Chainsaw safety clothing and equipment

 

          Arborist in full safety gear

If you are going to spend money on a chainsaw, make sure you buy at least the basic protective equipment.

A helmet, goggles and gloves are absolutely the minimum requirements for operating a Chainsaw safely but we also recommend sturdy chainsaw boots and blade resistant trousers or chaps, after this possibly a jacket. Most good chainsaw makers provide quality, industry tested safety clothes and will declare their level of chainsaw safety.

 e.g. Protection rating: Class 2 (24 M/S)

Which means the item offers Class 2 protection, based on European tested standards and will offer protection from a chainsaw blade moving at 24 metres per second.

Chainsaws are very noisy so a pair of ear defenders is useful, although something that blocks out the sound completely is not always such a good idea since… 

A)   you may need to hear a warning shout from another user or colleague. A cry of ‘TIMBER’ for example!  

B)   an experienced Chainsaw user, who knows their engine/motor, should also be alert to any possible changes in the engine noise, which can indicate possible problems.

If possible, try to buy safety clothing that adheres to the following European standards (HSE)

 Safety helmet – to EN 397.

 Hearing protection – to EN 352-1.

 Eye protection – mesh visors to EN 1731

 Safety glasses to EN 166.

 Upper body protection – chainsaw jackets to BS EN 381-11.

 Safety gloves – to EN 381-7.

 Leg protection – to EN 381-5. (All-round leg protection is recommended for arborists working in trees and occasional users such as those working in agriculture.)

Chainsaw boots – to BS EN ISO 20345:2004 (They should also bear a shield depicting a chainsaw to show compliance with EN 381-3.

Chaps to EN 381-9  (worn with steel-toe-capped safety boots) (Safety content)

Please click here if you wish to see our range of safety clothing,