About this Booklet

The chainsaw is an indispensable labour saving aid, used by thousands of New Zealand farmers, firewood gatherers and home handypeople. While it makes light work of felling and cutting up trees, a chainsaw deserves to be treated with respect. Carelessly used, inadequately maintained or incorrectly equipped, a chainsaw can be a lethal weapon.

The Department of Labour is concerned at the number of accidents involving chainsaws in the workplace and has produced this booklet for anyone who is an occasional chainsaw user. It is not intended for professional forestry workers as their work is already governed by detailed safety codes.

In this booklet you’ll find information on chainsaw safety devices, protective clothing and equipment you should wear, and time-tested advice on safe working methods. It also gives tips on maintaining your chainsaw and other ways you can safeguard yourself and other people.

If you’ve just bought a chainsaw, you should read the manufacturer’s instruction manual carefully and familiarise yourself with your saw’s operation. If you haven’t used a chainsaw before, practice the cutting techniques on a stump or log before you attempt more serious work.

You can also view our publication, A Guide to Safety in Tree Felling and Crosscutting online by visiting www.dol.govt.nz/index-publications.asp. This will tell you more about felling and cutting techniques and, again, is designed for nonprofessional chainsaw users. We suggest you keep the two booklets together with your instruction manual and refer to them from time to time to refresh your memory.

If you use your saw with common sense, follow correct techniques and maintain your saw to the manufacturer’s instructions, it will provide you with safe and trouble-free service.

If you’re a chainsaw novice, it’s an excellent idea to get training from a qualified person.

This way you learn by hands on experience and avoid getting into unsafe habits right from the start. Your chainsaw dealer may be able to provide such instruction or put you in contact with a qualified instructor.

Know Your Capabilities

Many serious accidents occur when chainsaw users tackle jobs that are beyond their capabilities.

Some felling and cutting operations are extremely dangerous and should only be undertaken by professionals or people with proper experience and training. These include:

• Working on windthrow or windaffected trees;
• Felling large shelterbelt trees;
• Felling trees with a heavy lean;
• Felling trees that have stem rot or are a species prone to splitting
• Felling trees on steep slopes or unstable ground;
• Working on or felling trees that overhang power lines, buildings or public access ways.

Always get someone who is experienced to carry out work that is beyond your capabilities.

Some Do's and Don'ts

Here are some basic do's and don'ts that apply no matter how experienced you are:

• Do not operate a saw above shoulder height or above ground level, such as in a tree or off a ladder.
• Always have someone within calling distance - never work alone while using a chainsaw.
• Never operate your chainsaw when you are fatigued or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you get tired when using your saw, have a rest - you need to stay alert and be in control.
• Your saw is designed to cut wood - never cut any other material or use your saw guide bar for levering or digging.
• Always match the size of your saw and bar with the material being cut. Don't try to use a small saw and bar to fell a large tree.

Felling trees with a heavy lean or under tension is a job best left to the experts.

Know Your Saw

All modern chainsaws have certain safety devices designed to help you keep control of the saw and so reduce the severity of accidents. You need to understand how they work but remember - these devices are no substitute for training and experience.

Mitt, Hand Guard or Chainbrake

Protective Mitt

A leather protective mitt securely attached to the front handle but free to rotate on it helps to keep your left hand on the handle in case of kickback. It also provides protection for your hand.

Chainsaw mitt helps keep your hand on the handle.

Rigid Front Handle Guard

This helps to prevent your left hand from touching the chain if it slips off the front handle.

Rigid front handle guard helps to protect your hand from the chain.

Chainbrake

The chainbrake is designed to stop the moving chain if the front guard is moved forward. It can be activated if the saw rotates about its axis in a kickback situation and your left hand swivels on the front handle and contacts the front guard. You can also activate the chainbrake manually.

Chainbrake stops chain when guard is moved forward.

Inertia Chainbrake

A recent development in chainsaw technology, this braking system has the advantage that it will automatically trigger the brake in any position as soon as a kickback starts. This is especially important when you are using the saw with the guide bar in the horizontal position while making a felling cut, a horizontal bore cut or when trimming. In these situations a manual chainbrake would not be activated if a kickback occurs.

Inertia chainbrake triggers brake in any position when kickback occurs.

Stop Switch

This is located so that it can be operated with your right hand remaining on the rear handle.

Stop switch can be operated while your hand is on rear handle.

Throttle Control Lockout

This prevents the accidental opening of the throttle. The throttle control is locked in the idle position when the lockout is not pushed in by your right hand gripping the rear handle.

Throttle control lockout prevents accidental opening of throttle.

Rear Hand Guard

The lower part of the rear handle is widened to protect your hand in case of a chain breakage.

Rear hand guard is designed to protect your hand if chain breaks.

Chain Catcher

This is designed to catch a broken or jumping chain.

Chain catcher is designed to catch broken or jumping chain.

Vibration Damping System

This system isolates the motor and handles to reduce vibration.

Bar and Chain Combination

Using the correct combination of guide bar and chain reduces the possibility of kickback. The bar length should be matched with the power of the motor unit and the material being cut.

Correct chain sharpening, depth gauge settings and tensioning are essential for good performance and improved safety.

Check the guidelines outlined on pages 28-36 of this booklet.

Muffler

Noise levels from two-stroke engines are high. The muffler is designed to decrease noise levels, direct gases away from you and act as a spark arrestor. Don't use a saw with a missing or damaged muffler.

Among other things, muffler reduces noise levels.

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