the forward handle and the right hand and thumb gripped firmly around the rear handle,” unless doing so poses a greater threat than doing otherwise. Another good practice here is to lock the le arm during the operation so as not to form a pivot point at the elbow. The Standard further states that the operator must be in a stable body position before beginning a cut. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION Many modern chainsaws have incorpo- rated enhanced safety measures such as protective coverings for the entirety of the bar tip, low-kickback or reduced-kick- back chains, and chain brakes. The chain brake is one of the most important safety implements on the chainsaw. The chain brake stops the movement of the saw’s cutting chain and is oen used to prevent the acci- dental acceleration of the chain when carrying the saw or switching cutting positions. Most saws are equipped with two types of braking systems, a mechanical braking system and an inertia braking system. Some saw manufacturers are now of- fering a third braking option. These include Husqvarna’s TrioBrake, which employs a second mechanical brake at the rear of the saw, and STIHL’s Quick- stop Plus feature, where the brake en- gages when your right hand is removed from the rear handle of the saw. During a kickback event, the chain brake can be employed to stop a rotat- ing chain. And though being struck by a static chain is no picnic, it’s far better than being struck by a chain moving at full speed. Critically, it takes regular inspection and maintenance to ensure that all these safety devices are in proper working order. Always follow manu- facturer recommendations through all aspects of equipment care, paying particular attention to the functional- ity of your safety devices.
The depth of each cut made by the saw chain is determined by the raker or depth gauge.
leading edge of the cutter tooth.
ods such as bore cutting that involve intentionally sticking the tip of the bar into a piece of wood or tree, kickback most oen occurs when that upper quadrant comes into contact with wood or other material unintentionally. While bucking a large log, for instance, an operator may unintentionally strike a branch or another log behind his tar- get with the tip of the bar, which may result in a kickback. With that understood, prevention is a matter of knowing when, where, and how you’re cutting to reduce the likeli- hood of unintentional contact with the kickback zone. But it’s also a matter of knowing how to prepare and handle yourself – and your saw – to reduce the likelihood of kickback-related injury. Much of that depends on proper tech- nique and paying attention at all times to how, where, and what you’re cutting. Know where the tip of the bar is at all times during operation. Pay attention to what is on the opposite side of the wood you’re cutting. Always be mindful of the potential for hidden objects that can cause kickback. Proper form when holding and operating the chainsaw is also critically important. Per the ANSI Z133 Safety Standard, “A chainsaw shall be operated with the le hand and thumb gripped firmly around
Depending on the manufacturer of the chain and the type of wood be- ing cut, the depth-gauge setting can range from approximately 0.018 inches to 0.030 inches. This depth is maintained throughout the length of the guide bar. But in the upper quadrant of that bar’s tip, also known as the kickback zone, the chain strikes wood at an angle, dropping the raker below the cutting tooth as it passes, causing more wood to be exposed to the cutter tooth. When that happens, it can cause the tooth to suddenly, momen- tarily stop, transferring that momentum into a potential kickback event. As a reminder, all chainsaws are pow- erful pieces of equipment, regardless of if they are gas- or battery-powered saws. So, when you ask yourself if bat- tery-powered saws have more or less potential for kickback, the easy answer is no, there is no difference. This is because the cause of kickback is the amount of wood that goes into the cutter tooth as the chain passes around the nose of the guide bar. Just because a saw has more power does not mean it won't kick back. LIMITING KICKBACK While there are advanced cutting meth-
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