Community Hands-on Training

The Chainsaw Maintenance, Safety & Ops is a hands-on course, designed for those with little experience, or those that have never had any professional training on the safe operation of a gasoline powered chainsaw. We will demonstrate and go over the following:

• The Safety features built into a chainsaw
• The 4 reactive forces of a rotating chain
• Rotational kickback
• Inertia and manually activated chain brake
• Proper starting procedures
• Proper cutting procedures
• Bore/plunge cutting
• Basic maintenance
• Hand sharpening using a round file

Meet in a classroom for introductions, briefing and a 1 hour Power Point Presentation. Then out to the site to go over the Safety features, the 4 Reactive Forces of a rotating chain, and then a rotational kickback demonstration. The following will be demonstrated, and all participants will have the opportunity to do: (1) Proper starting techniques; (2) Proper cutting stance and techniques; (3) Proper hand grip; (4) Bore/plunge cutting; (5) Basic maintenance and hand sharpening.

Upon completion of the Chainsaw Safety and Operation course, the participant will gain knowledge of and be exposed to the built-in safety features and the 4 reactive forces of a rotating chain. How incredibly fast rotational kickback occurs and how to avoid it from happening by placing the chainsaw to the right of the body when cutting. The proper starting and cutting techniques of a chainsaw. Basic maintenance including air filter cleaning, changing the drive sprocket, re-surfacing the guide bar and hand sharpening.

The Felling Course is designed to drastically reduce the chance of an incident occurring while felling a tree, with heightened safety and situational awareness. The six (6) step precision felling plan is explained and demonstrated in detail. A thorough tree risk assessment is demonstrated to detect any hazards and defects before the felling operation begins. We will explain and demonstrate the “Command and Response” system for Tree Care Operations. The use of non- metallic felling wedges is demonstrated to help prevent “sit-back” and steer the tree into the drop zone. The use of a tag line and using mechanical advantage to safely drop a backward leaning tree is demonstrated. Notch placement inside leaning trees is demonstrated to fell a tree in the designated drop zone. To help prevent “barber chairing”, the plunge (bore) cutting technique is explained and demonstrated on forward leaning trees. Each participant is given the opportunity to fell a tree in a designated “drop zone”, while explaining each step of the felling plan as it is happening. Chainsaw experience is a plus for this course.

Meet on site. Go over a briefing of the day’s course with the group. Explain and demonstrate a thorough “Tree Risk Assessment” of the tree to be felled. Explain and demonstrate the “Command and Response” system. Explain and demonstrate the six (6) step precision felling plan while actually felling a tree. Demonstrate and actually use a 5 to 1 mechanical advantage system to pull over a backward leaning tree. Each participant will then fell a tree while explaining the 6-step felling plan to the group and be graded on the explanation and performance of their felling.

Upon the completion of the Felling course, each participant will gain the knowledge of, or able to perform the following tasks, with safety being the primary objective:

• A thorough “Tree Risk Assessment”
• The six (6) step precision felling plan (handout)
• Tag line placement in the crown of the tree, prior to felling Using a 5 to 1 mechanical advantage system for pulling Cutting an open face notch
• Plunge (bore) cutting a back cut
• Use of felling wedges
• Command and Response System