Manufacturers put dire warnings on their packaging because they do not want to be sued for promising protection that their products did not provide, but that does not mean their products provide no protection at all. If chainsaw chaps are made out of such advanced materials and provide so much protection, why do many manufacturers refuse to certify their chaps for use with electric chainsaws? Surely, a moving chain is a moving chain regardless of the power source. The base layer: The final layer of protection that chainsaw chaps offer is provided by cut-resistant material that is designed to withstand chains that have not been completely stopped by the core layer.When they come apart, they become long threads of material that instantly clog up chainsaw mechanisms and stop chains in their tracks. It is made up of multiple layers of dense Kevlar or ballistic nylon fibers that come apart as soon as they come into contact with a chainsaw. The core: This layer is what gives chainsaw chaps their saw-stopping capabilities.This layer won’t stop a chainsaw, but it will provide adequate protection against flying stones and wood chips. The outer layer: The first layer of protection is usually a tough polyester material that is durable, flexible, and resists oil and water.Let’s take a closer look at those layers: Chainsaw chaps are made up of several layers that protect in different ways. Chainsaw safety gear manufacturers took the same approach when they developed leg protection. Medieval castles had multiple walls to thwart attacking armies, and parents bundled their children up in layers of warm clothing on cold winter days. Precautions may be taken to avoid this situation, but there is no way to prevent the sudden release of energy that occurs when a spring pole is cut. When they are cut, pent-up energy is released, and chainsaws become uncontrollable. Spring PolesĬhainsaws can also move violently and without warning when they cut through what is known as “spring poles.” These are small trees or branches that have become caught on other objects after being bent or twisted by high winds. Kickback is inevitable when cutting through wood as the density and consistency of the material will vary, and not every nail and screw will be found during visual inspections. This causes energy to build up, and the saw to kick back violently. The chainsaw’s engine is still powering the chain, but the chain’s progress is impeded. Kickback is the term used to describe the sudden movement a chainsaw makes when its chain strikes an object, gets snagged, or encounters substantially increased resistance. Chainsaws are powerful tools that can be extremely dangerous in unskilled hands, and even professionals with decades of experience can find them impossible to control in certain situations. Deep lacerations to the legs and thighs are the most commonly treated injuries. Why Chainsaw Chaps Are ImportantĪccording to figures from the CDC, American hospitals treat about 36,000 chainsaw accident victims each year. We will also look at how chainsaw chaps are made and how they work. This post will examine that statement to see if it is something that homeowners or trades professionals who use electric chainsaws need to worry about. This is because companies like Stihl tell their customers that many electric chainsaws will continue to run even after coming into contact with protective chaps. Instead, they’re made of materials that have been engineered to clog up chainsaw mechanisms and bring them to a stop almost immediately.Įlectric chainsaw users who purchase protective pants or chaps are often surprised when they read the manufacturer’s instructions. Chainsaw chaps and pants do not provide a layer of armor that saws cannot penetrate. Instead of stopping or deflecting rockets or shells, these plates absorb the energy of incoming projectiles to limit the amount of damage they do. They work in a similar way to the reactive armor plating that is fitted to modern military vehicles. These garments are called chainsaw chaps or chainsaw pants, and they are extremely effective. The legs and knees are the body parts most often injured in chainsaw accidents, so clothing that protects these vulnerable areas should be worn by all chainsaw operators. When people fail to take necessary precautions, they may end up in an emergency room. Saws that are designed to make short work of branches and small logs will cut through human tissue with ease. Electric chainsaws may not be as powerful as larger gas-powered models, but they can be just as dangerous.
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