Chainsaws are an integral part of the farm life. Whether cutting firewood or cleaning out fence rows a chainsaw is an indispensable tool that can save time and back-breaking work. To use a chainsaw safely you need some basic safety gear and a little bit of know-how. Here at Country John’s we burn wood for most of our heating needs and also cut hickory and oak for the barbeque and smoker. In a year I cut about two to three cords of firewood depending on the year. So you can see that running a chainsaw safely is very important as I have a lot of exposure to it. I also use them for cleanup and some rough construction projects. Chainsaw safety isn’t all about the tools, some know-how will be required as well, but we will start with the tools needed first.
1. A good chainsaw is a must for the average firewood cutter a twenty-inch bar is enough and a 50 to 60 cc engine will do well. This is a good time to stow the ego bigger is not always better, if you are mostly cutting tops and brush a smaller saw may be better as it will be easier on your back. By the same token if you are felling big trees or cutting mostly larger trunks a bigger saw is a nice addition to the tool chest. Never underestimate the need for one of each as there will be times that no matter how careful or good you are you will get a bar hung up and need the other saw to save the day. It sure beats an axe anyway.
2. Safety glasses are necessary and a face shield may even be warranted if you are in a lot of tight brush. Glasses don’t just protect you from flying sawdust they protect you from flying steel if you use a wedge to split your wood and they will keep the brush out of your eyes as well.
3. Gloves, good leather or hybrid Kevlar chainsaw gloves are best to protect your hands from loose chains and sharp edges especially when sharpening your chains.
4. Hearing protection is a must as a chainsaw can easily rev louder than 120 decibels which can be very hard on your hearing even for a short time, and you will be using this saw for many hours so good plugs or muffs are needed.
5. Sturdy leather boots offer at least some protection against a spinning chain and offer better ankle support for climbing in and out of the brush.
6. A long-sleeved shirt will help keep the debris from cutting and scratching your arms.
7. And finally a long pair of pants and chainsaw chaps. The latter may not be quite as necessary as you would think but I have had them save me from a hot muffler on a wood splitter that surely would have done a lot of damage to my leg had they not been there.
The glasses, muffs, and shield can be replaced with a Forester helmet that will also offer a little bit of bump protection.
Chainsaws are dangerous tools but with due respect and the proper safety tools, they can make life much easier on the farm.