12 Year Old in Chain Saw Contest

[Shotgun]

The Festival of the Pines in Lake City, Michigan this past weekend featured a lumberjack competition, one part of which was a chain sawing contest in which a 12 year old participated. No protective clothing, hearing protection, safety glasses, or shoes were in evidence in the accompanying picture.  It's amazing in these times that the organizers or sponsors would allow this youngster or other youngsters to be involved. Also, wonder what on earth the parents were thinking.

The article in the Traverse City Record Eagle said that teams of men and women vied for trophies. The prize in the chainsaw contest was a new chainsaw.  Is this youngster's participation unbelievable or am I off the edge?  I provided comments to the Record Eagle suggesting disbelief that the organizers and parents would permit this, and that the Record Eagle would feature it on their page 3.

Any thoughts?

[Kevin]

She/He has chaps, can't see the glasses or ear plugs if any.

[Stephen_Wiley]

Do you suppose it is due to the 'stupified' sense that a majority of people have come to think it is someone elses responsibility ?

After all we fine most adults for not wearing a seat belt, while their kids bounce and are tossed about in public school buses.

We allow a President to refuse to subject to the supreme courts demands. Saying that character does not matter. Yet call into question the conduct of the current President.

Seems to be a lot of double standards in application, when you begin to look.

I cannot tell if the kid has on styrafoam ear plugs............but he should definately been stopped from proceeding without eye protection.  :(

[Jason_WI]

When my grandpa was 12 he was sent to the fields to blast out stumps with dynamite. If a parent did that today they would be put in jail and the kids taken away.

At least the kid is wearing chaps. That was probably the only requirement for competition was to wear chaps.

Jason

[Jeff]

I guess I have mixed emotions on this one. Probably because when My boy was 12 I was scared to let him use pliers. :D Just not the mechanical type.

When I was 13 I was changing motors in cars.

[Frickman]

Shotgun,

I don't think you are going overboard. If I was personally involved in the show, noone under 18 could participate. But I may be a hypocrite for saying that, as I was cutting post timber at twelve years old. Of course, I grew up in a timber family and you went to the woods at a young age and learned on the job. It is scary though at the lack of safety equipment we had back then. Things have come a long way.

The last four or five years there has been a lumberjack competition held in our hometown. The first day includes some amateur events, in which I entered the first year. All that was required to enter was to sign your name on a list. No liablity releases or questions of your ability. This included the chain saw events. The only required safety equipment was chaps which they provided if you didn't have your own. Anyone could walk up and run a Stihl 044, no questions asked. Well, I competed in the events I signed up for, and left the grounds soon after. I haven't been back since, as my attendance would say that I condone such reckless behavior on the part of the show organizers.

[David_c]

i went to 2 luberjack events this year with one of my girls first one was first rate everone wore all ppe second one was not some wore gear most did'nt angela noticed and thoght they where nuts me to.

[Ianab]

Off the subject of chainsaws, but about kids competing in potentially dangerous events. We have a bit of debate going on here about kids in motorsport. Legally they are allowed to race on the track here from 12 years old, but this would be after at least a couple of years racing go-karts. It came about after an up and coming 15 year old was killed in a freak crash. The class he was racing in is considered 'safe' and a good way for drivers to get into serious racing. Formula Ford is open wheeler single seat racers with fairly standard 1600cc engines, but can still reach over 200kph  
But I guess the kid could probably drive better than me, and it's the sort off accident that could happen to anyone of any age. Interestingly enough, the Stats show that you are more likely to get killed sking or horse riding.
Regarding the kids and chainsaws... the age isn't the issue, but does he have physical ability to control the saw, has he had training and is he using the right safety gear?
Dont wrap your kids in cotton wool all their lives, but make sure they have the training and correct safety gear for what they are doing

Just my 50cents  worth  ;)

[DanManofStihl]

I dont know about letting the kid run a saw in the competions when I was 12 I had my very first saw a $100.00 dollar poulan 2375 wildthing That saw was a piece of crap I then up graded to a ms290 about 2 years later when I burned up the oiler on the saw it was worthless I hated that chainsaw I love stihl now that is all I will run.

[sawguy21]

lanab, did I read you correctly? 12 year olds running Formula Ford? Surely you jest

[Ianab]

Nope... legally you can drive a race car at age 12 in NZ   Usually they would start out in Karts but some move up to more powerfull classes quickly.
I believe the young man that I mentioned had been racing since he was 13 and was considered a very competant race driver. His age was not considered a factor in the accident. Motor sport is just a dangerous thing.

[sawguy21]

Oh Wow. That is downright scary

[timberjack240]

im 16p and i started running ne when i was 15. i work for my pap and he watches me close and tells me wen i do sumtin wrong ..(trust me lol). i couldnt have handled a saw at 12 but if the kid in the pic could more power to um. i wear chaps boots and ear muffs but no eye protection. the first saw i ran was a 371 husky turned down so it wouldnt run as fast but i didnt like it because of the 18 in bar. then i upgraded to a 288 with a  22in bar. in my opinion that s the best. i ran other saws but i like the 288 the best because the saw is perfect for me and the combo of a 288 husky and a 22in bar cant be beat

[slowzuki]

I'm trying to think, I used to cut up slabs with an electric chainsaw when I was 12 maybe.  Around 14 we started carrying a little poulan on the snowmobiles so we could do trail maintenance.

Didn't do any real felling until I got in my 20's.

Ken

[Cedarman]

Kids grow up wanting to help. I have had my kids help me in all things, but I teach them that all actions have consequences. Don't hold the wrench right and it slips, bang, ouch, hurt, this is how to keep from getting ouched.  I was taught safety from day one and I teach safety from day one. Kids, wife, employees think safety first. Which is more dangerous a kid crossing a city street or one using a chainsaw. With proper training a youngster can control the saw, how do they control other drivers. 

I have had  many employees over the years and one thing I have noticed are those that drove equipment in their youth are safe and proficient as adults.
Those that have driven nothing but a car, seem never to get the hang of operating loaders with finesse. 

Teach em young, teach em to be safe.

[FeltzE]

Yep, grew up on a farm, don't know when the first time it was I used a chain saw, rifle, axe, welder, or many other tools that can hurt ya but we did and did it with out safety gear.

So, I'm a little soft on the personal safety issue, I personally don't think the government has any right to legislate personal safety! I don't wan't a city dweller to tell me it's to dangerous do anything and especially anything that the observer hasn't done or insn't certified to do...

On the job is a different story! In a public event they should use industry standard safety practices if for no other reason than to limit liability.

Don't think I'm discounting the effectiveness of safety gear, practices or importance. Just my right to take my own risks, and take time to teach my own family my way....

Now someone will say that everyone pays when the individual makes a stupid mistake, that is to say we all pay in insurance premiums for our automobile mistakes and other industrial and personal mistakes. I cant disagree.

Yes I'm a crumudgen...

Eric