who wears protective clothing when cutting wood

amorak

due to some recent events around me have thought about changing my habits when cutting, facing with ones own mortality i guess..... up to now for the last 20 plus years i wore steel toe boots, glasses and eye protection, maybe should be wearing gloves, shirt and maybe chaps of some kind, what do others wear?

Bill

superfire

Me standard is safety glasses and hearing protection and a brain bucket. Chaps are for use only when doing work in high kick back areas otherwise no chaps. The other times I wear chaps when cutting alone with no help close by.

Garry Brockley

ear eye protection on a helmet, steel toe boots, chainsaw trousers thats nearly every time i use a chainsaw i don't worry about a protective shirt as its too hot here, but they are useless anyway as most kick back injuries end up in the neck/face area.
training is your best PPE, follow correct training rules and you wont go far wong, i dont care if you've been around chainsaws for fourty years if you haven't done a chainsaw course with a registered trainer you are missing a major part of your protective gear, so for those who say "balls to that i was shown by jo blogs how to use a chainsaw and he's been useing them all of his life", balls, case in point. i watched a newbie yesterday copy and old timer with an 066 he attempted to drop start it and the bar flicked up and hit him in the left nipple the saw didnt start but if it had it would have ripped him to peices.
training is a gathering of facts and procedures brought together by lots of different people from all over the world, refined and constantly updated as incidents happen, how can being shown by one man who has only known his way know how others will react or do things.
ok im off my soap box now.

__________________

Bruce Hopf

Years ago, I only wore steel toed work boots, and a set of ear muffs, but I had a change of events, that changed all of that, and few very close calls.
About 20 years ago, I used to cut a lot of fire wood for farmers, in my area, who didn't have enough time to do the task, or the right equipment, to do the job.
One was a neighbor, who had just bought another farm, that had a lane way, that ran down the middle of the farm, to access small fields, for the horse type farming, that they did way back when.
I was hired, to fell the trees, and to cut them up into fire wood. In the mornings, I would do the felling, and the bucking in the afternoon. I had the neighbors son helping me, then he had to go at lunch time, and go to work.
One morning, I fell a Maple tree, around 36" across, and an Ash tree, about 26" across.
The Maple fell right where I wanted it, but the Ash hung up on the stump. It didn't fall in any direction, it just stood there, and was almost cut right through.
Taking the sledge hammer, I started tapping the already position splitting wedges, that I used for felling big trees. After tapping the wedges a few times, the tree spun a quarter of a turn on the stump, and fell a quarter of a turn, from where I had planned it to fall, and fell on top of the Maple tree.
No problem, so I started cutting the trees up, after lunch. Not knowing (because of all the leaves on the trees), that the one limb, on the maple tree was bent, much like that of a bow, and arrow set, I started liming the trees.
As I just nicely cut through a limb of the Ash tree, I seen the sprang back limb, from the Maple tree, fly up over the bar of the chain saw, and hit me square in the mouth, snapping my top four front teeth in half.
After I went to my truck, rinsing my mouth out good, with water, and getting the bleeding stopped, looking in the mirror, and assessed the damage, I finished the day out.
Well, the next few days, and in a lot of pain, I spent in the Dentist chair, getting my teeth fixed, and $1000.00 later for the Dentist bills, I started wearing a helmet, with a visor.
I figure, if I had the helmet on that day, the visor would have taken the blow, and distributed the blow, across my face more evenly, I may still have my teeth intact, but for sure, I would have probably had my nose broken.
As for the chaps, I wouldn't dare work without them now. I injured my back, almost 10 years ago, which sometimes my balance isn't the greatest, and my left knee gives out on me from time to time.
One day, a couple of years ago, I was liming tree tops, and skidding them out of my bush, with the tractor. I had just nicely, cut through a limb, and you guessed it, my left knee gave out, bending my knee towards the spinning chain.
Things happened that quick, I didn't have time to work the chain brake, and lucky for me, my knee stopped 1/8", away from the bar and chain. After that, the chain saws where put away, till I got to the Co-op the next morning, and I bought a pair of chaps.
They are great for skidding too, and keeps my knees out of the mud, and snow, while hooking the chains up to the tree tops, and to the tractor.
I had one saw chain hit the chaps, while the chain saw was idling down, without having my finger on the trigger of the chain saw, while positioning a tree branch, which stopped the chain immediately, and didn't cut through the chaps, but did leave a mark, in the material, where the chain did come into contact, with the material, of the chaps.
But this is just me, and my opinion, and it is up to the individual, weather or not, they want to wear safety equipment, while doing this type of work. Me, I won't start up a chain saw without wearing it now, saved me a few bumps on the head, slapped in the face from bent branches, or having something fly into my eyes, unexpectedly, like saw dust, or other debris, or having cloths sewed back up again, or stitches, closing up a gash in the leg, which I haven't had as of yet.
Just some of my experience, with 29 years of cutting fire wood in the bush, here on our farm. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

