Recent hurricane preparedness had me personally ensuring my chain saw would be ready if it was needed. This brief article is for those who do not regularly work with chain saws.
Assure your Equipment is in Good Condition: The chainsaw should fire right up with new gas that is properly mixed. The bar should be taut and the chain sharp.
Wear Personal Protective Equipment: Ear muffs, impact proof eyewear, leather gloves, sturdy footwear and no loose fitting apparel are required. In the interest of full disclosure, I do not have the Kevlar® chaps I regularly recommend for club employees, although I do have a hard hat.
Site and Canopy Management: Awareness of your surroundings is crucial as well as identifying other potential safety concerns like poison ivy, oak or sumac, ‘widow makers’ (detached or broken limbs), bees, tics and snakes.
Safe Ladder Use and Roof Access: Related concerns beyond the scope this article, but equally important precautions to consider when clearing debris.
A personal note: I hate to see a newscast where a chain saw operator or person in proximity is not wearing eye or hearing protection. It is even worse when these persons are paid professionals wearing their company’s apparel. Take a minute and put on your protective gear!
Resources
Chain Saw Safety QuickCard™(OSHA 3594 – 2012) (Portuguese: PDF)
Chainsaw Safety QuickCard™(OSHA 3269 – 2018) (English: PDF)
(OSHA 3269 – 2018) (Spanish: PDF)
Chainsaws: Working Safely with Chainsaws Fact Sheet(English: PDF)
(Spanish: PDF)
Alan Achatz of Club Safety Solutions is a former club manager and operates a safety consultancy helping clubs with hazard recognition, emergency action planning, OSHA compliance, safety audits and food safety. Club Safety Solutions will provide NCA members a 30-minute free consultation. He can be reached at 716-829-9148 or at clubsafetysolutions.com.