Operator Safety - Echo CS-370 Manuel D'instructions

VIBRATION AND COLD
• It is believed that a condition called Raynaud's Phenom-
enon, which affects the fingers of certain individuals,
may be brought about by exposure to vibration and cold.
Exposure to vibration and cold may cause tingling and
burning followed by loss of color and numbness in the
fingers.The following precautions are strongly recom-
mended because the minimum exposure which might
trigger the ailment is unknown.
• Keep your body warm, especially the head and neck,
feet and ankles and hands and wrists.
• Maintain good blood circulation by performing vigorous
arm exercises during frequent work breaks and also by
not smoking.
• Limit the number of hours of operation. Try to fill each
day with jobs where operating the chain saw, or other
hand-held power equipment is not required.
• If you experience discomfort redness and swelling of the
fingers, followed by whitening and loss of feeling, consult
your physician before further exposing yourself to cold
and vibration.
REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY
• It is believed that over-using the muscles and tendons of
the finger, hands, arms and shoulders may cause
soreness, swelling, numbness, weakness and extreme
pain to the areas just mentioned.
Certain repetitive hand activities may put you at a high
risk for developing a repetitive stress injury (RSI).
• An extreme RSI condition is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
(CTS) which could occur when your wrist swells and
squeezes a vital nerve that runs through the area. Some
believe that prolonged exposure to vibration may contrib-
ute to CTS.CTS can cause severe pain for months or
even years.
To reduce the risk of RSI/CTS, do the following:
• Avoid using your wrist in a bent, extended or twisted
position.
• Take periodic breaks to minimize repetition and rest
your hands.
• Reduce the speed and force in which you do the
repetitive movement.
• Do exercises to strengthen hand and arm muscles.
• See a doctor if you feel tingling, numbness or pain in
your fingers, hands, wrists or arms. The sooner RSI/
CTS is diagnosed, the more likely permanent nerve and
muscle damage can be prevented.
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OPERATOR SAFETY

9
EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION
• Wear eye protection goggles that meet ANSI
Z 87.1 requirements. Goggles meeting the requirements
have the mark "Z 87" stamped on them.
• Wear hearing protection.
If this guideline is not followed, hearing loss can occur.
ECHO recommends wearing hearing protection at all
times.
WEAR PROPER CLOTHING
• Snug fitting durable clothing should be worn.Pants
should have long legs, DO NOT WEAR SHORTS.
Do not wear loose fitting clothing, scarves, neckties,
jewelry or any item that may become tangled in sur-
rounding growth or the chain saw itself.
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles. DO NOT wear open
toed shoes or operate unit barefooted.
• Wear no-slip, heavy duty work gloves to improve your
grip on the chain saw handles. The gloves also help
reduce the transmission of machine vibration to your
hands.
• Keep long hair away from engine and air intake. Retain
hair with cap or net.
HOT HUMID WEATHER
• Heavy protective clothing can increase operator fatigue
which may lead to heat stroke. Schedule heavy work for
early morning, or late afternoon hours when tempera-
tures are cooler.
AVOID HOT SURFACES
• During operation, the muffler or catalytic muffler and
surrounding cover become hot.
• Never suspend the saw on a lanyard with the engine
running.
• Always use the saw from the right-hand side of your
body - NEVER from the left side.
• Always wear proper safety clothing to protect your
lower body from sharp saw chain and hot muffler.
• Always keep exhaust area clear of flammable debris
during transportation or when storing, otherwise serious
property damage or personal injury may result.
CS-370