Can chainsaws be more safe?

[Doug Tait]

3 hours ago, gary112 said:

Worked with a chap years ago who worked with saws all his life and fully trained,ringing up some big oaks,he would get a fag out of his pocket and light up while using Husky 288 one handed,now thats a trained fcukwit

Only a couple of weeks ago I saw a young chap cross cutting an 18" diameter spruce on a banking, right hand on the trigger of a 500i, left hand texting. I stopped him and he thought it was because he was using his phone at work!

[gary112]

21 minutes ago, Doug Tait said:

Only a couple of weeks ago I saw a young chap cross cutting an 18" diameter spruce on a banking, right hand on the trigger of a 500i, left hand texting. I stopped him and he thought it was because he was using his phone at work!

Makes ya wonder Doug don,t it

[Mesterh]

10 hours ago, Pete Mctree said:

Properly sharpened chains would massively reduce accidents- a blunt chain radically changes how a saw is operated.

 

9 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

It’s easier just to learn how to avoid kickback in the first place.

 

9 hours ago, 5thelement said:

And position yourself so if kickback does take place, it doesn’t hit any part of your body.

I think those are very good bits of advice. 

 

A poor running machine and complacency drastically increases the odds of an accident. I've had a few and witnessed a few, most of the time it's been poor work positioning coupled with being pissed off. I.e. operator error. 

 

I don't think a quicker chain brake would of helped in those situations but if it didn't effect the use or performance of the machine then I can't see it being a bad idea. 

 

[Mark Bolam]

1 hour ago, Doug Tait said:

Yes, exactly what I was thinking of, reading that hit home to me, still do remember it often. Thanks for finding it Steve. 

It makes harrowing reading, and I applaud his stance in some ways, but a chainsaw will always be a lethal tool.

 

Operator error.

 

It’s harsh as fuck but it’s true.

[Mike Hill]

Each chainsaw should come with a picture book showing chainsaw fatalities. The new owner should have to sign muluiple times on each page.

 

When I started out, we had to sit in a classroom and veiw slides of grusome chainsaw related accidents. 

 

Some of these kids have never owned a penknife and we expect them to respect a chainsaw?

[Mike Hill]

Chainsaw tradecraft in the UK among Arbs is pretty pathetic tbh. Most people cant really sharpen nor can they buck logs standing up without munting the chain.

 

People bend their backs to much which fatigues both their backs and their arms. It also puts the saw too far away from them to easily control it both in use and the event of a kickback.

 

I dont know who comes up with the training doctrine in the UK but I bet they are far, far removed from the reality of the job.

[difflock]

I appreciate(and it only took me 45 years, from age 17) I am somewhere on some "spectrum" of abbynormal, in my poor friendmaking/male bonding skills, but apparently better than average injury avoding skills**. 

To me, entirely untrained as I remain it it CLEARLY obvious that the chain must be kept sharp, and moderately loose, O.K. I only run semi chisel, but I keep it sharp, that way the chain rarely needs re-tensioned and the sprocket and bar last for ever, because I only ever have to "tickle" the log and the saw wants to cut, so no forcing/bruteforce, which allows for better relaxed saw control. I would also attempt to keep my body out of any likely line of kickback, if I forsaw the likelyhood of such occuring.

I also always simply and intuitevly understood tension and compression and their effects on a tree or log.

BUT

I have unfortunately observed "trained" chainsaw abusers who brutally swing on the saw because they could not sharpen the chain, (i.e. they run to the local saw doctor to get the chains sharpened, each and every time) and could not understand that cutting asphalt was a job for a concrete saw, etc etc etc. I have also observed in mute gobsmacked awe some of the sad saws brought in, by both hobby and "professional" users, for attention at the local dealers, WTF! I bytimes had cause to  wonder.

But I am not seeing the well maintained saws cos those blokes dont be bringing them in for attention.

I have also observed blokes that can make me feel downright inadequate with their chain sharpening and saw skills.

Which is to say I mostly recognise my limitations.

And I have the luxury of not working under pressure or attempting to make money off running a saw, while physically exhausted. Which is a very significent factor in otherwise inexplicable mistakes or accidents

Unfortunately Dunning and Kruger were also correct when they postulated that stupid cannot be fixed.

P.S.

The Army is probably a bit of a contributor in offering young(ish) fit blokes who love working outdoors, the opportunity to "train" as chainsaw operators, for their post Army life. These blokes are not necessairly best suited to weilding a chainsaw, just because the feel like it or imagine they are Gods gifted chainsaw operators. "Two up and bags of smoke" does not always be the best tactic outside of the military.

Sunday morning ramble over.

N.B.

**Injury avoiding skills, yes, I make mistakes, properly fornicate things up and break stuff, and hey I sometimes even learn something from these experiences, but "stuff" can be fixed, or scrapped,  my body not so much.

Marcus

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by difflock

[Stere]

When a did the CS31  I remember everyones chain was blunt 😏.

 

My hand sharpening isn't that good, but many were artrocious. Have a recollection that some guy actually said he just binned chains & used & new ones as they got blunt 😀

[Bolt]

2 hours ago, Mike Hill said:

Chainsaw tradecraft in the UK among Arbs is pretty pathetic tbh. Most people cant really sharpen nor can they buck logs standing up without munting the chain.

 

Maybe a little harsh… but unfortunately not wholly inaccurate.

 

 

2 hours ago, Mike Hill said:

 

I dont know who comes up with the training doctrine in the UK but I bet they are far, far removed from the reality of the job.

 

I fear that it was probably the UK arb industry that came up with the training doctrine.

 

[Mike Hill]

I know I came across harsh and possibly arrogant but propper training and technique is vital for safe saw use.

 

UK training is a step back into the 1980s coupled with " use that saw as far away fron you as you can".Which causes all sorts of issues.

 

I couldnt get my saw ticket untill I could sharpen free hand. I also had to be assesed on the job and do the job fast enough to pass.All in one year.

 

The year after that I could buck 7 foot thick  logs with a 1% error,on a hillside in the bush.

 

If the quality of the training in the 90s could get a teenager to that level, wtf is the UK playing at?