066logger

i was taught by people that didnt wear it and that dropstarted their saws and in all the cutting i have done with other people i am the only one that wears chaps and a helmet. i guess ppl are just crazy lol. i for one would rather not have my leg choped off or a concussion from a widow maker. or be deaf at 40 due to running excessively loud saws all my life lol. or be blind from an errant splinter. but i guess thats just me lol.

REJ2

Chaps, gloves, eye protection, regular boots, all the time. Helmet only sometimes. REJ2

superfire

I wear my brain bucket always. I survived a 10" 12' tree top widow maker beacause of a brain bucket. Chaps are a nice option for firewood cutting and the ill informed saw types. Chaps are just another tool in the tool box of a pro cuter. Saws can bite badly, been the one on a couple nasty saw bite accidents and it aint perty

jamming

I have several family members in the medical field !

Face sheild, hearing protection, Chaps, leather boots ! And no beer until the job is done.

Much cheaper than hospital time !

Bruce Hopf

I agree with you, on the NO BEER, till the job is done. I've sen some stupid stuff happen (glad no one was hurt), when someone was drinking beer, while cutting fire wood.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Bruce Hopf

I'm not a pro cutter anymore, I just cut fire wood now, for my own winter's heating, of my house, and shop. I've seen a quite a few pictures, of what a chain saw can do, to the human skin, and flesh. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Drouin Tree Service

Yes cut proof pants eye wear helmet,earmuffs,steel cap boots.

Interesting to note that you only technically have to supply an employee with there first pair of cut proofs then its up to them(victoria)

__________________

Drouin Tree Services | Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland | Landclearing Melbourne

dodgetkboy78

Helmet, no eye protection, it fogs up, yeah, I know..........
Steel toe boots in the summer, sometimes chaps, if I am limbing......

Speaking of "pro" cutting, a quick google search, look what you get.

Notice the placement of the gas can too? LOLOL

I hope this ain't a real vid.


http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...fCy4fQ&cad=rja

Eric Frei

I hope that video wasn't real too, bugger that.

I wear the whole box and dice, but there's many who don't.

You get the deaf bastid's who refuse to wear earmuffs coz they reckon they cant hear the noise anyway.

__________________

MrDiesel

chainsaw trousers, steep cap laced boots with high ankes, Grade 5 ear protection, long sleeve cotton shirt, balistic sunnies, and hard hat with eye mesh protection.

Dont care what anyone else says i wont be changing

amorak

interesting on the training GALBEE, never heard of it, i was trained by an ex alaskan logger, he has a stihl that was made in alaska, says it was better than the ones here in the lower states, cannot remember what he said was better about it ... hope i am doing it right based on his teachings!!

i have had some close calls also, a nick one time with the saw on the back of the hand/arm, only incident i have had, i too work the friends with their woodcutting they know i have all the big saws to handle anything around here.

i am going to get a face shield, never have worn one, should be doing it maybe even go all out with chaps, what is wrong with the pants, and not the chaps??

Bill

james barton

for my self a wore a hard hat and chaps. I bought the chaps after getting 7 stiches in my left leg. Hard to get used to but they are better than cutting through skin and a lot less painful

nmurph

chaps, bugz-eye mesh goggles, ear plugs (muffs, weather permitting when bucking), steel-toe kevlar lined boots, and gloves (leather-no protection from saw). no brain bucket. our trees just don't have WM's

Eric Frei

I wear Stihl pants not chaps, many do. I prefer it, put them on when you leave home and that's it, you do not have to think about it anymore.

With chaps you'll see the guys put them on, take them off, then a little cut has to be made here and there and they go, "oh bugger it, it's juts a little cut" and not put the chaps back on.

