Many people wrongly feel that protective equipment is just something that novices use. The more experienced users of chainsaws do not need them. This is totally false. Even professional loggers use protective equipment, and do so because of one reason only. It safeguards them from injuries.
Of course this does not mean that you go swathed from head to toe whenever you want to use your chainsaw, but rudimentary precautions are essential.
Safety hat - This is so that you don't get a knock on your own head. There can be a number of reasons why you may be in danger of falling objects, and if you are to concentrate solely on your cutting, you need to be sure that your head is safe. A hard hat will ensure this.
Gloves - They are not only for style. Your hands are the part of your body that is nearest to the chainsaw which means that they are the most in danger of getting injured by splinters. Even though most manufacturers say that the they have designed their chainsaws to minimize this from happening, there is no way that they can prevent it entirely. Having gloves will ensure that your hands are protected.
Plus your gloves will help you get a good grip on your chainsaw. When you are using it for some time, your palms will sweat, with the risk of you not being able to hold on to the saw properly. The gloves will negate any problems that arise out of sweaty palms.
Protective eyewear - This is most important because your eyes are the single most precious organ in the body, and a stray splinter can injure your eye to such an extent that it can cause permanent damage. Simple, all enveloping goggles are available that will do a good job of keeping these chips away from your eyes.
Boots - Don't use your chainsaw unless you have good boots that give you a firm footing. Sneakers are good as long as you are running along the ground, but are really not meant to be used when you do this kind of work. You need something that has hard, knobbly soles that will grip the ground properly so that you don't slip and fall while operating the chainsaw.
Earmuffs - Unless you want to get hard of hearing earmuffs are a good idea as it will protect your ears from damage.
Apart from these there are other optional pieces of equipment that you can wear.
Vest - The vest will protect you from flying splinters to the body. While many people may feel that they don't need one, the long and short of it is that it does protect you. Wearing one, especially with full sleeves will ensure that your arms, the portion that is not covered by the gloves too are protected. You could of course also use a leather jacket if you have one lying around.
Chaps - They provide the same thing for your legs. Considering that most of the time you will be bracing the chainsaw against your thigh or hip, your legs are the second most vulnerable to injury after your hands. Although most of us will wear thick jeans, an extra layer of protection in the form of chaps will not hurt anyone.
