Vibration Rear Handle

Specification
Updated 2026-08-24 · Read this page as Markdown

The vibration measured at the rear handle, in m/s², where the throttle hand grips the saw. It is declared alongside the front handle figure because exposure is assessed for both hands.

The rear handle sits closer to the engine and the clutch, so on many petrol saws it reads higher than the front, while on battery saws both figures tend to be much lower. When you calculate daily exposure, the higher of the two values is the conservative one to use. The number depends on the condition of the anti-vibration mounts, which are rubber or spring elements that perish with age and heat — replacing tired mounts is one of the cheapest ways to bring an older saw back towards its declared figures. See Anti-vibration system.

This spec across the catalog

Recorded on 31 models in this database, from 2.4 m/s² to 6.9 m/s², averaging 4.15 m/s².

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Related terms

Anti-vibration system The set of rubber buffers or steel springs that separate the engine unit from the handles, reducing the vibration transmitted to the operator's hands. Its effectiveness is what the declared front and rear handle vibration figures measure. Chain brake A safety device that stops the chain almost instantly by clamping a steel band around the clutch drum. It is triggered either by pushing the front hand guard forward or, on inertia-activated saws, automatically by the sudden rotation of a kickback. Chainsaw chaps and PPE The personal protective equipment worn for chainsaw work: cut-resistant leg protection (chaps or trousers), a helmet with face screen and ear defenders, gloves and steel-toed boots. Cut-resistant garments contain long loose fibres that pull out, jam the drive sprocket and stall the chain on contact. Kickback The violent upward and backward rotation of the guide bar towards the operator, caused when the upper quadrant of the bar nose — the kickback zone — contacts wood, or when the chain is pinched in the top of the cut. It is the leading cause of serious chainsaw injuries. Sound Power Level The total acoustic energy the machine radiates in all directions, in dB(A), independent of where the listener stands. In the EU the guaranteed sound power level is the value that must appear on the machine's noise label. Sound Pressure Level The A-weighted noise level measured at the operator's ear position, in dB(A). It is the figure that describes what the person holding the saw is actually exposed to.

See also

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