Chainsaw Safety In/On Water: A Training Program Overview

Save for American Trails – Best Trails State

1963 - 2013

Minnesota State Parks and Trails

State Parks, Recreation Areas and Waysides

Biomes

State Forest Campgrounds and

Day-use Areas

State Trails

State Water Trails

Pine Forests

Hardwood Forests

Tallgrass Prairies

Tallgrass Aspen Parkland

Minnesotans Love Their Water

69,200 miles Rivers and Streams

11,842 lakes

Mississippi River headwaters

World’s largest freshwater lake

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

2,889 public water accesses

First and largest Water Trails system in the nation

Minnesota is…

#1 in U.S. in Boats per Capita

#2 in U.S. in Number of Registered Boats (809,138)

© Rolf Hagberg Photography

First and Largest Water Trail System in the Nation

33 State Water Trails

4,529 miles

662 Public Accesses

411 Campsites

337 Rest Areas

124 Portages

1963 Bread = 22 ¢ Gas = 29 ¢ House = $3,160 MN Rivers = 15,000 miles 4 Canoe & Boating Routes (777 miles)

2013 Bread = $1.98 Gas = $3.91 House = $263,200 MN Rivers = 69,200 miles 33 State Water Trails (4,529 miles)

Early Advocates Clyde and Shirley Ryberg

Paddling Theater: 6 act play on the Minnesota River

2013 Totals

• 130,296 Canoes

• 56,990 Kayaks

• 26% of Watercraft

FY13 Water Recreation Fund = $18,202,429

$10,788,435

$3,104,263

$1,081,690

$1,149,188 $696,947

Parks and Trails

Enforcement

Enforcement/Grants

Ecological Resources

Fish Mgmt

Clean Water, Land and Legacy Fund

14.25%

19.75%

33%

33%

2008 Constitutional Amendment 3/8% sales tax increase for 25 years Fiscal Year 2013

$288,100,000

Interactive Water Trail Map

www.mndnr.gov/watertrails

Free Maps

Photo by Brian Peterson

•Curriculum-based

•20 cities by 2020

Since 1989:

3,300 Cleanups 90,000 Volunteers 11,500 Miles 6.2 million Pounds

Adopt a River

© Rolf Hagberg Photography

Work began in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and continues today

Snag/Obstruction Relocation

Balancing Public Safety and Habitat Protection

© Rolf Hagberg Photography

© Rolf Hagberg Photography

Training Curriculum Components

½ Day Classroom Training

75 page manual

Policy, Job Safety Analyses

PowerPoint (embedded audio)

5 Written Quizzes

2 Day Field Training

Instructor Guide

Lesson Plan

Skills Evaluation Form

Policy Development

•Searched nationwide for safety policies and training curriculum, including the RMS listserv.

•1983 Wildlife Society/American Fisheries Society Stream Obstruction Removal Guidelines

•Far more materials available on putting wood into the water.

•Policy covers:

•Use of chainsaws & other power equipment over water and ice •Mandatory safety equipment •Purpose/goals of relocation

Policy Highlights

•Focus on balancing habitat protection and public safety navigation

•“Relocation” of woody habitat

•Minimum 10’ wide clear channel, but not bank to bank

•Advanced Chainsaw Training prerequisite •Awareness of minimized escape routes

•Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements

Chainsaw Safety In/On Water Written in 2010 by Ben Dickinson and Erik Wrede

Training Objective:

To teach students how to operate

chainsaws, boats, and related

equipment safely and efficiently.

Course Outline Unit 1: Safety

Unit 2: Anatomy of Woody Obstructions

Unit 3: Operating a Chainsaw in Water

Unit 4: Boat Management

Unit 5: Risk Analysis and Planning

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Hard helmet (face shield

recommended)

Safety Glasses

Consider polarized ones

Hearing protection PFD

Doubles as highway vest

Chainsaw chaps/pants

Safety-toed, cut resistant

boots

Wading Hazards: What Do You See?

Current

Current Direction

Rushing water

Tripping Hazards

Cutting from Downstream

Using a Saw From a Boat

Hazards:

Crowded workspace

Proximity to

coworkers

Lots of gear

Slick footing

Using a Saw From a Boat (Cont.)

Hazards:

Limited escape route

Moving work platform

Mitigating Boat Hazards (Cont.) Never tie boat to

the obstruction

Approach from downstream

Avoid working directly over or under a log

Steady the boat while cutting

Obstruction Formation

Leaning or falling trees collect floating material.

Debris usually piles up in river

bends.

Over time, these problems may cause an obstruction of the entire

river.

Single-Trunk Trees Often leaning over river

Can be partially submerged, flush with water level

Usually are simple

Channels With Trees Across Both Banks

Usually from river changing course (oxbows)

Can be deep, with fast current

Can have extreme tension/compression

Usually medium-large trees

Large, Multi-Trunk Trees Overhead limbs are

extremely dangerous

Supported by “kickstand” branches

Rolling and falling threat

Often Silver Maple or Cottonwood

Logjams Can be intimidating

due to amount of different wood, debris

Scour hole/deep water

Form on river bends more frequently

Be aware of where re-located material is going

Logjams: What Do You See?

Current Direction

Anchoring Logs

Large anchoring

logs

Debris

Accumulated junk and small woody debris

Organic matter turning to soil

Erosion

New tree

fallen from

eroded bank

Highly eroded bank on the

outside bend

Compression and Tension Factors Multiple forces act upon

wood in rivers, such as:

Current

Gravity

Hidden “Y” branches

Condition of the wood

Example of Compression/Tension

Characteristics of Dead Wood

Dead wood can sink or float, depending on condition

Still carries tension

Brittle, reacts suddenly

Compression hard to detect

Live Wood Characteristics

More expressive than dead wood

Reacts more predictably

Floats but not extremely buoyant

Can carry a lot of tension

Compression and Tension Factors: What Do You See?

Buoyancy of dead wood

Buoyancy

Potential for Y Branch

Possible underwater

Y?

Current

Current pushing downstream

toward sawyer

Gravity

Gravity pulls log

down

Dealing With the Rooster Tail

BAD: Soaking the boat and coworkers with water.

GOOD: Aim it away from the boat by utilizing a different position.

Getting Maximum Cutting Power

WRONG:

• Powerhead almost submerged.

• Bogging down, low power.

CORRECT: The bar is inserted only as far into the water as needed.

Looser Chain Tension

More friction from water than air

Chain contracts in cool water

Loosen chain when cutting in water

Tighten chain when cutting above water

Check chain tension frequently

Approach from Downstream

Material floats away, downstream

Can release hold to drift away (escape route)

Conclusion of Unit 5 Water Trails work can be dangerous and often requires

technical and difficult work.

Work will be challenging, teamwork is a must.

Always think safety first – don’t do anything you aren’t comfortable doing.

Have fun!

Please take the last quiz at this time.

Sample Quiz Question

Which of the following will help get maximum cutting power when the bar is submerged?

A. Revving the throttle before inserting the bar

B. Sharpening the teeth to a more severe angle than for cutting above water

C. Using biodegradable bar lubricant

D. Only inserting the bar as far as necessary

E. Both A & D

(651) 259-5624 erik.wrede@state.mn.us