Chainsaw Safety a Prime Concern during Post-Storm Cleanup

The stern advice Florida Governor Jeb Bush offered to Floridians determined to stay behind and weather the effects of Hurricane Ivan could also be applied to the thousands of amateur chainsaw operators who will attempt cleanup in the storm’s aftermath.

"This is not the time to be defiant or let people know you're a macho man," Bush said. "This is a powerful force of nature that you should not be messing with."

The same could be said about operating a chainsaw, says one expert. Just as Ivan is a “powerful force of nature,” chainsaws are a powerful technology that should never be taken lightly.

Chainsaw injuries are among the most frequent sights in emergency rooms following a severe storm. Small wonder why, says Dr. Mathew Smidt, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System forest safety specialist and Auburn University assistant professor of forestry.

“The chainsaw is the most dangerous hand tool,” Smidt says. “Using a chainsaw incorrectly not only can lead to severe injury but even death in some cases.”

Most loggers, in fact, avoid chainsaw use because of the inherent risk of injury.

One of the common hazards associated with chainsaw use involves kick back, when the upper corner end of a running saw bar contacts an object. T

“The reactive forces will violently push the saw up to the upper body or down onto the legs or feet,” Smidt says. “At wide open throttle, the skin can be exposed to hundreds of cutter teeth in less than a second.

The force of the chainsaw can easily cut through the heaviest work pants and leather boots.

Other common hazards include wood compression and tension.

Storm damaged trees are often twisted, broken or leaning on trees, buildings or fences.

“This can result in tremendous forces of bending and stretching --- compression and tension --- in the wood,” Smidt says.

Many amateur chainsaw operators often have a hard time discerning this compression and tension in trees.

“Compression may cause the saw to become bound in the cut,” Smidt says. “Tension wood, on the other hand, can be very dangerous by propelling the saw from your hands or portions of the tree at you or bystanders.

In addition, root systems attached to leaning or toppled trees may try to stand back up once the trunk has been cut free.

Dealing with these sorts of challenges shouldn’t be entrusted to amateurs, Smidt says.

“Most people aren’t aware that it takes a great deal of training and experience to understand how to releases the forces in the woods safely,” he says.

As an added precaution, don’t attempt to cut trees or branches in contact with power lines.

Also, watch for signs of fatigue.

“It’s common to exceed your normal workload during a storm cleanup,” Smidt says. “When you’re fatigued you make poor decisions, take greater risks to get the job done faster and operate with slower reaction time --- all of which increase the chances of injury.”

As further safeguards, Smidt recommends wearing personal protective equipment: a hard hat; safety glasses; ear muffs or plugs; chainsaw chaps; and safety boots.

Read and master the owner’s manual, and make sure your saw works properly and is equipped with all of the safety features, especially the chain brake.

Equally important, don’t attempt to do anything beyond your skill level; wait for professionals.

Smidt also stresses the importance of analyzing all potential hazards carefully before cutting --- comprehension and tension of downed trees, dead and broken limbs overhead, vines connecting trees and poor footing.

Finally, don’t use a chainsaw above shoulder height.

For more information visit the following Web sites on chainsaw safety, visit the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Publication on chainsaw safety at: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0972/.

Other sites include: Safety Guidelines for Chainsaw Operators at http://www.loggingsafety.com/thsm-4.htm and a Spanish-language version at http://ohioline.osu.edu/atts/PDF-Spanish/Chainsaw-Safety-SP.pdf

[Source: Dr. Mathew Smidt, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Forestry Operations Specialist and Auburn University Assistant Professor of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, (334) 844-1038.]

Posted by Jim Langcuster at September 14, 2004 11:14 AM | TrackBack