Chainsaw checks before and during use: the lists regulators publish

This page reports what the named codes, regulators and makers say. It is not training and does not teach the work. This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here.

Each row below is one source's own list, in reported form. The sources say the saw maker's handbook sets the detail for a given saw. Courses that teach saw maintenance are covered in the guides on chainsaw tickets and the UK maintenance and crosscutting award.

Before starting

Source	Checks it lists
HSE, Chainsaws at work (INDG317)	Nuts, screws and other fastenings are tight. The chain is correctly tensioned. The throttle cannot be squeezed unless the throttle lock-out is pressed. The operator is wearing the correct protective equipment. The leaflet also lists daily checks where damage or excessive wear is reported: on and off switch, chain brake, chain catcher, silencer, guide bar, drive sprocket and chain links, side plate and hand guards, anti-vibration mounts, and the starting cord for correct tension
HSE, Top-handled chainsaws (AFAG308), for saws used off the ground	The stop switch works and is clearly marked. The front hand guard or chain brake, chain catcher and anti-vibration mounts are undamaged. The throttle opens only when the lock is depressed. A reduced kickback chain is fitted. The exhaust and silencer are in good order. There is a way to attach a lanyard to the rear of the saw and a hearing protection symbol on it
CCOHS, safe use of chain saws	Removing the bar guard and looking over the saw for damaged, loose or missing parts and for leaks around the engine. A tight guide bar and a chain that fits snugly without binding. A chain that is lubricated and sharp. The air filter. The spark arrestor screen, where one is fitted. The chain catcher. The throttle trigger, trigger interlock and master control lever. The chain clear of obstructions
WorkSafe Western Australia (updated April 1, 2025)	The page says to check the saw thoroughly before every use, with the bar, chain and sprocket in top condition, bar oil flowing and the chain brake working. It also says to sharpen the chain and top up bar oil each time the operator stops to refill with fuel

After the saw is running

HSE's INDG317 lists what to look for once a cold saw has started and the throttle has been revved to warm it up: the chain stops moving when the engine returns to idle; the chain brake is effective when applied at maximum revs or to the maker's specification; the engine keeps running when the saw is turned through 90 degrees in any direction; the stop switch works; and lubrication to the bar and chain is working. It says these checks are repeated at regular intervals through the day.

HSE's AFAG308 gives two similar lists. One is for before starting work and periodically through the day: fastenings, chain tension, the on and off switch, the chain brake, a stationary chain at idle, and the chain oiling system. The other is for ground staff after the saw has been started and warmed up and before it is passed up to the climber: oil delivery to the chain, the chain brake, a stationary chain at idle, the saw running in its full range of working positions, the on and off switch, and chain tension.

CCOHS says the saw should idle without the chain turning, and that if the chain keeps turning after the throttle is released the saw should be stopped and the idle adjusted as the owner's manual shows. Its maintenance fact sheet says tension is adjusted after the chain has been used for five to ten minutes, because the chain stretches as it heats, and that a chain is not adjusted while hot. It says depth gauges are checked every third or fourth sharpening, and that the brake is tested by applying it with the engine at operating power and the saw held firmly in both hands. The fact sheet reports that CSA Z62.1-15 (R2020) recommends an average brake stopping time of no more than 0.12 seconds and a maximum of no more than 0.15 seconds. The numbers and the standard are covered further in the guide on kickback and chain brakes.

OSHA and the start

OSHA's logging standard, 29 CFR 1910.266(e)(2), sets some start-up rules for employers in logging operations. It says the saw is operated and adjusted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, started on the ground or where otherwise firmly supported, with drop starting prohibited, and started with the chain brake engaged. It says a saw is shut down or has its brake engaged when carried further than 50 feet (15.2 m), or less if terrain, underbrush or slippery surfaces may create a hazard. The standard does not list daily checks of the kind above.

After use and service

WorkSafe Western Australia lists, after chainsaw work: reversing the bar to avoid wear on one side, cleaning out the bar groove, cleaning the saw including the air filter, cooling inlets and the inside of the sprocket cover, and cleaning the chain brake mechanism. It says the saw is serviced regularly to the maker's instructions. CCOHS says saws are returned to a service centre every few months to a year, depending on use, to be inspected and serviced by technically trained staff. HSE says the saw needs regular servicing by someone competent to do so.

For climbing saws, the guide on first climbing saws covers the HSE and WorkSafe New Zealand conditions for top-handled saws.

Credit: the HSE statements are adapted from HSE publications INDG317 and AFAG308, Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.