Chainsaw PPE advice please?

[ShooTa]

oregon or stihl basic trousers with suspenders. huskyvarna helmet (good visibility for price) - gloves - choice is yours but i enjoy the arbotech ones.
boots - again maybe arbotech but its really up to you but the wellies are a pita and cumbersome.
then a belt for putting Firstaid kit etc on - ive got an isreali bandage and a tornequette on mine as i lone work a fair bit. plus the scabbards for wedges and tongs and a tape.

 

[Willie adie]

If you’re just starting out with a chainsaw it’s really good to get into the habit of flicking the chainbrake on with your wrist as soon as you’ve finished cutting and always before you move your feet. It’s a lot easier to get into this habit at the beginning rather than trying to adopt it later after you’ve developed a bad habit of not doing it.

If you take one step with saw without chain brake on its an automatic fail of the course

 

[Simon Chiles]

If you take one step with saw without chain brake on its an automatic fail of the course

Exactly, much easier to get into the habit at the beginning.

 

[Willie adie]

I always do start the saw on the ground, always.

Yo yo starts, another automatic fail,

 

[Willie adie]

Beats me that technically anyone can buy a chainsaw without any proof of competence whatsoever,

 

[Bobthebuilder]

For starters it depends what your going to be doing, no need to be fully kitted out in full felling gear with tool belt for tape and wedges if your only going to be cutting a few logs, personally I’d stay clear of the chap style leggings as the are uncomfortable, I have a pair of Oregon trousers with the front protection, very comfortable, light, easy to put on and not too warm and also washable, helmet with mesh visor and ear muffs, gloves are a must, again a pair that fits well and are comfortable, have the safety wellies rather than boots but if I was buying them myself I probably would’ve got boots, there is an older pair of trousers in the workshop with a 6” cut in them on the left thigh as a reminder to anyone to wear the kit as I never felt a thing when cutting back some brambles/brash for a new fence a few years ago on a bank side, when finished spotted the gash in trousers, if it had been a pair of jeans I would’ve had a very sore leg if a leg at all and never knew I’d done it

 

[cowmop]

I got wellies that weigh a ton and the old Stihl bib and brace that also weigh a ton, both must be 20 years old.
Gloves do wear out so spend a little and you can swap brands etc as they get knackered untill you find the right ones for you.
I would NEVER start my saw without the PPE on, I am not a snowflake and have done some proper sketchy stuff elsewhere but the chainsaw wins hands down for me when it comes to both PPE and respect.

 

[Matt77]

Thought I'd get the lad here to do his test this year, I thought we had all the gear, the instructor apparently didn't like it, said he couldn't wear the type A chaps we had, needed to be type C, he was only doing basic maintenance and cross cutting, helmet was out of date, something wrong with the gloves, so I ended up getting the lot at the doe show. Saved a lot with the offers they had on.

 

[Matthew Britton]

Out of curiosity, how many on here don’t use anything, or perhaps just a helmet?

 

[Tomr10]

Helmet only mainly

 

[Willie adie]

Out of curiosity, how many on here don’t use anything, or perhaps just a helmet?

And how many have actually taken a course for using a chainsaw or small to med and maintenance, windblow ticket and , large trees,

 

[Lincs Lass]

And how many have actually taken a course for using a chainsaw or small to med and maintenance, windblow ticket and , large trees,

Noop ,never taken a test and nobody has ever asked

 

[7610 super q]

After reading this thread I'll think I'll stick to this.......

 

[renewablejohn]

And how many have actually taken a course for using a chainsaw or small to med and maintenance, windblow ticket and , large trees,

Not convinced of the quality of some of these courses. Had a wind blown site with a lot of widow makers but the guys employed even though they had windblow tickets where a danger to themselves and others. Ending up sacking the lot off and doing it myself.

 

[Robt]

I always do start the saw on the ground, always.

I was taught on my course to hold it behind right knee and against left knee of that makes sense. That way it can’t fly up. Feels safe than starting on ground and easier and more practical

 

[Tomr10]

I was told once you don’t have to be able to start the saw yourself

 

[Ukjay]

You need to understand what speed your chainsaw runs at to be able to decide your class rating of trousers etc. No point getting class 1 if your chainsaw runs circa 28 m/sec..

 

[john432]

Beats me that technically anyone can buy a chainsaw without any proof of competence whatsoever,

Get real.. the American constitition/ rites what ever it's called gives them the right to have automatic rifles handguns etc.. and your implying us Brits can't have a bloody chainsaw

 

[Matthew Britton]

Helmet only mainly

Same here if I remember.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Out of curiosity, how many on here don’t use anything, or perhaps just a helmet?

depends a bit what im doing.
if im felling sometimes nothing, as i like to be free and totally unrestricted to get out of the way, and see whats going on.

"jack be viddy, jack be quick, Jack.........