Workware

Wearing chainsaw protective trousers when using a hand held chainsaw is a legal requirement and is now more or less accepted by responsible users as the correct and sensible thing to do. However, throughout the whole of the forestry and arboricultural industries, there seems to be a great lack of knowledge and understanding of the standards that chainsaw clothing must meet how garments should be maintained and exactly how safe you really are. Unfortunately this lack of knowledge can lead to incorrect information and advice being given. So, let's try and take some of the mystery and myths away and attempt to simply and clearly explain the ins and outs of a garment that is essential to your safety and well being.

 

Lets start with the CE standard and exactly how it works.

 

All chainsaw garments must comply with EN381 and must be certified as doing so by a notified body. The CE standard lays down the exact specification of the garments. There are only five notified bodies throughout the EEC who are licensed to test and issue the certification. The five test houses are located here in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. There isn't a different standard for each country, as some people believe, but one European standard that applies to everyone. Each test house uses the same method for testing. A manufacturer may use any test house, but it is logical that most use the test house closest to them. Occasionally rumours seem to go around the market place that some test houses make it easier to pass than others. This simply is not true. Should any notified body attempt to do something like this, they would very quickly lose their licence. Common sense must show that no-one is going to risk losing their livelihood for no reason, as there is nothing to be gained by making a test easy. Therefore, why would anyone want to do it?

 

To achieve CE certification on chainsaw trousers, four pairs must be submitted for test cuts. The test house selects any three garments at random for cutting. On a type "C" trousers (all round protection), four cuts are made, one each to the front and rear of the legs at an angle of 45 degrees. Each cut must pass. The standard that each cut must achieve is that a chain, which is travelling at a surface speed of 20 metres per second, with a downward force of 15 Newton's, must not touch skin. Different methods may be used to prevent this, deflection or clogging, a combination of methods may also be used. Presuming all twelve cuts are passed, certification is awarded. The three garments which have been cut, plus the garment which hasn't, are then sealed and stored. Should at any time in the future anyone have any doubt as to the authenticity of a garment or its certification, there is full traceability to the actual garments which were tested. This simple procedure is your foolproof guarantee of conformity. From time to time stories abound that a particular brand does not meet the requirements. It is my personal belief that due to the above system, combined with the policing we have in this country by trading standards, no garments certified by the five notified bodies mentioned can be substandard. We have experienced in the past, garments claiming to be certified in other test houses but these were found to be unsafe and they were withdrawn from the market.

 

So despite my total acceptance of the system, are there any anomalies within the system that we should be aware of? The answer is yes, there are. Without doubt there are occasions where interpretation of the standard varies slightly, through translation into different languages. There are also differences in the way the tests are conducted. For example some test houses use a brand new chain prior to each series of test cuts, where others do not. There are differences in the way in which the chain is sharpened during the tests. Re-sharpening by machine or hand may apply, each giving different results.

 

Engtex is one of the leading suppliers of blocking material to garment manufacturers. In controlled cut tests they carried out in May 1998, completely different results were obtained by using chain which had been sharpened by machine, using a round file and using a flat file. I would suspect that whenever someone sharpens a chain by hand, it would probably give a slightly different test result every time. It is also interesting to note that a hand sharpened chain is generally more aggressive than a machine sharpened one, and it is a fact of life that many operators sharpen the chain as aggressively as possible to increase their cutting efficiency.

There are also different methods used to prevent the trousers leg from rotating when being cut. It would also appear that temperature and humidity in the test house can affect the result of cuts. I have first hand knowledge of the difficulty experienced by one test house in actually calibrating their test rig. The standard method of calibration is to use a test pad of protective blocking material. At a speed of nineteen metres per second the chain must not cut through. At a speed of 21 metres it must. I know of an instance where the results of the calibration cuts were exactly the opposite and at 19 metres there was cut through, but at 21 metres there wasn't. I would be surprised if all test houses do not encounter these difficulties. This in no way implies that the test houses do not do their job correctly, but rather the difficulties encountered in establishing uniformity when dealing with fibres.

 

So should we worry about these anomalies and should the test houses be working towards closer uniformity. Firstly, I would suggest that we have nothing to worry about concerning individual safety. The tests are far more aggressive than cuts experienced in the field. However, I do think there should be closer co-operation in testing methods, as this removes confusion at grass roots level. However, I am sure this is going on at a higher level somewhere.

 

Onto maintenance of your chain saw clothing.

 

Unfortunately this is an area which seems to be generally neglected. I have never heard of any college or trainer putting enough emphasis on the topic.

