An other chainsaw leg injury

Not my picture but I bet this guy didnt had Chainsaw Chaps when he got hit bya the Chain.

As a chainsaw operator, I can say that most of the time, so big injuries to the leg by a chainsaw is caused by a kickback or a fall with the chainsaw in operation.

Remember: Wear safety equipement such as Chainsaw Chaps

Chainsaw Accident Injury pictures

Some Chainsaw Injury Pictures... Warning, graphics images here! All the images posted are from real injuries from chainsaw accident. Notice that many of the injuries should have been minor if chainsaw chaps were used.

Look at the location of the injury. This one have been caused by a pinched bar and Kickback.

Safety Chainsaw Chaps should have been used!

 

Chainsaw Accident Statistic

Chainsaw Accident Statistics

Facts and Figures about Chainsaw Injuries

• According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission there were over 28,500 chain saw injuries in 1999. More than 36% were injuries to the legs and knees.
• The average chainsaw injury requires 110 stitches and the average medical cost was $ 5,600.00 in 1989. Data according to The Davis Garvin Agency, an insurance underwriter specializing in loggers insurance. In year 2000 corresponding costs can be estimated to be over $12,000.00.
• Medical costs for chainsaw injuries based on these facts amount to about 350 million dollars per year.
• Workman's compensation costs, based on the assumption that four weeks recovery is required, can be estimated at 125 million dollars annually.
• Loss of production as well as loss of quality of life for the injured can not be adequately quantified, but may in fact represent the single largest cost.
• There are 69,000 professional loggers in the U.S.. The cost of equipping all of them with one pair of chainsaw chaps at approximately $75.00 each would result in a total annual expense of five million dollars.
• There are few situations where safety has a more immediate payback than in the logging industry.

Source:
Data from U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

Here is the chainsaw we use most of the time. One Hunqvarna Chainsaw and the other one is a STIHL chainsaw. The on that is involved in the chainsaw injury or chainsaw accident is the STIHL MS362. It's a professionnal chainsaw with 60HP engine. Two powerful and heavy chainsaws.

HUSQVARNA 455 Rancher I use!

This is the chainsaw involved in the near fatal injury. It's a STIHL Chainsaw. This saw is literally a beast.

The story of a Chainsaw Chaps Injury

Mike forgot his chainsaw chaps...

My name is Matt and last year, I have been involved or mostly witness of near fatal chainsaw injury. I will try to tell the story as good as I can. You will probably ask me why I want to share or tell this horror story? If by telling story I can help other chainsaw users to save their life or their colleague life I will then consider my job done!

In September 2011, my friend and I were going to one of our private wood lot to make fire wood for the next winter. This is not the first time fo both of us. We are two experimented tree faller and chainsaw users. We have both received proper formation for that kind of work and we are using chainsaws for a long time now. My friend was 37 Years Old and I'm now at 34. We started our job soon in the morning. It was a cold day as we live in the north of Canada. There was a little amount of snow on the ground, but it fast melted in the afternoon. We have professionals and semi-professionals chainsaws of many brands.

I always wear my chainsaw protective chaps, but my friend was not aware of this security equipment. He thoughtt that is skills with a chainsaw were good enough. You see? Soon after the lunch time, my friend and I were cutting fallen trees in order to make fire logs. We were close to each other. Suddenly, I heard a fast and loud cry. When a turned y head in the direction of Mike I saw him holding his left leg with his two hands. I then realized that he surely have hit his leg with his Husqvarna chainsaw. Of course I did remember that he has forgot his Chainsaw Chaps at home this morning. I ran up to him to help. Mike did fall on the ground immediately after I started to talk to him. There was blood all over his pants and the blood spurted from the horrible chainsaw cut. I called 911 and the operator told me the action to take. An ambulance was close to our location... this is a real luck for Mike. I had to make a tourniquet on hil leg and the medics did a second one before bringing Mike to the hospital. I was able to see his bone and quad muscles completely "sawed". Horrible!!!!

Mike did not die from this injury, but the doctors has to cut his leg last month. His life has changed a lot since... Lost his job, house and many other things.

By wearing chainsaw safety chaps like me, Mike would probably have saved his leg and his lifestyle. I will always remember him crying and bleeding when it happens. This is like a nightmare!

Please, go to your local safety store and buy a pair or two of chainsaw safety chaps. Or get it on-line! The price of a pair of a chainsaw chaps is nothing compared to your life or a leg or a harm! Good chainsaw chaps are not so expensive and you can get some here:

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