Chainsaw Course

Lesson 1 • Chainsaw Types and Applications

Covers gas, battery, and electric chainsaw categories and their appropriate use cases. Connects equipment selection to job efficiency and safety outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of a Chainsaw

Identifies every major component and its function, from engine to chain brake. Builds the vocabulary needed for maintenance, troubleshooting, and safe operation.

Lesson 3 • Regulatory and Industry Safety Standards

Introduces occupational safety regulations, employer duties, and industry best-practice standards governing chainsaw use. Ensures operators understand their legal and professional obligations.

Lesson 4 • Hazard Recognition and Risk Assessment

Trains operators to identify site, equipment, and environmental hazards before starting work. Establishes a systematic risk-assessment habit central to the entire course.

Lesson 1 • Chain Sharpening Techniques

Teaches manual and mechanical sharpening methods to maintain optimal cutting performance. A sharp chain reduces kickback risk and operator fatigue throughout the workday.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Start Safety Inspection

Walks through a structured pre-start checklist covering chain tension, brake function, and fuel levels. Directly prevents equipment failures that cause injuries during operation.

Lesson 3 • Storage and Transport Safety

Details safe procedures for draining fuel, fitting scabbards, and securing saws during transport. Prevents accidental starts, fuel spills, and chain contact injuries off-site.

Lesson 4 • Chain and Bar Replacement

Covers safe removal, inspection, and installation of chains and guide bars. Proper replacement procedures prevent chain derailment and bar damage during cutting.

Lesson 1 • Starting Procedures on the Ground

Teaches the drop-start prohibition and approved ground-start methods for gas and battery saws. Correct starting technique eliminates a leading cause of leg lacerations.

Lesson 2 • Grip, Stance, and Body Positioning

Establishes the two-handed grip, balanced stance, and body alignment required for controlled cutting. Correct posture reduces fatigue and keeps the operator outside the cutting plane.

Lesson 3 • Throttle Control and Chain Brake Use

Develops precise throttle management and instinctive chain brake activation as core operational reflexes. These skills are the primary active defenses against kickback injury.

Lesson 1 • Responding to Kickback Events

Prepares operators to react correctly if kickback occurs, including body bracing and brake activation. Rapid correct response minimizes injury when prevention fails.

Lesson 2 • Kickback Physics and Causes

Explains the rotational and linear kickback mechanisms triggered by nose contact and pinching. Understanding the physics enables operators to anticipate and avoid triggering events.

Lesson 3 • Anti-Kickback Chain and Bar Features

Identifies low-kickback chain designs, reduced-kickback bars, and chain brake systems that limit injury severity. Equipment selection is the first line of passive kickback defense.

Lesson 1 • Wood Tension and Compression Principles

Explains how internal wood stress determines safe cut direction and sequence. Misreading tension causes bar pinching, loss of control, and saw damage.

Lesson 2 • Bucking Logs on the Ground

Teaches the three-cut bucking method and safe positioning for cutting felled logs into sections. Correct bucking sequence prevents bar pinching and log rolling hazards.

Lesson 3 • Limbing Felled Trees

Covers safe limb removal sequence, footing on the log, and managing spring-loaded branches. Proper limbing clears the work area and reduces trip and strike hazards.

Lesson 4 • Cutting Accuracy and Efficiency

Develops precision cutting habits that reduce waste, rework, and unnecessary saw wear. Accuracy drills reinforce the controlled technique required for advanced felling work.

Lesson 1 • Felling Wedges and Mechanical Aids

Explains how plastic and aluminum wedges, hand winches, and pull lines assist directional control. Mechanical aids are essential for off-lean trees and confined-space felling.

Lesson 2 • Felling Notch Techniques

Teaches open-face, conventional, and Humboldt notch types and their effect on fall direction control. Notch selection and accuracy directly determine where the tree lands.

Lesson 3 • Back Cut and Hinge Wood

Covers back-cut placement, hinge width calculation, and holding wood function to guide the fall. Correct hinge wood preserves directional control throughout the tree's descent.

Lesson 4 • Escape Route Execution and Post-Fall Safety

Drills the 45-degree escape route movement and post-fall hazard awareness including widow-makers. Correct retreat and post-fall checks complete every felling operation safely.

Lesson 1 • Storm Damage and Tension Wood

Teaches assessment and cutting sequences for wind-thrown, split, and root-sprung trees under extreme tension. Storm-damaged trees present unpredictable stored energy requiring specialized techniques.

Lesson 2 • Slope and Hillside Operations

Addresses footing, log-roll hazards, and modified escape routes for chainsaw work on slopes. Slope work requires adjusted body positioning and heightened situational awareness.

Lesson 3 • Working Alone and Remote Site Safety

Defines check-in protocols, communication devices, and self-rescue planning for solo chainsaw operators. Lone workers must implement additional safeguards to compensate for the absence of immediate assistance.

Lesson 4 • Working Near Structures and Utilities

Covers risk assessment and communication protocols when felling near buildings, fences, and power lines. Proximity to infrastructure demands additional planning and coordination with utility providers.

Lesson 1 • Scene Safety and Calling for Help

Establishes scene-safety priorities, emergency call procedures, and site access preparation for responders. A safe scene and accurate information accelerate professional medical response.

Lesson 2 • Struck-By and Falling Object Injuries

Addresses assessment and first aid for head, spine, and limb injuries from falling branches and logs. Struck-by events are a leading cause of serious injury in chainsaw operations.

Lesson 3 • Recognizing and Controlling Severe Bleeding

Teaches direct pressure, wound packing, and tourniquet application for chainsaw lacerations. Rapid hemorrhage control is the single most critical first-aid skill for chainsaw operators.

Lesson 4 • Post-Incident Procedures and Reporting

Covers incident documentation, equipment quarantine, and regulatory notification requirements after a chainsaw injury. Thorough reporting supports investigation, prevention, and legal compliance.