Climbers death - kick back.

[Jon@CareFell]

This is a a tragic and needless death. I have got a little slack recently with the odd cut but I climbed for nearly 10 years without one handing. Yes that is right. Without one handing. A step cut is not hard, you don’t need to cut and hold. A friend from college died just three months out of college at 21 and it really affected me. You just don’t need to one hand at all. I think it is a cultural thing. Every one rushing to get the job done to squeeze some money out of a cheap quote. Why? Do you often see other trades rushing about like a lot of us do? When will we all learn?! I for one am going to go back to not one handing at all. It is easily possible. Not even hard to do.

[Bolt]

13 minutes ago, Jon@CareFell said:

This is a a tragic and needless death. I have got a little slack recently with the odd cut but I climbed for nearly 10 years without one handing. Yes that is right. Without one handing. A step cut is not hard, you don’t need to cut and hold. A friend from college died just three months out of college at 21 and it really affected me. You just don’t need to one hand at all. I think it is a cultural thing. Every one rushing to get the job done to squeeze some money out of a cheap quote. Why? Do you often see other trades rushing about like a lot of us do? When will we all learn?! I for one am going to go back to not one handing at all. It is easily possible. Not even hard to do.

 

Good on you fella!  Clearly a rear handled saw is the tool for you!

 

It is good to see that the current training and assessment regime is working for at least one of our kind.    :-)

[Haironyourchest]

12 hours ago, Jon@CareFell said:

This is a a tragic and needless death. I have got a little slack recently with the odd cut but I climbed for nearly 10 years without one handing. Yes that is right. Without one handing. A step cut is not hard, you don’t need to cut and hold. A friend from college died just three months out of college at 21 and it really affected me. You just don’t need to one hand at all. I think it is a cultural thing. Every one rushing to get the job done to squeeze some money out of a cheap quote. Why? Do you often see other trades rushing about like a lot of us do? When will we all learn?! I for one am going to go back to not one handing at all. It is easily possible. Not even hard to do.

Jon, how do you manage your work position stability-wise? Seems the pivot point of the debate is one handing gives you a third point of contact - ie. your free hand, which increases safety. As I understand it, it's the cut&hold that's the problem, rather than one hand full reach perpendicular cut. Would you concur? I've done a straight stem takedown on spikes with my rear handle, no problem - would rather work with a rear handle in that situation. But still considering a battery top handle, so far have done everything else with the silky, but it's getting me down. I just can't see myself being happy with only my feet/shins for contact and stability. Maybe next time I'll try using the silky two handed for all cuts and see...

[Mark Bolam]

You are probably at more danger of dying of exhaustion than a kickback to the neck.

[Jon@CareFell]

Jon, how do you manage your work position stability-wise? Seems the pivot point of the debate is one handing gives you a third point of contact - ie. your free hand, which increases safety. As I understand it, it's the cut&hold that's the problem, rather than one hand full reach perpendicular cut. Would you concur? I've done a straight stem takedown on spikes with my rear handle, no problem - would rather work with a rear handle in that situation. But still considering a battery top handle, so far have done everything else with the silky, but it's getting me down. I just can't see myself being happy with only my feet/shins for contact and stability. Maybe next time I'll try using the silky two handed for all cuts and see...

I just get into a comfortable work position and use my main line and side strop to brace, after so many years it has become second nature. I think you are right that it can be done safely but have you ever noticed that if you move say your tool karabiner on your harness how often you reach to where your old one was to find you have moved it? It takes a while to adjust to the new position. Accidents more often than not happen when you are tired and/or absent minded and on auto pilot. How much of climbing becomes second nature? The more you one hand the higher the chance of an accident.

That is not to say that kickback cannot occur with two hands on the saw but you have better control with two. I wonder what the statistics say, how many accidents are caused by one handed chainsaw use? I know a lot of fatalities or serious injuries happen while using a saw one handed but is that due the inherent risk of it, the prevalence of one handed use within the industry or just complacency?

I know I have seen a lot of climbers using a saw one handed to save moving into a better/safer work position, I have also seen “safe” one handed chainsaw use but I recon 95% of what I have seen does not look safe but does look easy!

[Jon@CareFell]

For example we reduced these today over a load of phone and power lines fences and a road.

[arbogrunt]

I pointed out to my boss last month , that the kevlar sleeves the climbers have to wear here ( after a serious arm injury last year ) are pretty much 'admitting' you are using the top-handled chainsaw 'one-handed' and invalidate our insurance . I don't remmeber any allowance under NPTC for single hand chainsaw use unless you are at full reach . K
 

I've taken a minor cut from a kick back with both hands on the saw. It was extremely cold and I was wearing thicker gloves. The saw kicked out of my grip, hit a branch...and bounced into my hand.

I got some tree surgeons sleeves this year. I use them in conifer hedge reductions, because I cut and hold when I do them. They are great when chipping or cutting thorn too.

The reality is, when we cut those Leyland hedges, we do everything we are not supposed to do.

[sime42]

I've taken a minor cut from a kick back with both hands on the saw. It was extremely cold and I was wearing thicker gloves. The saw kicked out of my grip, hit a branch...and bounced into my hand.

I got some tree surgeons sleeves this year. I use them in conifer hedge reductions, because I cut and hold when I do them. They are great when chipping or cutting thorn too.

The reality is, when we cut those Leyland hedges, we do everything we are not supposed to do.

Where do you get these Tree Surgeons Sleeves Arbogrunt? I didn't know such things existed, I'd be interested to see some as always felt a little exposed having no upper body protection.

[tony_t3d]

Where do you get these Tree Surgeons Sleeves Arbogrunt? I didn't know such things existed, I'd be interested to see some as always felt a little exposed having no upper body protection.

Iv always found them a hindrance really bulky. Like wearing chainsaw pants on your arms and shoulders.

Only helped me on horthorns.

[skyhuck]

6 hours ago, tony_t3d said:

 

Iv always found them a hindrance really bulky. Like wearing chainsaw pants on your arms and shoulders.

Only helped me on horthorns.

 

 The ones I've seen only go from your elbow to your wrist, not up to your shoulder.

 

You can get protective jackets that offer much more upper body protection.