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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