chainsaw injury

deerefan · Apr 5, 2007

Cutting a tree today, took an awkward step and hit my knee with my chainsaw. Luckily only minor injury to knee cap, no stitches required, only a few bandaids and a new pair of pants!! I WILL BE INVESTING IN SOME CHAPS ASAP!!!! Be careful....

escavader · Apr 5, 2007

WOW!!!!!!!!!
GLAD YOUR OK. I have read that this is a very common way to get hurt with a saw...walking and cutting your leg.Make sure that saw doesnt turn at idle too.Good idea to snap on the chain brake when moving any distance.
ALAN

JRobyn · Apr 5, 2007

I really like the "full wrap" chaps from Bailey's

Work Safe Full-Wrap Safety Chaps from Baileys-online.com

JimWalch · Apr 5, 2007

I did the same thing about 25 years back and can still feel the grove on my knee cap. The saw was not even started! Just walking toward the tree. Don't even want to think what a leg would look like if it was running. I have done lots of tree cutting and that was the only injury......so far. (KNOCK ON WOOD) The last big tree was done for a neighbor. It was only about 4' by 5' in diameter and over 120 ft. tall. Notice the NEW Sheriffs car and the NEW one car garage behind it, one big limb took both out last spring during a T,storm. Over the years it has done over $15,000.00 to his house, shed and knocked power lines down several times. It was way over due to come down. Glad he decided to let me and my nephew do it! My truck sits in the next drive.

Oleozz · Apr 5, 2007

JimWalch said:
It was only about 4' by 5' in diameter and over 120 ft. tall. .

What kind of tree was it and any guess as to its age?

mikeyd · Apr 5, 2007

deerefan said:
Cutting a tree today, took an awkward step and hit my knee with my chainsaw. Luckily only minor injury to knee cap, no stitches required, only a few bandaids and a new pair of pants!! I WILL BE INVESTING IN SOME CHAPS ASAP!!!! Be careful....

About 30 years ago took a good 30+ stitches in my upper right quadracep when helping my Dad push over a locust tree for fence posts while he cut it with a chainsaw. As the tree went over he pulled the saw out, the chain caught my jeans and WHAM!!, good thing his finger was off the trigger and the blade was winding down or it would have been alot worse. Pair of chaps could have prevented that injury. You can never be too careful around a chainsaw.

RonMar · Apr 5, 2007

Glad you are OK. Education always costs, sounds like you got off cheap at jeans and bandaids(some of my lessons have cost WAY more than that

The chain shouldn't be moving unless you pull the trigger/throttle. If it is, you idle is too high or there is something hanging up in the centrifigal clutch to cause it to remain engaged at low engine RPM. As mentioned, the chains are dangerous enough while walking with the chain NOT in motion. They could be downright lethal if you stumbled and fell on it while it was still moving.

You should never put the chain in motion unless your feet, legs and any other body part you wish to retain are planted in a safe location which is outside the plane of the bar. The chain should be stopped before you even contemplate lifting a foot to step to the next cut location. Dropping trees is dynamic/dangerouse enough without having to worry where all your body parts are.

Glowplug · Apr 5, 2007

I purchased a pair of chaps and a forestry style helmet for my chainsaw last year. I think my father-in-law thinks I'm a sissy. But I always say you can never be too careful. Too many people think, "It won't happen to me, not now". I feel that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Hopefully you'll never need your safety gear, but if you do, you'll be glad you had it.

escavader · Apr 5, 2007

Glowplug said:
I purchased a pair of chaps and a forestry style helmet for my chainsaw last year. I think my father-in-law thinks I'm a sissy. But I always say you can never be too careful. Too many people think, "It won't happen to me, not now". I feel that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Hopefully you'll never need your safety gear, but if you do, you'll be glad you had it.

CHUCK,I dont think your a sissy,ive been looking for a good helmet,ear muffs and sreen shield combo for my self.I usually wear my chaps,and steel toe boots.They aint cheap,but neither is an injury either i guess.
ALAN

jimmysisson · Apr 5, 2007

We all gripe about the price of safety equipment, but buying your second pair of chaps because the first one saved your knee changes your attitude - never a second thought how much they cost.
Jim