Читать книгу Chainsaw Manual for Homeowners - Brian J. Ruth - Страница 15

The greatest percentage of injuries is to the left leg and left hand. Chainsaw-proof gloves and leg protection will cut your risk by more than half. Even if you never cut your chaps, they can pay for themselves in the oily dirt and wear-and-tear they will save on your pants. A helmet with visor and faceshield will help protect your face and head from the most disfiguring injuries and gives me a sense of security. Quality steel-toed chainsaw boots can last a lifetime.

The total cost of a safety package ($300–$400) can be more than the chainsaw, but it is cheap insurance: the medical costs of an average chainsaw accident, based on a 2000 study of insurance claims, was $12,000.

■ Hardhat/hearing protection/mesh visor: $50

■ Safety glasses: $5

■ Leg protection: $60

■ Work boots: $100

■ Kevlar-padded work gloves: $25

■ Upper-body protection (optional, but recommended): $100

These protective items dramatically reduce your risk of injury. Would you drive your car without wearing your seatbelt? The same can be said of operating a chainsaw without the proper protective gear.

Have you ever seen a neighbor using a chainsaw in the backyard without chaps, helmet, or foot protection? It would be interesting to know how many emergency room visits were by chainsaw users wearing shorts and tennis shoes.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is one area homeowners seem to ignore. Even if you follow all of the recommendations for safe cutting, and take every precaution, accidents do happen. Good equipment can protect you.

Brian plans to fell, limb, and buck a large tree with an 18-inch saw. He’s wearing standard protective equipment, plus a chainsaw jacket (sometimes called a forestry jacket) for upper body protection. The orange yoke is reinforced with Kevlar. A jacket like this is hot in summer, but vests offering similar protection are available for about the same price, $100. Compare this to the medical costs of an average chainsaw accident: $12,000, based on a 2000 study of insurance claims.