from falling limbs.

A few years ago my uncle was cutting firewood from the cull pile at a local mill with an 075 - he woke up a minute later lying on the ground with the saw idling beside him, and a big gash right to the bone in his upper forehead. He still has a gouge in his skull there. Luckily he was there with a friend, who could take him to emergency.

That being said, all I wear when milling are glasses - either safety glasses or my prescriptions if I'm not wearing my contacts - and hearing protection, either muffs or plugs. Oh, and gloves. Good gloves make or break a day's work for me. I'll wear steel-toed boots if I'm going to be working with large logs, but generally not for smaller, more mundane stuff.

 

[BobL]

Anybody care to recommend some kevlar chaps/boots?

Labonville!

I have their regular 6 ply chaps, and just bought a pair of their 10 ply chaps and some 4 ply boot inserts - boy they sure make your feet warm!

 

[SilverBox]

Sawdust in the eyes is a nuisance while milling. Not really a safety issue, just annoying. I've thought about getting "bug eye" mesh goggles, but heard the straps may interfere with ear muffs ?

I wear offroad motorcycle goggles to mill, they keep all the dust out. They might not have as much impact resistance as a face shield, but not having eyes full of dust is worth it imo. With an alaskan you don't get so much dust in your face, but if the wind is wrong with a mini mill your upper body gets covered in dust, I've had it completely over the front of me 1/4+" thick before, with the goggles on, doesn't even bother me.