# Saw injury- Lincoln, NE-09/19/03



## NebClimber (Oct 13, 2003)

*Saw injury*

Gentlemen:

On September 19 I was using a small overhand pruning saw to cut 3" diameter branches out of a small tree. I started to make a cut one-handed. My left hand was at least 24" from the saw, and i was using it to just kind of steady myself. It was not on the branch I was cutting. What happened next i am not entirely sure. I think the saw bounced off a small, springy branch just before i made my cut. Or it may have kicked out of the branch I was cutting. But I think the first scenario was more likely. The saw bounced/kicked and cut 7 tendons on the underside of my left wrist, a small arterey, and the ulnar nerve (this is the one you feel when you hit your funny bone). Will be 3 months until I can try to grip and lift something. Will never regain felling in 1/2 of my hand. Spent 5 days in hospital. $25K plus in medicals.

I'll make these points: never work w/o health insurance; never hire an employee w/o work comp insurance (you will be legally responsible for benefits if you do not insure this risk); never work w/o professional liability and commercial automobile liability insurance. For those w/o a second profession to fall back on, consider disability insurace or electing to include yourself on your work comp policy. I was insured, and I have returned to my past profession. I will be back.

Next point: If anyone is willing to have me as volunteer for a week or so in the early spring, I'd jump on the offer. 

Finally, apart from "I told you so's" and jeers, I invite you guys to break down what went wrong, or comment on ways to avoid the most common injuries, or suggest the proper protective gear, or add any other constructive thoughts.

Thanks,

Steven


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## treeman82 (Oct 13, 2003)

Steve, really sorry to hear about your accident.  What was your former profession?


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## geofore (Oct 13, 2003)

*Brake*

Did the saw have an inertia chain brake? Sounds like the chain was still moving when it hit you, need to up grade to inertia chain brake. Why didn't you cut the small stuff out of way of your saw first? Were you cutting down or up? It makes a difference on which way the tip throws the saw out. Your grip on the saw, I can't imagine not being able to stop a top handle saw with a tight grip or deciding to let go and let the saw fly clear. Were you cutting waist high or over your head, where was the saw to your body? Was your arm 24" to the left of the saw or 24" behind the saw in line with the saw if it kicked back? What kind of exercises did you do to stregthen you fore arm and wrist prior to this accident? How often did you workout? If you were tied in why didn't you have two hands on the saw? Was the saw at full throttle before you started the cut? I have more questions than answers because I have run top handled saws over 35 years and had them kick back but not had them bite me. If the kick was violent enough to throw the saw at you why did the inertia chain brake not stop the chain? Can you hit the chain brake with your thumb and set it with your finger on the throttle?


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## NebClimber (Oct 13, 2003)

To answer a few questions: If an inertia brake refers to a brake that is activated by pushing a lever/guard forward, then yes, it had an inertia chain brake. Or is there a different type of brake?


I thought all of the small stuff was out of the way b/f I cut into the larger branch.

I was cutting down.

The saw was probably below breast high. 

My arm was up and to the left of the saw.

To Geofore: you make a good point about not controlling the kickback. That's another reason i'm inclined to think the saw bounced off of something i didn't see b/f it ever got to the branch i was cutting. I don't perfectly recall everything. Like you, i think the saw was at least partially throttled b/f it came into contact with whatever redirected it.


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## Jumper (Oct 13, 2003)

Sorry to hear about your accident. $25K in medical bills-ouch. Makes me feel very fortunate I have full coverage.


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## SilverBlue (Oct 13, 2003)

Ok as I read this Steve is not familiar with the safety features of the particular saw (?) Thus I gather the equipment was not tested or inspected for proper function-operation before use. Whether the inertia brake would have engaged during such kickback or sudden movement should be addressed. IMO the brake should have engaged as I know my MS200 would have-as I test it regularly (and know it’s sensitivity)- that means both brake systems. It sounds like this was a strong enough jolt that the auto brake should have engaged quickly but the bar traveled approximately 24” to inflict personal injury. Exactly what saw were you using Steven?


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## MasterBlaster (Oct 13, 2003)

Get well quick, Steven!!!

Hey Xander9727, can you see the diff between a scratch, and a cut now?


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## NebClimber (Oct 13, 2003)

SilverBlue: I was using an Echo cs 3400. This saw has a a "front hand guard chain brake actuating lever." Is this what some here have referred to as an "inertia" brake, or is there a difference?


