smilin possum
Addicted to ArboristSite
Stihl all the way. Run mostly stihl stuff so I wear the Stihl bloomers to.
What PPE do you use and why ?
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moose42
ArboristSite Member
Well I wear all the safety gear when I'm on fires (aint got a choice). I wear chaps, bugz, ear plug (I wear one on the saw side because I need to be able to hear everything around me, just in case), helmet, long sleeves and gloves. I can't wear steel toe because they don't allow them on fires.
If I am cutting for personal fun, I wear a helmet to drop trees, but usually not chaps (I will explain why at the end). I love my bugz so I wear them any time I cut. While bucking without a canopy overhead, I just wear a regular hat and wear both ear plugs most of the time. The hardest time I have with saws, isn't when I am running them, it is when the sharp chain is just sitting there. Quietly waiting for my skin or clothes to get near it, then it attacks me. I have cut more things unintentionaly with my saw off than when it is running. Haha
Ok now I will explain the chap thing. For starters, it is personal preference if you do or don't so don't think I am trying to talk you out of it. I was teaching a chainsaw class to some firefighters, we had some old chaps that we couldn't use on the fireline anymore. I decided to nail a pair to a tree and demonstrate how they work. I think I used a 038 or something like that. It did what it was supposed to with only the slightest bark damage. Then I tried a bigger saw (066). I gently touched the chaps with it and the kevlar got pulled in to the sprocket and shot right back out again, barley noticed a difference. There was a cut an inch or two in the tree. I find myself being extra cautious when I don't have that security blanket there. I do wear them while cutting brush because of kickback and what not, plus I am normally running my smaller saw. I am not saying you shouldn't wear chaps if you run a big saw, just remember, the safety gear may not help as much as you are hoping, so be extra careful!!!
If I am cutting for personal fun, I wear a helmet to drop trees, but usually not chaps (I will explain why at the end). I love my bugz so I wear them any time I cut. While bucking without a canopy overhead, I just wear a regular hat and wear both ear plugs most of the time. The hardest time I have with saws, isn't when I am running them, it is when the sharp chain is just sitting there. Quietly waiting for my skin or clothes to get near it, then it attacks me. I have cut more things unintentionaly with my saw off than when it is running. Haha
Ok now I will explain the chap thing. For starters, it is personal preference if you do or don't so don't think I am trying to talk you out of it. I was teaching a chainsaw class to some firefighters, we had some old chaps that we couldn't use on the fireline anymore. I decided to nail a pair to a tree and demonstrate how they work. I think I used a 038 or something like that. It did what it was supposed to with only the slightest bark damage. Then I tried a bigger saw (066). I gently touched the chaps with it and the kevlar got pulled in to the sprocket and shot right back out again, barley noticed a difference. There was a cut an inch or two in the tree. I find myself being extra cautious when I don't have that security blanket there. I do wear them while cutting brush because of kickback and what not, plus I am normally running my smaller saw. I am not saying you shouldn't wear chaps if you run a big saw, just remember, the safety gear may not help as much as you are hoping, so be extra careful!!!
when in the woods, hard hat & corks. chaps when its really cold but not wet..
MCW
Somebody's talking crap here & it ain't the tree!
I agree. I've never even knicked my chaps or been close (to my knowledge anyway!).
If you're someone who is constantly hitting your chaps I think you need to have a good rethink about the way you handle a saw. There are no excuses for this as far as I'm concerned.
It's like someone who crashes their car all the time - they shouldn't be allowed to drive.
Just my 2 cents
I agree. I've never even knicked my chaps or been close (to my knowledge anyway!).
If you're someone who is constantly hitting your chaps I think you need to have a good rethink about the way you handle a saw. There are no excuses for this as far as I'm concerned.
It's like someone who crashes their car all the time - they shouldn't be allowed to drive.
Just my 2 cents
Ditto on that!
So many people would missing parts had they not been wearing the full ppe.
i havent even knicked anything but a boot and that was when i was little, a tooth or two sliced about 1/16'' out the rubber...
I have a ways to go yet so who knows..
it is not hard to keep the bar away from you no matter what your state of mind, tired or not tired.
