What you need to know
Chainsaws are potentially dangerous machines which can cause fatal injuries if not used correctly. It is essential that anyone who uses a chainsaw at work should have received adequate training and be competent in using a chainsaw for the type of work that they are required to do.
In recent years in forestry and arboriculture, direct contact with a chainsaw has caused many deaths and serious injuries. These do not include the high numbers of other types of accident that occur during felling, pruning and other related work.
More details on injuries and causes are shown in the Forestry and Arboriculture statistics on the National archives website.
HSE's investigations show that most fatal and major injuries involve chainsaw operators taking shortcuts and not following good practice guidance. Usually the reason is to save time.
These case studies show what happens when operators do not follow good practice guidance.
What you need to do
Chainsaws have the potential to cause horrific injuries. By law, chainsaw operators must have received adequate training relevant to the type of work they undertake.
They are also required to wear appropriate chainsaw protective clothing whenever they use a chainsaw.
The free leaflet Chainsaws at work contains everything employers and workers need to know about working safely with a chainsaw, including:
What you need to do
Chainsaws have the potential to cause horrific injuries. By law, chainsaw operators must have received adequate training relevant to the type of work they undertake.
They are also required to wear appropriate chainsaw protective clothing whenever they use a chainsaw.
The free leaflet Chainsaws at work contains everything employers and workers need to know about working safely with a chainsaw, including:
- fitness to operate
- training and competence
- selecting a chainsaw
- maintaining a chainsaw
- lone working
- personal protective equipment (PPE)
- first aid
- working with chainsaws
- tree felling with chainsaws
- working with a chainsaw off the ground
Chainsaws and tree felling: Key lessons
Several terrible injuries including fatalities have occurred during tree felling and chainsaw use. The following key lessons may help save a life.
Initial site survey
Wherever possible, assess jobs in advance. This allows for correct selection of equipment, allocation of staff and prior knowledge of hazards. It also allows an experienced site surveyor to provide guidance and work methodology to the people carrying out the work.
Risk assessment and emergency planning
The assessment should take account of the hazards that are relevant and specific to the given site, task and tree. It is not just an exercise on paper; if you cannot control risks to acceptable levels, work on that task must not proceed until suitable arrangements are in place. Emergency contingency plans (first aid, emergency contact numbers, Accident and Emergency number, site location) must be made in advance.
Work planning
All information, as well as the actual undertaking of the job, must be planned, agreed and understood by all the team.
Working on the ground
Working on the ground with a chainsawis a high risk activity and it is essential that users have received adequate training and wear appropriate PPE.
You should only operate machines for which you have been trained. Always use any personal protective equipment that your employer supplies, and report any wear or faults.
Care must be taken during:
Felling cuts
Effective control of the fell is maintained by an appropriate combination of the directional or sink cut, hinge and main felling or back cut. Felling cuts must be appropriate to the tree size and form and consistently accurate.
Felling aids like breaker bars and wedges
These must be appropriate to the tree size and form. The need for felling aids must be identified in advance; they must be appropriate and readily available to the person undertaking the fell.
Control lines, pull ropes, anchor ropes, winches etc
If these types of system are to be used there should be clear understanding of their intended purpose and suitability for the task, is it:
- an assisted fell?
- an anchor or back up?
- a felling aid?
- a winching operation? or
Escape routes
Plan escape routes in advance – they must be clear of obstructions. If control is lost over the fell, use the escape route and try not to turn your back on the falling tree. Remember, accidents often happen because unforeseen or remote risks actually materialise. Consider the possibility that the tree may fall towards your intended escape routes. Have you got enough back up to ensure that the tree will fall in the intended direction? Is there enough space to enable you to take evasive action if the unforeseen does occur?
Staff competency and experience
Staff should have the necessary training, experience and competency certificate relevant to the task they are undertaking. Remember that people holding only CS 30/31 with little additional experience can quickly find themselves in situations outside their experience and skill base. This is particularly true when faced with larger and awkward fells and when faced with the unique hazards associated with arboricultural operations in gardens.
- a combination of tasks?
To avoid
'Free hand' pulling or non-anchored applications
There is a high risk that if the person pulling the rope sways or rocks the tree during the felling operation, the main felling cut at the rear of the tree will open and close with the risk that the chainsaw operator could compromise the integrity of the hinge
Over tensioned lines
This may place considerable tension on the rear of the tree which may cause the hinge to sever prematurely, the tree to split, and injury to the chainsaw operator.
Making the main felling or back cut while your workmate is simultaneously applying tension to the line
As well as the above risks, the chainsaw operator cannot safely place the back cut and monitor the action of his colleague operating the line. In the majority of cases the tree feller should be able to form the back cut, leave a hinge of appropriate size, step into a safe area, and then issue an agreed signal for the person on the lines to start operation.