Are electric chainsaws safer?

[Dan23]

Do you guys think electric or battery chainsaws can be considered safer than gas chainsaws?
In this article on electric chainsaws, they state "Why go electric? The reasons are simple: they’re safer, quieter, they’re less expense and they require less maintenance than gas models."
Do you agree or disagree?
I mostly disagree. I think they could even be considered less safe simply because people think they are safer and therefore might take greater risks and less care.

 

[frank_]

like how you would drive a car more safely if it had a big spike sticking out of the steering wheel
the corded ones release the chain drive when you trigger off
and brushless motors can be programmed to lock/brake electronically in a millisecond

 

[J D]

There are aspects of electric chainsaws that make them safer compared to some of the inherit characteristics of petrol ones... HOWEVER, the fact that you can pick one up & with no training, experience, practical ability or understanding of how a chainsaw works or the associated risks, press a button & start cutting... in my opinion makes them every bit as dangerous.
My dad would never have contemplated owning a traditional chainsaw, but he happily bought a battery one & he terrifies me every time he uses it. I'm sure he wouldn't be anywhere near as blase with it if it was noisy, smelly, & heavy. Thank Christ it has a good safety chain.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Lower noise, vibration and no pull start in lighter package.

 

[derwoodii]

JD got a point as unskilled untrained unfit can now handle and use a saw.

However in hands of competent much safer.

- less noise means less operator hearing loss
- & you can communicate with crew while aloft
- no exhaust so burning or bush fire start
- less physical input required as no pull start
- lower maintenance so less time working
- & I was on battery saws from 430am today clearing huge storm fallen over roads and got no complaints about waking people so safer from abuse

 

[unclemoustache]

They are safer, all things considered. You have a good point about the psychology of it all - people who think something is safer will be more likely to be reckless, but the fact that they have less power is a big factor. Also, they are largely designed for the ignorant homeowner, so they are packed with hefty safety features.
I keep a little electric DeWalt in my work truck.

 

[derwoodii]

another point is we badly tend to use saw noise as hint or indicator of clear or keep clear the drop zone and the pull start & burp bark of 020 is warning to groundies. Battery saw dont have this

 

[Wow]

Do you guys think electric or battery chainsaws can be considered safer than gas chainsaws?
In this article on electric chainsaws, they state "Why go electric? The reasons are simple: they’re safer, quieter, they’re less expense and they require less maintenance than gas models."
Do you agree or disagree?
I mostly disagree. I think they could even be considered less safe simply because people think they are safer and therefore might take greater risks and less care.

Are Electric Chainsaws safer? Broad question..SO lets say,, compared to:
My cs590 is a 9amp 14 inch bar with safety chain safer..My vote is yes. That's the reason I trained my Grandsons on small Remington Electric corded saws..The Light 50 pound Gas generator and the small saw worked well..First they limbed then I'd cut small trees and teach them how to buck. I bough a 16amp Worx Electric and actually did some milling with it. The Worx actually cut well but was heavy for electric. .Now..say we think about my Echo cs352. It's as safe as the big Electric Worx in MHO because a few times the trigger stuck ON and the chain kept turning. The lock brake stopped the saw (thankfully) but bur;ned the saw up. So that was a total waste of good money. In fact nothing is safe without proper training..But a gas saw has never stuck ON in my hands. I taught my boys that the electric saw is handled like a fire arm.. KEEP the finger off the trigger UNTIL time to cut..Electric saws are like anything else. They have a place where they are excellent. Here on the farm (not to mention it's working me to death and at 74 I'm not leaving for a soft life) i've had my favorite handy saw change several times..But right now at the moment my "go TO" saw is the Echo cs490. Saws are a lot like Horses..Small horses seem easier to handle but they can kill or cripple you just like a big Horse..Then I think of Mares..They are the Electric Saw. See people that don't know horses think a Mare is the best for Kids because of course she's a gentle ole Mare..NOPE..Every 18 days they get the hormones flowing..Nothing for a kid but an old Gelding with a good nature..So,,my cs490. That's my old Gelding. It's proved its self and it's as safe as any other saw I've ever used..When It comes down to it with saws they are as safe as they guy using them..Since I wear Chaps and Chaps are not (supposedly) as effective on Electric..My cs490 just makes ME feel good..Like Little Riding Hood said,, The cs590 is a little to big..The cs310 is a little bit to small and the 490 is just right...I'll add..YES,, I do still have a few small light 8 and 9 amp Electric saws ( all corded) and for building Pole Barns I love them. In one hand I can level poles standing on a ladder..Pull a string with a level and mark and go.. My recommendation is use a small electric then after you are confident and IF you need a gas saw and you won't be running the crap out of it 6 days a week BUY an Echo. When I was a boy Cheverolet was "the Poor mans" Caddailac. Sthil and Husky make some Top saws but do you need a race horse to check three or four ole cows. Fact and Opinion are hard to distinguish even in Church.

 

[Tigwelder83]

I've bought 3 electrics, a stihl 65 pole saw, stihl 200, and husky t540i. And I'm not sure they are safer. The stihl 200 in particular is very easy to accidently start. Simply pull trigger after engaging the thumb button. The husky has both the need to power up & a more complicated safety lever in the handle. Husky definatly is loud enough to justify ear protection. Stihl 200 is kinda quiet, pole saw is defiantly hush hush.