Although it is fairly common knowledge that should you tear the outer fabric on your garment you are allowed to repair it, you must ensure that you do not interfere with the protective layers. On no account should you sew a patch onto the garment with the thread holding the blocking fibres. Patches should be hand stitched to the outer fabric only. We regularly see garments where the stitching has been done on a sewing machine. If you stitch in the blocking material you will significantly affect its ability to stop the saw.

 

We also occasionally see garments which have been burned by saw exhausts with complaints about melted fabric etc. It should be made plain and clear, that heat has a huge detrimental effect to the blocking fibres ability to stop a saw. If you have burned your trousers, sorry but my advice is throw them away, they will not give you the protection you require and its false security to wear them.

To maintain the protective properties of your chainsaw clothing, they should be washed regularly. Although I am unaware of any tests being done in this country to examine the effects of oil on chain saw clothing, I am aware of a report on the subject, which was published in the Journal of Forest Engineering in New Zealand. The conclusion of the report states that "chainsaw garments which were exposed to even the smallest amount of oil, comprehensively failed cut tests". I believe that much more awareness needs to be made on this subject, to encourage better maintenance of garments. Other factors also affecting chain saw garments are sap and resin. So, wash your clothing regularly.

 

Unfortunately, we now open another minefield. Can you machine wash your garments? Make sure you check the label first. To remove as much oil and dirt as possible from your trousers, the hotter the wash the better the result you will get. Again check the label, some garments can only be washed at 40 degrees whereas some can be washed at 60 degrees, which obviously removes more oil. After washing, can you spin dry? Check the label, some garments can be and some can't, as this may move the blocking material. Some manufacturers recommend that you stretch the garment after washing to re-align the blocking material; with other manufacturers this is not needed. So again the simple answer is, don't just listen to what you're told, read the labels.

 

So how safe is your chain saw clothing.

 

As mentioned previously, to achieve the required class 1 protection on chainsaw clothing, tests are done at 20 metres per second cutting speed. Yet, many machines exceed this speed considerably. So why do we have the lower speed for the clothing standard? The answer to this is simple. Since the introduction of the CE standard in 1995, the technology to produce more efficient machines has moved faster than the technology to make clothing to suit. Some manufacturers now offer trousers to class 2 standards which is 24m/sec but naturally these cost more and hence there is a resistance to buy. It would be interesting to find out what would happen if a company issued an employee with a pair of trousers class1 and a machine running at over 20m/sec and the employee then had an accident. The outcome of the possible legal action may shake the industry.

Anyway, to progress further, the CE standard does state, "No personal protective equipment can ensure 100% protection against cutting from a hand-held chain saw". In the majority of accidents, well-maintained garments do stop the saw. If there is a cut through due to many factors, there will be a significant reduction in the injury. Occasionally when a kick back occurs, the garment stops the rotation of the saw, but the impact forces the teeth through the blocking material giving puncture wounds. No garment can protect from this. Despite all of this, you cannot beat safe working practice and good old common sense.

 

Finally, how should you select your chainsaw clothing?

Firstly, the price, this is always an emotive issue, everyone would love to have protective clothing at half the price they're paying, last twice as long as it does and feel like your wearing jogging bottoms. Sorry, this just isn't going to happen. With the current manufacturing methods, the materials that are used and the stringent inspections etc, which all manufacturers must adhere to, prices are not likely to fall. Some companies may look at manufacturing in Eastern Europe or the Far East to take advantage of cheaper labour, but this may affect continuity of quality. Instead of simply looking at the purchase price, rather consider the value. Cost, comfort, durability and wear life are the factors that are important, products that have a higher purchase price may end up being the cheapest overall. Look at the future maintenance of the garment and select a product that is going to be easier to maintain. Look at the comfort factors built into the product, its fit, sizing, weight, flexibility and thickness. These vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Ask about the retained heat of the garment, obviously the cooler the garment is to wear, the more comfortable the product, don't just ask for opinion, ask for fact. Be more demanding with your supplier. If you aren't offered the choice you would expect or are not given factual answers to your questions, change suppliers. If you aren't sure the information you're given is correct, ask to see it in black and white. The majority of retailers are good people, but some may give advice based on the profitability of the product. Being more discerning in your purchasing does you and the industry big favours. If a current market leader starts to lose their share of the market because you find more acceptable products, they will have to improve their own or suffer the consequences. Look for the manufacturers who dare to be innovative, or the ones who are prepared to listen to your problems and react, these are the ones who will lead the industry. Good honest competition is a great catalyst for improving product and controlling prices. This is your industry; make sure your voice is heard.