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XP_Slinger

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A friend of mine had a near miss when a branch 2.5” in diameter and 8 feet long came out of nowhere and smacked his helmet HARD. Sounded like a wooden bat hitting concrete. Happened a couple seconds after the tree was on the ground. Please wear your hats gentlemen, they work and saved us a trip to the hospital for a serious injury or perhaps worse. Kinda thing that gives ya chills watching it happen.
 
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XP_Slinger

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I recently got complacent with wearing my chaps. Started early just skidding out saw logs I had already bucked in the woods, no intentions of running a saw. Got done with the money sticks and decided to start bringing out tops for firewood, grabbed my trusty 262 out of the scabbard and commenced to laying down the limbs...no chaps. Normally I’m good about wearing them even while bucking firewood, but for some reason it didn’t even cross my mind. Big bro @RideRed-350R arrived later that morning and thankfully called me out on my BS. No near misses, just the point that distractions or plans can sometimes make us neglect to make a good decision. Or maybe I didn’t think of it because the tree was already down so the “real danger” had passed...excuses, excuses. I put a hanger for my chaps on the ROPS of my tractor that evening. My saw is always in the scabbard so too will my chaps and helmet ALWAYS be hanging on my tractor from now on.

I don’t care about my pride in sharing poor decisions like this. My hope is that by sharing these things it helps others (experienced or novice like me), remember that the most important thing in the woods is YOU. And you're worth the extra 5 minutes (or less) of preparation to don your PPE.
 
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Slacker

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Can an experienced cutter please recommend a comfortable lightweight helmet that a weekend firewood cutter would be well served with?

I know myself...if its heavy and hurts my head, I wont wear it.
I wear safety glasses so built in face protection not needed, nor is ear pro.
Or at least detachable. I'd prefer not to pay extra for them, just to remove.

Thank you!!!
 
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Ryan Browne

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Can an experienced cutter please recommend a comfortable lightweight helmet that a weekend firewood cutter would be well served with?

I know myself...if its heavy and hurts my head, I wont wear it.
I wear safety glasses so built in face protection not needed, nor is ear pro.
Or at least detachable. I'd prefer not to pay extra for them, just to remove.

Thank you!!!

I bought an MSA from Amazon because someone gave me a set of nice earmuffs that fit it. I think it was $9-10 shipped. Plenty comfy. I'll see if I can dig up a link.

I tried posting a link below, but it says that it's awaiting moderator approval. A search for MSA helmet on Amazon should bring it up though.
 

Ryan Browne

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@XP_Slinger, that's what I love about my Husqvarna pants. They're comfy enough that I can wear them all day and not notice anything different. I put them on in the morning if there's a chance I'll be running a saw. No need to think about it after that, or have to decide whether to go clip on chaps for "only a few cuts".
 

David Young

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I recently got complacent with wearing my chaps. Started early just skidding out saw logs I had already bucked in the woods, no intentions of running a saw. Got done with the money sticks and decided to start bringing out tops for firewood, grabbed my trusty 262 out of the scabbard and commenced to laying down the limbs...no chaps. Normally I’m good about wearing them even while bucking firewood, but for some reason it didn’t even cross my mind. Big bro @RideRed-350R arrived later that morning and thankfully called me out on my BS. No near misses, just the point that distractions or plans can sometimes make us neglect to make a good decision. Or maybe I didn’t think of it because the tree was already down so the “real danger” had passed...excuses, excuses. I put a hanger for my chaps on the ROPS of my tractor that evening. My saw is always in the scabbard so too will my chaps and helmet ALWAYS be hanging on my tractor from now on.

I don’t care about my pride in sharing poor decisions like this. My hope is that by sharing these things it helps others (experienced or novice like me), remember that the most important thing in the woods is YOU. And you're worth the extra 5 minutes (or less) of preparation to don your PPE.


This can be considered a near miss Josh and is a great share.
I have had 3 people at work tell me the were at home and just grabbed the saw to knock off a few limbs so they didn't put on their chaps. Then they show me cut pants and slices in their skin just above the left knee cap. It is very common to allow the saw to coast down and we let down our guard. We let our hand off the rear hand the saw swings to our left and may hit our leg.
A good practice it to set the brake when your hand is removed from the rear handle.
 

MarkEagleUSA

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Can an experienced cutter please recommend a comfortable lightweight helmet that a weekend firewood cutter would be well served with?

I know myself...if its heavy and hurts my head, I wont wear it.
I wear safety glasses so built in face protection not needed, nor is ear pro.
Or at least detachable. I'd prefer not to pay extra for them, just to remove.

Thank you!!!
You can get a decent ratchet-adjustable hard hat at Home Depot for $10-$15.
 

Ryan Browne

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Ryan it doesn't look like the link came through.

Yeah, it seems that Amazon links are that way sometimes. I will say that if you dig a little for the non fancy patterns and limited editions, you can get an MSA helmet for $10-12 on prime. I find mine pretty comfy but I haven't worn too many others.
 

Fruecrue

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A few of us stood and watched at last year’s NYGTG as one of our members threw a chain.
Chain ripped open the saw’s fuel tank and made contact with the operator’s chaps. Had it not been for those chaps, there would have been blood and fuel on the ground.
Wish I got it on video.
 

