In light of golfer Greg Norman’s chainsaw accident over the weekend, Dr. Stephen Drukker, hand and wrist specialist with The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group, was interviewed by WOAI Radio regarding power tool safety this morning.
Norman was using a chainsaw to trim tree branches when the weight of a branch pulled his hand toward the blade. According to Dr. Drukker, homeowners have a tendency to get so familiar with common power tools like chainsaws and lawnmowers that they forget the power these items have. “I think we get comfortable with the chain saw, we work over our head, we lean off the ladder when we use the chain saw.” About 400,000 people make visits to the ER every year with injuries related to househole power tools.
Safety tips for chainsaw use include:
- Maintain secure footing.
- Wear protective gloves and eyewear.
- Never disable an automatic shut off switch.
- Avoid using the chainsaw above your head if possible. If you must use it above your head, try to cut to the side of your body instead of directly above.
- Keep the chainsaw blade cleaned and sharpened to reduce the amount of energy you have to use to get the tool to work.
Check out the full interview here: https://woai.iheart.com/articles/woai-local-news-sponsored-by-five-119078/greg-norman-chain-saw-injury-a-12771939/
Dr. Stephen Drukker is a board certified hand and wrist surgeon with The San Antonio Orthopaedid Group. He treats patients of all ages for conditions of the hand and wrist and has a special interest in endoscopic carpal tunnel release, arthritis, and Dupuytren’s Contracture release. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Drukker, please call 210-281-9595.
