Media Releases
Fatal Use of Chainsaws Concerns OSH
Friday 1 August 1997
The Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) of the Department of Labour is very concerned that that part time users of chainsaws are exposing themselves to serious injuries or death by operating unsafe saws, and lacking the required skills gained through training or experience.
Since the Health and Safety in Employment Act came into force in April 1993, 10 people have died while working gathering firewood, on charity work and while tidying trees around homes or buildings. These deaths have accounted for 20 per cent of all fatalities concerning tree work.
The Morrinsville Coroner recently commented on the danger of using older chainsaws following the death of a man caused by his chainsaw jamming in a cut of a tree and ‘kicking back’ against his neck. The deceased sustained fatal injuries when his cartoid artery and jugular vein were severed.
The chainsaw was 29 years old and was manufactured prior to the development of many features available on modern saws. These included:
- No chain brake system
- No front handguard
- No rear handguard
- No rear catcher peg
- No throttle control system
- No safety mitt featured
- No antivibration insulators
The contributing factors to the fatality were identified as:-
- No safety devices on saw
- The chain was blunt, loose, had high depth gauges and a worn bar groove.
- No throttle control system to shut off power when the pressure is released.
- No safety mitt fitted - this may have helped control the saw.
An assumption that from the condition of the saw and the work position of the deceased, that he was inexperienced or unskilled as a chainsaw operator
The main contributing factor was the lack of safety features on the saw and the condition of the cutting chain. A modern chainbrake would have saved the operator fatal injuries.
OSH has two free publications available especially for the casual: "A Guide to Tree Felling and Crosscutting" and "A Guide to Safety with Chainsaws." Information is also available from OSH branches nationwide.
