My old man would take the saw outside and cut away without any safety equipment

[klaus von herten]

He used to buzz away with a Lucky Strike dangling out the side of his mouth. Would fell 60+ foot oak trees growing on the slope in front of our house. Nothing ever happened to him.

Here I am, sweating under chaps, hard hat, eyes and safety boots, cutting 5 inch branches with a low kickback chain and anti kickback system in my saw, and very concerned about throwing a chain. Quick klot bandage, Israeli bandage and CAT tourniquet in my IFAK on my belt. Thinking I might pay for the old man's luck.

I probably shouldn't have seen that video with the chainsaw cutting that piece of ham.

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[sunfish]

40 years here with no safety stuff. But I did start wearing hear muffs bout 10 years ago.

I just pay attention to what I'm doing.

 

[JTM]

You just had to go jinx it. I'm the same way as you. My father in law won't wear one piece of safety kit when running a saw and I'm covered up like the Michelin Man. I've worked in the safety profession for over 25 years but I tell you this, even though he can't read a lick I would trust my life to him like a baby in its mothers arms when it comes to dangerous jobs. I have learned more from him about how to avoid injury than all my formal education and life experience combined. He is an amazing teacher. Work practices and techniques are your greatest protectors. I do tell him though, that you can't put that seatbelt on as you are going through the windshield, just saying pops.

 

[SEAM]

Just imagine the dashboards of all cars cluttered with short nails or needles sticking out of them... or a large spike in the center of the horn button. That would improve traffic safety and reduce total fuel consumption!

The safer we feel, the more careless we get

 

[JTM]

Just imagine the dashboards of all cars cluttered with short nails or needles sticking out of them... or a large spike in the center of the horn button. That would improve traffic safety and reduce total fuel consumption!

The safer we feel, the more careless we get

DUDE! Amen and ain't that the truth!

 

[svk]

As I was reading this I was thinking what Seam said.

A guy schooled on an old saw with no safety features is probably a much safer and more observant operator than someone who started out with all of the safety gadgets because they had to be.

 

[s sidewall]

Only safety equipment I wear now is ear protection, only reason I do now is to keep getting a migraine. Started running a saw when I was 15, 51 and going but I respect the saw cause i know what it can do.

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[Ted Jenkins]

I will be 66 next month and never owned any safety equipment. Some people have given me some helmets and safety hats while viewing their work sites. However about 25 years ago started wearing ear protection. All my corrective eye glasses are designed for safety. Last summer was cutting about two log decks worth about 25 or 35 cords with shorts and knee pads. Then some one pointed out how bad things happen so put on some chaps, but was getting so careless that had to come off. This summer will be different hopefully with renewed effort to keep a eye on safety. Thanks

 

[Little Al]

I am in my 80th year Started in the 50's on & off 'till around 85 & then more a less full time servicing equipment for a commercial logging company my safety kit is boots ear muffs & safety glasses, the guy who taught me used to push 2 words "Observe" & Respect" backed up by check twice cut once. I am of the opinion that familiarity breeds contempt & inattentiveness & that will get the possibility of getting hurt To me concentration during cutting is paramount.

 

[user 122190]

IMO, the best safety is cutting when you are fresh. Once fatigue sets in, is when mistakes start happening. I don't wear chaps, but gloves, hard hat, visor and ear protection is essential to me. I've a neighbor that refuses to wear anything involving safety, and he's damn near and soon to be completely deaf.

 

[TheTone]

One difference between hearing protection and the other safety equipment: if you don't wear safety gear, you MIGHT get injured; if you don't wear hearing protection, you WILL have hearing loss. It will be related to the loudness of the noise and the duration, and the loss will be in the area of 1000 Hz above the offending noises, usually around 4000-6000 Hz. The sounds of spoken language that help us distinguish between words - the hisses and clicks - are in this range. So you will hear someone speaking words with enough volume to understand, but you won't be sure of half the words spoken. It's very frustrating to speaker and listener. Take it from one who knows.

 

[RandyMac]

The PPE Nazis will be along to set you straight, you need to become a swaddled, coddled thumb sucker like them.

 

[Boomer 87]

Running a saw is like owning and shooting a firearm the best safety is between your ears, if you dont have that safety, the rest are mediocre at best.

I still wear chaps while milling but man they get hot!!

 

[GeorgiaVol]

I had to do some trimming around the yard today. 90+ degrees, 100% humidity. It ain't safe to wear all that gear. I'd die of heat stroke. All seriousness I wear eye protection, gloves, steel toe work boots, and jeans. Hearing protection of I plan on using a saw for a while. I do very little felling though. Mostly limbing or cutting up deadfall on the ground.

 

[pioneerguy600]

As I was reading this I was thinking what Seam said.

A guy schooled on an old saw with no safety features is probably a much safer and more observant operator than someone who started out with all of the safety gadgets because they had to be.

I do believe you are right on that assumption as when I started out cutting with chainsaws there was no such thing even made back then. Learning by slinging around a 30 lb size saw that all aspects of woods work was done with. I doubt anyone would enjoy overhead liming with a Pioneer 600 with a 24" bar and .404 chain, bare hands,no hat and only regular bib overalls, whatever footwear you owned, mostly rubber boots. I now wear hearing protection connected to my hardhat with the safety screen when felling trees as the hat has saved me at least twice from falling objects, one of those times could have been the end for me without that hat on.

 

[lone wolf]

As I was reading this I was thinking what Seam said.

A guy schooled on an old saw with no safety features is probably a much safer and more observant operator than someone who started out with all of the safety gadgets because they had to be.

I got schooled on an old Homlite XL2 up in a tree when it cut all the tendons in my left hand.

 

[Acornhill]

I got schooled on an old Homlite XL2 up in a tree when it cut all the tendons in my left hand.

Not good

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[lone wolf]

Not good

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Yup ,good thing I had a climbing line on or I don't know how I would have gotten down. That saw was nose heavy and the groundie didn't let the limb run.

 

[cheeves]

40 years here with no safety stuff. But I did start wearing hear muffs bout 10 years ago.

I just pay attention to what I'm doing.

Same here!!! We've been Lucky!!!

 

[KenJax Tree]

I agree with having a false sense of security dressed up in an armor suit. I wear a helmet when climbing or if stuff is falling, sunglasses, gloves, and ear plugs. If im falling a tree, out come the ear plugs, i like to hear it cracking and popping so i know what it doing.

Common sense goes a long ways.