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How to avoid chainsaw kickback: keep the top of the bar’s nose out of the wood, hold the saw with both hands and your thumbs wrapped around the handles, never cut above shoulder height, and stand to the side of the bar. Then wear the gear that protects you when it happens anyway: chaps, a helmet, eye and ear protection, gloves and good boots.
I wear chaps, a helmet and gloves every time I run a saw on our 10 acres. Below is what Stihl and OSHA say about kickback and gear, in their own words. If you’re still choosing a saw, my gas chainsaw buying guide covers sizing it to your property.
What kickback is
Stihl’s owner’s manual says “kickback may occur when the moving chain near the upper quadrant of the bar nose contacts a solid object or is pinched.” That top corner of the bar tip is the kickback zone. Stihl says kickback “can cause serious or fatal injury.”
Stihl’s manual names two cousins of kickback. Pull-in “occurs when the chain on the bottom of the bar is suddenly stopped or significantly slowed,” and the saw yanks forward. Pushback “occurs when the chain on the top of the bar is suddenly stopped or significantly slowed,” and the saw shoves back at you. Pinching the bar in a cut is the usual way both happen.
How to avoid chainsaw kickback
Keep the nose out of the wood
OSHA’s chainsaw fact sheet says to “be prepared for kickback; avoid cutting in the kickback zone.” Watch the tip. Don’t let it touch a log behind the one you’re cutting, a buried limb or the ground.
Hold it with both hands, thumbs wrapped
Stihl: “Maintain a secure grip with thumbs and fingers encircling the chain saw handles.” A loose grip is how a saw gets away from you.
Never cut above shoulder height
Stihl says plainly: “Do not cut above shoulder height.” OSHA lists running a saw from a ladder or a tree as a hazard and says “do not cut directly overhead.” High limbs are what my Stihl HT 131 pole saw is for.
Stand to the side
Stihl says to “position your body clear of the cutting attachment whenever the engine is running.”
Use low kickback chain and bars
Stihl recommends “green reduced kickback bars and green low kickback chains on all STIHL chainsaws.” OSHA also says to use saws with features that cut kickback danger, like chain brakes and low kickback chains. When you buy a replacement chain, match it to the numbers on your bar first; my Stihl MS 251 chain size guide shows how.
Safety
The chain brake is not a force field. Stihl’s manual says “no Quickstop chain brake or other chain brake device prevents kickback.” It’s built to stop the chain fast in some kickbacks. Start the saw on the ground with the brake engaged, as OSHA says, and let your technique do the real work. My starting routine is in Stihl chainsaw won’t start?.
The safety gear I wear, and what the experts list
Gear
What Stihl or OSHA says
Mine
Chaps
OSHA: “leg protection such as work pants or chaps”
I own and wear them
Helmet
Stihl: “wear an approved protective helmet”
I own and wear one
Gloves
Stihl: heavy-duty non-slip work gloves of leather or another wear-resistant material
I own and wear them
Eye protection
Stihl: goggles or close-fitting glasses with top and side protection
What Stihl says to wear
Hearing protection
OSHA: enough to bring noise down to 90 decibels or less
What OSHA says to wear
Boots
Stihl: sturdy boots with non-slip soles
What Stihl says to wear
If you don’t have chaps yet, they’re the piece I’d buy first. Husqvarna says its Technical Apron Wrap chaps have 5 layers of protective material, are UL certified and meet ASTM F1897. I haven’t worn that pair. I own chaps, and these come from a saw maker I’ve run before (an 18-inch Husqvarna on our first acre; more in my Husqvarna reviews), with the ratings printed on the page, so you know what you’re getting.
Technique and gear only go so far. If a tree near the house or a power line intimidates me, or it would take more than three or four cuts to steer it, I call a tree service. Leave it to them. Don’t kill your house. And trust your gut on who you hire.
The bottom line
To avoid chainsaw kickback, keep the bar nose out of the wood, hold on with both hands and wrapped thumbs, stay below shoulder height and stand to the side. Run low kickback chain, start with the brake on, and wear chaps, a helmet, gloves, eye and ear protection and good boots every time.
Chainsaw kickback FAQ
What causes chainsaw kickback?
Stihl says kickback may happen when the moving chain near the upper quadrant of the bar nose touches a solid object or gets pinched.
Does a chain brake prevent kickback?
No. Stihl’s manual says no chain brake prevents kickback. It’s designed to stop the chain quickly in certain kickback situations.
What safety gear do I need to run a chainsaw?
OSHA lists a hard hat, eye protection, hearing protection, work gloves, chaps or protective pants and protective footwear.
Where is the kickback zone on a chainsaw?
Stihl puts it at the upper quadrant of the bar nose, the top corner of the bar tip.
Are chainsaw chaps worth it?
OSHA lists leg protection such as chaps as basic chainsaw gear. Husqvarna says its Technical Apron Wrap chaps meet ASTM F1897 and are UL certified.
Sources
Every source below was opened and checked on 9 November 2026.
