HSA prioritises safety during storm clean-up

With Storm Éowyn passing through the country, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has been urging the immediate clean-up operation be left with the emergency services and professional operators who have the necessary competence to undertake the work safely

Chainsaw risks

The HSA strongly prefers only trained and competent operators equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to handle chainsaws, the primary equipment required to remove fallen trees and branches. Some of the key recommendations for using chainsaws include:

• Only experienced personnel who have the necessary training should be allowed to handle a chainsaw.
• Conducting a risk assessment is necessary prior to starting any chainsaw work.
• Wearing the necessary protective gear such as helmets, eye protection, specialist chainsaw gloves and leg protection, and steel-toe boots are mandatory while taking part in clean-up operations.
• Chainsaws need to be appropriately maintained and include functioning chain brakes and sharp blades.
• Operations must be carried out in groups rather than individually.

Kickback is one of the more common causes of serious chainsaw injury. The kickback zone is at the top tip of the chainsaw bar and may occur when the moving chain at the nose or tip of the bar touches an object such as a branch or a log. If this happens, it can cause a rapid upward motion of the bar back towards the operator who may suffer a very serious or fatal injury.

Recommendations for safe use

For the safe use of chainsaw, appropriate training is necessary. Chainsaw courses with various levels of training are available. For example, a basic chainsaw course covering the felling of small trees will be five days in duration. Shorter courses (two days) which only cover chainsaw maintenance and cross cutting of felled timber are also available. However, these do not effectively demonstrate the techniques required for felling trees safely. Therfore, prior to undertaking any trainings, particular training requirements need to be discussed with an accredited chainsaw training provider. 

Persons undergoing chainsaw training must be adequately supervised. They should also be closely supervised post training until such time as they are experienced and fully competent. They should always complete a pre-task risk assessment. Similarly, farmers who wish to use a chainsaw for such tasks as clearing fallen branches and pruning trees to maintain clearance for machines on their land should complete full certified chainsaw training. Before attempting even small tasks, farmers must complete a risk assessment to ensure appropriate control measures are put in place.

In case of fallen or storm-damaged trees, the HSA advises personnel to follow certain a code of conduct. These include:

• Approaching fallen trees with caution, particularly those that are entangled with power lines. 
• In case of doubt, assume all cables are lve and report to ESB Networks.

If required to work from roofs or elevated structures, HSA urges workers to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Working during extreme weather conditions should be strictly avoided for safety reasons.
• Using proper fall protection equipment, including harnesses and lanyards.
• Ensuring ladders and equipment are secure and placed on stable surfaces.
• Avoiding overreaching or overloading ladders, and having a spotter present whenever possible.
• Engaging qualified professionals for tasks involving complex or hazardous heights. 

“If you don’t have the proper training or equipment to safely use a chainsaw, don’t take the risk and instead engage with emergency and professional services," said chief Inspector with the HSA, Mark Cullen. "Farmers in particular may be tempted to deal with fallen trees on their land or on adjoining roads. Personal safety must be the main priority and I strongly urge only those with the necessary skills to undertake work with chainsaws”.