Top-handled chainsaws: appropriate use and management

[Bolt]

Christ, look at that tidy needlework.

 

How on earth can they stuff all that back in there and leave it so neat - makes you really appreciate a real surgeons art.

[skyhuck]

8 hours ago, Mark J said:

That looks sore. What dressing did you use to stop the bleeding? I carry Israeli bandage, fortunately I've never had to use it in anger.

Just used a standard dressing, you know like a bandage with a square pad in the middle.

 

It was bleeding a fair bit, but not spraying or anything. It had pretty much stopped bleeding by the time I got to hospital.

 

I didn't think I'd lost much blood, but I had a blood test done (unrelated to the accident) and was called in to the doctors due to a low blood count, down from my normal 159 to 121, once I told the doctor about the accident, she said that explained it. Apparently it takes 3 months for your body to replace lost red blood cells.

[skyhuck]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I didn’t see much between them, you could pull the baffle out of the 020 for an instant tune.

 

Anyway (more to the point) both were capable of cutting an artery quick sticks.

 

 

I think the game changer was the 020t which came after the 020AV, it was the first plastic bodied one.

[Bolt]

1 hour ago, Guinness said:

Once you buy a product and it's yours how you us it it up to you

In general yes, except cars (of course).

 

 

Cars and shotguns.

 

 

 

....and dangerous dogs.

 

 

...and drones near airports.

 

 

...and FM radio transmitters.

 

 

...and GPS jammers

 

 

...and creosote  (the genuine stuff)

 

 

...and pretty much all work equipment.

 

 

...and zombie knives.

 

 

...and hoodies in Sefton.

 

 

 

 

Actually, other than possibly "my-little-ponies" I reckon someone is trying to tell you what you can and can't do with pretty much everything.

[Wonky]

Yes blood loss (ie giving blood) takes some time for the body to make. 

 

Thats why you can only give x amount per yr..

[Stubby]

8 hours ago, skyhuck said:

Didn't hurt too bad,  came down from the tree, my lad put a dressing on it. We chipped up, me dragging branches to him one handed. Stacked the timber, me mostly one handed, but could use cut arm a bit. Cleaned drive, packed up gear, made apologies to customer. Drove mog home, put gear way, stoked boiler with logs.

 

Then got changed and Mrs drove me to hospital.

 

As I walked from the car to A&E the adrenalin must have been wearing off, I got very cold and my teeth began to chatter.

You try telling the youth of today , they won't believe you ?

[jfc]

I have 4yrs climbing and fortunately not had a topper injury. I wondered if those that had might be willing to briefly state how their's happened, ie one handing, cut and hold, feet slipped etc?

This might help highlight the risks, as many less serious injuries will go unreported.

[Jcarbor]

That looks sore. What dressing did you use to stop the bleeding? I carry Israeli bandage, fortunately I've never had to use it in anger.

Also add in one of these to your personal fist aid kits they ain’t expensive. Top handled saws are a great bit of kit used up in the canopy, they are far less intrusive in a confined space. The issue is often poor work position, it needs to be rock steady, never work above the height of your chest or cut below your legs a kick back or chain run over in these positions will be devastating. Slow down and think before the cut is made.

[Alex O]

May 1st 2012, I got bitten. Had a shut down on the edge of a village, went up the back of the tree to put my main line in and cut a route for the rigging gear. Power company turned off the lines and was good to go, clearing a couple more branches before installing the block,so on my main line and using my strop cutting one handed at full extension and with my left arm bracing myself also full extension. With in a blink I found my saw in the side of my neck but took a few seconds to realise what had happened, saw my arm looked pretty bad but couldn’t actually feel anything, pulled the saw from my neck which was literally one tooth caught under my skin and then got my self to the ground where my mate thought it was my neck but then showed him the claret that was p*****g out of my arm. Before I new it the paramedics were there and I was getting smashed with morphine , and still couldn’t feel any, a mixture of shock and adrenaline probably. Was in hospital for just over a week, and managed to cut through 60% of muscle and a tendon. Was off work for 3 months and my other half was heavily pregnant with our first so really bad timing. I still have no feeling from my scare to my thumb and can’t fully bend my wrist right back. At the end of the day I was bloody lucky that my arm to the impact rather than my neck so feel really lucky. It was an absolute freak accident me hitting a knot in the limb I was cutting and getting that kick back. As a subby of many years I’ve caught myself probably like many others holding and cutting and it always sends a shiver down my spine. Unfortunately my mate who I had known for years didn’t have employers liability but I thought he would come good and help me out but didn’t get a penny out of him and I’ve never heard from him since. I still climb as it’s all I know and climb the same then as I do now, a good working position in tree is not only safe but can be more productive.

[Alex O]