A passenger in a vehicle on a freeway north of Boston narrowly escaped injury after an ax flew out of the back of a landscaper's truck and crashed through the vehicle's windshield.

While trimming trees with a chainsaw at his home, Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman had just let go of the trigger when a heavy branch pulled his arm down into the blade that was still turning, missing his artery by a fraction of an inch but still damaging his wrist to the point that it took doctors almost a hour to repair it.

A Santa Clara County, Calif., grand jury indicted a contractor, one of his managers, and his company on charges of felony involuntary manslaughter stemming from the death of an employee after a stop-work notice was disregarded.

Chain Saw Operation
Jose Cantu, the owner of Saw House Inc., an outdoor power equipment outlet in Houston, gave LC/DBM these chainsaw safety tips:

Loose chains can come off and strike you.

Poorly lubricated chains tend to tighten up and over time weaken and eventually snap during operation.

To start a saw, always put it on the ground, a foot on the saw body, and a hand on the handle.

For tree work, start the chainsaw on the ground and use a rope to deliver it to the worker.

Never cut above your shoulder height, don't overreach, and don't cut while on a ladder.

All-Around Safety
Familiarize yourself with the operating manuals of all power equipment and check that safety features are working properly.

Besides clearing a lawn of stones, twigs and other potential projectiles, clear the yard of children while your crew is working.

Autumn driving hazards include floodwaters, less daylight, and leaves, which can hide a road's markings and potholes, and when wet or frozen, can create slick conditions.