Can chainsaws be more safe?

[pete_08]

1 minute ago, trigger_andy said:

I don’t think anyone is suggesting the Saw is at fault but potentially how to improve saw safety to better protect the user from him/herself. We have PPE and the brake for the very reason of protecting the user from himself so why not look into improving on the designs if it’s at all possible?

Yea this is the point of my post to bounce around some ideas and catch a vibe. 
 

What do you mean improving on the designs? Of the existing PPE and brake? 
 

My problem is if people are getting injuries because they aren’t wearing their PPE, that may not be the chainsaw manufacturer responsibility but could the risk of injury still be reduced by a modification to the chainsaw (like a device as stated)

[Silverhooker]

A common sense detector fitted to the handle ! Stops the saw starting if your an idiot.

[Spruce Pirate]

In the professional user world I believe most of us are well protected by PPE in the UK, obviously there are some who don't always wear it for whatever reason, but the majority of the time the majority of users are well protected by their PPE so the little American diagram posted before from 1994 I don't think applies here.  In a tree a professional climber is vulnerably in the upper body and arms - experience, work position and sensible use of the saw can all mitigate this.  On the ground a professional wood-cutter is far more likely to be killed or injured by falling objects than the saw.  I suspect the majority of injuries from chainsaws are amongst the amateurs who have neither the skill, experience or PPE to protect them.  Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view you can't legislate for these, however as professional users their injuries impact us all as it makes people see chainsaws as even more dangerous.

 

In answer to your question, I don't think there is a better solution to the current system, perhaps some sort of auto-brake if your fingers release the trigger?  Assuming most people release the trigger if the chain contacts their body perhaps this might stop a chain momentarily earlier?  But, it is one more thing to go wrong, particularly if electronic, has weight implications and might not make much difference.....

[pete_08]

3 minutes ago, gdh said:

I think a chain brake is the most practical solution. Maybe improved chainsaw gear would be a better thing to look at rather than the saw?

 

The only better thing than the brake handle I can think of is sensors on your hands, shins and neck are that engage the brake electronically but I doubt that's practical.

 

Any braking system also has to balance the risk of it stopping during a felling cut 

I think if the user is wearing all the correct PPE and is trained in using a chainsaw then the risk of injury has been greatly reduced. I believe that most injuries occur when the PPE and training do not exist and that is where I’m trying to reduce the risk of injury 

[Silverhooker]

On a serious note you could put a sensor in the front handle that cuts the motor out if you try to use it one handed. Seen dopes do that a fair few times.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Stere said:

 

 

 

 

Even as late as 1994 people weren't using chainsaw trouser here, prior to 1981 they were unheard of here.

[pete_08]

2 minutes ago, Spruce Pirate said:

In the professional user world I believe most of us are well protected by PPE in the UK, obviously there are some who don't always wear it for whatever reason, but the majority of the time the majority of users are well protected by their PPE so the little American diagram posted before from 1994 I don't think applies here.  In a tree a professional climber is vulnerably in the upper body and arms - experience, work position and sensible use of the saw can all mitigate this.  On the ground a professional wood-cutter is far more likely to be killed or injured by falling objects than the saw.  I suspect the majority of injuries from chainsaws are amongst the amateurs who have neither the skill, experience or PPE to protect them.  Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view you can't legislate for these, however as professional users their injuries impact us all as it makes people see chainsaws as even more dangerous.

 

In answer to your question, I don't think there is a better solution to the current system, perhaps some sort of auto-brake if your fingers release the trigger?  Assuming most people release the trigger if the chain contacts their body perhaps this might stop a chain momentarily earlier?  But, it is one more thing to go wrong, particularly if electronic, has weight implications and might not make much difference.....

I completely agree with your first part there. 
 

I think it is still worth while trying to protect the armature. There were something like 28,000 chainsaw related injuries in America last year. If like we agree most of these will be by the untrained, lacking PPE amateur, then we should design something to reduce that number. 

[openspaceman]

1 minute ago, Silverhooker said:

On a serious note you could put a sensor in the front handle that cuts the motor out if you try to use it one handed. Seen dopes do that a fair few times.

I wouldn't discount the possibilities of something being possible, @trigger_andy has pointed out the circular saw stop and I cringed when I saw the video of the designer triggering it with his finger but it was incredible.

 

Similarly professional motorcyclist now have suits that inflate explosively if a crash is detected

 

OTOH a sticker may work

 

[Silverhooker]

Can’t see that it would be difficult to engineer a simple circuit that the user makes when holding the front and rear handles and cuts the motor if you let go of the front handle without the chain brake on.

Might even keep Stubby out of prison ! ☠️

[oldwoodcutter]

I’ve worked alongside cutters that slammed the brake on every single time they moved one pace forwards backwards or sideways.

On the other side of the coin I’ve been with others that didn’t use it from Monday morning to Saturday lunchtime.

All I can tell you is when that saw does come back at you and the inertia has stopped your chain from ripping your throat open it’s a sobering enough experience to contemplate your own mortality.