Chainsaw Safety - Should the use of PPE be legislated?

[Symon]

Really? I would think, 'hey that mower/saw/brushcutter is loud so I should protect my ears' would be a pretty simple concept. However I guess considering the number of people who have their headphones too loud, probably not.

What if you had never been around someone who would wear hearing protection?  'just put up with it' would be the norm then and would be 'common sense' wouldn't it?

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[D4D]

OK so they're unconsciously incompetent rather than consciously incompetent, therefore some awareness at purchase rather than legislation may work. After all there is probably more margin in the PPE than the saw itself.

There is also probably the 'I am invincible' mentality at play here as well. You only need to look at the large percentage of young drivers' who are darwining themselves at the moment.

[Snow]

Ear muffs are great PPE, especially on the shooting range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6zQ1VkcXQw

[Campfire]

Those who do the right thing wear PPE, carry out prestart checks and generally check the risk out in their mind before starting will be fine, no problem there.

Those who laugh/ scoff at safety, go on like a di#k head and operate dangerous tools like, become injured or killed.

Evolution has been around alot longer than law, you can't regular safety processes with plant/ tools in the home environment like a workplace. It's impractical and no amount of debating will fix that.

The smart people who take the effort to set up and use their equipment will be around longer for there families than those who operate equipment like reckless cowboys and sooner or later will pay the price.

That's evolution, we are responsible for our own actions regardless of the consequences, end of story ( life goes on).

Campfire

[Bird]

this thread



with a touch of

[dno]

 

[kylarama]

I'm sorry, but he really should be wearing a full faced helmet

[dno]

Or maybe....

[duggie]

This thread is a bit like politics or religion. I have my views ( about PPE, or the lack of) and you have yours (strong belief in the use of PPE). I believe in what my views are as do you with yours. Therefore you can try to hammer home if you want to, but it is worth all the trouble?
cheers duggie

[Heiny]

some awareness at purchase rather than legislation may work

All operators manuals have a safety section that should be read and understood before operation, ignore the warnings and you may suffer the consequences.

Smart operators will take preventative measures and the rest will eventually pay the price, like someone already said "it's natural selection"

PPE is impossible to enforce in the private sector and would be about as effective as the measures taken to stop speeding and hoon drivers, but it would be a great revenue raiser for the Govt just like the speed cameras (hope the ranga isn't reading this thread)

bubba

[hairymick]

Seems to me to be a bit like this.



We are the most legislated and regulated country on earth.

This is just more bullShit to give people jobs other than actually producng something.

[Barry G]

Saw "Stickman" (Canadian street performer) juggling a chainsaw at the Port Fairy Folk Festival at the weekend.
He didn't have any PPE ... likewise when he laid on a bed of nails and was walked across.   

[weeds]

nothing like an old thread being dug up......

i suppose i shouldn't mention that my chainsaw is that old that it doesn't have a chain brake......

i do wear suitable footwear and ear protection (nearly need double hearing protection as the exhaust/muffler is missing), if my safety glasses are handy than i put them on otherwise i rely on my normal glasses....i also make sure nobody else is too close

[chester ver2.0]

Hey it is not just the provate sector that has issues 3 weeks ago on the TV was one of those ARB videos in the high county VIC and you guessed it a couple of shot of chainsawing fallen trees with No gloves, no hearing protection and just a pair of probably zero impact everyday sunnies on.

I really then enjoyed the fact that they then went to great pains to ensure that a winch dampening blanket is used for all winching

[gronk]

Hey it is not just the provate sector that has issues 3 weeks ago on the TV was one of those ARB videos in the high county VIC and you guessed it a couple of shot of chainsawing fallen trees with No gloves, no hearing protection and just a pair of probably zero impact everyday sunnies on.

I really then enjoyed the fact that they then went to great pains to ensure that a winch dampening blanket is used for all winching

Went into the inlaws the other day and cut up some small fallen branchs off a tree......went thru a tank of juice, so a fair few branchs................and .........I wasn't wearing earmuffs ( I don't usually, as the Huskie is fairly quiet )........no gloves.....( they aren't going to save much anyway ).....no eye protection....( don't ever recall having log chips fling back that far )...........and............I was wearing thongs  ( now, I usually DO wear some sort of shoes, but on this day it didn't happen )...

And...........I'm still alive !!!!



But, I stand with the saw offset.......I don't undercut if at all possible......I don't plunge cut......or near the ground if possible.......

I know........I'm a bloody idiot.........but if I cut my leg off, I'll be the 1st to post up and admit it !!    

[alnjan]

Like a lot of things, I grew up on a farm and using things like chainsaws and brush cutters was part of the deal.  You learnt to respect them and use them accordingly. 

Some people should never be allowed to be in the presence of anything that has any cutting edge or moving part

[dav]

I did a chainsaw course last year and have been using saws for 25years. But when they show some of the stuff up people make its and eye opener. People think chainsaws cut no they rip the average nick with a saw is 4" and 100 stitches long and the time it takes a saw to flick up from flat to your head is 1/15 of a second. So I will be getting some chaps.

[Brucer]

Should the use of PPE be legislated?

No.

Unlikely to achieve anything. I'd prefer to see tool safety well covered in the education system. No amount of legislation can replace common sense and basic safety awareness. You can have all the PPE you like but an idiot operator is still that.

[gronk]

I did a chainsaw course last year and have been using saws for 25years. But when they show some of the stuff up people make its and eye opener. People think chainsaws cut no they rip the average nick with a saw is 4" and 100 stitches long and the time it takes a saw to flick up from flat to your head is 1/15 of a second. So I will be getting some chaps.

If it flicks from flat up to your head.......what are the chaps for ??

Yes they are a dangerous device....but as said, use some commonsense when using them..

[macca]

Thanks gronk and alnjan, I was starting to lose all faith.
We usually use the chainsaw to cut the wood, to light the fire, to drink the beer, then start with the BS

[Tim - Stratford]

If you cut fast there's less time for an accident.....

V8 Chainsaw 6

[alnjan]

If it flicks from flat up to your head.......what are the chaps for ??

Yes they are a dangerous device....but as said, use some commonsense when using them..

keep any bodily fluids off his pants

[alnjan]

Thanks gronk and alnjan, I was starting to lose all faith.
We usually use the chainsaw to cut the wood, to light the fire, to drink the beer, then start with the BS

After the cyclone, no low pressure storm come through I have a few trees down and needed to use the chainsaw.  As you can see from the photo, yes I was chainsawing above my head, even on the ladder, had steel cap boots, glasses, akubra and oilskin coat , to keep the rain off.  Have been cutting a number of fallen trees limbs up since and the only injury was after chainsawing and moving a cut limb. 

Like I said, treat the chainsaw with respect and look at what you are cutting and plan how and where to cut before you start the saw. 

[dav]

If it flicks from flat up to your head.......what are the chaps for ??

Yes they are a dangerous device....but as said, use some commonsense when using them..

yes I agree PPE should be the last form of defence not the first. Why chaps 80% of accidents happen below the belt.

[Symon]

I've got a better concept, instead of legislating PPE, how about before you buy a chainsaw you have to prove that you have undertaken a nationally accredited chainshaw course in the last 12 months.

Better still, make it a licence, so you need to have one before you can buy or operate a chainsaw.  You can then pay to have chainsaw licence enforcers patrolling backyards issuing fines to people using chainsaws without a licence.

That would give the 'common sense' brigade some substance to their argument.