AMERICAN STANDARD SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Safety precautions for chain saw users
(ANSI B
Kickback safety precautions
WARNING! Kickback may occur when the
!nose or tip of the guide bar touches an object, or when the wood closes in and pinches the saw chain in the cut.
Tip contact in some cases may cause a lightning fast reverse reaction, kicking the guide bar up and back towards the operator.
Pinching the saw chain along the top of the guide bar may push the guide bar rapidly back towards the operator.
Either of these reactions may cause you to lose control of the saw which could result in serious personal injury.
Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built into your saw. As a chain saw user, you should take several steps to keep your cutting jobs free from accident or injury.
With a basic understanding of kickback, you can reduce or eliminate the element of surprise. Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.
Keep a good firm grip on the saw with both hands, the right hand on the rear handle, and the left hand on the front handle, when the engine is running. Use a firm grip with thumbs and fingers encircling the chain saw handles. A firm grip will help you reduce kickback and maintain control of the saw. Don’t let go.
Make sure that the area in which you are cutting is free from obstacles. Do not let the nose of the guide bar contact a log, branch, or any other obstacle which could be hit while you are operating the saw.
Cut at high engine speeds.
Do not overreach or cut above shoulder height.
Follow manufacturer’s sharpening and maintenance instructions for the saw chain.
Only use replacement bars and chains specified by the manufacturer or the equivalent.
Other safety precautions
WARNING! Do not operate a chain saw with
! one hand! Serious injury to the operator, helpers, bystanders or any combination of these persons may result from
Do not operate a chain saw when you are fatigued.
Use safety footwear;
Use caution when handling fuel. Move the chain saw at least 10 feet (3 m) from the fueling point before starting the engine.
Do not allow other persons to be near the chain saw when starting or cutting with the chain saw. Keep bystanders and animals out of the work area.
Do not start cutting until you have a clear work area, secure footing and a planned retreat path from the falling tree.
Keep all parts of your body away from the saw chain when the engine is running.
Before you start the engine, make sure that the saw chain is not contacting anything.
Carry the chain saw with the engine stopped, the guide bar and saw chain to the rear, and the muffler away from your body.
Do not operate a chain saw that is damaged, improperly adjusted, or not completely and securely assembled. Be sure that the saw chain stops moving when the throttle control trigger is released.
Shut off the engine before setting the chain saw down.
Use extreme caution when cutting small size brush and saplings because slender material may catch the saw chain and be whipped toward you or pull you off balance.
When cutting a limb that is under tension be alert for springback so that you will not be struck when the tension in the wood fibers is released.
Keep handles dry, clean and free of oil or fuel mixture.
Operate the chain saw only in
Do not operate a chain saw in a tree unless you have been specifically trained to do so.
Do not operate a chain saw above shoulder height.
All chain saw service, other than the items listed in the operator’s/owner’s safety and maintenance instructions, should be performed by competent chain saw service personnel. (For example, if improper tools are used to remove the flywheel or if an improper tool is used to hold the flywheel in order to remove the clutch, structural damage to the flywheel could occur and subsequently cause the flywheel to burst.)
When transporting your chain saw, use the appropriate guide bar guard.
Note: This Annex is intended primarily for the consumer or occasional user.
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