Man kills wife...

[altis]

...with a chain saw...

...by accident.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3534320.stm

How ghastly. Oh, that poor man.

Gosh

What can happen these days in homes, yeesh I don't even want to think about it

[SOSAGES]

that fella is going to find it hard to cope

At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, what the *hell* was the guy thinking of, using a chainsaw up a ladder like that???

Anyone from Health and Safety would probably have had a heart attack just from seeing it! Chainsaws are incredibly dangerous things and should only used with great care on secure and stable platforms and I have to wonder where he got it and what, if any, safety advice he was given with it.

Originally Posted by Graham

At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, what the *hell* was the guy thinking of, using a chainsaw up a ladder like that???

Anyone from Health and Safety would probably have had a heart attack just from seeing it! Chainsaws are incredibly dangerous things and should only used with great care on secure and stable platforms and I have to wonder where he got it and what, if any, safety advice he was given with it.

While this is a horrible and tragic accident, I do agree with graham to a certain extent. Chainsaws are incredibly dangerous, and IMHO should not be sold to members of the public without proof the purchaser has passed the relevant training course (I did the course years ago in the army, but cant mind the name). On the other hand, a trained tree surgeon can and often does use a chainsaw while secured to a tree by a rope, and safety harness. But the main thing is that they are trained to do so.

[MadGamer]

I feel sorry for that poor man. As SOSAGES said, he is going to find it hard to cope.

[Xaccers]

Never having used one, can someone explain a bit to me?
Do they have a trottle or any safety cutout so if you let go it stops the chain?

[MadGamer]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Never having used one, can someone explain a bit to me?
Do they have a trottle or any safety cutout so if you let go it stops the chain?

http://www.mytoolstore.com/milwauke/6215.jpg

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Wayne A

http://www.mytoolstore.com/milwauke/6215.jpg

That's an electric chainsaw, so has a safety trigger.
Why does anyone need a chainsaw for their garden anyway when a bow saw costs so much less, is safer and just as good.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

That's an electric chainsaw, so has a safety trigger.
Why does anyone need a chainsaw for their garden anyway when a bow saw costs so much less, is safer and just as good.

Quite a few of those products actually have 2 cutouts.... you need to have both hands on the equipment and squeeze both cutouts simultaneously to activate it.

My sympathies to the family.

[Theodoric]

Originally Posted by Graham

At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, what the *hell* was the guy thinking of, using a chainsaw up a ladder like that???

Anyone from Health and Safety would probably have had a heart attack just from seeing it! Chainsaws are incredibly dangerous things and should only used with great care on secure and stable platforms and I have to wonder where he got it and what, if any, safety advice he was given with it.

As someone who has used both a petrol and an electrical chainsaw, I can only agree. You only have to catch the blade the wrong way and it will kick back savagely. There is no way I'd use one on a ladder. If cutting the tree required working at height, I'd pay someone to do it professionally.

As an aside, I tried to hire one of those stump shredder devices a few years ago and was told at the tool hire shop that they were so dangerous that they didn't stock them any more. The other tool that I'm only too happy to let someone else operate on my behalf is an angle grinder.

[Matth]

Broke every safety rule in the book, and will have to live with the consequences.

1. Chainsaws are insanely dangerous things, especially as the back of the blade is as dangerous as the front
2. Using one on an inadequate support
3. Nobody should be in the likely drop area, even if NOT using a power tool

The most viscious garden powertool I've used is an electric hedgetrimmer, and even that is a bit frightening. The double grip cutout (must be holding both the trigger and the front grip) would not be fast enough for it to fully stop if I lost my grip on it.


For tougher stuff, an alligator saw is probably a safer option than a chainsaw - and if using electric powertools, DO use an RCCB (used to be called ELCB) safety cutout, to avoid fatal shocks from a cut cable.

[paulyoung666]

it is a shame and i do feel for the bloke , but ...... as mentioned previously he was being incredibly stupid at the same time , mind you i dont think i would have been beneath him either , ok so she may have 'footing' the ladder , i reckon i would have tied the ladder to the tree instead

[MetaWraith]

Originally Posted by Matth

Broke every safety rule in the book, and will have to live with the consequences.

1. Chainsaws are insanely dangerous things, especially as the back of the blade is as dangerous as the front
2. Using one on an inadequate support
3. Nobody should be in the likely drop area, even if NOT using a power tool

The most viscious garden powertool I've used is an electric hedgetrimmer, and even that is a bit frightening. The double grip cutout (must be holding both the trigger and the front grip) would not be fast enough for it to fully stop if I lost my grip on it.

For tougher stuff, an alligator saw is probably a safer option than a chainsaw - and if using electric powertools, DO use an RCCB (used to be called ELCB) safety cutout, to avoid fatal shocks from a cut cable.

Yes i feel sorry for him, and any family, but I have to second (and third & fourth) etc everything Matth said. Never give murphy an even chance.