Blackout continuity · Generator, workshop and machines · continuity-13

Cut and process firewood safely

With no fire or ambulance service, a chainsaw injury becomes life threatening. Treat firewood work as the most dangerous routine job on the estate.

How

Get trained before you rely on a chainsaw. Arkansas Extension advises reading the manual, watching an experienced operator, then using the saw under supervision.
Wear full chainsaw PPE. HSE lists: helmet (BS EN 397 or 14052 for ground work), mesh visor (BS EN 1731), hearing protection (BS EN 352), chainsaw gloves (BS EN 381-7), leg protection (BS EN 381-5) and chainsaw boots (BS EN ISO 17249).
Expect kickback and use saws with chain brakes and low-kickback chains (OSHA). Never cut directly overhead; OSHA treats work above shoulder height as higher risk, for trained users only.
Start the saw on the ground with the brake on, and engage the brake when carrying it more than 50 feet (OSHA).
Never work alone (OSHA), and keep bystanders at least 30 feet away when limbing or bucking (Arkansas Extension). In a blackout, someone must be able to apply first aid and call for help (see the medical module).
For log splitters, HSE warns of finger amputations: keep guards and two-hand controls working, never jam a control, and allow only one operator.
Keep hand tools as a fallback: bow saw, felling axe, splitting maul and wedges. Season wood before burning (see thermal module).

Safety: Chainsaw cuts to legs and hands can cause fatal bleeding. Keep a bleeding control kit on site.

Chainsaw personal protective equipment (PPE). Health and Safety Executive (UK), accessed 2026-11
Chain saw safety fact sheet. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, accessed 2026-11
Risks to users from firewood processing machines. Health and Safety Executive (UK), accessed 2026-11
FSA-1009 Chain saw safety. University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, accessed 2026-11