I note a lot of people either don't wear any hearing protection or only ear plugs, to my way of thinking earplugs are like wearing one legged chaps. I don't understand why a CS operator would not wear the best ear protection available and that is not just plugs but high quality Muffs or both.
I understand that there are sometimes good reasons for not wearing muffs in some situations but from someone who has lost sufficient hearing to be declared legally deaf I'd suggest reconsidering to see if you can at least use them some of the time. My favourite music sounds increasingly squelchier every year, I can't follow a conversation in even a small group of people let alone a crowd, can't follow plots at movies, feeling like an idiot and just nodding when someone is talking to you. It's not worth it.
BTW I lost my hearing not from using a CS but from listening too much loud music. My dad lost 75% his hearing in 9 years of chainsaw use - no muffs or plugs.
I now use both plugs and Peltor H10A or B muffs to save the hearing I have left .
I understand that there are sometimes good reasons for not wearing muffs in some situations but from someone who has lost sufficient hearing to be declared legally deaf I'd suggest reconsidering to see if you can at least use them some of the time. My favourite music sounds increasingly squelchier every year, I can't follow a conversation in even a small group of people let alone a crowd, can't follow plots at movies, feeling like an idiot and just nodding when someone is talking to you. It's not worth it.
BTW I lost my hearing not from using a CS but from listening too much loud music. My dad lost 75% his hearing in 9 years of chainsaw use - no muffs or plugs.
I now use both plugs and Peltor H10A or B muffs to save the hearing I have left .
I can recommend these or similar neck band muff plugs as they
Stay with you all day without a hassle u never need to put em down so always with you.
Allow helmet/hat and glasses wear without any discomfort.
No summer sweat or that winter cold muff start up Brrr.
Light and comfortable on or off whilst allowing good user concentration without discomfort or distraction.
No more muff headache.
No steel wire. If your a worker near power lines thats good.
Cheap replaceable parts color match your gear if ya fashion inclined.
I found the traditional muffs with my crews to often sadly left lost or unwanted.
These depending on brand reduce 20 -25 DBa so ideal for saws perhaps not in the high end Chipper range but close.
Stay with you all day without a hassle u never need to put em down so always with you.
Allow helmet/hat and glasses wear without any discomfort.
No summer sweat or that winter cold muff start up Brrr.
Light and comfortable on or off whilst allowing good user concentration without discomfort or distraction.
No more muff headache.
No steel wire. If your a worker near power lines thats good.
Cheap replaceable parts color match your gear if ya fashion inclined.
I found the traditional muffs with my crews to often sadly left lost or unwanted.
These depending on brand reduce 20 -25 DBa so ideal for saws perhaps not in the high end Chipper range but close.
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I have an orange full brim plastic hardhat, green chaps, earplugs of various colors, bugz, gloves, caulks, and usually wear an orange vest because it is good to be visible (makes a better target for hooktenders?). Chaps, bugz and earplugs worn only when running a saw, not when running around in units.
This time of year add lighters, radio, and light weight fleece pullover. I carry even more survival gear in the pickup including instant coffee. The season of floods and slides is upon us.
This time of year add lighters, radio, and light weight fleece pullover. I carry even more survival gear in the pickup including instant coffee. The season of floods and slides is upon us.
:agree2: Same here.
little possum
Crash and Burn
Stihl all the way. Run mostly stihl stuff so I wear the Stihl bloomers to.
Well I hope those Stihl saws dont learn how to read, cause you are runnin Husky chaps
gallegosmike
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I wear a helmet visor combo with muffs. Plus saw chaps and steel toed leather boots. I also never cut with out heavy leather gloves! It drives me nut when I see guys that barely use a saw a couple times a year cutting firewood in shorts and tennis shoes! I am all about free choice, but give me a break and get some PPE!
Where I cut firewood, it is a very long drive to a hospital(santa fe or las vegas NM) and very long fight(about 120 miles) for one the new mexicos very few medical helicopters. You would bleed to death before you could get help or drive out.
