Safe Brush Chipper Operation

Feeding material into a brush chipper can be a safe operation if you know what you’re doing, stay alert, and understand how the equipment works.

Clothing should be close fitting and tucked in. Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing like untucked or unbuttoned shirts and jackets or pants with cuffs that could get caught on loose brush and branches.

• Hard hats and ear protection are required.
• Eye protection is also required. It must be ANSI-approved and may consist of glasses, goggles, or a flip-down visor of plastic or mesh.
• Wear good work pants and leather work boots with non-slip soles.
• Gloves are recommended, but gauntlet-style gloves should never be worn as they may snag on branches being fed into the chipper.
• Avoid wearing any kind of jewelry such as earrings, rings, watches, or necklaces that could present a safety hazard.

Stack brush in a way that makes it easy for the operator to feed the chipper. Allow for a clear feed path.

• Before starting, disengage the clutch, put the safety control bar in neutral, and make sure everyone is clear from the equipment.
• Always idle the engine to warm it up, engage the clutch, and then raise the engine rpm gradually to full throttle.
• Never operate a chipper alone. Two people should be on-site, with one operating the control bar at all times.
• Never operate a chipper while taking medication that may impair concentration.
• Feed brush into the chipper butt-end first. Lay short material on top of longer material that is feeding.
• Never attempt to feed handfuls of twigs, leaves, and other material that has been raked up. It may contain rocks and metal that will damage the chipper.
• Watch for foreign objects in the brush pile.
• Remove the ignition key when the machine is left unattended.
• Have a first aid kit on the worksite, along with a fire extinguisher.