heard an ugly story this evening...

That is so horrible. His life is altered. I used to see that kind of stuff when working in the Emergency Room. Every nature of horror you can imagine. Happens every year with snowblowers, the with lawnmovers. No shortages of people keeping the ER busy. Saws can be very dangerous, but I don't think they are nearly as dangerous as driving a car.

 

That will make all of us think next time we have a saw in hand.

 

In a weird way I like stories like this just to give us a good shake. I pray he comes through this some how and it is not as bad as we think.

 

I gotta tell you I'm a bit lightheaded reading this thread. God bless the guy, and stay safe out there.

 

Nothing weird about it… I think we all get it. We do need a good wake up every now and then… I know I do. Next time a Hoarder fires up a saw, just for a second, he's gonna think about this poor guy who grabbed the screaming chain… and as a result, never have an impulse to do the same thing without thinking…

I know "never" is a long time and things can happen fast.

I think I'll just try to be a little more on the ball next time I'm bucking wood.

 

Be safe Boys, the business end of the saw has no conscience. As we've read, it only takes a second to really mess things up

 

Unfortunately, most of us, being wood cutters, know someone who has been seriously injured by a chainsaw. I do and have told the story many times on the forums. Bottom line is, it only takes a second. We just have to never let our guard down and we all need to keep reminding each other. I lived my whole life virtually accident free. In my business, it is my job to look out for the safety of others. And I have spent my whole life thinking I was one of the most careful people on earth. Then, in the matter of 10 years, I went to the hospital 3 times, each time more serious than the one before. So, no matter how careful you think you are........I am here to tell you, you need to be MORE careful.

 

Terrible incident, best wishes for a speedy recovery for that poor guy.
But I gotta ask, and I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this...

Anyone familiar with a chainsaw and how it operates, who in their right mind would grab the bar for any reason, while it was running?

 

It is called "split-second reaction". No different than most folks who get into a skid with a vehicle and the their first reaction is to stomp down on the brake pedal. That split-second move is exactly that, whether it be right or wrong.

 

Instinctive reactions can cause serious problems. A little too tired, distractions ect. cause alot of injuries, work or play. I have been put back together a few too many times at this point, still have all the parts and pieces, some do not work quite as well as they used to, so I have been very fortunate.

 

Trying to imagine how this might happen (so I can avoid it), I am thinking of the times I've seen very experienced cutters take a little rest while bucking, holding a saw by only the rear handle while a sharp chain self-feeds through the log. It's not just about relaxing a hand; completely letting go of that front handle allows one to stand up straighter, likely relieving aches in the back, neck, shoulders, legs, etc. And of course 99%+ of the time there are no negative consequences, so it becomes habit. But I can imagine the tip of the bar hitting some unseen thing on the far side of the log, the saw popping up and back with the wrist of the hand on the rear handle as the hinge. What are you going to do but try to block it or grab for control with your free hand? In that context the front handle is a very small target, in a very bad place, to grab for.

 

"What are you going to do but try to block it or grab for control with your free hand? In that context the front handle is a very small target, in a very bad place, to grab for"… that very scenario "force" you're talking about is probably behind the chain brake system on all saws now. Dunno…

 

IMHO its about habit patterns and mindset. Anyone here ever dropped a saw on purpose from a place that they knew the saw would get damaged? I for one would probably drop the saw 1 time for every 25 times I try to save it from dropping (yes, I've been on a ladder limbing a tree more than once which isn't the smartest thing to do). I've been fortunate that in saving the drop, it hasn't hurt me. It's just a saw. Keep telling yourself, It's just a saw. But we love them so dearly that we don't want broken plastic, bent bars or dulled chains. Forget about that stuff.

This all reminds me of the fire in Glenwood Springs in 1994 in which a member of the Prineville HotShot crew was found dead on the side of the mountain with his chainsaw in hand. Fire was racing up the ravine, he was running up the hill from the fire and wouldn't drop the saw.. If he lived, he would have saved the $1200 saw. If he dropped the saw and lived, he probably would have had to do a bunch of paperwork. Did the saw make the difference between escaping the fire or getting caught? No one will ever know.

I wish all the best to Scotty's wife's friend's brother. To the rest of us, I hope this story will get us to think, develop a mindset, and good habit patterns especially when we're doing something that we've done 10,000 times before...

 

Bullseye…

 

Note to self… look out for the drill too… Ouch.

My son was finishing up a long day air nailing a bunch of frame work under our old shed. He was done for the day and started to stand up. I happened to just step out of the door and was talking with him. He had the framing nailer in his right hand and pushed off it to help stand up. He didn't realize he had the trigger pulled, and when the barrel caught on his pants, it fired a 16d nail right beside his right knee cap. Missed the bone thankfully. We joked later that the gun was dialed in perfect because that nail set just right pinning his pants to his leg. He was fine until he got to the ER where they had a hell of a time getting it out even after many shots. (the wires that hold the nail clips together made a nice fishing hook on the nail)

There are many things we can take for granted while we get work done… it's good we're posting some of the times that wasn't a good plan… might help one of us.

 

Accidents happen quick, as mentioned, in the blink of an eye. Instinctively grabbing a moving blade is inexperience. I feel sorry for the guy.
I work with spinning blades daily, 27 years. My instinct has always been to keep my body parts away from the blade. With experience you learn when a blade will bind and avoid it. I was just busted today on a new job. The company safety officer called me on using a skil saw, cutting boards, holding the saw with my left hand, bent over. Not supported by my foot, but holding the board up and cutting it off, well clear of feet and hands, simple, right? I am very comfortable using both hands to cut with a saw. Too many guys have supported the stock with a foot and then, believe it or not, cut right into their foot! Hey, they're paying me do to do it their way, so I had to build some sawhorses.