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## SilverBlue (Oct 13, 2003)

The hand guard also acts as a manual brake lever, it’s not the inertia brake. The inertia brake system works automatically without touching the hand lever engaging the brake when sufficient force trips it. So what happens when you experience kick back the inertia brake should stop the chain from moving within a certain amount of time measured in milliseconds.


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## Stumper (Oct 13, 2003)

Er...........Silverblue, It isn't the same FUNCTION but it typically is the same brake, The INERTIA comes from the mass of the handguard. When the saw suddenly moves backward the "object at rest" tends to stay at rest. The saw moves and the handguardresists coming along enough to trip the brake.

Nebclimber,I really hurt for you. As Brian and Guy have said -figuring out what happened is tough because we weren't there and have never lost control of the saw like that-it is hard to visualize. Get well!

Brain, Did you really mean that you NEVER 2 hand your climbing saw or just that you haven't worried about one handing when needed in years?


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## SilverBlue (Oct 13, 2003)

Er yah what Stumper said is true. But it's Turkey day here so I am off a bit today.


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## NebClimber (Oct 13, 2003)

Now I'm completely confused about the brake. My understanding is that the "inertia" brake is engaged when the the saw kicks back and forces the guard/lever against your hand. So how would this brake possibly activate if my left hand was not on the saw?

Or are you saying you adjust this same brake to be very sensitive and therefore engage simply by a sudden jolting action?


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## MasterBlaster (Oct 13, 2003)

Steve what Stumper means is the mass( the weight of the chain brake itself) is heavier than a non-inertia activated CB. That mass causes it to react according the ' an object at rest tends to stay at rest' theory. Understand?


But what do I know about chain brakes?


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## SilverBlue (Oct 13, 2003)

Saw Safety 

Hope this provides some information


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## NeTree (Oct 13, 2003)

Man, I hope you get well soon and get back to climbing.

As to your injury, I also use a cs-3400. Check the chain-brake lever; there should be a piece of metal there held in by 2 screws. It gives some weight to the handguard/chainbrake lever, and is vital to the inertia part of the operation. I've seen alot of these pieces removed to "make the saw lighter". 

Did you purchase the saw new or used?


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## Ax-man (Oct 13, 2003)

*Sad day*

Neb,

I'm almost in tears as I type this as the same exact thing happened to me May of 87. Only you my young freind bought a much more severe injury than I did. I consider myself very fortunate as I only cut one tendon and nicked four others. Thanks to the skill of a very talented plastic surgeon I have 100% full use of my left hand and an added bonus of full range of motion with my wrist. 

I hope to God that you at least get that back, your left hand will never feel like it's right hand mate. To this day I get little reminders of what happened that day in May, you will to I'm sorry to say. 

This is what you can expect in the coming months. Your left hand will be considerably weaker, Don't ,I repeat Don't push or do any thing more than that hand is capable of. You could break the reattacchment of the tendons, they will get stronger in time, just don't push it. It takes months or in your case a good year to break up the scar tissue that for now is probaly holding you back as far getting full range of motion in your wrist, if it starts to twing and cause pain,stop and rest it, by elavating it, your hand and wrist are telling you something, it's hurt badly and needs time to heal.

It was a good full year for before I could pull start a saw with my left hand and not feel any twinging and pulling in my wrist. Even today little things like using a scewdriver or a rachet with my left hand sends me reminders that I violated this area of my body with a chainsaw. Over exerting with my left arm same thingcold wheather same thing. But don't get dishearted with your plight, you will actually find ways to get around the pain and life becomes easier.

Even though we share the injury, it happened to me in a different way. I was working out of a the short bucket we had then, out out of boom and leaning, tried to hold a limb with left hand, sawing with right ( cross arm cutting ) limb to heavy, caught tip of running saw in wrist. The rest is history.

This is one of the benefits of these net sites, Arbormaster training, is that information on how to perform tree cutting safely is being shared and is getting more commonplace. When I was injuried none of this information was around, as I heard Rip Tomkins say "tree services worked and learned in semi isolation", I can relate to this,as I'm sure others can too. If I knew then what I know now the out come would have been different. I would have removed that limb over that TV ant. with knowledge, instead of brute force.


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## Ax-man (Oct 13, 2003)

Neb,

I couldn't adequately finish that last post.

Things were really touch and go for us after my accident, as I'm sure this is how it is for you at the present time. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to fully function and do tree work again.