RIDE-RED 350r

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I'll add to Josh's story a little more reason I chewed his ass...he was working alone when he told me he didn't have his chaps. I reminded him how little time you have with a lacerated femural artery... Not much, especially when alone


Had my own close call at work in July of '16. We were doing roadside tree and brush removal. One man cutting, the rest of us feeding the chipper. I checked the feller and thought he was cutting small brush saplings before I bent down to grab a couple of limbs to take to the chipper...I was mistaken. While I was bent down I was hit with a force I've never experienced before or since. He was cutting an oak about 10" diameter at the stump. What struck the side of my head and the top of my shoulder was about 5" diameter and about 25' from the stump, it hit me with some speed and momentum. Immediate after and for several minutes my entire left arm was curled up in a weird position and paralyzed. Couldn't move it at all. My hard hat was laying 20' from where I was when I got hit, both earmuffs detatched and laying on the ground (which were over my ears at the time of I'm part). The whole thing was my fault despite my friend/coworker feeling terrible guilty about it. Ultimately I regained control of my left arm after a few minutes, went to ER for a CT scan of my head, and x-rays on my head and shoulder. No serious injuries amazingly, but VERY sore and couldn't move much of those parts for several days. I was hit hard enough that the bruises on my shoulder ended up being scabs at the surface. The whole thing hurt like hell and I'd wager I would have been much more seriously hurt had I not been wearing my hard hat.

PPE saves lives when used and used properly. I'll never be convinced it's not worth the trouble, EVER
 

David Young

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It would have been a great video. When things like that happens its good to look at what went right, what went wrong and what could have happened.

went right:
Chaps saved injury
went wrong:
Chain derailed for some reason. Why? Not tight enough,big sprocket, problem with the bar...

Could have happened:
fuel started a fire.
chain hit a bystander
 

Fruecrue

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It would have been a great video. When things like that happens its good to look at what went right, what went wrong and what could have happened.

went right:
Chaps saved injury
went wrong:
Chain derailed for some reason. Why? Not tight enough,big sprocket, problem with the bar...

Could have happened:
fuel started a fire.
chain hit a bystander
Chain was brand new, just spun for the saw. Big sprocket, I can’t remember how big, but 10+ for sure.
Saw was piped (underbelly) and the chain also struck that, it either hit before the tank ruptured or it didn’t spark.
Derail happened on the second down cut of what I’m assuming was a practice three cut, right at the moment the chain contacted the wood.
@hseII has pics of the aftermath, and I doubt the operator would mind him posting as I believe they’ve been posted previously.
 

redline4

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I begain running a saw at 9. Im now 41.
Never wore chaps.
I was doing some brush and pine removal in a logged area of my woods where the bulk of the regen is oak.
Happily hacking away, and had a branch slap back at me, and knocked the saw into my leg.
I was off the throttle and the chain was slowing when it happened.
Could have been much worse.
Resized_20181208_151946_6229.jpeg

I was pretty nervous when I went to see just how far through it went.
Got my Carhartt bibs and just caught my jeans. Didnt touch my base layer thermals.
It would have went straight across my left kneecap.

I was done for the day and ordered chaps that evening.
 

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XP_Slinger

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I'll add to Josh's story a little more reason I chewed his ass...he was working alone when he told me he didn't have his chaps. I reminded him how little time you have with a lacerated femural artery... Not much, especially when alone


Had my own close call at work in July of '16. We were doing roadside tree and brush removal. One man cutting, the rest of us feeding the chipper. I checked the feller and thought he was cutting small brush saplings before I bent down to grab a couple of limbs to take to the chipper...I was mistaken. While I was bent down I was hit with a force I've never experienced before or since. He was cutting an oak about 10" diameter at the stump. What struck the side of my head and the top of my shoulder was about 5" diameter and about 25' from the stump, it hit me with some speed and momentum. Immediate after and for several minutes my entire left arm was curled up in a weird position and paralyzed. Couldn't move it at all. My hard hat was laying 20' from where I was when I got hit, both earmuffs detatched and laying on the ground (which were over my ears at the time of I'm part). The whole thing was my fault despite my friend/coworker feeling terrible guilty about it. Ultimately I regained control of my left arm after a few minutes, went to ER for a CT scan of my head, and x-rays on my head and shoulder. No serious injuries amazingly, but VERY sore and couldn't move much of those parts for several days. I was hit hard enough that the bruises on my shoulder ended up being scabs at the surface. The whole thing hurt like hell and I'd wager I would have been much more seriously hurt had I not been wearing my hard hat.

PPE saves lives when used and used properly. I'll never be convinced it's not worth the trouble, EVER
Ass chewing was deserved. Just watch your tone next time lol
 

Dustin4185

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I will add to the near misses. When I hired a tech on another WMA, the other manager wanted to borrow him for some to clear off some small pole timber/saplings for the viewing of our next elk release. This individual had lived on a farm all his life and worked on a tree removal crew as well. He knew how to run and handle a saw, but never had worn chaps. I gave him is new MS 260, MS440, hardhat, and chaps. I told him our policy on chaps and PPE and he was expected to wear them. Went up on the mountain around lunch to see what the progress was, and his chaps were shredded. He stepped on a limb that had ice on it laying on the ground. When he did, the saw went across his thigh. If he wouldn't have had those on, he would have probably bled to death. The area they were in has ZERO cell or radio service. It would have been a 45 minute trip down the mountain to the nearest interstate and at least 1 1/2 to the hospital.

I cut a standing dead oak for firewood a few week ago. I knew the top was shady and felt safe felling it. When the tree went over, the top hit a small limb and the top came back towards us. IF I wouldn't have escaped at an angle, it would have dead centered me. It wasn't huge, but without a helmet, it would have done some major damage. I escaped untouched, but it shows us what could happen.

One more. A buddy is working on house site for his family and he has been cutting some trees near the future driveway. I was giving him a hard time about his little Stihl MS250 and I realized he didn't have chaps on. I texted him to bust his balls and he sent me a pic of his leg. He finished a cut, didn't set the brake, and the bar got into his leg. He had adjusted his LA a little too fast and it was still spinning the chain. It got him pretty good.
 
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