Convince me that a hard hat is necessary

[johncinco]

Baileys just had a sale on regular use ones, $29 with muffs and face shield.

A pissed off squirrell falling out of a tree and onto your head one time will change your thinking in a hurry! I get the willies just thinking about it!

 

[Tazman1602]

Ok admittedly this post is trollish....... sorry.

I've been cutting for 7-5 yrs now. Mainly taught by dad, mixed with some reading. I cut for fun, mainly firewood a few saw logs here and there to mill at the father in-laws for various projects....

Here's the thing. None of the people that I've cut with own or use a hard hat / faceshield. Ok.... if everyone jumped off a cliff would I follow.... no, I wouldn't. PPE is very important, I take safety very seriously at work (papermill) and often work as a supervisor ensuring others follow the rules and wear the proper PPE.

When cutting, I where full cut-resistent pants (similar to chaps), safety glasses, gloves, steel toe boots, and ear plugs. I'm sure a hardhat would be a good idea. When talking to dear ol' dad I got the "well if a branch falls on you would you rather have a bump on the head or a broken neck" speech. Followed by "If you are careful and watch what you are doing like I taught you, you shouldn't have anything fall on you". "If it looks dangerous, find another tree to pick on".

I'm not saying they are a bad, rather I'd just like to hear a few stories of how they've saved your azz, maybe some stories I can use to convince Dad its better safe than sorry.

PS: post #100.

1985. Friend and I were out cutting. You were a wimp in those days if you couldn't control your chainsaw/tree or had to have ear protection or anything else. When I took him home with 18 stitches in his head from a widowmaker I ran right out and bought a hard hat.

Yes, my name is Art and I am a wimp. I'm old and don't heal so good anymore. If I had known I would live this long I would have taken better care of myself in the younger days.

Be a wimp. Get a helmet. Then hit me up later after cutting and threaten to kick my butt. 'Nuff said................

 

[stevethekiwi]

Dont forget the number 1 rule when using chainsaws - its all about looking cool.

The more PPE you wear, the more dangerous your hobby looks to everone else. You're better of looking cool and being alive, than being lazy and dead.

 

[KiwiTreeSteve]

I just bought a petzl vent with earmuffs and faceshield, 157 bucks-and the #@#@##$ thing is catching the hairs on the back of my head in the ratchet strap and pulling on them, its really pissing me off. Anybody else have this problem? and how to fix? otherwise I like it, looks more pro so wtf.

i have had this same problem, i were a doo rag over my hair, stops this and any sweat rolling in my eyes.

 

[weenieroaster]

Sometimes we will be out on a removal job, and the home owner will be wanting to help us with the clearing up. The thought to help is appreciated, but if there is still cutting going on, I flatly tell them that we can't use their help if they don't have a hard hat. It has resulted in some dirty looks and muttering under breath, and unless somebody was an &%`# about it, I try to find a moment to explain later on. Now, I carry an extra hard hat in my vehicle when going to a job.

A guy I used to know was killed by a falling Eucalyptus limb hitting him on the head at a job site. He was just watching the work being done. That etched it in stone for me.

 

[Burvol]

Hey Rowan, are you going for a busted skull instead of a cut leg? I'd take my hat over chaps if I could only have one. If you got hit in the head you could be killed or really injured for life and your dad finds you to boot. That would suck. Wear a hat, not that it will save you 100%, but it might, and it will keep you thinking about how dangerous falling is. I have been spared with mine twice.

 

[tree MDS]

i have had this same problem, i were a doo rag over my hair, stops this and any sweat rolling in my eyes.

Yeah, I just can't, too eighties fer me, sorry kiwi and sally, lol. MDS.

 

[stevethekiwi]

lol kiwitreesteve, are we related???

 

[oldirty]

lol kiwitreesteve, are we related???

i was wondering the same thing.

 

[crashagn]

Been runnin a saw since i was 10 years old. Now 31.. never wore chaps or a hard hat. This past Sunday got up at 5:30 am and loaded up the saws into the pickup to get to a acreage that i had permission to get all of the wood i wanted that a escavator tore down. running a 371xp with 24 b/c and cutting into about a 18 incher and all i heard was a snap and bam, to late. Pressure on the tree branch spot check me right in the gut and knocked me back 5ft and on my but. Wasnt worried about over head logs, or anything rolling on me becouse i was just working the edges getting the easy stuff 1st. The only other person out there with me was my dog.. he woulda either peed on me face or licked up the blood and ran off with a saw if i was seriusly hurt, thank god only sore the next morning. The next day, got online to Baileys website and ordered a brand new hardhat with hearing and face shield along with full wrap chaps. (along with some files) $124 1st time i ever gotten a scar like that and now getting older getting some common sense (hint- some) 100$ for some PPe.. not bad i thought.

