Ignore Chainsaw Safety Gear at your Peril
Once you have bought your chainsaw, the last thing you probably want to think about is spending more money on a range of chainsaw safety gear.
The truth is though that chainsaws probably account for an unhealthy number of accidents suffered by homeowners in their own backyards 🙁
This may in some part be due to ignorance but ignorance about how to operate a chainsaw combined with a lack of appropriate chainsaw safety gear when using this tool can lead to a painful outcome.
So if you are a homeowner who owns a chainsaw, you really need to kit yourself out properly with specifically designed chainsaw safety equipment and clothing to prevent injury to yourself.
When you start cutting wood with a chainsaw there are the obvious possible problems such as:
Wood chips and sawdust start flying around which can injure or irritate your eyes – so protect your eyes (and head) with a safety helmet and visor or glasses.
Chainsaw Helmet System
While you can get safety glasses, hearing protectors and a helmet separately it just makes more sense to get one extra piece of equipment that covers all aspects of protecting your whole head.
And this includes an aspect that may not be immediately apparent – but your ears may not take kindly in years to come to having been overexposed to the sound of a chainsaw doing its work. And most chainsaw helmet systems include ear protection.
There are a great selection of chainsaw helmet systems on the market that will provide you with the required protection.
As with all other safety equipment don’t skimp on a few dollars – make sure it meets industry safety standards
Chainsaw Gloves
Your hands become exposed to sharp bits of wood – and potentially a spinning chain – so protect your hands with specifically designed chainsaw safety gloves.
Chainsaw gloves are a bit of a juggling act when it comes to producing a product that is comfortable, pliable yet strong enough to stop a spinning chain from inflicting serious injury on your hand.
Most manufacturers overcome this conundrum by re-enforcing the left hand glove only as this is the hand most exposed when the chainsaw kicks unexpectedly. Kevlar is a wonderful invention and is ideal for providing your hand with great protection.
Chainsaw Chaps or Pants
Your legs can become the unwilling target of the spinning chain – so protect your legs with chainsaw resistant pants.
Accidents do happen and one of the most likely places an out of control chainsaw is likely to hit is your legs.
It is not an exaggeration to say that chainsaw resistant pants are life savers because if you sever a big artery in your leg out in the woods your chances of surviving are slim at best.
These garments are designed to foul the chain as soon as there is connection between fabric and chain, stopping the chain before it gets to your skin (and deeper)!
Chainsaw Boots
After your legs, the next obvious target of a spinning chain is your feet – so protect your feet and toes with steel toed safety boots!
Needless to say boots are the last thing you might feel like putting on when you just have a branch or two to lop off in your backyard.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine times out of a thousand you will be fine but stop a moment and visualise what a spinning chain will do to your flesh and bones if this is the one in a thousand time when something goes wrong – and then take the time to put those boots on before you go to work with your chainsaw!
So it might seem like a lot of extra bits and pieces to put on to chop up a small pile of wood or cut off the odd branch but as the saying goes – better safe than sorry!
Find more information on chainsaws here