Thread: Cheap Chainsaw

Heres an interesting link with a list of fatalities in SA. It is by no means complete for all of Aust, but representative. No chainsaw deaths, but a concrete cutter, a split rim and lots of farm machinery.
FATAL STATISTICS
I am not for a minute saying people should not take all possible safety precautions and use appropriate equipment. I am actually very big on safety and appropriate use, but in general I dont think the price is a major player.

Originally Posted by mcrover

Yes Ray, we know you bought a chainsaw, now go out and buy some PPE before you hurt yourself or someone else..........

You still dont get it, everyone can afford a $100 chainsaw but the problem is if your on a budget your not then going to go and add earmuffs, goggles and chaps of safety pants which is another couple of hundred dollars over your $100 chainsaw.

If your paying $1000 for a saw, you are more than likely aware that you need all the other stuff as well if you dont have it already.

We all have seen the photo's of you at Stones with a saw in shorts and t shirt with no goggles or muffs doing your best impression of someone who doesnt like all his limbs so we all then know that you dont really care much for PPE and more than likely wouldnt ware it unless forced to but the truth is, these things shouldnt be this cheap so that inexperienced and daft people will buy them and clog up our hospitals.

I find it irresponsible but you will hold the complete opposite opinion just because thats what you do so go on Ray, reply in your most disagreeable way, makes for plenty of hits to this thread.

dont think i need to ..........

your doing a fine job by yourself...........

Originally Posted by Redback

I had a look at the $99 cheapie on Sunday, they look pretty good for the price, if i didn't have the McCulloch i got from Bunnings for $160 i probably would have bought it.

We bought a Shindawa 352 16" a couple of weeks ago for $450, works very well, very impressed indeed.

I also bought one of those GME electric chain sharpeners for $50, that works bloody brilliant too.

Baz.

baz i bought to 577 Shindawa
i'm also very impressed with mine

Originally Posted by CraigE

You are absolutely right about statistics. They can be interpreted or skewed any which way. However a chainsaw is no more inherently dangerous than any other tool if used correctly and for its intended purpose. Lots of people I know have may of these tools and more in their workshops these days.
You obviously need to get out to a few more farms and properties. Some of the stuff I have seen would scare you endless. Unprotected PTOs, Augers, bailers, headers etc with guards off. Work safe have guidelines in place for farmers but most of these are vague and non descript. Now the mines regs and act, now theres a piece of writing.
This basis is how most litigation starts. An inept person buying a product and then blaming the manufacturer or retailer for the result of their ineptness and stupidity. There are dangers with all equipment, some are just a little worse than others and the result of an incident can be horrific. I would urge you to find the stats on chainsaw deaths in Australia and compare them to deaths from utility type knives. Something as simple as a utility knife can and has been lethal a lot more often than a chain saw.
Reciprocating saws, 9" grinders and the like are a dime a dozen at the momment and start at around $100. As for $1500 for a lathe being a barrier I would think not. I know of many people with metal lathes even a couple with $50k industrial lathes.
Though I do take what you are saying that the cheapness of once expensive tools has opened the market to a whole new audience. I do not see however how socio economic financial position makes any one else more inept than another.
There are many many tradesmen I have seen using equipment in grossly inappropriate ways and people immediately after passing training courses use equipment inappropriately.

This is exactly why I am so against using equipment that is not is good condition or incorrectly due to lack of training.

After you have trained them and made shure what they are using is at the best it could be then it is all up to them.

I have to disagree that a Chainsaw is not as dangerous as a simple stanley knife, I think you will find the difference is in the percentage of people that use the knife over the saw that makes it look just as deadly.

My whole job is based around OH&S and keeping machinery up to the best level possible to keep them safe as #1 and on cut a close #2.

I grew up on a farm and have seen some horrendous things including someone being pulled into a PTO so I dont need to go visit a few more to make my mind clear on this.

The Golfcourse maintenance industry was the same as the rest of the agricultural industry back only 5 or so years ago and after a couple of major injuries, 1 where a guy got his leg caught in a scarifier on one of our courses, and workcover went ballistic.

It was his fault as he should have never been close to the machine but after going through the shed with a fine tooth comb and looking for records for machine maintenance etc the whole industry decided to have a bit of a shake up.

The course I work for now is a lot more OH&S concious than most and tat is due to the boss being as anal as I am about it that we have pushed the level up a bit higher which all helps to impoove it across industry but there are still sheds more organised than ours which is our next challenge.

Ive had to learn the hard way about these sort of dangers, Ive seen a leg that has been hit with a saw when the bloke starting it did the dredded drop start and lost a chunk of his knee cap for it and Ive seen photo's of a blokes head after standing over the cut when the saw kicked back and scalped the right side of his head and nearly lost his ear.

Ive seen pics of a blokes guts hanging out because he hit a railway spike that greenies had driven into the trees to stop them from being cut down and the chain broke and wrapped around him, granted that war a 36" saw and about 200cc but the system is the same for all.

They are bloody dangerous and you cant EVER brush that off and get complacent about that.

Oh and if your using a stanley knife, always cut away from you

Speaking of statistics...

in 1999, there were 28500 chainsaw injuries in the US. Chainsaw Injury Statistics - Please Read! | revitupchainsaws.com

However, in the full list of medically treated injuries from tools in 2001 this was exceeded by:
Manual (unpowered) workshop tools - 333 884!!! (and 1 death)
Misc (Hand) Tools - 149 999 (and 81 deaths)
Bench/table saws - 64 651 (0 deaths)
Grinders/buffers/polishers - 45 471 (5 deaths)
Hoists/lifts/jacks/stands - 43 179 (39)
Welding/Cutting tools - 37 189 (22 deaths)
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia04/os/2003h054.pdf

From this we can conclude - BEWARE OF HAND TOOLS!!! They are the most likely to injure or kill you - especially MISC. (hand) Tools - whatever they are...?

SAWS (chainsaws included) - are likely to maim but not kill. If you add up the stats for ALL SAWS - you get to about 180000 injuries, but only about 20 deaths.


Btw - the above is a bit tongue in cheek - data would need to be averaged by number of users/tools in use...

I think everyone should use PPE when using a chainsaw (or any other tool - ESPECIALLY HAND TOOLS )

I think the GM $99 jobbies are fine. I would buy one and use it.

BUT...

When I purchased my saw, I also bought:
Chainsaw Chaps
Helmet - mask - ear muffs - i also wear safety glasses under the mask.
Gloves
always steel cap boots. I always wear the safety gear even if it is to cut a single log.

I also bought the gear to maintain my saw, have it serviced every 6 months.

I was paying $600 for my stihl and thought, if i don't get the safety gear first i'll be tempted to use the saw without it.


Steve

Originally Posted by mcrover

I have to disagree that a Chainsaw is not as dangerous as a simple stanley knife,

When was the last time a chainsaw was used to hijack an aircraft?

Seriously, I agree with Mcrover when it comes to PPE and safety. When I've managed sites, PPE was essential. I had Head Office complain I was overbudget on OH&S. I told my manager I couldn't care less - did he want to be responsible for injury? That shut him up.

I get annoyed at my local LR workshop when I see the young blokes using grinders and wire wheels without goggles. I still remember the OH&S films we were shown when I was a trainee tech back in 1965 - especially the one of an eye operation to remove a coil of swarf from an eye. Some of the other blokes fainted during that one.

I've used PPE ever since.

Shame we cant get as passionate about the injury and death on our roads as we can over a $99 chainsaw. I purchased one and it is great for light work ,ie pruning etc.