That's true I suppose, I never had any formal training with a chainsaw and never wore PPE, then whilst cutting down some conifer hedge a gust of wind blew the windbreak fabric on the fence onto the back of the blade which then flipped back and smacked me in the forehead, chain still spinning.
I was told had it hit any soft tissue I would have been more seriously injured than I was.
Now I do wear PPE, but am also far more aware of what can happen outside my control.
Phew! I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. I have an enormously well-developed sense of my own self-preservation and consequently am extremely risk-averse, so I don't use a conventional chainsaw in anything other than perfect conditions - certainly not when it's windy or wet.
For stuff like hedges and higher stuff I use a pole trimmer (I call it a 'chainsaw on a stick') which gets the blade a safe distance away from me. For anything aerial, I get the professionals in. I know my limits and wouldn't dream of using a chainsaw without both feet on the ground on extremely stable footing.
