With the fall season upon us, it’s a great time to review your organization’s policies and procedures regarding using chainsaws safety.
- Does the chainsaw have all of the safety equipment required? If not, now is the time to upgrade your old equipment.
- Review your policies and procedures about chainsaw equipment use. You might include required training, certification, safety checklist, maintenance, etc. Resources: manufacturers, insurance companies, OSHA, state agencies, worker’s compensation, etc.
- Does the organization provide all the necessary personal protection equipment for staff and volunteers? (chaps/pants, hard hat, ear protection, etc.)? Is the equipment in good working condition?
- What is the schedule for regular chainsaw maintenance?
Some resources
- OSHA Quick Card. Chain Saw Safety.http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3269-10N-05-english-06-27-2007.html
- OSHA Fact Sheet. Working safely with chainsaws.http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/chainsaws.pdf
- OSHA Loggers web site. Includes training, operations regulations for the logging industry. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/logger.html
- OSHA chainsaw injury statistics. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/logger/chain_saw/saw_injuries.html
- US Forest Service. Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Training Course. http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/php/library_card.php?p_num=0667%202C01
- Manufacturer chain saw safety manual (Perform a web search for ECHO, Makita, Poulan, Ryobi, Stihl, etc.).
- Video 28 minutes. Danger : Chain Saw. Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries 2008 – Video V1295. Covers the safe use of chain saws, appropriate PPE and how to do an inspection/safety check of the saw. Shows how chain saw kickback and poor work practices are the greatest hazards of chainsaw use and how quickly accidents can occur. Includes an interview of a man who survived a life-threatening chain saw injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UamFWzb7ufE
- Other YouTube videos.