Top handle is it the end.

[mendiplogs]

Hi all one of our younger lads did a Chipper course this week ,the Assesor a well respected man from our area reconed we could be about to have a blanket ban on top handle chainsaws due to an acceleration in injurys caused by one handed users,has anyone else heard the same don't know if this includes battery operated saws,seems a bit bizarre but the source of this is a very reliable one cheers

 

Hi mate you may be right as this week I seen one of the BIG BOYS USEING A TOP HANDLE ON THE GROUND THIS CAN NOT BE RIGHT NO NAMES TOO JON

[felixthelogchopper]

Arm protection is a seriously stupid idea, its fine to one hand a topper when reaching out, its one handing whilst close to your other hand thats dodgy Arm injuries are the least of your problems, if the saw catches your sleeve, or even worse an arm protector, it instantly runs up the arm and into the chest / neck area. A chest wound could be sore, a neck wound could be fatal, I saw a picture of a chest wound caused in exactly this way only a few days ago. An arm protector is just an encouragement to cut in a more dangerous fashion.

 

I often cut one handed and very occasionally cut and hold, but tbh its easy to use step cuts and cut and snap or undercut with the saw and top cut and hold with a silky….

 

There's a pic posted on the Facebook page at the moment of a lad who has a similar injury from a groundsaw (550XP, IIRC).

[Tom D]

link?

[felixthelogchopper]

link?

 

 

Here you go, Tom. Hope this works;

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202348153002419&set=gm.10152300099995071&type=1&theater

[scotspine1]

banning top handled saws? what?....again? it was a stupid idea when the HSE talked about it in 1999/2000 and it's a stupid idea now.

[countrryboy]

Must admit i cant understand why anyone would want to use a top handled saw on the ground, i hate using them even up trees.

A rear handled saw is far nicer to work and handle esp if ur on it for long periods, but even around the chipper would never dream of buying a top handle just for that when rear handled are often cheaper too.

 

I was speaking to a load in the local chainsaw shop, he had some budget chinese saws in aswell as stihl's/husky, and some top handled 1's too.

He said he can sell non professional type top handled saws to anyone and u don't need to show ur ticket.

Makes no sense he cant sell a ms200 but can sell a cheap copy of it?

[Paul Jenks]

The chap with the chainsaw wound doesn't look like a professional user. The up side is the subcutaneous fatty tissue probably slowed the chain down a bit.

What was he doing? A close up inspection of a bore cut that went wrong?

Will this go down in the HSE statistics as a 'Tree Surgery' injury?

[WoodMouse]

Morning,

As an 'interested bystander' what is it about the top handled saws that makes their use so dangerous please.

Thankyou.

 

Simple fact is with your other hand free and not holding a handle, it's able to get in the way. Your cutting, the bit comes down awkwardly and you instinctively react by putting your hand in front of your face straight through the bar of the saw and chop your arm off.

 

Cutting and holding, get caught on the bit that drops, forget to let go.... it goes on.

 

You cant balance a ground saw with one hand for that reason.

[felixthelogchopper]

The chap with the chainsaw wound doesn't look like a professional user. The up side is the subcutaneous fatty tissue probably slowed the chain down a bit.

What was he doing? A close up inspection of a bore cut that went wrong?

Will this go down in the HSE statistics as a 'Tree Surgery' injury?

 

I think he actually works in Forestry.

[countrryboy]

The chap with the chainsaw wound doesn't look like a professional user. The up side is the subcutaneous fatty tissue probably slowed the chain down a bit.

What was he doing? A close up inspection of a bore cut that went wrong?

Will this go down in the HSE statistics as a 'Tree Surgery' injury?

 

I read throu some of the comments below the photo and he was cutting for a skyline. And a felled tree was under tension over another felled tree

Guessing the hinge had held and tree leaning over another felled tree so when he cut it butt sprung/see sawed up taking saw with it. Only guessing thou.

 

Seen it happen when cutting for skylines, i usually tried to cut to make sure hinge would be weak and break off (not really best practice i'd imagine)