Over a chipper they are impossible to hear in the tree as compared to gas saws.

I think they are still dangerous, just perceived as safer.

But they are here to stay and the battery saws are the first to leave the truck usually. I like them!

 

[k5alive]

Nobody wants to talk about how most chaps WON'T stop an electric saw???

 

[J D]

Nobody wants to talk about how most chaps WON'T stop an electric saw???

Please explain... I fail to see how my chaps will imped the chain of my wound up 4.5kW 385XP any less than they will stop the chain on my 1.5kW Makita electric chainsaw... even if its chain is half the width

 

[derwoodii]

Nobody wants to talk about how most chaps WON'T stop an electric saw???

The battery's saw have high torque and often run Pico micro PM3 fine cutter chain which yes can penetrate some chaps with a directed hit. battery saws not having clutch drive that tangle chap weaves.

 

[Franny K]

Are these chap cutting dangerous battery devices reduction gear brush motor? My direct drive brushless Makita and Husqvarna many times have cut out hitting a twig or few twigs in the 1/4 inch size range.

 

[Franny K]

This exact post 1 has been placed elsewhere on other sites.

 

[frank_]

Are these chap cutting dangerous battery devices reduction gear brush motor? My direct drive brushless Makita and Husqvarna many times have cut out hitting a twig or few twigs in the 1/4 inch size range.

my brushless grinders are like that too, if the disc digs in for some reason, it locks up in a milisecond and i have to switch it off and back on again
a lot safer to use than my 240v angle grinders, and they are silent free running, and only draw 200w in full use

 

[buzz sawyer]

It's not nearly as much fun blipping the throttle on an electric saw.

 

[PEK]

Do you guys think electric or battery chainsaws can be considered safer than gas chainsaws?
In this article on electric chainsaws, they state "Why go electric? The reasons are simple: they’re safer, quieter, they’re less expense and they require less maintenance than gas models."
Do you agree or disagree?
I mostly disagree. I think they could even be considered less safe simply because people think they are safer and therefore might take greater risks and less care.

Interesting to read various pros and cons on this subject. It makes me cring to think of somebody who has never used a chainsaw thinking an electric one is safe, people using top handed saws is bad enough.
Me I am old school, love loud bikes, and the sound of chainsaws in a wood is fantastic.
A local dealer here in Bulgaria was telling me about a big gypsy that had just left his shop, he told me that he was a professional timber thief who worked at night and used one of the new stihl battery chainsaws, stealing timber here is a big problem.
Electric motorbikes that go faster than a petrol one does not make sense to me or electric cars probably alright till they play up then what happens?
Using one may change how I feel but I like an engine to sound good and vibrate so no electric chainsaw on my shopping list.

 

[PEK]

And what would we all do with our spare time, take up knitting, we all would miss tinkering and fettling our petrol chainsaws!

 

[quantico]

I own several of both. I have run gas chainsaws 40 plus years and I am no pro, but I use them carefully with gloves and eye and hearing protection.
My daughter is 28 and strong, i would not let her run a gas chainsaw, at least so far. But I have let her run a corded harbor freight 14 inch plug in saw with my supervision and watching her. Usual stuff about stance and no cuts reaching or over her head. I think being able to talk to her is a huge plus. Plus the safest part is they cut slower and you can put them down to rest between cuts. No hot muffler or gas around as well. Battery saws you need to really watch the switch, a gas saw will not start itself.. and a plug in saw can be unplugged easily.
For me, the fatigue factor is the most unsafe part of a gas chainsaw. Once started you push yourself to make as many cuts before you shut the saw off.
I was in a tree with a plug in chainsaw / harbor freight and the switch failed in the ON position. That was not super fun as I had no free hand to unplug. I think I dropped the saw on the ground and threw it. The saw was recalled and exchanged, but that failure could be pretty dangerous to someone with less experience.
My main saw now is a stihl 200T with pro chain and 14 inch bar. I find the light saw with lightweight bar less stressful to cut with. The pro chain might not be ideal for a new unskilled person. But I tend to not loan out gas chainsaws but offer to cut things if friends or neighbors need stuff done. I assume many of you hesitate to loan out chainsaws.. unless a person is experienced.
So in some cases I feel that a battery or plug in saw is safer.. but I hope idiots still show them a lot of respect. I feel a real gas saw that folks cant figure out how to start. Might be a safety factor.
I think a lighter smaller saw with less power can be a better starting point for people learning.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

So the elephant in the room is the concept of a "safe" chainsaw... no matter the power source, no matter whether it is "safety chain" or "pro chain", chainsaws are inherently dangerous, and always will be. You cannot have a sharp chain running through wood without a risk of injury. So at this point I would say electric/battery chainsaws are realistically more dangerous because they are less intimidating, easier to run, and so more likely to be used by someone without proper training...

Having said that, as a former climber, I would have loved to climb with a battery operated saw that had the same performance as a gas one, and it would have been safer in that application.