IKRA GMTI 52 Gardol Manuel D'utilisation page 56

Warning!
Even though bystanders should be kept away from the
running saw, never work alone. Keep within calling dis-
tance of others in case help is needed. Stop the engine
immediately if you are approached.
Danger!
Your power tool is not insulated against electric
shock. To reduce the risk of electrocution, never
operate this power tool in the vicinity of any
wires or cables (power, etc.) which may be car-
rying electric current.
Electricity can jump from one point to another by means
of arcing. Higher voltage increases the distance electric-
ity can arc. Electricity can also move through branches,
especially if they are wet. Maintain a clearance of at least
50 feet (15 m) between the chain saw (including any
branches it is contacting) and any electrical line carrying
live current. Before working with less clearance, contact
your electric utility and make sure the current is turned off.
Operating instructions
Warning
To reduce the risk of cut injuries, keep hands and feet
away from the saw chain. Never touch a moving chain
with your hand or any other part of your body. The saw
chain continues to move for a short period after the throt-
tle trigger is released (inertia effect).
Accelerating the engine while the chain is blocked in-
creases the load and will cause the clutch to slip con-
tinuously. This may result in overheating and damage
to important components (e.g. clutch, polymer housing
components) – which can then increase the risk of injury
from the chain moving while the engine is idling.
If the chain becomes clogged, always turn off the engine
and make sure the chain has stopped before cleaning.
Make sure that the saw chain does not touch any foreign
materials such as rocks, fences, nails and the like. Such
objects may be flung off and injure the operator or by-
standers, or damage the saw chain.
Prior to limbing, clear the working area from interfering
limbs and brush. Then, establish an escape area away
from where the cut limbs can fall, and remove all obsta-
cles. Keep work area clear – move away fallen limbs.
Place all tools and equipment at a safe distance from the
branches being limbed, but not in the escape area.
Always observe the general condition of the tree. Look
for decay and rot in the trunk and branches. If it is rotted
inside, it could snap and fall toward the operator while
being cut. Also look for broken or dead branches which
could vibrate loose and fall on the operator. If branch is
thick or heavy, make a shallow relief cut on the bottom
of the branch before cutting down from the top to help
prevent splitting of the branch.
To reduce the risk of severe or even fatal injury from fall-
ing objects do not cut vertically above your body. Hold
the chain saw at an angle of not more than 60° from the
horizontal level (see picture). Objects may fall in unex-
pected directions. Do not stand directly underneath the
limb being cut!
Watch for falling wood! As soon as the limbed branch
starts to fall, step aside and keep a sufficient distance
away from the falling wood.
Always pull the unit out of the cut with the chain running to
reduce the possibility of pinching the cutting attachment.
Don't put pressure on the pole pruner when reaching the
end of a cut. The pressure may cause the bar and rotat-
ing chain to pop out of the cut or kerf, go out of control
and strike some other object.
If the bar becomes pinched and caught in the branch so
that the chain can no longer move, shut off the pole chain
saw and carefully move the branch to open the pinch and
release the bar.
Reactive forces
Reactive forces may occur any time the chain is rotating.
The force used to cut wood can be reversed and work
against the operator. If the rotating chain is suddenly
stopped by contact with any solid object such as a branch
or is pinched, the reactive forces may occur instantly.
These reactive forces may result in loss of control, which,
in turn, may cause personal injury. An understanding of
the causes of these reactive forces may help you avoid
the element of surprise and loss of control. Because of
the design of the chain saw, the reactive forces experi-
enced when working with it are generally not as severe as
those encountered with a chain saw. Nevertheless, you
should always maintain a proper grip and good footing to
control the power tool when you experience such forces.
GB-11