Safety, Safety, Safety

[Elynch77]

Well after spending a year wearing Eye protection I did not do it while I was out in the woods. I got off with what I guess is a mild corneal abrasion on my right eye. Not any real damage but as it was a piece of wire it could have been a lot worse. I kept going and got about 600 ft up and tight but kept thinking that we could use a SAFETY section on the site. I am a sniper by trade so an injury to my right eye is a bit of a concern and while I was wiping frozen tears off my face I told myself I would do it as soon as I got in.

In the Army we had safety briefings on everything as well as risk assessments and everything else. Having been a Safety coordinator at a Power Plant for a few years before going back to the Army full time I know it is common practice in Industry applications as well.

Everything we do in the sugar bush or sugar shack is dangerous and I think we would be amiss not to address it. I know better and still went out without safety glasses. An accident with a chainsaw could be far worse.

So in short, at the very start of this season, lets get safety on the brain. I hate to be the guy preaching but if one accident is avoided by doing it I am okay with it. I have spent 14 years doing very dangerous things (professionally, and many more before that)and I get hurt playing in the woods. So lets remember Eye protection, hearing protection, Chaps helmet and face guards, Gloves, and Fire extinguishers to just name a few.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I feel like Tim The Tool Man Taylor..........I went to the ER last fall and when they started to bring me in the back I told them I know my way around and went back to the room to get steel removed from my eye and that was with glasses on. I do agree that saftey is alot of work at times. How many times we say DANG that could have been bad. Last year I put my syrup bucket on a protective self/bracket because I was worried about it getting kicked over or knocked off the very unstable plastic milk grate I used to get it closer to the valve. I also removed the handles of the fluepan drain just as a percaution against kids or coats getting caught on them. I have a smaller brother that wishes I was more careful as a lad back in 5th and 6th grades so yes Im all for safty just not OSHA coming in.

[dano2840]

its defiantly some thing to think about, last year i was stringing mainline wire and i was at my anchor tree and was twisting the wire around its self for the loop in the end of the wire, i was at the last 1" of wire when it broke off and struck me just above my left eye (below the eye lash) it required 2 stitches and i had a black eye, i wear safety sun glasses when i do any thing with wire, ive also started wearing chainsaw chaps, ( i dont like the helmet though) so i wear the safety sunglasses and my work tunes ear mufs, ( i lika the music) i wear the helmet only when im falling trees, to protect against widow makers and falling trees and debris, some guys think you have to not wear any thing to be tough i was like that once and i was stupid, i still do a whole lot of unsafe things i ought not to but those things that could injure my eyesight or hearing i protect against, its a good idea to be safe, when i run a saw my motto is if your not safe your f****d i know thats one of those words but its used to emphasize my point, just look at my logging boots and ask me why are there chunks missing................ or my 1st pair of log chaps, i started wearing those after i had been zipped by my saw around the knee 3 different times, it ripped 1 pair of pants the last time it happened and scratched me just enough to draw blood, I STARTED WEARING MY FREAKING LOG CHAPS!!!!!!!
oh and WHAT MOMMA DONT KNOW WONT HURT HERE EITHER!!!!!
so no telling on me!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Why not run a 90 degree copper or stainless elbow and a piece of copper pipe down to close to top of the drawoff bucket so it can sit on the floor and not have to worry about splashing. Copper only costs a few bucks to do this on both sides and then you never have to worry about it again. I hate to think about 50 @ gallon sitting on a plastic milk crate. I draw off in 5 gallon plastic food grade buckets and they are stable and when they get full, I seal them up with an airtight lid until I get ready to can at a later date.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have a tall SS bucket that is 10" wide and about 20" high and it now sits on a holder that is bolted to the arch. I dont like bending down to draw sap for testing. Its safe now that its on a protected shelf/bracket. I have been in other sap shacks and its the bucket that gets kicked when people start walking around. Dano2840 Im on my 3rd Stihl helmet they get old and stinky and do take alot of the hits when in the heat of battle I put it on to split wood You have the ear protection and they keep the ears warm. Small sticks and branches glance off and the sheild does help keep the chips away from the bifocals us old foogies ware. I bet that Orange County Chopper knit hat wont stop a chainsaw blade. I had a saw buck and the chain brake locked the blade but still the chaine was real sharp and I had about 10 nice neat flaps of leg skin the size of the teeth so chaps are nice.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Elynch Now that you mentioned it I got to thinking what have I done about saftey. I put most circuts on GFI breakers. I cut the legs of my finishing pan was to high and I didnt like lifting the bucket of HOT syrup up that high to dump it in. I use a smaller bucket than the 5 gallon vacuum bucket that was hard to dump from. I dont let kids up on chairs to look in the evaporator I hold them up and only in the area that doesnt have alot of valves. Coverd the oil gun...exposed elec connecters. Ya got us thinking. now I need covers over my vacuum pump pullys.