I am ways looking for opportunities to cut and keep my skills up to par. But if you only pick a saw every once in a while, get some ppe! And save your self a expensive trip to the emergency room, if your really lucky after youve had a bad chainsaw mishap! Ive got a less then $140.00 for all my ppe. A trip to emergency room without health insurance is going to cost well over $5000.00 on the cheap end!
Where I cut firewood, it is a very long drive to a hospital(santa fe or las vegas NM) and very long fight(about 120 miles) for one the new mexicos very few medical helicopters. You would bleed to death before you could get help or drive out.
I am ways looking for opportunities to cut and keep my skills up to par. But if you only pick a saw every once in a while, get some ppe! And save your self a expensive trip to the emergency room, if your really lucky after youve had a bad chainsaw mishap! Ive got a less then $140.00 for all my ppe. A trip to emergency room without health insurance is going to cost well over $5000.00 on the cheap end!
Helmet with ear defenders and face mesh. Chaps. Steel toed boots or wellies depending on time of year. A pair of chainsaw gloves.
If i`m not felling or theres no overhead hazzards i`ll wear ear defenders and glasses instead of the helmet.
Phone and plenty of water as well as a flask of coffee.Fatigue sets in much faster when dehydrated then mistakes happen. You can be sweating a litre of fluids an hour grafting in chaps.If its really hot i put gatorade in the water to replace electrolytes lost in sweat.
If i`m not felling or theres no overhead hazzards i`ll wear ear defenders and glasses instead of the helmet.
Phone and plenty of water as well as a flask of coffee.Fatigue sets in much faster when dehydrated then mistakes happen. You can be sweating a litre of fluids an hour grafting in chaps.If its really hot i put gatorade in the water to replace electrolytes lost in sweat.
Farmall Guy
ArboristSite Operative
I always wear saw pants, steel toe boots (9" redwings in the summer and 16" hoffman calks in the winter), ear plugs (never used to but I get them free at work and have to have my hearing tested annully now so no more slaking off there) and an alluminum skull bucket that I wear even when I'm not felling, the bright orange makes me stand out a little more so other folks in the woods can see me (hunters in particular as I do most of my cutting in the fall). Never used to wear any PPE other than my boots, between this site and getting a few years older I've wised up alot when it comes to my own safety.
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
A hardhat...
Gary
Gary
TreeClimber57
Addicted to ArboristSite
I quite often do same, especially if chipper is running.
Austin1
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ear muffs are number 1 with me, I do wear chaps but they are over 10 years old. If I am bucking up wood it's just the muffs and chaps plus boot's but the boots are a given, yes steel toes. I don't mind the hard hat and really like the full face shield but only use it when dropping trees I do find the face shield get's in the way when you look up, and that is very important! always look up!
Normally I do wear the full ppe as I am 50 miles to the closest Hospital and have no cell phone coverage when in the mountains.
Did I mention ear muffs? gotta have them
Since I am a hard core gun nut and shooter ear muffs are in every truck. With out ear muffs my hearing would go and I could not hear the deer sneaking up on me same goes for them dam Sasquatches always sneaking up on me lol!
Normally I do wear the full ppe as I am 50 miles to the closest Hospital and have no cell phone coverage when in the mountains.
Did I mention ear muffs? gotta have them
Since I am a hard core gun nut and shooter ear muffs are in every truck. With out ear muffs my hearing would go and I could not hear the deer sneaking up on me same goes for them dam Sasquatches always sneaking up on me lol!
A skull bucket cause falling branches hurt ear plugs so I can continue to hear when I want to safety glasses and inside the jeans labonville safety pads with apropriate boot for the job,climbing or woods/corks,
my brain bucket is the one that i could not do without, going in the woods without a skid lid really makes me escared!!
synness4
ArboristSite Operative
hey gary you do wear ear protection don't you ? that muffler modded 361 is LOUD!!!!
Good on you about the muffs. Never mind the deer, Gun plus CS noise will destroy your ears ability to discriminate between all of the hissing consonants, (ed "S" "C" "T"). I can tell you this is a PITA, frustrating as all hell, embarrassing, and my wife is sick of me asking her at the movies "what did he/she just say"?
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