Re: What\'s wrong with this picture???
JImR, BigBear, and all who are encumbered by excessive safety wear,
I had no intention of starting such a ruckus over this issue. I just thought it was a stupid picture and I don't mean to offend anyone with the following. It is only "My opinion".
As much as I preach caution with dangerous tools to my wife, daughter, and other's children who some times help out around here, I feel like a complete hypocrit if I don't practice what I preach.
Having seen experienced and generally very cautions workers blown off 400 Amp buss panels, fallen off 20' high manufacturing equipment with no safety rail (and now permanently disabled), nearly killed by 50 gal. drums being pushed off mezzenaines by fork lifts with no safety zone below them, ...the list goes on, augmented by a close friend who has to pick up the pieces and take the pictures for OSHA, I personally care to err on the side of caution.
It is obviously possible that wearing safety equipment may give some a FALSE feeling of security, making them more prone to not pay serious attention to every second they are using the saw. There are numerous "safety devices" that are good examples of features that makes novices believe saws, SUV's, even firearms won't hurt them. Point taken.
I cleared my land and cut firewood here for 20 years, without incident or safety clothing. Two years ago, my cousin who has cut and sells firewood, "sugar wood" for sugaring, built and torn down barns with the use of numerous chainsaws for 50 years, nearly lost his leg to a saw. He, and his 40 yr. old son, who was (thankfully) with him at the time, immediately went to the nearest dealer and bought helmets and chaps (after the nearest hospital sewed him up). That was enough to convince me that "an ounce of prevention......"
I guess we should put this to bed. I suppose this will probably not be the "last word" on this but... each takes their own risk (and their family's welfare) in hand, literally, each time they pull that cord. Freedom from excessive safety regulations is both a right, and a responsibility. Each time some one screws up and shoots some one with a firearm, each time some one gets tired, isn't paying attention, and seriously injures themselves with a chainsaw, tractor, ...any dangerous tool, they play into the hands of the idiots that want to regulate every aspect of our lives.
That said, I need a smoke!
Tom
