Efco GST 360 Manuel D'utilisation Et D'entretien page 33

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 saw in the tree
The chainsaw should checked, fuelled, started
and warmed up by the ground worker 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
(Fig. 16):
a) choke the strop around the attachment point
on the rear of the saw (Fig. 21);
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;
c) ensure the saw is securely attached when it is
being sent up to the operator;
d) ensure the saw it secured to the harness
before it is disconnected from the means of
ascent.
The possibility to attach the unit on the operators
belt greatly reduces the risk of machine damage
during aerial work. Stop the machine when it is
attached to the operator.
The saw 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 saw to centre
rear mid-point will keep it clear of climbing lines
and support its weight centrally down the
operator's spine (Fig. 17).
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 saws during
tree service operations shows the primary cause
as being inappropriate one-handed use of the
saw. In the vast majority of accidents, operators
fail to adopt a secure work position which allows
them to hold both handles of the saw. 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)
- losing control from insecure work position
resulting in contact with the saw (unexpected
movement during operation of the saw)
Securing the work position for two-handed
use
To allow the operator to hold the saw with both
hands, they should as general rule, aim for secure
work position where they are operating the saw
at:
- hip level when cutting horizontal sections;
- solar plexus level when cutting vertical
sections.
Where the operator is working close into vertical
stems with a low lateral forces on their work
position, then a good footing may be all that is
needed to maintain a secure work position.
However as operators move away from the stem,
they will need to take steps to remove or
counteract the increasing lateral forces by, for
example, a re-direct of the main line via a
supplementary anchor point or using an
adjustable strop direct from the harness to a
supplementary anchor point (Fig. 18).
Gaining a good footing at the working position
can be assisted by use of a temporary foot stirrup
created from an endless sling (Fig. 19).
Starting the saw in the tree
When starting the saw in the tree, the operator
should:
a) apply the chain brake before starting;
b) hold saw on either the left or right of the body
when starting:
1) on the left side hold the saw with either the
left hand on the front handle or the right hand
on the rear handle and thrust the saw away
from the body while holding the pull starter
cord in the other hand;
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