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Look what Kickback can do......

Started by KiwiCharlie, July 01, 2001, 10:21:56 PM

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KiwiCharlie

G'day guys,

Thought I would post a picture of what kickback can do to the frail human body.
Then thought better of it and decided to put it in as a link so you get the choice to view it or not.
Its from the NZ OSH web-site, and it is graphic (although not that bad).  Also note what appears to be immediate bruising bottom left and top right.
You choose....
Work Safe, and keep an eye on where the tip of your bar is.
Cheers
Charlie

http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/kidz/gore/kickback.shtml
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Kevin

Most don`t live to tell about it.
Everyone should carry a picture like that in their saw box as a reminder.
I took a guy to the hospital a few years ago that sunk his chain into the top of his knee while brushing a trail.
Not a pretty sight.

Tom

That's pretty impressive KiwiCharlie

The last one I heard about around here was killed.  He was standing on a ladder using one hand to limb a tree.

Saws are too dangerous to take them for granted.  There was a carpenter here about a year ago who cut a stud with his circular saw while holding the wood in his hand.  The saw cut an artery in his thigh and he died before help could arrive.

Corley5

A kid, 22 or 23 years old, from Vanderbilt Mi was killed last week when the saw he was running kicked back and cut his throat.  He made it the 100 yards back to the truck and grabbed a t-shirt to try to stop the bleeding before he died.  I know the guys he was working for and one of them walked around the truck saw him the with bloody shirt and then he fell over dead.  He had been warned before that chainsaws weren't toys and to hold on to them tight.  He had developed a habit of not wrapping his thumb around the handle bar.  Sounds like they should have fired him rather than telling the the right way to do it.    
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Ron Scott

I was told about that incident in the woods today, but didn't know any details other than a cutter had cut his throat with a chain saw and died. Others had heard it on the news, but no details.

Thanks for filling us in. The picture presented is very timely with this incident.
~Ron


KiwiCharlie

G'day Guys,

When a major artery is cut and the heart is pumping hard through panic, it cant take long to pump out too much blood to survive.  Any doctors on the forum?....
I started using saws very young (through a mixture of parents splitting, and remote living).  I basically taught myself the theory from a Homelite saw manual, and went out and started felling!  When I look back now on some of the things I cut and did with a saw, it honestly sends a cold shiver through me.
I must have had a guardian angel looking over me.
Now with the training and the experience (and memories), I have a very[/b] great respect for saws.  It helps keep you healthy!
Pictures like this are not very nice to look at, but if its the closest you come to an injury like this, then its worth a look.
Work Safe.
Cheers,
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Gordon

We have all done some not so smart moves with saws and by the grace of God lived to tell about it.

Now let me ask a question to you all. How many of you wear safety equipment on a REGULAR basis? Chaps, hardhat, eyeprotection, safety boots.

If your not you should be. Can't be stressed enough how dangerous a saw is. Chaps do no good if they are sitting behind the seat of the truck and thats a fact.

Gordon

Corley5

I ALWAYS wear a hardhat.  A 4" DBH dead elm fell on me once and if I hadn't had a hardhat on it surely would have killed me.  As it was it fractured the seventh vertebrae in my neck, separated my shoulder, sprained an ankle and my ear required 13 stitches to be re-attached.  The ear lobe injury was from the hardhat suspension that was forced over  my ear and then sprung back taking part of my ear with it.  Still much better than a split skull.  Otherwise I wasn't hurt too bad ::).
Don't forget the ear protection!  Chainsaws are rough on hearing.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

KiwiCharlie

G'day Gordon,

When I am felling I wear a helmet with all the attachments, but not while limbing etc.  Just muffs.
I always wear chaps and also cut resistant boots.  As a youngster I took out a chunk of big toe while wearing gumboots!
Back then I wasnt worried (didnt even think of it) about muffs, and I think that is coming back to bite me now.  Starting to find hearing certain tones a bit harder.  The one item I dont wear regularly is eye protection.  Find it restricts vision too much, gets sweaty, foggy etc.  Poor excuses I know.
Cheers
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Tom

Hey kiwi Charlie,

I have heard of a full face helmet, like a hardhat with a full plastic face shield,  That has a battery powered fan in the top of the helmet that purges the air from in front of the your face.  This keeps the shield from fogging and I think prescription glasses as well.  I think I have seen it in conjunction with equipment for turners and people using sanders in a closed shop.  Where to find one I don't know but if I can think of where I saw it I'll holler.

Aussie

I wear steel capped boots, safety glasses, ear muffs and gloves. I haven't been doing any falling and don't have a hard hat. Do you wear a hard hat when your not falling. Also I don't have any cut resistant pants and was wondering do most people prefer pants or chaps.

