 This is Bob Kane, two times USA National Echo Cup champion and two times winner of the English Open Chainsaw Carving Competition. He looks at a log or a stump and sees an eagle, a bear, a dolphin. Grabs his chainsaw and a few minutes later we can all see and enjoy what only he saw at first. The chainsaw takes most of the work out of him. Should be a piece of cake. As national champion Bob Kane will tell you, the chainsaw is no toy. It is the most dangerous hand tool you can buy. Don't even think of using a chainsaw for anything until you've learned the proper way to handle it for your own safety and the safety of those around you. This video is not about becoming a chainsaw artist, nor is it about becoming a professional logger. These loggers know how much they rely on a well maintained chainsaw and how much damage it can do if not operated safely. When falling a tree the danger is not limited to the chainsaw. If the tree has rotten the top can break off and fall right down on top of you. Or the falling tree can twist off the stump or roll down on top of you after it has landed. This is no place for amateurs. It is dangerous work even for professional loggers. After a storm with downed trees everywhere you might be tempted to use your chainsaw to help remove them. This is another place for professionals only. They have the experience dealing with all the forces involved when trees end up leaning against power lines, other trees or houses. Chainsaws are meant to cut fast and efficiently, so protect yourself with personal protective equipment. A well-dressed logger wants protection for his head, eyes, ears, legs and feet. This includes a hard hat, eye protection, and because chainsaws are very loud, hearing protection. Chaps, heavy-duty work boots with ankle support and gloves are also a good idea. Let's look at them one at a time. First, protection for the head. Traditionally, real loggers wore aluminum hard hats. While metal hard hats are getting popular again, don't wear one if the structural integrity of the hard hat has been compromised in any way with dense holes or bad suspension. Get rid of it or replace the bad suspension if that is the problem. Today's logger is more likely to wear a plastic hard hat, available in a great variety of colors and styles. Again, if the structural integrity has been compromised in any way or if there is discoloration, get a new one. Also, test the plastic hard hat by compressing it with your hands. When released, it should return to its original shape. Unless you want to join the three to five hundred people in the logging industry who sustained eye injuries every year, be proactive in protecting your eyes. Use a screen hooked to your hard hat. Or if you prefer, true safety glasses with side shields or wraparounds are good. Bug's eye goggles give a lot of protection to your eyes, especially if you wear prescription glasses. Another option are these mesh goggles. If you have to shout at someone standing just three feet away in order for them to hear you, both of you need hearing protection. There are two types of hearing protectors used most often in the logging environment. The most common is the ear plug. It is important to learn how to insert them into your ear for the best protection. First, roll the ear plug into a small cylinder. Pull the ear up and back, which will open the ear canal. Push the ear plug into the ear canal and hold it there for a few seconds until it expands and fills the ear canal. This will provide the tightest fit and greatest protection. The other approved ear protection is the ear muff, which is attached to the hard hat. For extra protection, ear plugs can be worn under the ear muffs for really loud noise levels. Did you notice that the chainsaw artist we saw on the opening of this video was wearing a pair of chaps? Maybe you thought he was wearing the chaps because he was a cowboy. He might be, but he was wearing the chaps because he was using a chainsaw, not because he was planning on riding off into the sunset. Why do you need to wear protective chaps or cut resistant pants when using a chainsaw? They say a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Let's take a look. We'll let this piece of ham represent your legs. First, we'll put the ham into a pair of jeans like you'd normally wear when working. Then we'll let the chainsaw just graze your leg. Oops, I mean the demonstration ham. Wow. That's why the average chainsaw cut takes 110 stitches to sew up. Now let's put the ham in this protective chap, made to protect the legs of the operator. The chaps are made with Kevlar. Let's hit the leg this time with force. The chaps actually stopped the chainsaw by jamming the flywheel. They were supposed to. We can easily see that the chainsaw did not penetrate to the leg. Sorry, we mean the ham. If this was a real life situation, you might have a little leg bruise, but it wouldn't require stitches nor hospitalization. If everyone using a chainsaw was smart enough to use chaps or cut resistant pants, we would save millions of dollars in medical costs every year. To adequately protect you, the chaps must fit properly. The bottom of the chaps must come down to the top of the workbook. Personal protective equipment will not eliminate hazards, but if used correctly, they can at least reduce the seriousness of the injury. Let's turn our attention to the chainsaw itself. The more you know about your saw, the better, knowing how it operates will give you a better understanding of how to use it safely. First, consider the type and size you need. There's the large. That's a saw with more than a 28 inch bar. The big saws are best left for professional loggers. At the opposite end of the spectrum are the small saws, also known as tomato slicers. Their bars are 12 to 20 inches in length. As we saw at the start of this video, this is what the artists use. Other than chainsaw artists, these chainsaws are good for cutting small branches and 6 to 10 inch trees. That leaves the mid-sized chainsaws with a bar that measures from 20 inches up to 28 inches in length. If a chainsaw is not properly maintained, it can be dangerous. This is especially true because the chainsaw is a handheld cutting machine. Let's