Chainsaws are widely used in the construction industry and by those who like to do their own home improvement projects. There have been numerous reports of people who have suffered serious injury when the angle grinder attachments were not compatible with the chainsaw disc attachment.
These chainsaw injuries can be life threatening. If you have been injured by incorrectly marketed angle grinders and chainsaw discs, you may be entitled to financial compensation. The attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help you.
How an Angle Grinder Works
An angle grinder is an extremely powerful tool that is used for grinding and cutting. These power tools, when used safely, allow for precision cutting tasks.
These types of electric chainsaws are used in many industries, from metalworking and construction to woodworking and auto body shops. They are a favorite of amateurs who like to do their own work at home. They can be bought in all types of hardware stores.
Angle grinders will use chainsaw discs as attachments to do their cutting. Users can choose different attachments for angle grinders, depending on their task. They will perform their work over a cutting surface.
The chainsaw disc attachment can be replaced with a different one, but it must be compatible with the angle grinder.
Reports of a Serious Chainsaw Injury from an Angle Grinder
There have been a growing number of reports of injuries arising from the use of a chainsaw coming from the United Kingdom. In one recent incident, a West Sussex fire fighter named Simon Woodland was using a chainsaw for a DIY project. His chainsaw was using a disc incorrectly labeled to be compatible with household angle grinders.
According to the injured firefighter, the disc kicked back and wrenched the tool out of his hand. The kickback caused the grinder to fall to the floor whilst locked.
The disc slashed Woodland’s leg, and the tool also sliced his foot. Woodland was just a millimeter or two from a life threatening injury or even fatality.
The father of two is lucky to be alive. According to Woodland, he only bought the mis-sold chainsaw disc because it was marketed as being compatible with an angle grinder.
Why a Chainsaw Disc Attachment is Incompatible with Angle Grinders
The injuries happen because of the kickback caused by the chainsaw gripping the cutting surface and forcing the angle grinder to sharply turn or jump out of the hand of the operator.
The attachments do not comply with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 because they are designed to move at a slower RPM than the grinder itself. It is the mismatch that caused the kickback.
Efforts to Pull Mis-Marketed Chainsaw Discs from the Market
West Sussex Trading Standards acted quickly to ensure that local hardware stores did not sell chainsaw discs as attachments that are mismatched to the grinders. Peter Aston, Team Manager with West Sussex Trading Standards, oversaw a stark warning and immediate effort to remove from the market immediately, such accessories that were incorrectly marketed as compatible.
According to Aston, he was not able to find many, if any, instances where domestic UK hardware stores were selling chainsaw discs as angle grinder attachments. He stated that all instances he found were of overseas sellers making the representation that they are compatible, a practice that is still happening.
Injuries from Angle Grinder Attachments
Angle grinder attachment mishaps can cause serious injury or even death. These life changing injuries can include severe laceration wounds or even amputation.
Anytime that a serious laceration is involved, the accident victim may suffered a sliced artery that could cause them to bleed to death.
Users may suffer potentially lethal injuries, even when they are wearing protective gear. For instance, Woodland was wearing personal protective equipment when the accident happened, and he was still almost killed.
Safety Measures for Angle Grinders
Whenever you use an angle grinder, you should take the following safety measures:
- Using gloves
- Using a face shield
- Ensure that the floor around the work area is clean
- Use metatarsal safety boots to protect your feet
Chainsaw Discs Are Sold as Attachments for Angle Grinders in the United States
A check of the websites for major retailers shows numerous chainsaw discs as attachments for angle grinders in spite of the injuries suffered in the UK, and the immediate safety alert.
In many respects, this is an accident waiting to happen. In the event that there are serious chainsaw injuries for mismarketed attachments, retailers and manufacturers may be held liable because they knew or should have known of the dangers of serious injury.
Nonetheless, major sellers like Home Depot and Amazon continue to sell these mis-marketed products.
Lawsuit for an Angle Grinder Injury
If you have suffered an injury because the disc was incorrectly labelled, you can sue a number of defendants. In a product liability lawsuit, anyone who was in the “stream of commerce” is potentially liable for a defective product. These would include sellers who incorrectly sold this defective product.
A disc incorrectly labelled would be considered a marketing defect. The manufacturer has a legal obligation to properly explain the safe use of their product and the safety features.
Even if there is no design or manufacturing defect, the seller can still be liable for incorrectly marked products or those that lack necessary warnings. Not only can you sue the manufacturer, but you could also sue the hardware store that sells these chainsaw discs.
Call a Product Liability Lawyer Today for an Angle Grinder Injury
If you have been injured by angle grinder attachments, you may be entitled to financial compensation if you can prove that the product was defective.
The attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers understand the safety features required with dangerous products, and we work to hold manufacturers and sellers responsible when they have made and sold you a product that caused injury.
To schedule your free initial consultation, you can call us today at (888) 424-5757 or contact us online.