The financial strain of not being able to work was a nightmare, but we got through it, in time it all worked out as I'm sure it will for you.

Things may not seem all that grand right now, but it does get better, just have to give it time. 

I'd like to wish you and your family all the best, and most importantly a speedy recovery.


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## geofore (Oct 14, 2003)

*saw safety*

SilverBlue, I like the site on saw safety. My thought was the saw did not have an inertia brake built in or it did not activate. I thought Neb did not know what an inertia brake is or what it does from his post. My husky has an inertia brake and I'll take the added weight for the added safety it offers.


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## hillbilly (Oct 14, 2003)

Husqvarnas also come with the TAC system (Triple Action Chainbrake, the others being the lefthand brake and the inertia brake)
as an extra safety option for no or very little extra cost.
It is a brake handle that is activated by the right hand.
Available for rear handle saws.


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## Guy Meilleur (Oct 14, 2003)

As posted before, I don't like using chainsaws in trees unless it will save a lot of time and/or work. I don't mind doin' lots of strokin'. 3" branches are for handsaw or even loppers, especially in tight spots. Now I'll like to use them even less. 
Disability policies are affordable; I got one after my last little (3 week) vacation in the hospital. Wkmns comp is required for bigger companies but it's a bad deal for us pop 'n son operations. the other insurance mentioned; yeah it's a must.


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## Gord (Oct 14, 2003)

very sorry to hear of your injury...horrible part of your body to have damaged. i wish you a smooth recovery.

Brian wrote:



> think about every cut, where the saw is going, where the saw COULD go, where my left hand could go if I were to slip, where my legs could go, etc. I quickly visualize every possible path for the saw before every cut and adjust accordingly.




i think that this is the most important part of using a tophandled saw in a tree, simple awareness and understanding of forces and possiblities invovled.


you mention that you thought that all the small stuff out of the way but are not sure, which makes me wonder if you had an unobstructed view of what you are cutting. many surprise kickbacks caused by cutting something unseen because of an unclear view of cut to be made.

also, if the saw kickbacked a full 2', i would question whether or not you were holding the saw firmly or just letting it hang from your wrist. fatigue is an indirect factor in more accidents than it is noted.

another reason the saw may have kicked back as far as it did is the possibility of the tip hitting another limb after it bounced off of what caused it to intially move.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 15, 2003)

This is a very common chainsaw injury. The simple solution is to use two hands on the saw.
If you took two identical climbers, and one ran his saw with one hand, and the other with two, for their entire career, the one handed sawyer would likely become "one handed" at some point.
When you get back in the saddle, I encourage you to make a habit out of holding your saw with two hands. Once it becomes habit, you will see it doesn't take any longer to complete your jobs. Besides not cutting yourself, you will also help reduce the chance of getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (sp). This problem can be as debilitating as a saw cut, and is quite common for guys who do a lot of cutting, like an arborist.
Imagine having 10 or 15 years into a career, and not being able to run a saw anymore.

One handed sawing is comparable to single tie in sawing. Maybe you've not doulble tied in for the 15 years you've climbed and never cut your rope, that does not mean it can't happen on the very next cut.
These saftey points can start to pile up. Single handed sawing, one tie in, no hard hat, no saftey glasses, no ear protection, pretty soon you are a full blown hack!

The compounding thing is a big point. Take one handed sawing and single tie in, for example. Can you imagine a scenerio where these two mistakes would cause a problem? I can. In fact, it happens so often the insurance companies have a name for it, "cut and fall".


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## SilverBlue (Mar 13, 2004)

Steven, how are you progressing since your injury?


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## NebClimber (Mar 13, 2004)

I'm progressing well. The 7 tendons were stitched back together with a very fine thread of material that stays in the hand. Through extensive rehab - 10 minutes per hour every waking hour for several months - I have regained full recovery of tendon function. 

The arterey was not salvagable. The surgeon just tied it off. It was a minor arterey, so the loss is marginal.

The severing of the ulnar nerve, however, is another story entirely. This little nerve controls something like 60 percent of the intrinsic muscles in the hand. I never knew ther were so many muscles and they did so many things (but then I am reminded it takes something like 60 muscles just to frown, and another 30 to smile). W/o the nerve I can't do things like turn a nut onto a bolt. I can't spread my fingers (e.g., can't make a peace sign). I can't open a double-locking snap. Lots of other function is missing. It's hard not to be a little - I don't know - bitter or disappointed, but I know worse things have happened to better people.