KiwiCharlie

G'day Aussie,

I prefer the chaps as they give me more freedom of movement.  I found pants to be restrictive and hot over jeans etc.  If you wear them all day, then they need to be comfy!!  Otherwise they just stay in the back of the ute.
Tom.  If that helmet design wasnt too heavy or bulky it would work well.  I think Ive seen them a few years ago, and the fan pack attached to the belt and fed air up through a hose.  Might be obsolete nowadays with the size of batteries etc.
Oh yeah, I wear gloves too for the vibration.  That Raynauds affliction doesnt sound good.....
Cheers,
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Don P

I'm curious. How many years have you guys been holding saws on a full time basis,and about how many hours per week? Any carpal tunnel syndrome?

KiwiCharlie

G'day Don,

I have been on the end of saws for almost 20 years now (surprised myself when I actually stopped and added it up!), but not full time.
In my late teens/early twenties I used them a bit, averaging probably 20 hours/week ,with no repetitive strain injuries.  Young bodies and all that?
Any full time loggers out there?
I find my back gives me more trouble than anything else, and honestly, I get more wrist problems from the mouse on the computer than from chainsaws!!
Cheers
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Ron Wenrich

I have some repetitive motion problems with my shoulder.  It comes from using the log turner in the booth.  Sometimes it goes all the way to my wrist.  If it was my left arm, I'd think it was heart problems.

We had one old logger around here that never wore any type of protective gear.  He was lucky to never been hurt too bad.  But, he was pretty hard of hearing and had been for quite a few years.

They found that farmers seem to be deaf in only one ear.  It comes from turning your head to watch your equipment in the rear.  The exhaust pipe goes right into the other ear.

I've always worn ear protection.  I think it has helped me as compared to others in the same line of work who haven't used it.

I don't wear steel tips.  When I cut in the woods, I always wore a ding hat.  Saved my head on several occasions.

Most saws now have the anti-kickback feature.  That has probably lessened the amount of accidents.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

ken

I always wear steel toe boots, gloves, and a full protection helmet with muffs and mesh face shield. For those who haven't tried that type of helmet, I can't say enough good about it. They're only about $35 US and available from most of the net suppliers. There is never a problem with obscured vision and both the shield and the muffs can be flipped up on top of the helmet when not needed.

The other day I was on a commercial site clearing and the OSHA guy came over and asked if I had been alerted to the fact he was coming that day. He loved the helmet.

Tom

Ken,

My wife just bought me one of those to use with my portable sawmill.  It is in an unopened box in my truck right now and I can hardly wait to use it.  It will really come in handy when the wind is blowing the sawdust back in my face.

I am not sure about the heat nor the ear muffs.  I find that I use the sound of the engine to determine how the saw is cutting and this may inhibit that.

L. Wakefield

   When I bought my Husky I also got 2 of those safety hats with the mesh and the ear muffles. Woulda been great units if they hadn't fallen right apart. They weren't any $35- I think they were a low price knockoff. :(  lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

Don P

I hear that, it's the same thing that came with my mill. In the shops we wore gear, as I've gone out on my own I've gotten slack. So,Ken where do ya order a good one?

KiwiCharlie

G'day Tom,

Dont worry about the muffs blocking the tones of the saw cutting.  I can still easily hear the difference in the cut, and I have the top-notch "A" rated Peltor muffs which block out the most noise.  They just take the harshness off it.
Cheers
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

timberbeast

Carpal tunnel,  BIG Time,  Don.  Only hurts at night,  but my hands get numb just from holding a pencil sometimes.  As far as protective equipment,  I refuse to answer that on the grounds that it would definitely incriminate me.
Where the heck is my axe???

L. Wakefield

   And on the subject of sore joints- consider the muscle/joint at the base of your thumb- it's called the thenar eminence. It is one of the most mobile- and most often-used- joint of your body. In my ongoing 'adventures with arthritis' I've gotten to the point where that baby aches even when I'm just writing- and as a nurse and emt I write a lot. So then I buy the little sickle bar mower (qv) and lo you have to squeeze these handle all the time to keep her under control. It's called 'use it or lose it'- I'm using it. :-/lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

Don P

I guess what brought that to mind was a discussion I had with Dad awhile back. He was wondering why all us pups were getting carpal tunnel. I didn't have any real answers,I think they labored as hard but we get more done ie more repetition with faster,harder banging,more vibrating tools. M. has cts in both hands now, has the painful variety, got operated on in the right (her dominant hand) to no avail. Have heard of better luck in the numbing variety. I've got it in the left(my dominant). The reason I was curious of loggers is you guys are almost all vibration(I think). We pound and vibrate about equally, so was wondering how you hold up.
 
That thumb does talk too generally when we hit receptical row on the cabins and I chisel all day.Generally the timely application of chilled aluminum at the end can still calm it tho. ;D

Sorry KC,realized I've tangled yet another thread.

Ron Scott

Had surgery for carpal tunnel on the right wrist in 1984. Sawing brought it on bad. It's been fine since then with a lot of hard use, but now getting treated for the left wrist.
~Ron

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