Skip to content

Chainsaw Safety Training and Techniques

This workshop focuses on safe chainsaw use, so is applicable to experienced as well as new sawyers. We
teach using either the National Park Service curriculum or the Nation Forest Service curriculum,
depending on class needs.

Training includes:
• Familiarity with the parts of the saw and safety features
• Required personal protective gear (PPE)
• Understanding the forces of a running chainsaw and the forces present in the wood
• Hazard analysis and mitigation, including the physical environment and human factors
• Chainsaw basic maintenance and chain sharpening
• Hands-on practice with blowdown scenarios, from simple to complex, and how to gauge complexity

Time: Three to four days depending on the curriculum. One half-day in the classroom with a slide show, a half-day for saw maintenance, then sawing outside for hands-on practice for the balance of the time
Facilities and site features needed: Classroom space, work bay space, and area with trees in which to work. PPE*, saws, and saw equipment for the crew
Class size: Up to eight

Basic PPE required for rigging workshops:
• hardhats
• safety glasses
• sturdy work boots (steel toe preferred)
• work gloves with dexterity

National Park Service CSMO class. Bore Cuts. Chainsaw training.
National Park Service Chainsaw CSMO class. Teaching bore cuts.
Chainsaw training teaching maintenance and chain sharpening
Teaching chainsaw maintenance and chain sharpening.
Chainsaw training class - Spring pole mitigation.
Teaching chainsaw techniques for spring pole mitigations.
The key stone bucking cut.
Teaching chainsaw techniques: the keystone bucking cut.
Key stone cut completed.
The keystone bucking cut completed.
Chainsaw training class teaching felling cut for leaners.
Techniques: the felling cut for leaning or hung up trees
Chainsaw training workshop, Forrest Service curriculum
Chainsaw training workshop, National Forrest Service curriculum. Tailgate safety talk before starting field class.
NPS working faller student in chainsaw training workshop.
Chainsaw class student practicing felling cuts, National Park Service Working Faller program.
NPS Working faller class. Testing face notch.
Chainsaw class student practicing felling cuts, National Park Service Working Faller program. Testing the face notch angle..
Wedges holding log to stump for face notch practice, NPS Working Faller Chainsaw Training Class.
Chainsaw class, National Park Service Working Faller program. Using wedges to secure a practice log to a stump.
Town maintenance staff in chainsaw class practicing bucking cut.

Evaluations

Chainsaw Training participants are enthusiastic about what they learn.