For the past two weeks, we've been discussing the safe handling of tools to clean up trees and bushes around the yard. Last week, we covered 16 safety rules every chainsaw operator should know and follow. This week, we'll end the series with some final words of advice about chainsaw safety and kickback.

General Advice

Chainsaws are made to cut only one thing: wood. Do not use a chainsaw to cut other materials, and never let your chain contact rocks or dirt during operation. Remember, your chainsaw is moving in excess of 50 miles per hour. In just one second of contact with a rock or with the ground, each cutter will be impacted more than ten times.

Never force a dull chain to cut. When it is sharp, the saw chain is designed to feed itself into the wood, and needs only light pressure to cut efficiently. A dull chain produces fine wood dust, a sure sign that maintenance is required.

How to Avoid Kickback

Kickback may occur when the moving chain at the nose or tip of the guide bar touches an object, or when the wood closes in and pinches the saw chain in the cut.

Contact with the tip or bar nose can occur in some cases because a lightning-fast reverse reaction occurs, kicking the guide bar up and back toward the operator. Pinching the cutting chain along the top of the guide bar may also push the guide bar rapidly toward the operator. Either of these reactions may cause you to lose control of the saw, which could result in serious personal injury to yourself or to bystanders.

The top of the tip of the chainsaw guide bar is known as the "Kickback Danger Zone." When contact is made with an object such as a branch or a log, there is a danger of a sudden bar nose kickback reaction.

To avoid the risk of kickback:

1. Make sure that the area in which you are cutting is free from obstructions;
2. Do not let the nose of the guide bar contact a log, branch or any other obstruction while you are operating the saw; and
3. Do not cut near chain link fences, wire fences, or in areas where there is loose or scrap wire.

Conclusion

Even though we just devoted a lot of time to this topic, there is always more to learn about the safe use of chainsaws. You can get more information regarding chainsaw maintenance and safety from Oregon Chain at their website and from their Maintenance and Safety Manual.

MEMBER REPLY
Re Chain Saws

Been There, Done That

Read your article on the safe use of a chain saw this morning. It brought back to my mind the day I went to the hospital and received around 40 stitches to close the wound I got to my forehead and top of my head from a chain saw.

In short I was not wearing a hard hat and was cutting cedar rails which were piled up against a chain link fence. My saw got jammed in the last rail that I was cutting and in frustration I revved the saw up and rammed it through the rail. The saw chain caught the chain link fence and came up and kicked back and hit me on the head.

I don't use a chain saw much any more and did not for about 10 years after my accident but when I do now I have on my safety gear. Great article and I hope that others who read it will follow it because I know from experience it can happen to you

Doug French

NO MORE FUNGI
How to Address Mold in Your Home

By Catherine Jones

Another autumn gardening chore is raking up wet leaves, which stirs up mold spores. Mold is a vital part of the environment. It helps break down plant and animal matter as part of the decomposition process. But mold growing inside your home can pose a health risk, especially if anyone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies. You can keep potential mold problems under control if you know where to look, what to look for and how to clean it up. Of course, preventing mold from forming to begin with is even better.

How to find mold:

Mold tends to grow almost anywhere there is excess moisture. This includes:

Signs of mold include:

How to clean up mold:

If mold is a recurring problem in your home or if you discover a large patch of mold (larger than 3 feet by 3 feet), you should consult with a professional. However, if the mold patch is a square yard or less, you should be able to clean it up yourself, using:

Be sure to dry the area completely after cleaning it.

Note: Using bleach is NOT recommended. It won't solve the problem and it could be harmful to others living in your home. If you do use bleach, though, do so in a well-ventilated area and be careful to not mix it with any detergents or cleaning products containing ammonia, as toxic fumes may be produced.

How to prevent mold

Of course, the best way to get rid of mold is to prevent it from growing in the first place. Here are 8 ways you can do that:

1. Find and fix any leaks that could be allowing water to seep into your home;
2. Clean and replace furnace and heat recovery ventilator (HRV) filters regularly;
3. Clean and vacuum your home regularly, preferably with a vacuum that has a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter;
4. Get rid of any excess clutter or stored materials;
5. Keep your home dry and try to avoid any standing water;
6. Use bathroom and kitchen fans;
7. Hang laundry outdoors only; and
8. Keep the relative humidity below 45 percent in the winter.

Source: Dr. Virginia Salares, Senior Researcher, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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