Chain Saw Safety

Having lost some experienced chainsaw volunteers to graduation this year, we are planning some training days in the fall so that we can be ready when a disaster hits. However for now these sites would be a useful starting place to get you prepared for the training.

Chain saw are very dangerous. That is the first and most important lesson today. Before and duong use be very careful. One way to be safer is to know what you are dealing with. So before cutting anything get trained.

This page is not the replacement for training, but rather a preparation for the training.

How dangerous is chainsawing? Here is a page which gives the average number of stitches following a chain saw accident at 110. When I was first trained they said 200, but whatever the number it is big. Chainsaws are great, but also very dangerous. Treat them with the utmost respect.

ACC | Safety Begins At Home:

"Used correctly, a chainsaw is a really useful tool, especially when dealing to the trees in your garden, or chopping your firewood. But most of us have also heard horror stories about nasty cuts or other injuries inflicted by a runaway chainsaw.

So it’s worth knowing a thing or two about chainsaw safety before you pull the ripcord.

ACC have made it easy, by creating Ten Top Tips for chainsaw safety. These tips are useful guidelines to keep in mind before, during and after using a chainsaw. It’s always a good idea to refresh your memory on chainsaw safety - especially if it’s been a while since you last used one."

Other sites that have a wealth of valuable information:

1. FEMA published a site on Chainsaw safety after Katrina. It is very good!
2. OSHA--several lists of things to look out for.
3. The Dept of Forestry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a site that gives many safety tips
4. North Dakota State University has an older page, but it is quite thorough and offers tips on not only using, but also handling the saw.
5. YouTube - chainsaw safety--
   YouTube has many good safety videos on Chainsaw use.
6. Stihl (the saws we use) has a 7 minute video. (warning, it is not the most exciting presentation ever but really has much good advice!)