Chainsaw gloves for climbing!!!

[Fat Boy Quim]

My boss at work has got a daft idea in his head that climbers have to wear chainsaw protective gloves whilst using a chainsaw from a rope and harness, and has started to try and enforce this (he isn't an arborist himself!)

The climbers on this forum will know well that chainsaw protective gloves are big and cumbersome and make tying knots an absolute nightmare, and more importantly are not required for climbing work.

 

So.... does anybody know where I can find industry guidelines which state the PPE that must be worn when using a chainsaw from a rope and harness, so that I can show my boss and put this little idea of his to bed as soon as possible! I've looked through the NPTC CS39 schedule, and surprisingly the required PPE isn't mentioned.

 

Thanks.

[Mesterh]

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag401.pdf

 

States what PPE is recommended.

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

he obviously doesn't or never has climbed himself.

 

tell him you will wear them..but don't expect to get much done in a day!

[Tommy_B]

Taken from AFAG leaflet. (Best I could do)

 

"❏1 While no PPE can provide 100% protection against cuts from chainsaws, when climbing, chainsaw users should wear thefollowing:

●

A safety helmet (HSE strongly recommends a mountaineering style helmet complying with BS EN 12492).

●

Eye protection(complying with either BS EN 1731 or BS EN 166).

●

Hearing protection (complying with BS EN 352).

●

Suitable gloves appropriate to the task and subject to the operatorʼs risk assessment."

 

I guess as long as you are including it in your risk assessment, It doesn't matter.

 

(I know that you know this, but it might be something to show him)

[Wolfie]

AFAG 401 - tree climbing operations, states under PPE/gloves "suitables gloves appropriate to the task and subject to the operators risk assessment".

Basically gloves that are suitable for climbing trees which is not your standard chainsaw gloves.

You, as the operator can assess that climbing a tree in chainsaw gloves is too risky.

Either that or insist that he splashes out £50 notes every few weeks on pro climber gloves with protection.

[Bolt]

I have been climbing using gloves for the last ten years or so.

 

I started wearing them to combat the wrist cramps I was suffering from (ha ha yes, very funny, you at the back)

 

I found them a great improvement in reducing cramps because A) I guess they kept my hands warmer, and B) you don't have to grip the rope so acutely.

 

Therefore I cant see the problem myself, surely loads of people on here choose to climb in gloves?

 

I go for either yer basic stihl green and yellow chainsaw gloves, or the natty black Petzl ones (with the little hole in them to clip onto a krab)

 

Have you honestly given it a decent shot, or are you disregarding it before you really tried it?

[Fat Boy Quim]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, only problem witht the AFAG guide is that it states 'suitable gloves must be worn subject to the risk assessment' (or something along those lines). Well, the generic risk assessment that we use for chainsaw operations from a rope and harness (which wasn't drawn up by me) states that chainsaw protective gloves must be worn- which backs up my boss's theory! I tried showing him the AFAG guide this morning and got nowhere.

[Bolt]

you could "risk them out" on your site specific risk assessment if you can demonstrate how not using them is safer, but I think you may have a job coming up with a convincing reason.

[Frankie Lawrence]

do it and show how hard it is and how slow you now are (over exagerate the slowness).

 

its hard enough to wear them on the ground so god knows how anyone can do it climbing.

[Fat Boy Quim]

I have been climbing using gloves for the last ten years or so.

 

I started wearing them to combat the wrist cramps I was suffering from (ha ha yes, very funny, you at the back)

 

I found them a great improvement in reducing cramps because A) I guess they kept my hands warmer, and B) you don't have to grip the rope so acutely.

 

Therefore I cant see the problem myself, surely loads of people on here choose to climb in gloves?

 

I go for either yer basic stihl green and yellow chainsaw gloves, or the natty black Petzl ones (with the little hole in them to clip onto a krab)

 

Have you honestly given it a decent shot, or are you disregarding it before you really tried it?

 

 

I think you've maybe misunderstood me there mate. I always have climbed with gloves, usually just the cheap ones with the grippy rubber palms- which are great! But my boss wants me to wear the big clumsy leather stihl ones with the chainsaw protection on the backs of the hand. Would take me half an hour to tie a timber hitch in those!