Time for Chainsaw Chaps

[wheelbuilder]

I've run a saw since I was 15. Never had chaps bud always had earplugs, helmet and gloves. When my stepdad bought a saw he scared the crap out of me when he used it. I bought him and myself chaps and got him up to speed on how to plan out what you cut and how to see what will happen as you cut. 2 pair of chaps is less than what it costs to go to the emergency room. I use mine whenever I saw.

 

[Monster5601]

I'm always upset when it takes me so long to "dress' for using the chain saw. First steel toe shoes, then chaps with suspenders to hold them up then long sleeve cowskin leather weldding jacket, then face mask, then goggles, then helmet with face sheild and ear protection. Finally heavy duty work gloves.
But now looking at that I will never complain EVER AGAIN.

I'm just wondering if wearing too much safety gear could be a safety risk due to the inability of quick movement, for example, snagging on something in the woods while making a quick move to get out of the way.

"face mask, then goggles, then helmet with face sheild[sic]" this just sounds to me, over-done.

 

[ArlyA]

So true, so true. I've never worn my seat-belt because I'd like to "get out quick" before I'm in an auto accident. :laughing:

I'm just wondering if wearing too much safety gear could be a safety risk due to the inability of quick movement, for example, snagging on something in the woods while making a quick move to get out of the way.

"face mask, then goggles, then helmet with face sheild[sic]" this just sounds to me, over-done.

 

[cqaigy2]

So true, so true. I've never worn my seat-belt because I'd like to "get out quick" before I'm in an auto accident. :laughing:

So true, so true. My first jeep didn't have doors or seat belts, i bet i could get out faster than you could.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I'm just wondering if wearing too much safety gear could be a safety risk due to the inability of quick movement, for example, snagging on something in the woods while making a quick move to get out of the way.

"face mask, then goggles, then helmet with face sheild[sic]" this just sounds to me, over-done.

If you anticipate or are in a sketchy situation my advice would be DON'T CUT walk away, no tree is worth it.
There are many things to do to prevent the quick get away besides a person will make 100 cuts and need to
make a quick get away one ever 100 cuts. In the mean time all the gear will lessen the odds of something happening
those other 99 cuts.

Also buy gear that fits and gear that is comfortable and that shouldn’t hinder anything.

Think about my steel toe boots are more comfortable than by street shoes.
My chain saw gear does not restrict movement a bit.
Good gloves don't hinder my running away.
My helmet gives me the same peripheral vision as my glasses do so no hinderance there.

Now if a widow maker comes down I don't think it matters if you're wearing safety gear or not
and not many people can run fast enough to clear a widow maker since most won't even
be aware it dropping down on them.

Bottom line, can't wear enough safety gesr in my opinion.

If fact I feel much more relaxed in proper safety gear. No I won't take extra chances I just
feel relaxed that if something goes sideways i'm better protected if not wearing the fear.

My movements are much more fluid and I'm not as skiddish and a lot less stessed when
cutting.

 

[Jstpssng]

So true, so true. My first jeep didn't have doors or seat belts, i bet i could get out faster than you could.

Quite often you are out before you even make that choice. A relative is a paramedic on the LifeFlight air ambulance, he says that Jeep riders are his second best customers. The first are motorcyclists, he calls bikes "donorcycles."

Getting back to chainsaw safety equipment; I doubt that anybody could say it better than CatDriver, just above me. The only thing that I would add is that a comprehensive safety course geared toward your level of expertise is time and money well spent.

 

[1930]

Ok 13 pages and I think I need to find an arborist site and get some advice from those guys on specifics

 

[vornez]

I had been pruning trees for about 13 years, one concept I think is possible, is that any disc that spins, has forces that veer it sideways in another direction (Vector Nature of Rotational Kinematics) Its likely saws have a similar movement. When you're unfamiliar with a saw those forces will be unpredictable. It's after you've cut a log while the chain is still spinning, that's when you're likely to cut yourself, your wrist has limited strength over sideways movement of the bar.

I can think of many electric tools that continue to spin for sometime after, but you need to take the MS200 up a tree, and if I cut myself it'll rain blood, it would be good if Stihl could add a braking feature that quickly idles the chain to remove that dangerous window of opportunity. I've seen hydraulic chainsaws attached to excavators stop instantly, that and kickback where it spins back and hits you in the face.

The first time I was up a tree I had started using my colleagues saw instead. he likes to tweek his saw, it was lucky, I cut my left arm but took off microscopic layers of skin, I couldn't tell I'd been cut, 2 days later about 20 scab wounds started to appear. The second time I was on the ground, I had just fitted a new chain I ordered online and it turned out to be low kickback. A Stihl MS200 will just knaw away at your skin easy.

I had a wound about the size of a cigarette butt. A new chain has an unpredictable veering motion you don't know about and it's way too sharp as well. So a good pair of trousers and long sleeved t shirt. So yeah there's horrible wounds I'm too scared to look at anyone's pictures, it took 12 years of doing it before I cut my leg to realize how bad it was.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I see zero reason to wear the mesh face thing unless it could protect against a facial saw cut. If I am uncomfortable, I will not be as safe in my actions. I will be bothered by the discomfort and immobility and thus be distracted.