[Elynch77]

Well it hurts like hell but I can see fine out of it. Eyes heel fast but hurt and not much takes the edge off. I had surgery a year and a half ago and you can either go with a narcotic or beer. ( sorry boiling soda) I have beer and a low tolerance so I should be good tomorrow. I will not make this mistake again. I may take to wearing the Stihl helmet for wire too. They are great and you need to get one and wear it Dano. My Dad is a Doc and I got great stories about chainsaws when I started cutting. One had brain involved and it was a piece of chain going through the skull not a bar hitting the head.

Okay enough of this and the kids are going nuts. Taking my daughter up with me tomorrow afternoon to finish and getting her ready for bed is a trick.

[dano2840]

i dun wanna stihl helmet
ive got 1 and its beat to death, i just will wear my new husky one my dad got me, i went out and got the thing and its got a little hole in the screen from being on the tractor against the chain of the saw, but i tried it and i can flippy up the muffs on it out of the way and my work tunes will still fit on my head w/ the helmet on!!! the intena pokes out in just the right spot and every thing, i think the helmet even gets a little better reseption to, i never pick up 955 inside my house and i did a few min ago!!!

[3% Solution]

Ethan,
A few weeks ago you was dodging bullets, now you get hurt fooling around with your hobby!!
Don't figure, you know!!!
Good point about the safety issues doing this hobby.
Got me to thinking about how much you take granted.
Hope your doing well now that your home!
If you ever get over this way give a yell and maybe we can meet up somewhere.
STAY SAFE!!
Oh yeah ................ AND WARM!!!!
-3 here ............... BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Dave

[Elynch77]

Well 3% you got the irony too. I will be out that way in the next few weeks to pick up the evap. and other pans. I will let you know PM.

Dano you can tuck earbuds under the muffs and hear fine. I don't care just wear the helmet. I saw a few that stopped stuff that would kill guys myself. Kevlar but the hard had is lighter and should stop what you are looking at. I may go back to my old KIT though. I just hate ACU and black guns. I am even selling off the black and tan guns and getting pretty wood stocked ones.

I am signing off for the night as I have to get two little ones to bed and have a few more boiling sodas to get to bed. If this is not 75% or better in the AM I am off to the Doc.

See you all tomorrow

By the way I have to say the Yamaha Rhino is a great machine. 18" of snow and it just goes. Glad I had it today. I couldn't afford one but they are nice to have around.

[3% Solution]

Ethan,
That sounds like a good deal, let's make it work.
Another trader wants to meet you too!!!
Get those young uns to bed!!
Bet they love dad being home!!
Get that eye checked!

Dave

[DS Maple]

In terms of chainsaw safety, the average injury is $12,000 (if you survive) and one can set themselves up with all the right gear for about $100. Pretty obvious choice if you ask me.

[emericksmaple]

I work at the railroad and hear about safety everyday, but we are learning a lesson the hard way at the moment. Last Tues my wife was making a batch of sugar for the Pa Farm Show. Well it went way to high and it burnt, so she went to take it outside to dump it and slipped on some ice on the edge of the porch. The hot syrup came back over her left hand and arm. To make a long stroy short she has surgery tom (fri) at 7:30 to do a skin graph to get it to heal. They have to graph her index finger, thumb, and about halfway up her arm. It's been a tough week. Keep Safe!!!!

