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Modern chainsaws are equipped with inertia chain brakes to mitigate the risk by stopping the chain should kickback occur.
Correct body positioning is also required to minimise risk in the event of kickback.
There are other things we can do to manage the risk including the operator ensuring they can see the end of the bar, is conscious of other vegetation and that the area is clear of debris that could contact the tip of the bar. This may mean clearing other lighter vegetation first to give clear sight Using an appropriately sized saw can help manage the risk by ensuring the saw is as manoeuvrable as possible, and no more powerful than necessary. A smaller saw maybe and easier to handle. These are all reminders we received last month when an operator, working to clear a fence line of vegetation, caught the fence with the tip of the bar and the saw kicked back. The inertia brake triggered and the saw came to a stop. The momentum carried the saw back to the operator’s face, but despite not cutting through the mesh guard, the teeth on the chain still caused two deep cuts to the nose.