I worked in one factory where I had worked before without much safety concern. Now, I had to wear hardhat, goggles and hearing protection. With fork trucks moving around and all kinds of heavy machinery, I felt quite out of touch with my environment and in more danger.

It has also been proven that adding all manner of safety equipment to automobiles has actually made drivers, drive less safely.

 

[Ortimber]

I see zero reason to wear the mesh face thing unless it could protect against a facial saw cut. If I am uncomfortable, I will not be as safe in my actions. I will be bothered by the discomfort and immobility and thus be distracted.

I worked in one factory where I had worked before without much safety concern. Now, I had to wear hardhat, goggles and hearing protection. With fork trucks moving around and all kinds of heavy machinery, I felt quite out of touch with my environment and in more danger.

It has also been proven that adding all manner of safety equipment to automobiles has actually made drivers, drive less safely.

The mesh face mask is great when you are cutting overhead. It keeps the chips out of your eyes. Otherwise, I don’t use one.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Goggles do that, and I wear them. Mostly because I wear contact lenses.

 

[ArlyA]

Glad to hear everyone is safe without proper gear or training. That of course is what everyone likes to hear at the ER, when you get hauled to it.. More laughs, the lower photo was taken at the sawyer re-certification course I attended last week at our locale NFS. I've been certified by them for over 10 years now.

Arly,,,, safety not needed by real men.,,, A

 

[Industrial Toys]

Knock on wood as they say. I have been using a chain saw since I was twelve without a scratch from a saw. Safety starts with the operator, not the safety gear.

 

[Ortimber]

Goggles do that, and I wear them. Mostly because I wear contact lenses.

My problem is that googles fog up, either from sweat or rainwater.

 

[Wagtail]

Knock on wood as they say. I have been using a chain saw since I was twelve without a scratch from a saw. Safety starts with the operator, not the safety gear.

To each their own, I guess... although the mesh face shield isn't just for a kick-back but for a wood-chip/debris being propelled at your face & eyes. Same for the ear defenders. Seeing as they're both attached to a helmet, I'll wear the helmet too.

And not just for chain-sawing. I wear my helmet with the ear & face protection deployed for wood-chipping and brush-cutting.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think my 15" chipper would fire a chunk of wood right through that screen. In fact, I would almost bet on it.

If I had to teach saw safety, I would say, like a gun, always be aware of where your bar is pointing, AND ALWAYS hang onto that saw, while cutting, as if your life depends on it. That is why the thought of the average woman using a saw scares me. They just don't know how to hang on to something. At every oportunity they relax their grip.

 

[Wagtail]

I think my 15" chipper would fire a chunk of wood right through that screen. In fact, I would almost bet on it.

If I had to teach saw safety, I would say, like a gun, always be aware of where your bar is pointing, AND ALWAYS hang onto that saw, while cutting, as if your life depends on it. That is why the thought of the average woman using a saw scares me. They just don't know how to hang on to something. At every oportunity they relax their grip.

Perhaps so (depending on where the chip/debris was coming from); but it (the screen) would significantly slow down the velocity of the projectile.

That's why I wear the PPE. I, like you, am a betting man... however I bet towards something happening as opposed to it not.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Which is why I hang onto my saw. Probably learned that from my Dad. If he told me to hold something, and I relaxed my grip, he would get rather annoyed. I guess it's human nature to relax that tension at the earliest opportunity or when your mind wanders.

Using a saw is kind of like riding a bull I guess. Just because the animal might not be bucking, is not a good reason to relax your grip. If I ever had any close calls, it was almost always because the bar tip caught something on the other side of what I was cutting that I might not have been aware of. The saw kicked, but I had a GOOD hold on it. In fact, holding onto a saw well, can thwart the kick back protection and still have the saw kick, but not enough to engage the brake.

 

[tradosaurus]

I'm a believe that a sharp chain makes a safe saw. I try to sharpen my chain after each use.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I see zero reason to wear the mesh face thing unless it could protect against a facial saw cut. If I am uncomfortable, I will not be as safe in my actions. I will be bothered by the discomfort and immobility and thus be distracted.

I worked in one factory where I had worked before without much safety concern. Now, I had to wear hardhat, goggles and hearing protection. With fork trucks moving around and all kinds of heavy machinery, I felt quite out of touch with my environment and in more danger.

It has also been proven that adding all manner of safety equipment to automobiles has actually made drivers, drive less safely.

I've never read more bovine dung in my life.

This is so insipid it's hardly worth typing a response, but I'm bored tonight.

From 1987 to 2017, frontal air bags saved 50,457 lives. That痴 enough people to fill a major league ballpark.

PAAAALLLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE enlighten me once more how " adding all manner of safety equipment to automobiles has actually made drivers, drive less safely. I'm so sorry that actual facta fron the NTSA. Air Bags Facts 2,790
ESTIMATED LIVES (OCCUPANTS 13 AND OLDER) SAVED BY FRONTAL AIR BAGS IN 2017

Now for the funny part "I had to wear hardhat, goggles and hearing protection"
Notice that the OP can still see, still hear and doesn't have a concussion because if he did he would have said so.

So PAAAALLLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE enlighten me once more how wearing
hardhat, goggles and hearing protection "harmed you"
IT DIDN'T and you know it.

You're a big boy, no one is forcing you to be safe so go ahead use a chain saw with zero protection
and we'll all be reading about you in the news.