Lawn & garden
Chain saw injuries: 29,535 ER visits in 2025
Who gets hurt by chain saws, which body parts, and the protective gear that matters.
Photo: pattib / Unsplash
Chain saws were involved in an estimated 29,535 emergency room visits in 2025. That figure moves a lot from year to year with storms and clean-up work. It ranged from 21,162 to 33,557 between 2016 and 2025.
The injuries
Laceration is the leading diagnosis (76%). The body parts most often hurt are the finger (23%) and the knee (13%). 92% of people injured are male.
Gear that matters
- Cut-resistant chaps or trousers protect the legs, which are often hit after kickback.
- A helmet with a face screen, plus hearing protection. Chain saws often run above 105 dBA, which uses up a full day’s NIOSH noise dose in under 5 minutes.
- Gloves and sturdy boots.
Run your saw on the fuel mix printed in the manual. Most current saws use 50:1, and the calculator above does the conversion.
Full data: Chain saws · Log splitters · Axes & hatchets.