Chaps in trees

[outofmytree]

Thanks guys, Pants have been ordered.
I should have asked if your going to use PPE in the tree which is better. The biggest reason I am looking for the protection is, if and when something would happen, I want the best chances I can get, I am 43 yrs old and healing is slow. Using the bucket it has never crossed my mind, but in the tree 40' off the ground and no one there to help other then calling 911. I think a guy should take every precaution you can. Most of the work I have been doing is pine removal and you can't really set a climb line for quick exit. My 13 yr old son is always harping on me too, Grandpa makes me wear chaps why don't you. I would like to set a good example for him. It will never go to waste with my kids around my 13 yr old and me are about the same size and if grandpa says you wear it, you do. I have already caught him with my saddle climbing in the backyard. He's teaching himself and using all ropes. He said the spurs are to dangerous.
Gotta love the kids when you can't find your equipment.

Can't argue with that logic. Thats one reason why I wear full ppe all day. If the crew sees me slacking off then they will too.

 

[lego1970]

Chaps in a bucket or having a groundman start your saw and send it up everytime is a little much, but having operated some pretty old buckets that break down with me still 50' up, I always carry a rope. I can't believe he suggested starting a Stihl 066 inbetween your legs in a two man bucket. That is pretty dangerous if you ask me. The upper quandrant of the bar is going to be about in the perfect location for hitting the far side of the bucket. I drop start it off the side of the bucket. I worked for one guy that had a fire extinguisher mounted in the bucket, and I thought that wasn't too bad of an idea, even if a chainsaw fire is pretty remote.

 

[squad143]

I wear the chainsaw pants. Like I have said in other posts 99% of the time while in the trees. 100% while cutting on the ground.

It is now going to be 100% of the time. 10 days ago, 40' up an oak (without protective pants) and the MS200 just nicked my left knee. I now have a nice cut 2 1/2" long, 1/8" deep and the width of a chain.

It wasn't an issue of saw control, more of rope control and being in a hurry. I had a high tie in point on the opposite side of the tree I was removing. I had limb walked over to an adjacent tree to remove a stub. Wrapped my flip-line around the tree I was cutting the stub off of. I had not noticed (in a bit of a rush I guess) that my TIP line was caught on some bark, up high in the tree. Just as I was finishing my cut of the stub, I dropped a couple of feet and the saw just touched my knee. I consider myself lucky that it didn't hit the kneecap or any tendons/ligaments.

I was mad at myself because I know better.

Lesson learned.

 

[TreeW?rx]

I watched my father rip the pocket out of his pants, (just barely caught the cloth before he moved the saw away), cause he was just gonna make a little cut. We started wearing chaps but have gone on to the custom pants from Madsens with the LaBonville snap in inserts. I wear them to climb as well as on the ground. They are a little more restrictive than just wearing jeans, but much better than wearing bandages.


http://www.madsens1.com/

 

[derwoodii]

Chaps in lift buckets yup go figure. Had same here with a Veg co saying we needed to have em on whilst line clearing from a bucket with a Hyro pole saw.
35c that's 90d plus days no shade and working hard in a plastic cup you would cook slowly in cotton so we put em in the basket ready for any audit bloke who would see the need to ask.
Starting a saw up a lift was the same. Frustrating when rules make no sense but are still enforced.
The ability of contract overseer's to keep safety highest in mind whilst allowing for common sense in his crews is well regarded trait sadly seldom found.

 

[beowulf343]

saw control = no chaps needed in the tree, if you can't run a saw in the tree without cutting yourself then you need to use a butter knife.....or at least a hand saw for a few months....

Interesting. I agree with you Rftreeman, and in fact said something similar here a couple years ago when people were talking about using wirecores because they allow you to nick the lanyard.
I'm willing to take it a step further, however. While i have nothing against chaps or wirecores, and in fact use chaps every time i'm cutting on the ground, over the last couple years i've seen these two items promote carelessness and bad habits. I laid a saw into my leg as a teenager. Pain is a good teacher and have been more careful ever since. But i'm seeing guys now that nick their chaps on a weekly basis and think it's funny when i get upset about it. But they keep doing it because there are no consequences until i fire them. I wonder if they'd keep doing it or find it so funny if they laid a spinning chain on their leg. Simply put, if you are nicking your chaps, you're an idiot and doing something wrong-put down the saw before you do damage to the half of your body that isn't kevlar coated.

 

[ozzy42]

Interesting. I agree with you Rftreeman, and in fact said something similar here a couple years ago when people were talking about using wirecores because they allow you to nick the lanyard.
I'm willing to take it a step further, however. While i have nothing against chaps or wirecores, and in fact use chaps every time i'm cutting on the ground, over the last couple years i've seen these two items promote carelessness and bad habits. I laid a saw into my leg as a teenager. Pain is a good teacher and have been more careful ever since. But i'm seeing guys now that nick their chaps on a weekly basis and think it's funny when i get upset about it. But they keep doing it because there are no consequences until i fire them. I wonder if they'd keep doing it or find it so funny if they laid a spinning chain on their leg. Simply put, if you are nicking your chaps, you're an idiot and doing something wrong-put down the saw before you do damage to the half of your body that isn't kevlar coated.

:agree2:

 

[outofmytree]

Interesting. I agree with you Rftreeman, and in fact said something similar here a couple years ago when people were talking about using wirecores because they allow you to nick the lanyard.
I'm willing to take it a step further, however. While i have nothing against chaps or wirecores, and in fact use chaps every time i'm cutting on the ground, over the last couple years i've seen these two items promote carelessness and bad habits. I laid a saw into my leg as a teenager. Pain is a good teacher and have been more careful ever since. But i'm seeing guys now that nick their chaps on a weekly basis and think it's funny when i get upset about it. But they keep doing it because there are no consequences until i fire them. I wonder if they'd keep doing it or find it so funny if they laid a spinning chain on their leg. Simply put, if you are nicking your chaps, you're an idiot and doing something wrong-put down the saw before you do damage to the half of your body that isn't kevlar coated.

Very well said.

Whilst I am a firm supporter of full PPE when using a chainsaw it is NOT intended to be a substitute for good hazard control. In the same way that I wear my seat belt but keep good braking distances when driving my truck.

 

[Rftreeman]

I think you have more of a chance getting cut on the face, hands and arms in a tree than cut on the leg but as I said, control is the best defense against cutting yourself...

 

[EdenT]

Interesting. I agree with you Rftreeman, and in fact said something similar here a couple years ago when people were talking about using wirecores because they allow you to nick the lanyard.
I'm willing to take it a step further, however. While i have nothing against chaps or wirecores, and in fact use chaps every time i'm cutting on the ground, over the last couple years i've seen these two items promote carelessness and bad habits. I laid a saw into my leg as a teenager. Pain is a good teacher and have been more careful ever since. But i'm seeing guys now that nick their chaps on a weekly basis and think it's funny when i get upset about it. But they keep doing it because there are no consequences until i fire them. I wonder if they'd keep doing it or find it so funny if they laid a spinning chain on their leg. Simply put, if you are nicking your chaps, you're an idiot and doing something wrong-put down the saw before you do damage to the half of your body that isn't kevlar coated.

Have to agree. The introduction of airbags in cars led to an increase in accidents because people grew complacent. I have stuck a chainsaw on my chaps once and was pretty annoyed at the eventual outcome. 'New chaps, new bar, new chain, new clutch'. It was my employers money but I still felt like an idiot for spending it. Now I am more careful, but I will still go on wearing them. Hopefully my employer will never have to buy another pair (or fire me!)