Barely Avoided Foot Injury While Using Chainsaw

[J_Ashley]

I'm a tech at a local OPE shop, and while at work today I needed a piece of wood to make jig out of. So I grabbed a chainsaw off the shelf (Stihl 026, RS Chisel Chain) and headed out back to cut up a pallot.

I was making a couple plunge cuts to get a piece out of the middle of the board. Knowing the kickback potential of the Chisel chain, I was trying my best to plunge cut at an approximate 30* angle.

I'm not sure weather i put pressure on the top corner of the bar nose, or weather I hit another lingering piece of wood, but the saw grabbed and kicked back rather violently. I didn't lose total control, but it was a rather violent kickback.

Not thinking too much about it, I looked down at my foot, to see a small cut in my boot. On the inside of my left boot, where my large toe would have been, there was a cut, clearly from a chainsaw cutter tooth. I'm sure my face turned white, when I realized what happened. The cut was through the leather, but not even into the fabric lining for the inside of the boot. God was watching me at work today...

The only PPE I had on was a cheap pair of saftey glasses, and they wouldn't have helped my foot any.... DO NOT BE COMPLACENT when using a chainsaw. Even if it's for a simple cut or tow, wear your PPE.

Justin

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

how close were the cuts you were making to your foot before the kickback? cutting your foot with a chainsaw is not an uncommon injury but it can be debilitating. in fact, just the a couple months ago i read in the paper about a logger who turned his foot into hamburger while limbing a tree he was standing on. always best to keep your pups clear of the work.

 

[J_Ashley]

To be honest, I really don't know. It's something I pay attention to when bucking and such, but today I was off guard, and like I said, God was watching me...

Justin

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

God was watching you, but he was also giving you a wake-up call!

:Eye: :Eye:
C
U

 

[J_Ashley]

Agreed. I think I'll be a lot more careful next time.

Justin

 

[turnkey4099]

I got my wake-up when I took my boots off at the end of the day. A very neat shaving missing right across the toe of the boot. I had not been aware that my boot had been anywhere near the bar during the days work.

Harry K

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

That would sure wake ME up!

 

[boo]

so far so good, almost 14 years in tree care i still stop regularly and check myself and crew just in case something bad goes without notice.
where's all the blood coming from?!?!?!

 

[Tom D. Wilson]

i nicked the inside of my boot - was cutting up very old lady sized pieces of wood, in return for a cup of tea, the only way i could hold the stuff was to put my boot on it so it wouldnt skip off, any whoo, last pies teas was getting cold was cutting close to my foot and i knew when i was about to finish the cut that it was probably going to knick the edge of my boot, and i was right. - its amaizing the risks english tree surgeons take for a cup of tea and a biscuit.

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

its amaizing the risks english tree surgeons take for a cup of tea and a biscuit.

do you guys ever call them cookies? do you have biscuits and gravy?

 

[Tom D. Wilson]

if we are lucky we get cookies, sometimes some cake too, more so in the summer time when the old dears want to come and have a bit of a chat for half an hour. mind you ginger biscuits are the best for dunking in a cup of tea, they dont go soggy and fall into the bottom of your cup! biscuits and gravy?? maybe chips and gravy if we stop off at a greasy spoon for lunch.

 

[jp hallman]

if we are lucky we get cookies, sometimes some cake too, more so in the summer time when the old dears want to come and have a bit of a chat for half an hour. mind you ginger biscuits are the best for dunking in a cup of tea, they dont go soggy and fall into the bottom of your cup! biscuits and gravy?? maybe chips and gravy if we stop off at a greasy spoon for lunch.

Biscuits here and there aren't the same animal. Biscuits here are a flakey bread a few inches in diameter and a couple inches thick(normally) You crumble em' in a bowl and pour "diet" sausage gravy all over them and they're some good! Make's you wanna' slap yer' Mama!

 

[ross_scott]

Next time you need to stop and think before you act as you said god was watching but next time it could be the fella in the red pyjamas so remember to wear all the gear not just some of it

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

A few years ago, while on a storm job I was limbing up a pine tangle on a saturday morning.

It was around the 75th hour of the work week.

The bar pinched a tad or something and gave a little jerk. I then wathced the top pannel of my Carharts left leg disolve open. Did not touch the other pannel.

I started dragging bruash for a while after that.

FOr years I've practiced "body awarenss" Brace the powerhead against the body, legs away from the plane of the bar....it oly takes a second of not being in the same place as your body to loose part of it.