start with a safety inspection. First, check the chain brake. Try to move the chain. Look for cracks in the chain brake. Then check the screws that hold the chain brake to the frame. Check your throttle interlock. You should not be able to actuate the throttle trigger without depressing the interlock. At the same time, check that the handle is secure and that the anti-vibration mounts aren't broken. Now the engine. Check to see that the air filter is clean. This is the most common problem that prevents your saw from starting. Each manufacturer is different. Follow their recommendations for field cleaning. The spark plugs should not be fouled and the gap set correctly. Finally, the muffler should be well secured and all connections should be tight. Next, the chain. There are a few basic chainsaw maintenance rules concerning the chain. The chain must be correctly tensioned after it has cooled. More chain and bar problems are caused by incorrect chain tension than by any other chain factor. The tension is adjusted by moving the bar in or out. After loosening the nuts securing the bar, turn the adjustment screw to attain the correct tension. Then retighten the nuts to lock the bar in place. Beware the chain has hundreds of sharp cutting edges. Wear protective gloves when handling the chain. If the chain is too tight, it will wear faster, run slower and break easier. If it is too loose, it could come off the bar at high speed and cause a lot of damage and or injury. This is an important adjustment. Take the time to do it correctly. At the same time, check that your chain is well lubricated. Another basic rule is that your chain must be sharp. A dull chain is outright dangerous from many standpoints. A chain can be dulled very easily by letting a moving chain hit the ground with rocks and debris or by hitting a nail in the wood you're cutting. If you have to add more pressure to the saw to make the cut, the chain is dull. The chain will be hot and the chips will be dark, they are burned. Notice how slowly the chainsaw with the dull chain on the left is cutting even with added pressure. It also doesn't cut straight. The chain should cut with a self-feeding motion as the chainsaw on the right screen does. Notice the cut is straight. You should always carry a spare sharp chain. Sharpening a chain and adjusting the depth gauges might be best left to the professionals. The saw should be adjusted so that the chain doesn't move when the engine is idling. Carry the saw with the engine off at your side with the cutting bar and change to the rear and outside. It's time to fuel up. Make sure the gas is mixed with oil to the engine manufacturer's specifications, generally 50 to 1. The gas container should be UL or FM approved and always allow the saw to cool before fueling. This is also a good time to top off the bar and chain lubricant. So you're ready to start the saw. This is called the drop start method. You're using the weight of the saw to start it. The bar and the chain swings down toward your leg as the rope is pulled. If the saw starts, you're all set to make a clean cut right through your leg, not smart. But there is a safer way to drop start your saw. Point your saw away from your body with a hand on the throttle like this. Or better yet, start the saw by putting it on the ground or some solid surface as a tree stump. If your saw has a compression release, engage it for an easier start. If your saw is cold, engage the choke and pull the starting rope until it pops. Turn off the choke and start the saw. This will prevent it from flooding. If you've been running the saw, always try to start it without the choke. Again, do keep it from flooding. If then it doesn't start, use the choke. If you put it on the ground, make sure the bar and chain are not entangled with ground cover. Put your right foot in the back trigger handle. Hold onto the support handle with your left hand and pull on the starter rope with your right hand. If you can't find a piece of level ground or a solid platform of some type, you might find a knee lock start an alternative. The top of the handle should be in line with your left arm and tuck the throttle grip behind your right knee. Engage the chain brake before you pull the rope. Have you ever wondered why you have two thumbs? Amazingly, your thumb plays a very important role in controlling the chainsaw. Notice how the left hand thumb wraps around the grip. It closes the loop. Not to be outdone, the right thumb does the same by closing the loop around the handle. Practice this. You'll be amazed at how much more control you have with the chainsaw. The simple idea of closing the loops with your thumbs really does work. All power saws can cause kickback, but the worst by far is the chainsaw. Most chainsaw injuries are caused by kickback. This is the kickback danger zone. Oregon saw a large supplier of chainsaw bars and chains developed this demonstration jig and video to illustrate the speed of a chainsaw kickback. In case you think you will have time to react once the kickback happens, think again. Rotational kickback takes three tenths of a second. The average human reaction time is three quarters of a second. The kickback has done its damage before you can even start to react. What happens is that the chain's teeth will grab hold of the object instead of cutting it. The bar with the chain is thrown up using the speed and force of the saw's engine. Kickback is not something you ever want to experience, not even once. When delimiting trees make sure the tip of the cutting chain has passed the limb before starting the cut. Also be extremely careful when you have to buck a large log and you lose sight of the tip of your chainsaw bar. This is an accident waiting to happen. Make sure you are in control of your chainsaw in case of a kickback. So how can you avoid kickback? Here are some rules you must carefully follow always for as long as you use a chainsaw. You never get so good that you can disregard these rules. Number one, use a saw equipped with a chain break and a low kickback chain and bar. Two, hold the saw firmly with both hands. Your thumbs must be around both handles. Number three, watch for twigs that can snag the chain. Rule number four