Accidents can happen at any place, at any time, in any form and no one is immune from them. Foresters face so many dangers while at work in the woodlands, including the hazards they face daily when using their tools and equipment. Forestry trucks equipped with grapple saws present the risk of causing a chain shot injury to its operator and other crew members that may be working in the near proximity.

The Chain Shot

This danger is produced when one of the teeth of a chain saw comes loose and is projected away from the machinery, often at a high rate of speed. It can cause minor to fatal injuries when a worker is struck by this shot-like missile. Typically, this occurs on the cutting system’s drive end but it can also come from the tip area of the bar.

Grapple Saw Operation

A forestry truck equipped with a grapple saw is used for harvesting and processing timber. Operators must always treat the grapple saw as a potential danger while in operation. The following are several reasons why chain shot injury should be taken seriously.

• Inherent Machinery Risks - Guards and shields that are properly designed do not completely eliminate this type of accident but can reduce danger directed at the drive sprocket area. The bar tip area presently has no guard where chain shot can be deflected and poses similar risks as that from the drive sprocket area but without any available protection.

• Fast-Moving Object - To reduce the risk of injury for other workers, there is a recommendation from manufacturers to stay at least 230 to 755 feet away from the equipment. A chain shot can be compared to a speeding bullet and can travel an extremely long distance. This means that the safe distance recommended by the manufacturer does not eliminate the possibility of injury but only reduces it.

• No Complete Bar Area Protection - Workers who are out of the plane of the bar can still experience an injury, so the bar does not completely eliminate the risk but only reduces it. It is possible for ricocheted parts to come out from the plane of the bar.

Reduce Risk

The risk of injury caused by a chain shot cannot be entirely eliminated; however, it can be reduced by taking certain actions. To do this, forestry truck operators should read the manufacturer’s manual and operating information. Below are some tips to reduce the risk posed by this machine malfunction.

• Avoid bar plane - Make sure that the operators or workers are never in the bar plane when the saw is in motion.

• Follow Manufacturer’s Directions - The saw speed must not exceed the manufacturers’ recommended speed. Chain tension and maintenance should also be compared with the user’s manual for safe operation.

• Have Chain Catcher and Shot Guard - Make sure that there is a chain shot guard and a chain catcher installed on the equipment.

• Safe Distance - Workers and other bystanders must be no closer than 230 feet from the forestry truck grapple saw.

• Regular Equipment Exam - Frequent and regular examinations of the chain should be done. If there is any detection of damages or cracks, the grapple saw must be removed from service.

• Only Repair Once - It is recommended by the industry that any chain saws that experience a second break must be discarded and replaced as well as any that are dull and worn.

• Use Appropriate Sharpening Tools - Always sharpen with appropriate sharpening tools made for the chain according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

• Chair Bar Position - Do not operate the log processing unit with the chain bar situation on a line with the cab window; position it at an angle to the window.

Replacing Cab Windshield

One of the best means of protection against chain shot injury is to replace any cab window that is ½ inch thick with one that is 1-1/4 inch thick, preferably made of laminated polycarbonate or something similar. Any modification to the cab should be OSHA approved and must only be done by a manufacturer’s recommended dealer.

By taking certain precautions; being aware of safety procedures; and being vigilant for possible signs of danger, risks in the workplace can be reduced or avoided all together. In the case of chain shot injury for workers inside the cab, the correct choice of the front window material can indeed prevent this serious accident from causing harm!