 

[treemandan]

Sometimes we will be out on a removal job, and the home owner will be wanting to help us with the clearing up. The thought to help is appreciated, but if there is still cutting going on, I flatly tell them that we can't use their help if they don't have a hard hat. It has resulted in some dirty looks and muttering under breath, and unless somebody was an &%`# about it, I try to find a moment to explain later on. Now, I carry an extra hard hat in my vehicle when going to a job.

A guy I used to know was killed by a falling Eucalyptus limb hitting him on the head at a job site. He was just watching the work being done. That etched it in stone for me.

You should carry an extra hat for those who want to pitch in. Like those crack addicts who stop by on city jobs to steal your saws.

 

[Tazman1602]

Been runnin a saw since i was 10 years old. Now 31.. never wore chaps or a hard hat. This past Sunday got up at 5:30 am and loaded up the saws into the pickup to get to a acreage that i had permission to get all of the wood i wanted that a escavator tore down. running a 371xp with 24 b/c and cutting into about a 18 incher and all i heard was a snap and bam, to late. Pressure on the tree branch spot check me right in the gut and knocked me back 5ft and on my but. Wasnt worried about over head logs, or anything rolling on me becouse i was just working the edges getting the easy stuff 1st. The only other person out there with me was my dog.. he woulda either peed on me face or licked up the blood and ran off with a saw if i was seriusly hurt, thank god only sore the next morning. The next day, got online to Baileys website and ordered a brand new hardhat with hearing and face shield along with full wrap chaps. (along with some files) $124 1st time i ever gotten a scar like that and now getting older getting some common sense (hint- some) 100$ for some PPe.. not bad i thought.

Good post. I'm 50 and still cutting. Good rule is don't go out alone. I got whacked with a springpole three weeks ago and thought the dang thing broke my leg. I did have on a helmet but have now ordered chaps.

 

[Bearsaw]

There was a story here that a man and wife went to cut some branches off a tree in their garden, the husband puts the ladder up the tree and the wife stands at the bottom holding the ladder. Up he goes with the saw and starts cutting. He slipped and dropped the saw...........straight onto his wife and beheaded her.

A true story. google it.

Those jazzy hats ive seen out there come in all sorts of colours shapes and sizes. You wear a seat belt? Then best to wear a hardhat. Better to be a geek than a DEAD cool dude!!

 

[stihl sawing]

A pissed off squirrell falling out of a tree and onto your head one time will change your thinking in a hurry! I get the willies just thinking about it!

That and a big coon, It sounds funny,but if you ever had it happen you would wear one all the time.

 

[treemandan]

That and a big coon, It sounds funny,but if you ever had it happen you would wear one all the time.

INDEEDELY DO

 

[superfire]

hard hat demo

here is a graphic video that proves why a hard hat is needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePS9d1WGmq0

 

[rx7145]

A friend and I were cutting down a tree at my grandpa's place this last fall. He had a hardhat/earmuffs on, I had on just ear muffs. I cut down a larger ash tree with no problems. He starts to cut the top as I cut out the log. As soon as I cut the log out the tree rolls over with the "top" branches slaming down on his head, knocked his saw out of his hands and shoved him to the ground. He was ok thankfuly. I don't want to think of what would have happened if he had not had on the hard hat.

I got PPE for christmas that year.

 

[donatello]

60 or 100 mph on your same unguarded head

If you're wearing all that PPE and no helmet then apocryphal stories probably won't convince you. Try this experiment. Put your head down and close your eyes and walk into the the corner of a door or kitchen cabinet at walking speed, which is 3 or 4 mph. Now try to imagine something falling at 60 or 100 mph on your same unguarded head.
Stay safe,
Phil

With all due respect,If a tree is falling 60-100mph on your unguarded or even a guarded HEAD - you are dead .(approx.weight of a tree could easily go over 4000 lbs.,a good size car). Falling branches and birds pooping :censored: would be a good reason to wear one...
Though much like the seatbelt in your car/truck,you are better-off using than not.
Force yourself to use your helmet, in no time at all it will be a habit like adjusting your chain or picking your nose:monkey: ...

 

[stihl sawing]

With all due respect,If a tree is falling 60-100mph on your unguarded or even a guarded HEAD - you are dead .(approx.weight of a tree could easily go over 4000 lbs.,a good size car). Falling branches and birds pooping :censored: would be a good reason to wear one...
Though much like the seatbelt in your car/truck,you are better-off using than not.
Force yourself to use your helmet, in no time at all it will be a habit like adjusting your chain or picking your nose:monkey: ...

Agree 100% a hat ain't gonna save ya from a tree, But the limbs falling it will. And i get a lot of practice on the nose picking.LOL

 

[zarniwhoop1961]

I just had a kickback over the weekend, I have 10 stiches in my chest and will end up with a really nice scar. At least it wasn't my head. I won't be starting my saw untill I buy one of those nifty 3 in 1 hats.