Safety Equipment

[rockenbman]

 Hard Hats,Safety Glasses,Hearing Protection --------- How many of us out there realy were them? Today while working on the creek I was cutting Hedge trees and we had to pull out most of them.I wear glasses so its a pain in my back side to put  anything over them but I wear gogles pain over them and foam ear plugs but no hard hat.So when my buddy was pulling on a large tree I had just cut the limbs got me good HeadAche.So im looking at a hard hat face gaurd hearing combo does anyone were this type and if so do you like it?

[Dan_Shade]

http://www.stihlusa.com/apparel/protect_helmet.html

I use one of these while using a chainsaw, and running my mill.  The screen works well, it doesn't get scratched up, and the muffs are nice because they keep the noise down.

[thecfarm]

Next time you go to get your glasses re-done,get the safety ones.There's not alot of styles in the safety glasses compared to non-safety ones,but there is no bother with another pair to put over them.Yes,they cost more too,but I feel they are worth it.I grind with mine and do what I want.I always wear a hard hat in the woods.I just got hit the other day with a limb.

[Dave Shepard]

I wear a Stihl forestry helmet. It is very rare that I will run a saw without at least my Stihl safety sunglasses. Like I say, it's rare, because I can't tolerate the noise for more than about three seconds without muffs. I also wear the helmet running the sawmill, so I am protected even when I have to trim a log on the mill. I asked about safety glasses when I was getting my first exam at the eye doctors. Due to cost, I opted for contacts, for a number of reasons, but not everyone can wear them. Wearing a forestry helmet has certainly saved my face on a couple of occasions. Got a good whack one day from a little branch, took the helmet right of my head. It's always the ones you aren't expecting that get you. As for brand, I started with Peltor, which I think is just as good as the Stihls that I use now.


Dave

[jackpine]

Buy and use a good forestry helmet. It can save your head as well as your ears and after wearing one for a while it will become second nature to have it on while running the chainsaw. With todays higher reving saws it is essential to have hearing protection and one knock on the head will convince you that the hardhat is required. One note, buy a helmet with 6 point suspension. There are some cheaper ones with only 4 point but they do not fit as well and are not as comfortable for a full days use.I carry one of the cheaper ones in my truck at all times in a "just in case I need it" role but always grab the Peltor when I start sawing.

Bill

[Ron Scott]

I wouldn't work in the woods without wearing "all" of the personal protective equipment at all times.

[rockenbman]

Well im glad to see some people out there belive in safety equipment.Ive now alot of people that laugh at me when I put on  my curent gear and today I bought a new stihl safety helment.Thanks for the feed back  ;D

[Kevin]

Good for you, that's called leading by example.
It's the kind of thing that catches on and sooner or later you'll start seeing others around you wearing it as well.
It's also being professional.
You should have a blood stopper bandage hanging off your chaps too.

[beenthere]

rockenbman
Good for you, and let 'em laugh... ;D

Same thing happened to me one time on a Lions school forest clean-up day. One fellow had a good laugh when I was putting them on. After a few hours, while I was reaching into a buckthorn to break it down, the chain caught and bounced the bar down onto my kneecap...and was running just enough to cut through the kevlar. The guy that had been laughing was also the EMS driver, and when he saw the bar hit my knee, he translated that real fast into blood, emergency, and how to get me down off a hill...His comment was.."I'm going to buy a pair of those this afternoon!! "....and he did.

This is him in the picture after about 3 years from that time....

[RSteiner]

Hard hat with hearing protection and face shield and chaps are on whenever I cut.  There have been several times that the hard hat has taken a wack instead of my head by a small branch or such.  Once you start wearing the stuff you will feel strange not having it on. 

It will be the best investment you can make.

Randy

[rebocardo]

I now wear

1) prescription safety glasses (good for shooting too) with side shields and wrap around the ear legs (or whatever they call those stems)

2) hard hat with face shield and ear muffs

3) leg chaps

4) boots with steel toes and usually steel shanks - I might start using real chainsaw boots with calks if I can stand using them during 100 degree weather.