All in all, the recovery has gone as good as I possibly could have hoped for.

Thanks for checking up.

Steven


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 13, 2004)

Are you still doing treework?


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## NebClimber (Mar 13, 2004)

I went back to my former profession after the injury. I do/did a lot of reading/writing for a living, so I was able to religiously rehab during days at the office.

Two weeks ago I again jumped ship, so I am back climbing and working to get my new biz up to speed.

Steven


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 13, 2004)

> _Originally posted by NebClimber _
> * I do/did a lot of reading/writing for a living, *



Dam! Hook me up with that!  

I can do that real goods!


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## Ax-man (Mar 13, 2004)

Good for you Steven. Lots of luck on your new venture.

SilverBlue, that was a very nice gesture on your part, every time Neb made a post I was thinking of him and wondering how he was coming along.

Larry


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## rbtree (Mar 13, 2004)

Good to hear you're back at it, Steven!!

My similar injury (1990) continued to improve for a few years. Now I have few real limitations..still partial numbness, weak muscles, poor ability to stretch my fingers sideways.


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## geofore (Mar 14, 2004)

*injuries*

I'm with rbtree on give it a few years before you judge how well it will heal. I cut my left thumb off with a penknife when I slipped cutting a rope loose. I got it sewn back on but it was years before it got feeling and full movment back. That thumb got beat up (smashed, pinched, squashed) quite often because it didn't have a sense of touch for years. It does now so it gets injured less. Even though the nerve was sewn back in place it was a long time before it started to work properly again and years before it got back a sense of touch.


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## a_lopa (Mar 14, 2004)

all the best


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## jamie (Mar 14, 2004)

*ouch*

i know the pain, although not saw related i smashed my knee snowboarding, thought oh that hurts and carried on. after the excessive blood was drained from my knee it took me ages to be able to walk comfortably, and about 1 1/2 years to be able to kneel normally, not in pain, but i was still aware of the discomfort....

now it still gets sore when i get too hot / too cold....and sometimes i get this numb, scar tissue type feeling in my knee...not good

ive figured that when im older i will get more problems but until then i may as well just live my life to the fullest.

steven i hope you get better and wish you the best of luck with your bizness

jamie


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 14, 2004)

> Lots of other function is missing. It's hard not to be a little - I don't know - bitter or disappointed, but I know worse things have happened to better people.




While in the USMC I ruptured 1 probably 2 disks. When that gets agrivated I cannot work, sometiems for long periods of time. 

I've got a few other "disabilities" from the military (I actually rate the special licens plates) that drag me down when I think what I could do if "hale and whole".

When it gets me down I pull out a VFW mag with the amputies and parapalegics, or go thorugh the VA Hosp. and say Hi! to the guys in the wheelchairs.

"there but by the Grace of God go I..."


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## dtw902 (Mar 14, 2004)

Sorry to hear about your injury Steven, hope you have a speady recovery. Just a thought don't know if it would help or give you some piece of mind but at www.grainger.com they sell forarm protective sleeves, Made from kevlar. Just a thought. Anyway good luck and take it easy.
Dave


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## NebClimber (Mar 15, 2004)

Dave:

Thanks for the link to the kevlar site. Just what I've been wanting. I find that I am paranoid about anything coming into contact with my forearm.

Steven


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## coydog (Mar 19, 2004)

were you cutting above your head? was your left hand above or below the saw?
anybody that thinks they can react fast enough to stop kickback in any saw, top handled, small large i don't care is simply mistaken. There are all kind of kickback scenarios, there are the kind that engage the inertia brake, the ones that make the saw jump or skip,which give you the false sense of security that you can indeed control the kickback(your'e not controlling the kickback the kickback was simply not severe enough to bite you). I had a close call that made a believer out of me, Our crews where running with a shortage of chippers and we had to hand load into the chipper trucks, it was the end of the day, i was tired and irritable ,the truck was filled nearly to capacity,and i climbed into the back with my 020(fully functional chain break) to cut it down some more to make room for the last bit, well i raised the saw up a bit to high while i had it revved and the tip of the bar hit the steel roof.( i had both hands firmly and properly gripped) not only did kickback occur, sending the saw into my hardhat, it hit with such a force that i had whiplash for a couple of days. thank god i was wearing a hard hat, for i escaped unscathed except for a sore neck and a sick feeling in my stomach. Point being, the chainbreak did not engage, and i could not have reacted to save myself.


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