__________________

Bruce Hopf

Here, I'm wearing insulated coveralls, when I'm working out side, so I just put the chaps on over the top of the coveralls, and I don't take them off, till I'm done, at the end of the day. I put a pair of suspenders, on them, to help hold them up, when I'm climbing, on and off of the tractor.
Thought about getting a pair of the pants, but I'll only be wearing them in the late spring, to early fall, till I have to get the coveralls back on, to work outside, during the winter months, and go back to the chaps. Bruce

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

jamming

What ya mean ? "Won't be changing" ? Are you speaking of the mesh face sheilds ! Only thing i will use !

Darrell Mcleod

oh oh

Glad I read this thread and salute you all for your honesty and advice
Have been using chainsaws all my life and felt I was a good safe operator
Through my career I have worn several out
At a point some years back had 25 landscapers working for me
Now I am a landscape designer and arborist and mainly listen to my computers running most days
Have been building a retaining wall at home using my Stihl MS 290 to cut some sleepers and of course wear safety glasses and ear muffs but have never worn chain saw pants in my life
Use my saw for firewood also
After reading this will buy some chain saw pants tomorrow
Thanks for the heads up – cannot believe what a DH I have been

MrDiesel

Ive copped a bit of flack from the guys for gearing up with so much ppe, Doesnt matter if im up a tree or on the ground i wear the same outfit. A few have said its over the top but with good teaching and correct PPE i have never had an accident.

I also wear the same PPE if im stump grinding or chipping as well

KevinE

I always wear eye protection regardless. I always start out with ear plugs in, but always seem to have to pull them out & then put them back in for one reason or another (usually because a customer is talking to me & I can't hear what they're saying!). Of course, they eventually get left out, even though I know I shouldn't! I wear chaps with any saw with a 16" bar or longer. I should probably wear them always! A mate of mine put his 346 through his leg above his knee cutting down near the stump He was lucky! he just cut muscle, no nerve, bone or tendon damage! I don't own a lid, but I'm definitely looking to buy one.

What about stump grinding? I don't own a grinder & used to get a lopper to come grind my stumps for me. He is a good guy & did a great job, but he sold the grinding part of his business to another guy. I used that guy ONCE & ONCE ONLY! He scared the crap out of me! No PPE & he kept getting the super junior bogged, as we were working in sandy soil. So he gets it bogged again, leaves the wheel spinning & goes around the front of the machine to dig it out Then he slipped head first towards the spinning wheel! I have no idea how his head/shoulder/chest didn't get ground up! All I know is that I felt very queezy for a long time afterwards! Later on, when I had time to think about it, I realised that had anything more serious of happened, I would have been in more shit than Ned Kelly! It was my worksite & I was responsible for OH&S on it. I no longer offer stump grinding! I later heard that he walked under a climber cutting a limb up a tree without a lid on & got cracked on the head/neck/shoulder by a falling branch.

amorak

do the protective shirts help ie do they stop an errant saw?

Bill

Bruce Hopf

I can only assume (I'm not a climber), that while up in the tree, doing limb work, and such, It might be a help, in protecting your arms, and chest, while working with a smaller chain saw.
Only limb work that I do, is on an already downed tree, or tree top, and that is to just cut the limbs off, prior to skidding the tree, or tree top out of the bush, and cut the tree, or tree top into fire wood, at a later time.
So what harm would the extra protection do? None really, just extra assurance. But still, work safe. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Bruce Hopf

Here's something to watch, and you can decide what's good for you, or not.YouTube - ARDTIM's Channel . Might be a real eye opener. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

second-gen_monkey

gloves would be a good idea. a glove saved my finger two days ago, granted from a chipper but still. first injury for secon-gen_monkey

gloves will also slow a chain down more than you'd think. my friend gave me a good demo using pigs feet and leather gloves. there is a big difference between the amount of damage done to the gloved and ungloved feet. i'll recreate and u-tube the demo.

dustin petty aka buckshot

i wear a hard hat iam gitin some chaps tho

second-gen_monkey

oh, i wear full gear on ground and when i climb, eg: full sthil forestry hardhat, heavy cotton shirt, gloves, glasses and soon chaps.

i been thinking of taking some football (soccer) shin guards and replacing the pad with kevlar for climbing purposes in place of chaps.

Bruce Hopf

When it comes to saftey equipment, I wouldn't alter anything. Sure the shin pads would be a good idea, but either under the chaps, or over them. Just my input. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).