Chainsaw Safety for Homeowners

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  New York State Department of Health
• Description:
  Winter ice and snow storms can leave many New Yorkers with damaged and downed trees. Post-storm cleanup and property maintenance are dangerous jobs all year round. Many homeowners lack the experience and proper equipment to perform this type of work safely. These homeowners should consider hiring a professional tree service company to do this work. For the homeowners who decide to perform the cleanup by themselves, safety should be the number one consideration, particularly when it comes to the use of a chainsaw. While the chainsaw is one of the most efficient and productive portable power tools, it is also the most DANGEROUS! Homeowner chainsaw users may not be aware of the safety rules that professional loggers follow for proper operation and maintenance of a chainsaw. Pruning and removing limbs from storm damaged trees is not the same thing as cutting firewood from a tree already on the ground. Branches and trees that are twisted and bent are usually under strain that is undetectable to the untrained eye. The quick release of that stored energy by cutting with a chainsaw can result in unpredictable results. Remember: Chainsaws may seem simple to use, but using a chainsaw and clearing trees and branches are operations that require training and proper safety precautions. Before using a chainsaw, homeowners should carefully consider the need to improve their skills with a practical, hands-on training experience. Homeowners can learn both chainsaw safety and proper cutting techniques through training. These safe work practices can help homeowners to prevent injury during a storm clean-up. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Chain Saws Equipment Operation Injury Prevention Power Tools Tree Trimmers Winter Storms
• Publisher:
  New York State Department of Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Lay Publication
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066851
• Citation:
  Albany, NY: New York State Department of Health, 2020 Feb; :1-2
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  New York State Department of Health/Health Research Incorporated
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Chainsaw safety for homeowners
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bb079fac3fac8c220fa82dd1391fa69dcf02be5abf9d795381fcebaaed29327829df868309634b1ba1bc71a16cf3411723c7c0748f21541827e35dd11dfc7e08
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231010/cdc_231010_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.70 MB ]