[ackerman75]

Emericksmaple,
Sorry to hear about your wife's accident, hope everything turns out ok for her. That ice can shur be a pain in the but in more ways than one. I bet she will still be helping out when the sugar season gets here :)

[MaplePancakeMan]

emerick, i can't imagine the pain your wife must be in! i got burned making cranberry sauce from scratch a few thanksgivings back (apparently hot stuff in a blender doesn't mix) and it scorched my arm when it blew the top off and my skin literally peeled off but i never had to get a graph and i was in excruciating pain so i can't even fathom her pain. Heres to a speedy and less painful recovery!

[Clan Delaney]

Chainsaws... ugh.

I'm going to need to own and know how to use one if I plan to collect and process my own wood, but I have a very healthy fear of them. ANd where that fear ends, my wife picks it up and carries it a little farther for me. If she had her way, I'd never put my hands on a chainsaw.

This fall, I borrowed one from a friend to cut up just a few limbs - no more than 6" diameter. No problem. I never even got the danged thing started, but I still managed to cut my leg. First pull to start it, the cord caught and I yanked the whole thing up and crashed the bar into my shin. Nice. With a record like that, I've vowed not to go near one again until I've taken a safety course.

I ended up cutting those limbs with a bush saw.

[dano2840]

sorry to hear about your wife, burns hurt baaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddddd just another hazard of sugaring, thats a big reason why i dont like to let little kids stand on a milk crate to look into the evap, just because they could get burned like that

[Riverdale]

Here's to quick healing for all...

Clan, The day you aren't scared of that machine is the day it will really get you. I'm not saying you have to be shaking and trembling to operate it safely, but it's a unforgiving machine that you have to respect. I have a 3 inch slice in my chaps...My dad asked me about it, I told him it musta been briars....he told me to guess again. I had no idea I had done it, but somehow I'd let that bar hit my leg with the chain moving. Had no clue, was real lucky. A safety class is a great idea if you don't know someone personally who could give you some lessons. My father has completed the Game of Logger training and has passed it along to me. Not sure where/when they offer those trainings but very worthwhile.

[dano2840]

my moms boyfriend told me of a story, he said "when i was your age we were cutting up some iron wood trees down to the maynard farm, he said they were the biggest iron wood trees he had ever seen, but he was cutting right along blocking up the tree he said it was a cold day like 5 degrees he was blocking up the tree when his left leg got reallly really cold all of the sudden, he looked down and his pant leg on his left leg was gone, and was flung 15 ft behind him, said it left a real small scratch on his leg but that was it, he never even knew it happened until his leg got cold

[caseyssugarshack93]

Clan Get some chainsaw chaps They help alot alot alot


and sorry about you wife emericksmaple hope everything turns out okay keep us updated




Nate

[3% Solution]

emericksmaple,
****, I can feel it now, hope all goes well this morning.
Tell your wife we're all thinking about her.
We have made candy before and I just don't like stuff that hot, makes me nervous!
Well you take care of her!!

Dave

[Elynch77]

Emerick I am so sorry to hear about your wife's arm. We will be keeping you all in our prayers. Broke a hand in a few places a few years ago in a slip and fall and would shatter the whole arm before I took a burn like that.

My eye is still sore but sunglasses seem to fit the bill all day. I may get up there again this afternoon but have to run the car down for an inspection. I will be back later. I may run by and pick up some chaps myself while I am out. Got the head and face covered but could use a pair of chaps as I like my legs the way they are.

