Why Should I Practice Chainsaw Safety?

Question: Why Should I Practice Chainsaw Safety?

Get the answers to frequently asked questions about chainsaws. Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask the Forestry Forum.

Answer: According to saw expert Carl Smith, "If you place your hands on a chain saw, you must keep in mind that it is like grabbing a hand grenade without a pin in it. It is very likely to go off in your face. From the moment that you take it out of storage to the time that it goes back to the same place, you can be hurt by either it, or by whatever you will be cutting."

"The chain saw is the most dangerous hand tool that can be purchased on the open market. It requires no license and no training to own or operate it. An overall average of 40,000 injuries and deaths occur annually in the US. This figure is just the "reported" accidents given by hospitals willing or able to furnish the information. That figure does not include out-patient visits to the doctor."

Remember: Approximately 30 percent of all woods accidents in a year are typically the result of a chainsaw cut. A chainsaw blade can move 45 mph at full throttle and can move rapidly in the opposite direction (called kick-back). Almost all chainsaw accidents can be prevented by using common sense and by using safe cutting practices. Please review Carl Smith's Chainsaw Safety Interview.

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