A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg. He was alone at the
time, but was able to get to his house, get the bleeding under control and
call 911. (I'm sure in what order.)

The doctor said he just missed a major artery in his leg. If he hadn't, the
outcome could have been much more serious, if for instance he had passed out
before getting the bleeding under control or severed a major artery in his
leg.

There may be a good, slightly used chainsaw for sale on Ebay real soon.
Watch for it.

Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

Barry

In article ,
"Barry N. Turner" wrote:

Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

I don't care if your chainsaw cost $600 or $99 or $15 - Spend $60 or so
on a good, UL-rated, set of saw chaps, and use them Every Single Time
you start the saw. No exceptions. Don't have a set? Don't use your saw
until you have bought a set. Cheaper than the ambulance ride, cheaper
than the emergency room visit, probably cheaper than the emergency room
copayment. And think of the time you'll _save_ by not needing to go to
the emergency room.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

"Ecnerwal" wrote: Cheaper...cheaper...cheaper...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By concentrating on that aspect of a chainsaw injury, you force us to think
about what you have not said: injury, pain, and possibly death. Very
effective--sort of like whispering in a noisy room.

This is good reminder about using a chainsaw. I can sure use it.
I'll have to check my new gas chainsaw. I think when I release the pressure
on the gas trigger or hit the guard the chain brake comes on. I'm curious
to know the brand name of your friend's chainsaw and how old is it.
Conversely a sudden kickback is hard to control. My electric chainsaw does
not have a positive stop mechanism. However when I stop pressing the switch
a clutch comes on. It will be a good time to review the safety procedures.
"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
...
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while
using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He
got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg. He was alone at
the
time, but was able to get to his house, get the bleeding under control and
call 911. (I'm sure in what order.)

The doctor said he just missed a major artery in his leg. If he hadn't,
the
outcome could have been much more serious, if for instance he had passed
out
before getting the bleeding under control or severed a major artery in his
leg.

There may be a good, slightly used chainsaw for sale on Ebay real soon.
Watch for it.

Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

Barry

Barry N. Turner wrote:
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg.

I'm wondering how this actually happened--kickbacks generally kick the
saw blade UPwards. Did he have his leg above where he was cutting?

Or cutting with the top of the blade? Not a good idea, but I do it
occasionally (like yesterday).


Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

Keep your feet and legs as far from the cut as possible. Always have a
buddy with you, and watch out for him/her also.
I'm glad your friend wasn't hurt worse!

Ken Grunke

--
take da "ma" offa dot com fer eemayl

In article , "Barry N. Turner" wrote:
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while using
a chainsaw.
[snip]
He was alone at the time

Not a good idea IMHO...

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

"Ken Grunke" wrote in message
...
Barry N. Turner wrote:
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while
using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He
got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg.

Keep your feet and legs as far from the cut as possible. Always have a
buddy with you, and watch out for him/her also.
I'm glad your friend wasn't hurt worse!


Safety rule number one - the buddy system. All the protective gear in the
world won't do you much good if nobody knows where you are. Susan can't use
a chainsaw, and she's not very strong, but she has a cell phone (and keeps
the Gatorade coming), which is what counts in the woods.

Lucky piecemaker the other day was found by his buddies when he didn't come
out of the woods when called. Steel, chaps, the works. No good when you're
limbing and get pinned when the stick you're trimming rolls on you.

Felling without a buddy, even with hardhat, is beyond stupid.

I really don't know what brand or how old. I expect it is a fairly new saw.
I'm sure it has a chain brake. Chainsaws are made to cut wood, but they are
not especially discriminating on that point. I don't even know if my friend
was using the chainsaw in a dangerous manner..............except for the
fact that he was using it without any protective equipment at all.

We were talking about the accident at church yesterday. One of the guys
told about an accident his grandfather had with a chainsaw. He, too, got a
kickback. The chainsaw made contact with his face.........ripping through
one side of his face, barely missing his right eye and nose!

Barry



"Denis Marier" wrote in message
...
This is good reminder about using a chainsaw. I can sure use it.
I'll have to check my new gas chainsaw. I think when I release the
pressure
on the gas trigger or hit the guard the chain brake comes on. I'm curious
to know the brand name of your friend's chainsaw and how old is it.
Conversely a sudden kickback is hard to control. My electric chainsaw does
not have a positive stop mechanism. However when I stop pressing the
switch
a clutch comes on. It will be a good time to review the safety
procedures.
"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
...
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while
using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He
got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg. He was alone at
the
time, but was able to get to his house, get the bleeding under control
and
call 911. (I'm sure in what order.)

The doctor said he just missed a major artery in his leg. If he hadn't,
the
outcome could have been much more serious, if for instance he had passed
out
before getting the bleeding under control or severed a major artery in
his
leg.

There may be a good, slightly used chainsaw for sale on Ebay real soon.
Watch for it.

Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

Barry

I really don't know all the details. Like with other saws, all body parts
ought to be kept out of the line of cut/kickback. Or, as you say, as far
away as possible.

I do know he was working alone........which could have been his biggest
mistake of all..........especially if he had lost consciousness after
cutting a major artery.

Barry


"Ken Grunke" wrote in message
...
Barry N. Turner wrote:
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while
using
a chainsaw. He's not a woodturner or a logger, just an average guy (a
pharmacist) clearing some ice storm damaged tree limbs on his farm. He
got
a kickback and severed a minor artery in his lower leg.

