Be careful with chainsaws, invest use chaps

[EddieWalker]

I have a pair that I wear most of the time, but admit to sometimes not putting them on for quick cuts. It's just laziness on my part. They are kept in the same box as my oil and chainsaw tools, so it's not like I have to go look for them.

After watching Axmen on TV and the close call that they had on there. The chainsaw bucked back and went through his jeans, but stopped at his chaps. I realized that my casual attitude needed to change. Reading this thread just reinforced that for me. It's a minute to put them on. There is no excuse and I'm going to wear them from now on.

Sorry to hear about your injury, but thanks for sharing it. Hopefully your experience will help stop it from happening to somebody else.

Eddie

 

[Miles12]

Glad you are OK, I think most of this type of accidents would happen only because of not taking necessary precautions.

What I think is for a specialized and skill based works which were risky need to have some training. Companies manufacturing heavy machineries should give training to their customers. Safety and health policies should be strictly imposed by the industries to avoid further complications and made followed by their employees.

 

[greenmule]

All the training in the world won't prevent accidents. Most of the time on construction jobs,the safety people couldn't train you anyways,they don't know how to do anything other than read osha books and company policy books.

Training to do a job as safe as can be done is best from somebody who is doing it now.

Many unneeded and silly safety rules on most jobs,they are just trying to cover all the bases to cut down on little accidents,and you can't really do that.Been on jobs where if you was using a grinder and you wore glasses,you had to put safety glasses over them and than a full face shield over that,talk about unsafe,a blind man with a grinder,but them was the rules.[I wasn't using a grinder,if I was,would have quit].

But wearing chaps is not silly,I don't but I should.

 

[ampsucker]

i also have to respectfully disagree with you, miles12.

mandating safety training by manufacturers is already done in one form in the manual that comes with the equipment. over half the pages of most operating manuals is dedicated to safety in one form or another.

mandating additional training: a) drives the cost up, and b) infringes on my right to operate the equipment i purchased in any way i see fit for my application. it's like bigger government. it costs more and is less efficient.

any chainsaw you buy new today is going to have a large section in the manual devoted to safety gear, chaps included. this is largly CYA on the manufacturer's part who's lawyers instructed them to put it in there.

my kubota came with instructions to always use the ROPS in the fully extended position. but, i can't mow around my trees that way. since my land is fairly flat, i decided it was safer to mow by whole yard with the ROPS down and seat belt off. the last thing i need is the safety police coming around and telling me how to mow my yard or how to cut down my trees and then raising my taxes to cover their salary!

of course, with universal health care, when my choices drive up the costs others pay, that is a real possibility!

amp

 

[Sniggle]

I made the mistake (not really) of reading your story to my wife, and she made me go out today and buy a pair of chaps....so now I have some Husquarvarna chaps for the next time I pull out the chain saw (Good old Husky 254 XP).

Thanks for reminding us of the danger chain saw pose.

 

[BigE_]

Went out and bought my pair a few weeks back after reading posts here. $70 at the local stihl shop (although these are not the stihl brand - these looked better and were less expensive, but I can't recall the name. Labrone maybe?).

I probably could've gotten a pair cheaper online, but my neighbor owns the Stihl shop, so I try to throw business his way when I can. I haven't actually fired up the saw yet and tried them out, but I know I'll feel better using them.

-Steve

 

[plowking]

I bought new chaps,also bought a new Husky at TSC. The other saw I was using during our ice storm this winter would let it's chain run all the time,I almost bumped my leg carrying it between trees. plowking

 

[Butters]

I did not intend to start any arguments and I will not get involved in the debate on how much OSHA should be involved in our private lives.
I grew up on a farm and my father never wore any safety devices and still refuses to wear a seatbelt (even after being in a major accident). Thankfully he was there and saw me get cut and rushed me to the hospital. I ordered us both a pair of chaps and he looks forward to getting them. I think it got his attention.
I am just amazed at how relatively hard they are to find compared with the number of outlets that sell saws. I don't think (could be wrong) that the box stores or wallyworld carry chaps, but the sell saws. I honestly though that saw chaps were just thick briar type pants like you would use for upland hunting. It was not till I was online that I saw videos of how they stop the chains. I have never had anyone at the local Stihl store try and sell me a pair. I am not blaming them, just found it interesting. I just hope that people can read about my experiences and make their own choice of whether or not to spend about $75 to avoid a trip to the ER (or worse) and miss a week of work. I know chaps won't prevent all accidents, but I sure wish I would have had a pair on.

 

[JoelD]

I have chaps and always wear them.

The boss bought me a helmet with earmuffs and screen for X-mass, looking forward to using it.

Chainsaws and circular saws are two tools that have always made me nervous, I use a lot of caution around those two.

Glad you are ok in the end.

Joel

 

[Old Paths]

I can second the motion for chaps. I have a pair I bought several years ago, I don't wear them all the time (I should)...
I was 16 and helping my dad clear some land. We were felling white pines, and it was windy. I had a snowmobile suit on, saw hung when tree flexed. The suit acted sort of like ballistic fabric... Pulling on saw, wind changed, saw came out, 144 stitches on one leg, not enough meat left to stitch on the other, ouch! I have a high pain threshhold, I walked to the car and we went to the emergency room! That was 32 years ago. I can afford chaps, I don't always wear them (I forget I own them mostly). If you put them on the saw, you will be reminded they are there.

just my $0.02

Jerry