ppe (or lack thereof)

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sgcsalsero

sgcsalsero

Feeling the Heat
Mar 15, 2006
448
ClevelandRocks
I'm looking at different saw videos just killing a little time with my son (he likes that or monster trucks). Thinking that maybe I'll learn something and he'll get some entertainment at the same time.

I ceased to be amazed how little or no PPE people are wearing, and some of the sheeet they are doing. Some of these saws are downright scary powerful . . (e.g stihl 361 044, 880). Running 15,000 rpm saws and wearing no protection of any kind, one video with a guy straddling his saw with right leg splayed out. Makes me cringe, I think manufacturers should put a chainsaw safety DVD in every box along with a $10 coupon for their brand of chaps.
 
Here Here! People just don't get it til something bad happens to them. I always wear PPE when using my chain saw, I think safety was beat into me during my 20 years in the Coast Guard.
 
Army Aviation didn't beat safety into me but that big ole ProMac 610 showing me what the bone in my left leg looks like sure did.
 
BrotherBart said:
Army Aviation didn't beat safety into me but that big ole ProMac 610 showing me what the bone in my left leg looks like sure did.
Click to expand...

Care to share a little more, I don't go looking for pics or stories but a little sobering goes a long way, I remember EarthHarvester posting a story that was a doozey

Probably my closest call on getting injured this year didn't come with my saw but with my neighbor's dog. Two weeks ago on my bike commute I'm tearing up a paved path that cuts thru school fields. I break thru a hedge of arborvitae and see my neighbor. . .now just like the movies everything slows down. . . I'm starting to wave and to see if I can catch her for a quick hello when peripherally I see her 120 dog . . . . . . .she doesn't see me yet because she's turned & getting ready to throw from her right hand . .in anticipation of her launching his ball (she uses a large ladle looking device) . . the dog bolts at top speed ~10 yards . . right into the front wheel of my bike . . I went a$$ over teacups onto the pavement . . in short, luckily enough we both came out with just a couple bumps and bruises . . I realized how bad the collision was when I could hardly get the rim off the fork and the resultant WOW from a local mechanic
 
running a 272 husky - figure my deductible for an er visit is $1,000 so it's a lot less expensive for me to wear my ppe then it is to head to the hospital

have a set of chaps and a helmet with full screen face shield and ear protection - i ALWAYS suit up before i start up my saw
 
It is amazing how tired you get when you are not used to it. Safety is so important. When you get tired, you get careless. Get the proper safety equipment. Right on, Stevebass.
 
Just remembered, I was talking to a former co-worker a couple months ago. He's got 9 acres so I said hey you can borrow my saw but more importantly I told him he could borrow all my safety stuff, even semi-begged him to use it. That prompted him to ask if I remembered a guy who worked in the accounting dept. so I said yep. Well, this guy was running a saw and ended up cutting his left hand real bad, messed up for life at 28 years old. If he didn't have a desk job he'd be out of work.
 
I have been felling timber for over 20 years and have always used all necessary PPE.
I too laugh when I see these videos by people who claim to be seasoned pros and can't even make the 2 face cuts of a notch meet on the first try.
 
I usually only cut for my own firewood and for misc camping and helping friends and family. I always use my eye protection, gloves but no chaps or anything else.
 
A cut with a chainsaw in the wrong place and there's a good chance you'll bleed to death before help arrives. I got my foot caught in a small branch, on a hill and fell. Good thing I had my PPE on. It knocked me on my butt so fast, I didn't know what happened. It's worth the little extra I paid for the added safety. I also want to repeat if your tired, stop cutting, that's when things go wrong.
 
CTwoodburner said:
I usually only cut for my own firewood and for misc camping and helping friends and family. I always use my eye protection, gloves but no chaps or anything else.
Click to expand...

That was exactly me until this past April when I dropped an ash tree about 12" in diameter next to the creek. As the tree hit the ground it rolled off the stump and came in my direction. Because I didn't want to step backwards into the creek (and a 3' or so drop off) I decided to move to my right, past the end of the newly cut log. As I did, with the saw in my left hand only, my left knee came up and into the chain which was fortunately one it's last 1/2 revolution or so before stopping.

Long story is it ripped through my Levis and got myself two cuts right on the kneecap, and all the way to the bone. In the meantime, my cutting chaps were hanging nicely in the barn.

You can bet that I wear my chaps now (and ear and eye protection) before I ever start the saw!


Cheers!
 
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read the post on : cutting with the beast...

He says he does not wear his ear muffs because he is half deaf because of the loud clubs he used to visit and .... he loves the sound of this chainsaw.

Am I the only one that shakes his head at such foolishness???

Carpniels
 
carpniels said:
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read the post on : cutting with the beast...

He says he does not wear his ear muffs because he is half deaf because of the loud clubs he used to visit and .... he loves the sound of this chainsaw.

Am I the only one that shakes his head at such foolishness???

Carpniels
Click to expand...

These are the same people that say they don't need seat belts. They usually change their mind when they become airborn as they exit a vehicle window in a crash. Chainsaw accidents are just as messy.
Ed
 
I always wear full safety gear. Helmet, full face shield, ear protection, leather gloves, chaps, steel-toe boots. It's a high-speed cutting device without shielding that's just waiting to hurt you. Not to mention the whole environment you're working in is dangerous. All it takes is to trip, stumble, twist an ankle, etc and you can bounce a saw off your thigh - or worse, your face.

I saw a Chainsaw Mitt on another site. Looked like a good idea, but could only find them in NZ sites. Basically its a leather hand guard that prevents you from letting go of the saw and protects the back of the left hand in event of kickback.
 
I'm a huge fan of my PPE. It's amazing how the noise of a saw will fatigue you. Before I never used PPE and I could run a saw an hour or so and be totally exhausted.

The chaps are nice in the cooler months, too, as they keep you warmer.
 
There 2 things I see more saw users not wear other than chaps and they are, eye protection and hearing protection. I have a buddy who doesn't wear either and I hope someday he doesn't call me and say guess what? But he does wear chaps. :-S

Shipper
 
[quote author="Shipper50" date="1221188658"]There 2 things I see more saw users not wear other than chaps and they are, eye protection and hearing protection. I have a buddy who doesn't wear either and I hope someday he doesn't call me and say guess what? But he does wear chaps. :-S

Shipper[/quote
I knew a guy back in college that wore "only chaps". Like you I REALLY, REALLY hoped he would never call me.
 
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I wear it all hot or not, but i hate Doctors!
 
either and I hope someday he doesn’t call me and say guess what? But




I know people like that, and I DO hope he calls and says guess what. I fear more the call from next of kin.


k
 
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