warns about letting the wood you're cutting pinch the chain. Use a plastic wedge if necessary. Watch how the log is supported and beware of the reactionary forces generated by the wood fiber inside the log. Saw was the lower part of the bar near the dogs, not on the top near the nose. Starting to rule number five, pivot off the dogs. Number six reminds us to maintain a proper speed when making a cut. Give the wood fiber a chance to react and release tension slowly, especially when dealing with blowdown. And of course, keep the chains sharp. Let the chain do the work. Rule seven says that there are very few things more dangerous than a dull chain. Finally, rule eight tells us not to reach above your shoulder to cut. See how close that chain is to the operator's face? It's not a good way to shave. We've just given you a series of rules to follow to make working with the chainsaw more enjoyable and safer. They are important, easy to remember, and fairly easy to follow. Now we're going to illustrate actions that are extremely important, but easy to disregard when working in the field. That means for your own safety and maybe even survival, you need to take what we're going to say and show you very seriously. The first warning seems simple enough, but in a forest setting can be very difficult to accomplish. Before you start your cut, make sure you have a good footing, your body is in balance, and if you have to move, you won't be tripped up by undergrowth, twigs and limbs. Don't start cutting until you're standing on something solid and you have a way to escape if what you're cutting starts to move. After you've made sure your body is stable, make sure what you're cutting is stable. For instance, the tree might be lying in a delicate balance, and if you buck off a section, the rest of the tree might move in an unpredictable manner, causing serious injury. Always work from the uphill side. What you cut off might start rolling with or without help. There will be times when you're tempted to hold onto the saw with one hand while balancing your body with the other. Stop. That's an indication your body is not in a position to safely make the cut. Always keep both hands on the saw when cutting, and remember to keep both thumbs wrapped around the handles. Don't get carried away thinking small limbs are a piece of cake. Before you cut, check to see if the tree end is under tension. If it is, make sure you're out of the way in case it springs up. Now here's information we've already talked about, but it's worth mentioning again. Always have a plastic wedge or two with you when bucking logs. It is no fun freeing your chainsaw if it gets pinched while bucking. Use the plastic wedge to keep it from binding. And finally, remember that most of the time kickback is totally unexpected. Just in case, always stand to the side of the saw and never directly behind it. And have your thumbs wrapped around the pistol grip and handle. Let's sum up what we've learned about chainsaws. Chainsaws when not used properly are dangerous tools. In fact, even when used properly, the unexpected can happen that will cause injury. Dwayne Evans, Vice President and Operations Manager of the Port Blakely Tree Farm, can personally testify to the importance of always being ready for the unexpected. Well, I was falling timber and I fell a small cedar tree, taped out the first log, marked it with my chainsaw, walked out to the top of the log. I was just going to nip the top of it out. There was laying in some vine maples. I just undercut it. As soon as I touched the top, the log sprang through me off the log. I assumed I rolled over the chainsaw and I cut myself from here to here. And everything was not supposed to be hanging out, was hanging out. I stood there and obviously I had first aid training. I realized that I was going to pass out and I only had probably 10 or 15 minutes before that happened. I waved my partner's chainsaw to stop and I walked up to him and at that point he gathered the other cutter. They wrapped their shirts around me and packed me with the landing and by the time I got the landing, the ambulance was there and they took me to the hospital. Looking back at it, obviously I didn't notice that the tree was loaded. When it was laying in the vine, I've done this a thousand times, just nip the top out. And probably a little more pain, a little more tension to how the tree is laying would have helped me. I probably would have made the same choice at that time. What do you mean loaded? When the tree falls, it fell and the way it landed, it had flipped the top over from the butt of the tree so it was actually bent. So when I bucked it clean, it sprang and it threw me off the tree, off the top of the log. What advice do you have for people who are using chainsaws today? Really pay close attention to obviously the surroundings. Obviously I shouldn't have probably been standing on the tree to begin with. I probably should have been on the ground but you really need to pay attention to the tree straight. You know, trees have natural kinks so make sure that there's nothing in the way that's forcing that direction of the tree so that it's not loaded up so it doesn't spring free. Either you're on the ground, it's springing at you or away from you and it doesn't happen to me. Hold the saw out of your hands. Did the saw have the safety features on it? Yeah, there's a brand new saw I had, the safety catches and everything. Just that I think that because of the way it happened to me, I didn't trip the safety catch with a brake on it. So when the saw landed or maybe happened to me later, I'm not really sure what happened. But I laid across the saw as I tumbled through the brush. Being alert to the entire cutting environment can help prevent serious chainsaw injury. Knowing your saw, using it properly along with proper maintenance and care can help reduce the risk when using your chainsaw. But the most important message we have to give is if you come across the situation where you don't have the training, the experience and the equipment to handle it safely, don't try. Call an experienced professional and get the job done correctly and safely. For more information, check our website at www.lni.wa.gov.