Chain Flying Off Injuries?

[max2cam]

So there I was yesterday cleaning out an area of jackpine woods cutting firewood and burning the tops. I lodged a tree against another, and when I used the undercut technique to cut off a short log from the leaner the chain (already kinda loose) jumped off when the tree separated in half.

I felt the flailing chain hit my left leg about 4 inches above the knee. But only a single tooth cut my heavy wool pants and gouged a dark red cut in my leg that didn't even bleed. No big deal, altho when it happened I expected more damage. I can see the use for Kelvar chaps in such a situation.

My question would be: How many of you guys have been hit by chains coming off the bar and how severe were you hurt if at all? How many wear Kelvar chaps? Full protective face mask, etc?

Almost 50 F. Snow going fast....

 

[Mange]

I have a good looking scratch in my logger pants. I doubt there is anything better than those pants.

 

[Mange]

Here they are, mine are older, a bit heavier but same thing.

http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node1573.asp?cid=163#

 

[clearance]

I wear chaps and full hardhat, muffs, screen all the time on the ground. Never been hurt by a chain that came of the bar together. When I was bucking once, a chain broke and grazed my right forearm leaving a little scar. I have heard of fallers being cut and killed by a broken chain before though.Try your best to aviod injury from a broken chain or kickback, even if this means bucking lefthanded.

 

[germy01]

I wear helmet face shield and ear protection boots and protective chaps are my next purchase. My buddy just took a chain across his leg no chaps on luckily the pants were the only causality by the way where in WI are you. I am near Baldwin WI

 

[Mange]

I have the husky disco phone helmet, with screen. I have boots with steel plates, pants and jacket. I think this is worth every penny.
I am no pro logger, never was, as a matter of fact I hardly cut at all anymore. But when I do I try to use the stuff I have.
I find it hard to put all the stuff on for a test run, mostly I do, and test a few saws instead of the one.

 

[njforestfire]

I have had a chain smack me twice and both times the chaps took the hit. It only left a knick on the chaps both times - about in the same place max2cam stated his was. I will ALWAYS wear my chaps for cutting ANYTHING. I even put them on if I am doing some saw testing/tuning. It felt like someone had poked a decent sized stick into my leg...it happened so fast I didn't know it happened 'till I felt it.

 

[ontario026]

I got hit in the hand once when my 026's chain derailed.... Luckily I was wearing heavy work gloves, didn't hit too hard or rip the gloves, but sure scared the crap out of me.... I really should invest in some more PPE, I currnetly don't wear anything other than hearing protection and tough duck coveralls...

 

[turnkey4099]

Seems curious that all the reports only cite very minor injuries. In my case it is the same. Homelight 360 with 24" bar (way back when). Chain slapped my right in the groin. Barely a scratch on my pants. What stops a thrown chain from rotating? It obviously happens very fast.

Harry K

 

[Ekka]

I've had plenty of chains derail etc but they always get caught up in the chaincatcher ... don't you guys have them? They're standard on every saw I've ever purchased ... keep an eye on some of them because they're plastic and break.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I threw a chain taking down an apple tree in my girlfriend's yard. Chaincatcher got it. I do wear all the PPE- boots, gloves, hardhat, Bugz, ear plugs, and leg protection. I wear the Labonville pads inside my Filson pants when I'm out cutting in the woods or a clearcut. I wear chaps when I'm in my yard bucking firewood. I also carry a roll of duct tape, a hand towel, VHF radio, and a small fire extinguisher when I'm out cutting. I also check myself every few minutes-for blood or whatever. How many times have you heard, "I didn't even feel it happen, and there was no pain, until I saw it."

Take care all, and be safe.
Jeff

 

[premix]

I always wear chainsaw protective chaps and steel toe boots.

I've seen 3 chainsaw accidents in my life. I have tried my best to learn from them. I highly recommend buying and using good safety equipment at all times around running chainsaws. Chainsaw accidents happen so fast you won't believe it until after it happens. Safety equipment is cheap compared to going to the hospital or worse.

The 1st accident I saw took place around 1974. A group of off duty loggers were cutting firewood on a landing site one weekend and one of them just got a brand new lighter weight saw he was not use to. Not even 1/2 hour into the woodcutting we all herd a horrible scream. The guy with the new saw had it kick back hard on a knot in a big fur tree. The saw got him in the face dead center. He was a bloody mess. The guy lived but it was very close at times. To this day I think about this accident and it stops me from getting my head lined up to a chainsaw in a cut.

Accident #2 took place at home in the early 80s a roommate was just testing a highly modified big chainsaw in the backyard for the up coming logging show. Somehow he cut his foot real bad after going though a log at warp speed. He spent a week in the hospital. Hence the steel toe boots I now always wear around chainsaws even when just testing out a chainsaw.

Accident #3 was a real tragedy it also took place in the early 80s. A Friend and professional logger by trade. Was helping his neighbor take down a very large fur tree in his yard. It was in the summer when the trees were drying out somewhat. Big fur trees can splinter real bad when they go over especially in the summer months. I have seen the splinters shoot out before but had not thought about it much until this day.
To make a long sad story short. The wood splinters that shot out from this big fur when it went over, shot out with much force they also caught him in the chest and pierced his heart. Additively this was a freak fatal accident but the point of me telling this sad story is try to expect the unexpected.

Think and work safely.

 

[belgian]

I have a lot of tools and equipment myself, and have worked nearly with everything wearing an engine, and must admit that a chainsaw is probably the most dangerous tool to work with. Just because you cannot really anticipate when it will bite you ...

I was cutting once a rather big walthorn hedge with my 038, and got a little tired after a while. Handling this saw on shoulder height wears you out. Suddenly experienced a heavy kick back, lost control of the saw, but was luckily saved by the chain brake.
Since that event, I always ware steel toe shoes, a helmet, thick gloves and safety goggles. And I will soon buy leg straps.

The damage a saw can inflict is indeed dramatic (my neighbour got hit in the knee and still limbs after years).

One can't simply afford not to wear safety gear, I guess.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've had plenty of chains derail etc but they always get caught up in the chaincatcher ... don't you guys have them? They're standard on every saw I've ever purchased ... keep an eye on some of them because they're plastic and break.

Same here, bro. I've never had more than a scratch, I always just thought I was lucky.

 

[njforestfire]

Both my experiences the rim sprocket and chain catch both grabbed the chain but it still came back and tagged me. I think it's safe to say that if both of those items didn't grab the chain it would have been a lot worse when it hit me.

 

[Lobo]

Yes, but the chain catcher did its job, luckily for me the only damage was to my ego.

Chain flying is another reason to use a bar & chain as short as possible for the job, as the longer they are the better the chance of it catching you somewhere.

 

[treeclimber jul]

I have had only a few close calls, steel toe boots can save your toes. There is a gouge in the steel toe of mine to prove it. PPE IS IMPORTANT, real inportant when in the tree climbing!!!

 

[njforestfire]

Dan - It popped off the rim and wedged between the drum and rim. It was also grabbed by the catcher. I don't know which happened first since one can't look in on the action as it's happening. Regardless of which came first...the point is still the same. It was a 24" chain both times.

 

[oldwild]

AS much as I have been cutting, never wore PPE, just earplugs and glasses. Since joining this site, bought a set of chaps and built a first aid kit just for cutting.

 

[Lobo]

AS much as I have been cutting, never wore PPE, just earplugs and glasses. Since joining this site, bought a set of chaps and built a first aid kit just for cutting.

Nice reworked boxes oldwild. what special items over and above a standard first aid kit did you ad.