Local man killed by chainsaw

[Jaylegger]

OKAY ... missed that part of it ... glad it was that way!!

Chainsaws don't kill people, people kill people!

 

[blueriver]

Chainsaws don't kill people, people kill people!

Okay .... Kinda like a loaded gun.

 

[Matt_Jr]

I know it's a serious subject, but you two just made me laugh. Way to go.

 

[etcallhome]

My neigbor 2 weeks ago tomorrow ,been using a chainsaw most of life(68), cutting wood for his wood stove. Has about a 8" cut on left leg No tendons or bone, but 38 or 40 stictches.
Still limping today but doing much better.... He is going to buy chaps before anyone saws any wood.
About 30 yrs ago I had a saw kick back ,across my thigh .Sadly ruined a pair of new blue jeans. Thankful 3 nicks about 1/2 in in length and just enough to bleed and scare the S___ out of me. Loaded the saw in back of truck drove home then I looked at how bad the cut was. Quit for the day. Only thing it didn't do was make me buy a pair of chaps. My fault standing and cutting on a brush pile I knew better.
My younger brother has worked around sawmills for most of his life <He wears chaps and I have seen how they protect a person.

Have fun be safe

 

[beenthere]

Was asked to help on a Lions project, clearing brush and making paths for school kids to manage field trips through a woods. The organizer was a Lion who drove the EMS vehicle. He laughed at me when I was putting on the chaps to go to work. When I was entangled in a mess of buckthorn and reaching in to cut, the saw chain caught a stick at low rpm and kicked down to tap me on the knee cap. It tangled up some in the drive sprocket. I turned around and the guy was white as a sheet. He knew what it could have been like, and he said "I'm going to buy a da** pair of those chaps this afternoon". To this day, he doesn't cut without them. Neither do I.

 

[Steve C]

Was asked to help on a Lions project, clearing brush and making paths for school kids to manage field trips through a woods. The organizer was a Lion who drove the EMS vehicle. He laughed at me when I was putting on the chaps to go to work. When I was entangled in a mess of buckthorn and reaching in to cut, the saw chain caught a stick at low rpm and kicked down to tap me on the knee cap. It tangled up some in the drive sprocket. I turned around and the guy was white as a sheet. He knew what it could have been like, and he said "I'm going to buy a da** pair of those chaps this afternoon". To this day, he doesn't cut without them. Neither do I.

I haven't given it much thought, but thanks to your story, I am going to get some chaps.

I worked with a guy who had a saw kick back and hit him in the head. He had to have his 12 year old grandson drive him to the hospital because the blood was running in his eyes and he couldnt see without compressing the wound. If he let go of the wound to steer the truck he couldn't see where he was going. A hard hat has become a must for me. Now chaps.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Yes all of the protective gear is a good plan. Hard hat, ear and eye protection, chaps, gloves. Then other things to keep in mind is the right sized saw. Another thing is not working while you are too tired. The reflexes are a bit slower if you are tired and dehydrated. Using a big heavy saw can wear you out faster. I only use my big saws when I need them. I use the limbing saws with the 16" bar 70% of the time. Then I have 20" bars 25" bars and a 40" bar for the really big cuts.
Most of us have near miss stories. The good Lord has been watching over me for 40+ years cutting with chainsaws. No stitches just a few scars..

 

[Steve C]

Yes all of the protective gear is a good plan. Hard hat, ear and eye protection, chaps, gloves. Then other things to keep in mind is the right sized saw. Another thing is not working while you are too tired. The reflexes are a bit slower if you are tired and dehydrated. Using a big heavy saw can wear you out faster. I only use my big saws when I need them. I use the limbing saws with the 16" bar 70% of the time. Then I have 20" bars 25" bars and a 40" bar for the really big cuts.
Most of us have near miss stories. The good Lord has been watching over me for 40+ years cutting with chainsaws. No stitches just a few scars..

That is very good advice. The proper sized saw for the task at hand. I have 3 small saws for limbing with 14 and 16 inch bars. I reserve my big saw for big work. It needs a lot more attention.

We are only a heartbeat away from being dead. Let's try to prevent it. Not for ourselves, because to us it realy doesn't matter, dead is dead and the problems are over, but to the people we might leave behind.

I am so sorry for the tragic loss of life that this mans family has to endure.

I hope and pray that we will all step up and assert ourselves whenever we see somebody who is putting themselves in harms way.

 

[jimmyj]

"34 years old and survived by a wife and 4year old daughter"

Be safe, it only takes a moment. I've cut through my pants before but never hit the skin. I've done all sorts of crazy chain saw work, carving, plunge cuts, one handed operation, not proud of it all but the ONLY time I've ever done something stupid has been when I have been fatigued and kept going (stupid).

This poor guy had an accident, the odds of having an accident can never be eliminated but you sure can reduce them by being smart as pointed out.

Poor guys family....

 

[dmccarty]

To emphasis what Pat said, you need safety chaps/pants/overalls PLUS the helmet, gloves and safety glasses when you run a chainsaw.

The safety equipment will cost you $100.

How much is going to cost you to get 5 stitches in the ER?

Is it worth $100 to DRIVE to the ER?

When I was 16 I worked on a farm where a big part of the job was cutting and splitting firewood. I have split firewood to make house size piles..... I HATE wood splitters that make you bend over. The boss cut down the trees, dragged them to me and then cut them into rounds for me to split.

The farm was as the end of the road and the nearest neighbors were a good 1/2 mile to 1 mile away. He went further into the property to cut on day by himself and the saw or chain hit him in the head. The story I heard was that the chain hit him but I think he had a kick back. In any case he was knocked out for a few hours.

Eventually he woke up covered in blood and made it to the neighbors who took him to the hospital.

He was VERY lucky to be alive. It was a very rural area and I am not sure where the nearest hospital was located but it surely was at least 60 minutes away. He easily could have cut himself and bled to death quickly or over the time he was knocked out. If he had been out there all night he might have just froze to death.

A $25 helmet would have prevented him from getting hit so hard and bleeding. He likely would have not been knocked out.

Safety equipment is CHEAP compared to the alternative.

Later,
Dan