Always ear and eye protection. (Years of abuse and my hearing is already suffering, so my kids wear them for everything - like a seat belt, they grow up with that just being the rule.) Almost always chaps and leather gloves. Helmet/ear muffs when felling or with other overhead risks.
Whenever I feel like "just making a few quick cuts" I manage to convince myself that the time I don't wear chaps will be the time I touch my leg with the chain and the discomfort is way better than a hospital stay. Of course mine are black and don't stand out like clown pants! LOL
Good idea on pre-staining them.