I keep a full safety kit handy including duct tape and a diaper  :D

[thedeeredude]

I gotta get one of them forestry helmets with the screen and earmuffs.  I get chuckled at for wearing the stuff at work.  I don't think its a laughing matter to be safe.  You're dealing with limbs that weigh a lot and a saw thats running over 12000 rpm.  Yeah, I want chaps and a hard hat doing that stuff.  I always hear the old cliches too like, If a limb hits your head your dead anyway even with a hard hat.  Whatever, they can do as they want.  I see too many people use saws without safety glasses let alone ear protection and chaps.  Yeah, they didnt get hurt yet and maybe never will, but do you want to take that chance? 

[beenthere]

...............................  I always hear the old cliches too like, If a limb hits your head your dead anyway even with a hard hat.  ................  Yeah, they didnt get hurt yet and maybe never will, but do you want to take that chance? 

The same old tune one hears about safety belts in cars...    I had a limb fall on my hard hat while logging and it drove it right down around my ears...still can remember the thud it made, and how unexpected it was. Can only say I probably would have been dead or at least with a serious injury, had I not had the hard hat on that day.

[rebocardo]

re:hard hats

I wouldn't want to take odds on some near misses from pine cones without a helmet. I really think squirrels throw them point first from 90 feet sometimes  :D

[rockenbman]

 While cutting yesterday my buddy was working on cleaning up limbs from a fallen tree that I was working on and while I stay alert to my surroundings he got a little close while the saw was running and recived a face full of wood chips and a near miss.He can now see the dangers of wood cutting and no longer laughs at safety equipment. ;)

[Kevin]

What's the safe limit when working near someone with a chainsaw?

[DKinWA]

I bought a Stihl forestry helmet yesterday while I was at the saw shop.  It was about $50, but it fits well and I like the protection the face shield offers.  I've always worn earplugs, so the earmuffs will take a little getting used to.  If it works as well as I think it will, I'll buy another one so I keep one in my truck and the other one at the sawmill.

[thecfarm]

Kevin,I think it's 3 tree lenghts?

[submarinesailor]

DKinWA,

Why not wear both plugs and muffs.  You will be very happy you did when get old like me - hearing wise anyways.

Bruce

[bmill]

 Everybody here will probably laugh at me, but this is the helmet I wear when cutting.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2874332&cp=711654.711656.1909168&parentPage=family

  I use safety glasses and foam ear plugs. I also wear the good chaps. My land is pretty isolated and I figure I'm at least 30 minutes from the nearest  emergency care via air ambulance. I also keep a tourniquet with me.

  This helmet is well ventilated and fairly light weight. Nobody ever sees me so I don't have to worry about looking stupid. If there is a reason not to wear this style helmet I would appreciate hearing it as I feel it's safer than a standard "logging  helmet"

[Dan_Shade]

i like the fine screen of the helmet, it tends to stop all of the small stuff the debarker flings all over the place.  I'm sure wearing a catchers mask has gotten a few comments over time, but more power to ya!

[rebocardo]

>  If there is a reason not to wear this style helmet

Hard hats are designed to absorb an impact from the top (web suspension etc.) without causing neck compression that would cripple you and leave you in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.

Also, they are designed to minimize holes, to deflect objects, and absorb a lot more shock then most baseball helmets.

FWIW:
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http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0500/d000507/d000507.html

"but more importantly, the suspension works with the shell to absorb most of the impact energy when something hits the top of the helmet"

"Proving the Effectiveness of a Hard Hat
When the ANSI Z89.1 top impact test is run, the energy that the cap must absorb is about the same as that of a two-pound hammer falling two stories. The hard hat rests on a metal head form that in turn sits upon a pressure transducer that accurately measures the amount of force transmitted through the shell and suspension. When an 8-pound ball makes contact, the shell gives slightly at the point of impact. This takes some of the steam out of the blow, providing the initial protection for the head. Then, the suspension's crown assembly tightens around the head and stretches to absorb the energy within the crown clearance of the cap. All this takes place in about one-fiftieth of a second. "

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Your baseball helmet do all that?   ;)

Besides that, I would have too many cockroaches running around inside the helmet with all those openings!  :D

[Kevin]

thecfarm, two tree lengths for felling and ten feet for bucking ,limbing etc.

[bmill]

 Thanks for the heads up, my old baseball helmet is officially retired. I cut out in the middle of nowhere so i never worried about looking like a geek. I'm off to my dealer tomorrow to buy a helmet that will absorb a "head shot". 

[Ron Scott]

Great idea! ;)