Working With Tree-Service Chainsaws From A Rope And Harness - Husqvarna T540 XP II Manual De Instrucciones

Working with tree-service chainsaws
from a rope and harness
This chapter sets out working practices to reduce the risk
of injury from tree-service chainsaws when working at
height from a rope and harness. While it may form the
basis of guidance and training literature, it should not be
regarded as a substitute for formal training.
General requirements working at height
Operators of tree-service chainsaws working at height
from a rope and harness should never work alone. A
competent ground worker trained in appropriate
emergency procedures should assist them.
Operators of tree-service chainsaws for this work should
be trained in general safe climbing and work positioning
techniques and shall properly equipped with harnesses,
ropes, strops, karabiners and other equipment for
maintaining secure and safe working positions for both
themselves and the saw.
Preparing to use the chainsaw in the tree
The chainsaw should be checked, fuelled, started and
warmed up by the ground worker and the chain brake
should be engaged before it is sent up to the operator in
the tree. The chainsaw should be fitted with a suitable
strop for attaching to the operator's harness:
a) attach the rope around the rope eyelet on the rear of
the chainsaw.
Note! The chainsaw should be attached to the harness by
using chainsaw strop 577 43 80-01 or similar shock
absorbing device.
28 – English
WORKING TECHNIQUES
b) provide suitable karabiners to allow indirect (i.e. via the
strop) and direct attachment (i.e. at the attachment point
on the saw) of saw to the operators harness.
CAUTION! The belt eyelet is not dimensioned for use with
a so-called safety rope. Use the rope eyelet for this
purpose.
c) ensure the saw is securely attached when it is being
sent up to the operator.
d) ensure the saw is secured to the harness before it is
disconnected from the means of ascent.
The chainsaw should only be attached to the
recommended attachment points on the harness. These
may be at mid-point (front or rear) or at the sides. Where
possible attaching the chainsaw to centre rear mid-point
will keep it clear of climbing lines and support its weight
centrally down the operator's spine.
When moving the saw from any attachment point to
another, operators should ensure it is secured in the new
position before releasing it from the previous attachment
point.
Using the chainsaw in the tree
An analysis of accidents with these chainsaws during
tree-service operations shows the primary cause as
being inappropriate one-handed use of the chainsaw. In
the vast majority of accidents, operators fail to adopt a
secure work position witch allows them to hold both
handles of the chainsaw. This results in an increased risk
of injury due to:
• not having a firm grip on the saw if it kicks back.
• a lack of control of the saw such that it is more liable
to contact climbing lines and operators body
(particularly the left hand and arm)
• loosing control from insecure work position resulting
in contact with the saw (unexpected movement during
operation of the saw)