Place your right hand on the rear handle and your
left hand on the front handle with your thumbs and
fingers encircling the pruning saw handles. A firm grip
together with a stiff left arm will help you maintain
control of the saw if kickback occurs.
•
Make sure that the area in which you are cutting is
free from obstructions. Do not let the nose of the
guide bar contact a log, branch, fence, or any other
obstruction that could be hit while you are operating
the saw.
•
Always cut with the unit running at full speed. Fully
squeeze the throttle trigger and maintain a steady
cutting speed.
•
Use replacement parts such as low kickback chain and
special guide bars that reduce the risks associated
with rotational kickback. Use only the replacement
guide bars and low kickback chains specified by the
manufacturer for the saw.
With a basic understanding of kickback, you can reduce
or eliminate the element of surprise. Sudden surprise
contributes to accidents.
Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at
all times.
Do not cut above chest height or overreach when cut-
ting. Do not let the nose of the guide bar contact a log,
branch, ground, or any other obstruction while you are
operating the unit.
Follow the sharpening and maintenance instructions for
the saw chain.
Push and Pull – This reaction force is always opposite to
the direction the chain is moving where wood contact is
made. Thus, the operator must be ready to control the
PULL when cutting on the bottom edge of the bar, and
PUSH when cutting along the top edge. See Figure 4.
The following signal words and meanings are intended to explain the levels of risk associated with this product.
SYMBOL
SIGNAL
DANGER:
WARNING:
CAUTION:
NOTICE:
PRUNING SAW SAFETY WARNINGS
MEANING
Indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, will result in death or
serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in death or
serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation, that, if not avoided, may result in minor or
moderate injury.
(Without Safety Alert Symbol) Indicates information considered important, but
not related to a potential injury (e.g. messages relating to property damage).
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRUNING SAW
SAFETY DEVICES
LOW KICKBACK SAW CHAIN
The rakers (depth gauges) ahead of each cutter can minimize
the force of a kickback reaction by preventing the cutters
from digging in too deeply at the kickback zone. Only use
replacement chain that is equivalent to original chain or has
been certified as low kickback chain per ANSI B175.1.
Low kickback saw chain is chain that has met the kickback
performance requirements of ANSI B175.1 (American National
Standard for Power Tools – Gasoline-Powered Chainsaws-
Safety Requirements) when tested on the representative
sample of chainsaws below 3.8 c.i.d. specified in ANSI B175.1.
As saw chains are sharpened during their useful life, they
lose some of the low kickback qualities and extra caution
should be used.
FRONT CHAIN GUARD
This pivoting guard piece is attached to the body of the saw
providing kickback prevention as well as hand protection
during use. It is designed to pivot upward allowing the saw
to travel through cut branches while shielding the operator
from the moving chain.
GUIDE BARS
Generally, guide bars with small radius tips have somewhat
lower kickback potentials.
When making a replacement, be sure to order one of the
bars listed for the saw in this operator's manual.
Save these instructions. Refer to them frequently and
use them to instruct others who may use this product. If
you loan someone this product, loan them these instruc-
tions also.
SYMBOLS
6 - English