Preventing Chain Saw Injuries

 

Each year, approximately 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injuries from using chain saws. The potential risk of injury increases after hurricanes and other natural disasters when chain saws are widely used to remove fallen or partially fallen trees and tree branches.

Before You Start a Chain Saw

• Operate, adjust, and maintain the saw according to manufacturer’s instructions provided in the manual accompanying the chain saw.
• If you have never operated a chain saw, after a storm is not a good time to begin learning.
• Properly sharpen chain saw blades and properly lubricate the blade with bar and chain oil. Periodicall, check and adjust the tension of the chain saw blade to ensure good cutting action.
• Choose the proper size of chain saw to match the job and verify that safety features such as chain brake, front and rear hand guards, stop switch, chain catcher and a spark arrester are working properly.
• Do not operate a chain saw that is damaged, improperly adjusted or that is not securely assembled.
• Wear the appropriate protective equipment, including hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, heavy work gloves, cut-resistant legwear (chain saw chaps) that extend from the waist to the top of the foot and boots that cover the ankle.
• Avoid contact with power lines until the lines are verified as being de-energized.

Chain Saw Operation

• Use caution when refueling. Allow saw to cool before refueling. Move the saw at least 10 feet away from the fueling point before starting the engine.
• Keep the chain saw handles dry, clean and free of oil and fuel mixture.
• Always operate the saw at waist level or below to ensure that you maintain secure control over the chain saw. Do not cut overhead.
• Do not operate a chain saw when your are fatigued.
• Do not operate the saw with one hand. Both hands are required to safely operate a chain saw.
• Do not operate a chain saw in a tree unless you have been trained to do so.
• Keep bystanders and animals out of the work area.
• Bystanders or coworkers should remain at least 2 tree lengths (at least 150 feet) away from anyone felling a tree and at least 30 feet from anyone operating a chain saw to remove limbs or cut a fallen tree
• Do not start cutting until you have a clear work area, secure footing and a planned retreat path from a falling tree or branch.

Preventing Chain Saw Injuries - Page 2

 

• Warning! – Kickback may occur when the nose or tip of the saw guide bar touches an object or when the wood pinches the chain in the cut. This may cause the chain bar guide to violently jerk up and back towards the operator causing serious injury or death.
• Take extra care in cutting “spring poles” - trees or branches that have gotten bent, twisted, hung up on, or caught under another object. If the tree or the branch is suddenly released, it may strike the person cutting it, or a bystander, with enough force to cause serious injury or death. Even a seemingly small tree or branch (2 inches in diameter, for example) may pose a hazard when it is released from tension.

·         Identify the maximum point of tension on the spring pole.

·         Slowly shave the underside of the tree/branch rather than cut through to allow the tree or branch to release tension slowly.

• Keep body parts away from the saw chain when the engine is running.
• Shut off the engine before setting the chain saw down.
• Carry the saw with the engine stopped, the guide bar facing to the rear and muffler away from your body.
• When transporting a chain saw, use the appropriate chain guard (scabbard).

 

• If injury occurs, apply direct pressure over site(s) of heavy bleeding and seek medical help immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety/Environmental Services 5/06