SAW SHOP: It’s a SPRING THING

By Bryan Wagner Chainsaw & Logging Safety Trainer, FMIC

As you are receiving this publication, things have really changed in the logging woods. We have or will have a beautiful new crop of leaves! Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. What was once drab and brown is now replaced by the lush green, new growth. This beauty can hide some demons from the forest worker. The new canopy of leaves can hide Over-Head Hazards! Let’s review the “Heads-Up” program that was developed in the 1990s to fight a trend of injuries involving “death from above.” We will also review the Five-Part-Felling Plan.

- Use approved personal protective equipment (PPE) for head protection.

- Look and scan at least 50 feet ahead on your ground path of travel.

- Look and scan at least 100 feet ahead for all overhead hazards.

- Don’t place yourself under any object that can fall or move due to gravity or the loss of hydraulic pressure.

- Maintain at least two tree lengths from all felling - Be visible; wear high visibility safety colors.

- Maintain communication with anyone in the work area. Verify their location with frequent eye contact.

- Never walk into a work area with running or moving equipment until the equipment is stopped, engine cut-off, and implements grounded.

- Use proper manual felling techniques. Accurate directional felling avoids risk in the manual felling process.

If asked a simple question, what is the most dangerous job in the logging woods? Without a doubt, the answer would come back, manually felling trees with a power saw. Measuring the risk involved with the manual felling process surely opens the eyes of insurance companies and governmental agencies. The results from a manual felling incident, notice I did not say “accident,” are usually serious in nature. With the human body being mostly derived from water, it does not take too much of an impact to alter its ability to function normally or to just plain survive!

Risk comes in many shapes and forms to a timber-cutter. The timber-cutter must become an expert on identifying risk. Once the risk is spotted, he must be able to eliminate it by using good judgment and employing proper techniques. Risk is the key factor in any incident. A very effective way to reduce risk is to follow a plan. When using a plan, it forces our brains to process the information it is being fed. The results of using a plan should be good decisions being made.

There is a plan made specifically for timber cutters. The Five-part Felling Plan forces our brains to evaluate and process the information we are taking in. The felling plan is designed to deal with risk on a step-by-step process. All five steps of this plan must be followed to assure all the risk is dealt with completely. If you forget or leave out any one of these steps, all bets are off. All five parts of the felling plan must be used on every tree, every time.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is mandatory for professional timber-cutters. OSHA and the insurance companies are very strict with forest industry workers concerning PPE. Hurt is Hurt! You can get hurt on your land during the weekend, just as easy as you can get hurt on the logging job during the work week! Proper eye, ear, and head protection should be worn. Cut resistant legwear in the form of chaps or saw pants can help to reduce the chance of a catastrophic leg laceration that could involve the ephemeral arteries! Saw hands are required to wear cut-resistant footwear. Proper PPE is just a good decision, regardless of job titles!

OVERHEAD HAZARDS

What is up in the tree or the surrounding trees that could hurt you? Dead limbs, broken or damaged tops, dead snags, vines, wind, ice, or snow load are some examples of what could injure or kill you. Body placement is very important in this section of the plan. Limit your exposure to an identified hazard; look up!

SIDE LEAN / GOOD SIDE – BAD SIDE

As a rule, most trees do not grow perfectly straight. Trees usually have some sort of side lean. Side lean can come in the form of more limbs on one side, or the stem itself can be side weighted. The Bad-Side of the tree is the weighted side. If something unplanned happens, the tree is going to the “weighted” side. Again, body placement is of dire importance; limit your exposure to the Bad-Side of the tree. If you are not on the bad side, you are not injured there. Keep your body on the Good-Side of the tree as much as possible.

ESCAPE ROUTE

Statistically, 94 % of felling fatalities happen within 8 feet from the stump. A planned escape route shall be at a 45-degree angle away from the falling tree. As the timber-cutter exits on his escape path, he should have his eyes to the sky, looking to avoid possible missiles that have been thrown back during the tree’s fall to the ground. The escape distance should be as far away as he can get, preferably behind some sort of a shield such as other standing timber. Get out of Dodge!

HINGE THICKNESS

In the manual felling process, the hinge acts as the tree’s steering wheel. The hinge basically tells the tree where to go and controls the trees fall to the ground. Inadequate or improper hinge wood can lead to catastrophic problems during the felling process. Accurate directional felling relies upon the hinge to guide the tree from striking objects that could cause a dangerous situation. Examples of such situations would include striking utility lines or hitting other standing timber, resulting in debris being thrown back at the timber-cutter. The hinge, as mentioned before, controls the stem on its way to the ground. It is very important that the hinge stays intact through most of the fall. Proper hinge wood prevents the often-tragic results from tree rebound. The basic rule of thumb for hinge thickness is 1/10 the diameter at breast height. (DBH) Tree species and fiber type will affect the final decision upon the set thickness of the hinge.

BACK-CUT PLAN

The back-cut can be described as the final felling cut. After the tree has been properly assessed and a proper notch has been installed, the tree is ready for its journey to the ground, on target. Basically, there are two types of back-cuts. The conventional method is when the saw is applied to the back of the tree after a proper face-notch has been made. The sawyer cuts from the back of the tree, working towards his desired hinge thickness. When the hinge thickness is met, the sawyer exits the area and uses his pre-planned escape route to safety. The conventional backcut is completely “legal”; it is accepted by governmental agencies and the forest industry. What the timber-cutter must understand is; if the tree has a front lean, the tension wood is located on the back of the tree. When the saw enters the tree from the back, the tension wood is being released; thus, the tree starts moving or falling. Once the falling motion starts, the timber-cutter must complete his cut to the hinge. By using this type of back cut, “the sawyer needs to be on his game,” there are a lot of things happening in a short period of time. You would have to agree that the level of risk is elevated when the body is only inches away from a moving, falling tree stem. This technique leaves little room for errors.

Being judged on risk levels alone, the Controlled-Release back-cut is preferable. While using a controlled release back cut, the sawyer is cutting compression wood instead of tension wood. Risk levels are lowered significantly by one simple fact; the tree is not moving while the sawyer is making the back cut. Remember, the tree does not move until the tension wood is cut. The controlled-release back cut is done about the opposite of the conventional back cut. After a proper face-notch is made, the sawyer uses a “bore-cut” to enter the side of the tree; he is setting the hinge thickness. After the hinge is set, the sawyer cuts to the back of the tree.

The timber-cutter, at this point, can leave a back strap or a trigger. The trigger is basically the tension wood that has been left un-cut. After the sawyer has looked and made sure the area is clear, he “pulls” the trigger, or in other words, cuts the back strap. When the tension wood is released, the tree is allowed to fall. Generally, escape times and distances are increased using this method; remember the stem has not been moving during the back cut. The term-controlled release is accurate; the sawyer has complete control of the felling process. The tree does not move until he wants it to move.

By adopting and using a felling plan, the timber-cutter can reduce his risk by making good decisions. Early in this article, the word “accident” was mentioned. It is important to remember that an accident is an unplanned event. Using each part of the felling plan, each time will tame the risk from the manual felling process.

Be safe, make good decisions and make them a habit.

Bryan Wagner, Chainsaw & Logging Safety Trainer

Photo Credit: FMIC Staff Photographer