Do you use a chainsaw breakaway lanyard?

Seems we are trying to remedy the dangerous act of making a bad cut by using a dangerous tool like a breakaway saw leash. Not much sense in that, me thinks.
 
For me it's not about the bad cut. As was mentioned try not to make them. It's for the unexpected. You reach for your saw and your hands are wet and you slip and drop it. You holster it and there's a stick blocking your path and you drop it. You twist just right and a branch pushes your caritool open and you drop it. You need to push a top with both hands, so you chain bake and kill the saw, drop it and push.

All have happened to me and been saved by a saw leash. A saw leash isn't going to save the saw if you make a bad cut
 
I use a breakaway lanyard. It has never been "needed".

I use a seat belt. It has never been needed.

I wear chainsaw chaps when cutting on the ground. Have never hit them.

Nothing has impacted my hardhat that would have left a knot on my noggin if I wasn't wearing it.

etc...
 
ATH said:
I use a breakaway lanyard. It has never been "needed".

I use a seat belt. It has never been needed.

I wear chainsaw chaps when cutting on the ground. Have never hit them.

Nothing has impacted my hardhat that would have left a knot on my noggin if I wasn't wearing it.

etc...
Click to expand...
One of those items has the potential to kill someone on the ground. I let you figure out which one.
 
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There has been a number of incidents where a saws dropped onto break away lanyards have enabled that break away feature. Falling objects including chainsaws are a potential killer to staff below that are legitimately conducting work.

Excluding the risk of a saw departing with a section is the best management. When the use of PPE elevates the risk to others the use of that equipment must be challenged. The need for competence when assessing a section to be felled and the skill of felling ought to be the focus.

While a learner is gaining the experience of transferring tree felling skills up the tree I can see a possible application of a breakaway component under supervision. If felling skills are deficient up the tree that person needs to return to tree felling on the ground to gain essential competance.

Some may never make that transition.

Graeme
 
In order for a break away lanyard to be the cause of an injury to a grounds man, that grounds man would have to be standing where the 1,000 lb piece of wood that grabbed the saw landed. While making good cuts may keep the saw from being pulled away in the first place, not standing in the drop zone while pieces are being lowered or bombed is the groundies responsibility to keep themselves safe. As I mentioned above my lanyard is not a true break away but I believe it would break if necessary (its also attached to accessory cord on my harness) but by trying to always make a good cut I have not had to test that. It is possible to use good technique to prevent injuries, and also deploy safety measure just incase. After all, I've yet to see anyone rev up a 70cc saw and start cutting at their leg just because they are wearing saw chaps, it doesn't have to be technique OR safety gear.
 
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There used be be a safety trainer (I think he was with Stihl?) who used to do that with a saw to demonstrate how well chaps work. His superiors told him to stop...
 
Hi Jehinten,
There seems to be a misunderstanding.

I was referring to the saw being dropped or fumbled by the climber, not being caught in a departing block. The crew does need to access the ground under the climber at times other than when material is coming down etc.

I hoped my post focused firstly, on the exposure to workers under a tear away system. Then I discussed a solution to minimise the saw being caught in a departing piece and hence any need for a "tear away" system. Sound falling skills are often overlooked.

Mixing ground staff into an active drop zone was not part of my post.

Regards
 
For those who have enquired (PM), I do not use tear away systems. Every part of my harness is good life support. It doesn't mean its good for everyone.

During a training course I have seen two climbers hooking up their flipline to a tear away ring on their harness instead of the main "D". When a utility ring folds up and the main D folds back, some are very close. The sound of a metal click is not good enough. A visual check must occur.

My vigilance paid off on both occasions, human error can happen.
 
Graeme McMahon said:
Hi Jehinten,
There seems to be a misunderstanding.

I was referring to the saw being dropped or fumbled by the climber, not being caught in a departing block. The crew does need to access the ground under the climber at times other than when material is coming down etc.

I hoped my post focused firstly, on the exposure to workers under a tear away system. Then I discussed a solution to minimise the saw being caught in a departing piece and hence any need for a "tear away" system. Sound falling skills are often overlooked.

Mixing ground staff into an active drop zone was not part of my post.

Regards
Click to expand...

My post was not necessarily a reply to yours, or any other single individual, it just happened to fall under yours. More so just a response to the thread and acquisitions that a break away is dangerous. As they are designed to break if a saw gets snatched, I just assumed that would be the only time a break away would break. Have there been lanyards that have broken when not snatched?
I only mentioned grounds crew because the concern that I am hearing is that if a saw falls it can hurt/kill someone, my point being that there's shouldn't be anyone directly below the climber and rigging.

I will admit I do not production climb, and often work by myself or with my wife, so there is no pressure to rush into a drop zone as fast as possible. The saw is always stowed on the harness before entering the drop zone. Stowing the saw takes the lanyard out of the equation
 
"Have there been lanyards that have broken when not snatched?"

There has been one instance I can varify and another on hearsay. In both cases the equipment ring tore off the harness as designed. Whilst these are not lanyard failures it puts in question a "hook up" system if you use a similar equipment ring attachment.

It is good that you and your wife have a system of work however that simplicity doesn't always embrace the issues faced by the broader tree industry.

Regards
 
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