Ethan

[maplehound]

Emerick, My prayers are with you and your wife, Burns can be a real emotional thing for the victim. On the subject of chainsaws, I have taken the game of logging course and our forestry group offers this course on a regular basis. They won't let any one even start a saw without chaps or chiansaw pants on. And everone in the woods must have a helmet on. During one class they allowed some in the woods without helmets and almost had a catasrophy when a branch was knocked out or a tree and landed behind 3 men, (2 of which didn't have a helmet) These men weren't even close to the tree that was cut down, and where almost 90 deg of the felling direction. It sure gave the land owner a scare and now no one goes in to the woods without a helmet when we are having a class.
I always wear my helmet when cutting down a tree as well, but those chaps, They just arn't made for fat men. I even have an extender on the straps and I just can't get them to stay on. I would buy chainsaw pants if they would make them for us fat guys but they don't. I may need to use my suspenders to get them to stay in place.

[maple flats]

You can get full wrap chaps in exlarge. They should cover pretty well even for "fat men". Try these for pants up to 48" waste http://www.websoft-solutions.net/Chain_Saw_Pants_chain_saw_safety_equipment_p/chain_saw_pants.htm . If you need bigger try this: http://www.canadianarboristsupplies.com/safety.php If you need custom made. Remember, you only get one set of legs, after that replacements never really work well and cost much more than any safety pants ever could. A chainsaw is never to be taken lightly. Also, do be sure to sign up and take the excellent training called "game of logging", it is anything but a game. Take at lease course 1 and 2.

[Sugarmaker]

Matt,
We hope your wife recovers as quickly as possible. The safety training in our maple classes and at work help reinforce the aspects of severe burns.

Matt we had had meals at the same table and know how much your family is into making syrup. A lot of the things we do in the sugar bush in the sugar house and in the kitchen are dangerous. We wish her the best.

When I fell on the ice on our drive way just before Christmas and bounced my cheek off the ice I just laid there for a few minutes gathering my wits and seeing if all systems were functioning. I was lucky! Our neighbor that jumped off a wagon of sap buckets with a run away team was not so lucky. He left behind a wife and two teenage sons.

A lot of what we do making syrup is related to farming type activities. One of the most dangerous jobs in the country especially for young folks.

Regards,
Chris

[maplehound]

Thanks Maple flats for that link, I would definitly need them custome made as I would probably need a size 58. ( yes I am big) I will definitly check to see what they would want for a pair in my size. As it is though I think that the chaps I have can make things more dangerous when I am just walking or working in the woods than they can save me. They are so hard to keep on that they are very dangerous and combersome. Pants would be the best way for me to go.

[PerrinFarm2]

I disagree. You will never be safe as long as you are afraid of a chainsaw. That said, YOU MUST RESPECT THE CHAINSAW. Be-deliberate and ultra aware of what you are doing, never ever touch the upper 2/3s of the end of the bar to anything, and never saw for more then a tank of fuel before taking a break and doing something else.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I had a guy working for me that had a kickback and let go of the saw thinking that was a smart thing to do. It was a small climbing saw but it got him in the hand. I think its important to trust the safty equipment and dont try and out think it. If he held on the brake would have worked and it would have been a topic during lunch and not a trip to the doc.

[KenWP]

I have a Jonsered 2163 that for some reason has the kickback guard taken off. I picked it up cheap at a garage sale and have to haunt sales now looking for a replacement guard.

[Haynes Forest Products]

First saw iI ever had was a $98.00 Remington 14" bar and 20 hr later I traded it in on a McCulloch Pro 1010 thaught I died and went to heven. First saw with a brake. First time it poped on I didnt know what happend took the dang thing apart and coulnt get it back on...........stupid stupid stupid

[maple flats]

For the johnsered, order the brake. They can be gotten. After taking the Game Of Logging chainsaw safety course and seeing pictures of things that went horribly wrong I would never use a saw that did nave have all of the safety features built into it. I also would throw away (not sell) any that was built before brakes were used. A moving chain will remove a limb (as in arm, leg etc) faster than you can do anything to stop it. Be safe!!

[maple flats]

For the jonsered, order the brake or stop using the saw. After taking the Game of Logging safety course I would never use a saw that did not have all guards and a brake in good condition. Too dangerous. In the course I saw pictures of things that went horribly wrong. We need all of our maple traders. If by chance you can't get the brake, throw it away (not sell) and get a modern safer one.

[maple flats]

Sorry about the double entry, I was distracted.