CTSP Chainsaw Use and PPE 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What chainsaw maintenance task must be performed every time the chain is sharpened?
- Replace the drive sprocket
- Check and adjust the depth gauge (raker) height (Correct answer)
- Replace the guide bar
- Flush the oil reservoir
Correct answer: Check and adjust the depth gauge (raker) height
Depth gauges must be checked and filed down periodically as the cutters are sharpened, because if gauges become too tall relative to cutters, cutting efficiency drops and kickback risk can increase.
Question 2: According to ANSI Z133, what is the minimum distance ground workers must maintain from a felling tree's potential strike zone?
- Equal to the tree's height
- Twice the tree's height (Correct answer)
- Half the tree's height
- 10 feet regardless of tree height
Correct answer: Twice the tree's height
ANSI Z133 requires bystanders to be at least twice the tree's height away from the felling zone to account for bounce, roll, and unexpected fall direction.
Question 3: Chainsaw-resistant gloves (cut-resistant) protect against incidental contact but are NOT designed to stop a direct:
- Flying wood chip
- Full-speed chainsaw blade contact (Correct answer)
- Thorn or sharp bark
- Cold temperature exposure
Correct answer: Full-speed chainsaw blade contact
Cut-resistant gloves provide protection against incidental chain contact and abrasions but cannot stop a direct, full-speed chainsaw cut — they are supplemental protection only.
Question 4: The OSHA Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) applies to chainsaw fuel because bar-and-chain oil and gasoline mixtures are:
- Biological hazards
- Hazardous chemicals requiring SDS documentation (Correct answer)
- Regulated only under EPA rules
- Exempt from labeling if used outdoors
Correct answer: Hazardous chemicals requiring SDS documentation
Fuels and lubricants are hazardous chemicals under HazCom, requiring Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and proper labeling wherever they are used or stored.
Question 5: When operating a chainsaw on a slope, the arborist should position themselves:
- Directly uphill of the cutting zone
- To the side and slightly uphill (Correct answer)
- Directly downhill for better leverage
- Perpendicular to the slope at all times
Correct answer: To the side and slightly uphill
Standing to the side and slightly uphill keeps the operator out of the path of a rolling log or kickback while maintaining stable footing.
Question 6: What is 'reactive forces' in chainsaw terminology?
- The chain tension maintained by the bar sprocket
- Forces including kickback, pushback, and pull-in that can cause loss of control (Correct answer)
- The vibration feedback through the handles
- Oil pressure that lubricates the bar groove
Correct answer: Forces including kickback, pushback, and pull-in that can cause loss of control
Reactive forces — kickback (upward rotation), pushback (saw thrust backward), and pull-in (saw pulled forward) — are the three dangerous force reactions that can cause the operator to lose control.
Question 7: Chainsaw PPE boots should meet which standard for cut protection?
- ASTM F2413 with cut-resistant protection (Correct answer)
- ANSI Z41 general footwear standard only
- OSHA 1910.136 standard for electrical hazards
- Steel-toed only, no chainsaw-specific rating needed
Correct answer: ASTM F2413 with cut-resistant protection
Chainsaw-protective boots must meet ASTM F2413 with the appropriate cut-resistance rating to protect against accidental chainsaw contact to the foot.
CTSP Chainsaw Use and PPE 4
What chainsaw maintenance task must be performed every time the chain is sharpened?