I'm wondering how this actually happened--kickbacks generally kick the
saw blade UPwards. Did he have his leg above where he was cutting?

Or cutting with the top of the blade? Not a good idea, but I do it
occasionally (like yesterday).


Let's be extra careful using chainsaws. Look into shin guards or chaps,
learn how to use your saw properly and observe all safety rules.

Keep your feet and legs as far from the cut as possible. Always have a
buddy with you, and watch out for him/her also.
I'm glad your friend wasn't hurt worse!

Ken Grunke

--
take da "ma" offa dot com fer eemayl

No..........absolutely not!

Barry


"Doug Miller" wrote in message
om...
In article , "Barry N. Turner"
wrote:
A friend of mine barely escaped a very serious injury yesterday while
using
a chainsaw.
[snip]
He was alone at the time

Not a good idea IMHO...

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

Barry et al.
I have worked with a chain saw most of my life. When I was much younger I
spent summers working with Grampy in the pulp woods although we cut some
lumber logs and firewood. I notice I did not take it up as a life trade?
Hard work. I recall patching my first chain saw cut at the age of 14. Not
fun. A couple of things:
1) stay out of the line of fire
2) the kick comes mostly from the nose, keep it out of the wood
3) keep the chain tight, it loosens as it heats so snug it up now and then
3) if you must fell alone, use a come along to direct the tree
4) do not fell alone
5) we call it protective clothing for a reason
6) be cautious, not afraid
I have seen cut hands (not easy but it can be done), legs, arms, boots,
feet, and heads. I assume backs and bellies are possible. I have not had a
chain cut myself and do not want one. Glad your friend is ok.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:LsvEd.61745$nN6.59089@edtnps84...
A couple of things:
1) stay out of the line of fire
2) the kick comes mostly from the nose, keep it out of the wood
3) keep the chain tight, it loosens as it heats so snug it up now and then
3) if you must fell alone, use a come along to direct the tree
4) do not fell alone
5) we call it protective clothing for a reason
6) be cautious, not afraid



7) NEVER drop start the saw with the throttle lock engaged.

What do you mean by "drop start"?

Barry


"George" george@least wrote in message
...

"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:LsvEd.61745$nN6.59089@edtnps84...
A couple of things:
1) stay out of the line of fire
2) the kick comes mostly from the nose, keep it out of the wood
3) keep the chain tight, it loosens as it heats so snug it up now and
then
3) if you must fell alone, use a come along to direct the tree
4) do not fell alone
5) we call it protective clothing for a reason
6) be cautious, not afraid



7) NEVER drop start the saw with the throttle lock engaged.

"Barry N. Turner" wrote:

What do you mean by "drop start"?

Barry


Hold the starter cord and drop the chainsaw. I've seen it done by pros on a
closed course. Not something I'd do, but I'm a might cautious.

Drop starting a chain saw means holding on to the cord and letting the saw
drop to start the engine. The left hand continues to hold the saw so it is
more of a controlled fall than a drop. Most pros I know would not do it if
the safety inspector was handy. I would not do it anyway. The safe and
professional way to do a drop start is to rest the bar on a log and then let
the weight of the saw pull the cord for you. That way the bar can not swing
down and hit your leg. There has got to be a better way to amputate.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

I was afraid that was what it meant. Sounds dangerous either way to me.
Maybe not in experienced hands, but it would be in mine.

Barry

"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:siIEd.80385$dv1.67329@edtnps89...
Drop starting a chain saw means holding on to the cord and letting the saw
drop to start the engine. The left hand continues to hold the saw so it is
more of a controlled fall than a drop. Most pros I know would not do it if
the safety inspector was handy. I would not do it anyway. The safe and
professional way to do a drop start is to rest the bar on a log and then
let
the weight of the saw pull the cord for you. That way the bar can not
swing
down and hit your leg. There has got to be a better way to amputate.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
.. .
I was afraid that was what it meant. Sounds dangerous either way to me.
Maybe not in experienced hands, but it would be in mine.

Always dangerous, but with a warm saw people get lazy. In 25 years of
responding I've used a tourniquet twice. Both were chainsaw accidents.

My Stihl makes you go out of your way to be dangerous by forcing the choke
on in order to engage the throttle lock. Have to disengage the choke to
start a warm saw, and don't really need the throttle, but ....

Actually its "NEVER drop start."

It doesn't matter what precautions you take its a very convenient, very
dangerous way of starting a saw.

Frank
"George" george@least wrote in message
...

"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:LsvEd.61745$nN6.59089@edtnps84...
A couple of things:
1) stay out of the line of fire
2) the kick comes mostly from the nose, keep it out of the wood
3) keep the chain tight, it loosens as it heats so snug it up now and
then
3) if you must fell alone, use a come along to direct the tree
4) do not fell alone
5) we call it protective clothing for a reason
6) be cautious, not afraid



7) NEVER drop start the saw with the throttle lock engaged.

One of our club demonstrations was by a Stihl regional rep. He had a
projector, and very professional presentation. Everything: sharpening,
maintenance, use, and safety. It was very eye opening. If you can
arrange it, do it for your club.
robo hippy

One of our club demonstrations was by a Stihl regional rep. He had a
projector, and very professional presentation. Everything: sharpening,
maintenance, use, and safety. It was very eye opening. If you can
arrange it, do it for your club.
robo hippy