Kickback risk of portable chainsaws while cutting wood of different properties: laboratory tests and deductions

• Published in: International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 512 - 523
• Main Author: Dąbrowski, Andrzej
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Accidents, Home - prevention & control; Accidents, Occupational - prevention & control; chainsaw; Equipment Design; Equipment Safety; Forestry - instrumentation; Humans; kickback; kickback angle; kickback energy; Protective Clothing; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; safe use; saw chain; Wood; wood characteristics; wood cutting; kickback; wood cutting; chainsaw; safe use; kickback energy; wood characteristics; kickback angle; saw chain
• ISSN: 1080-3548; 2376-9130
• DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2015.1095547

Portable chainsaws are associated with substantial risk and can cause serious injury to operators, especially during kickback. This paper presents new results from research and analyses conducted regarding the impact between the different properties of wood on this occurrence. In an open area, such differences may include: wood species, humidity, temperature and the facing angle of the wood fibres in relation to the kerf and shape of the wood surface that comes in contact with the tip of the guide bar. This paper investigates chainsaw kickback including the research results on kickback and wood-cutting energy, saw chain speed and the efficiency of the chainsaw engine. It also presents conclusions drawn from the tests that can be useful for chainsaw users, showing the dependencies between the different properties of wood and the risk of injury.