National Chainsaw Workshop Kickback Injury 2026

On a clear spring morning in the mountains of northern California, a group of C-Evaluators and U.S. Forest Service Regional Saw Program Managers were gathered for the final day of a national saw workshop.

After sizing up the tree, the faller verbalized the elements of the OHLEC process (a standardized five-step safety and risk assessment framework for tree felling) to the two evaluators. His plan was to take the tree straight downslope (aligned with the primary head lean) into an open lay. He would utilize a double Humboldt face cut using a Stihl 500i chainsaw equipped with a 28-inch bar. The bole of the tree had a distinctly oval shape with the long axis oriented parallel to the slope.

The faller fired up his saw and completed his initial cuts without issue. After knocking out the “pie”-shaped section and cleaning up the face cut, he elected to perform a boring cut straight through the hinge and into the center of the tree. His intent was to remove wood from the middle of the tree to ensure that he had adequate bar length to complete his planned double back cut from the uphill side.

First, the faller verbalizes his intent to “bore the guts” to the evaluators. He then steps downslope in front of the tree, lifts the powerhead and throttles up the saw. As he begins his boring cut, his right hand holds the throttle handle with a palm-down (pronated) grip. His left hand is located near the lower corner of the handlebar with a slightly supinated grip. The kickback occurs almost immediately.

The bar swung back and slammed into the sawyer's right shoulder.