General Safety Rules, Work Area, Personal Safety

GENERAL SAFETY RULES

DANGER

READ AND UNDERSTAND TOOL LABELS AND MANUAL. Failure to follow warnings could result in DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WORK AREA

n Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered

benches and dark areas invite accidents.

nDo not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust or fumes.

nKeep bystanders, children, and visitors away while operating a power tool. Distractions can cause you to lose control.

PERSONAL SAFETY

nEye protection which conforms to ANSI specifications and provides protection against flying particles both from the FRONT and SIDE should ALWAYS be worn by the operator and others in the work area when loading, operating or servicing this tool. Eye protection is required to guard against flying fasteners and debris, which could cause severe eye injury.

nThe employer and/or user must ensure that proper eye protection is worn. We recommend Wide Vision Safety Mask for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses that provide protection against flying particles both from the front and side. Always use eye protection which is marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1.

nAdditional safety protection will be required in some environments. For example, the working area may in- clude exposure to noise level which can lead to hearing damage. The employer and user must ensure that any necessary hearing protection is provided and used by the operator and others in the work area. Some environments will require the use of head protection equipment. When required, the employer and user must ensure that head protection conforming to ANSI Z89.1-1997 is used.

nStay alert, watch what you are doing and use common sense when operating a power tool. Do not use tool while tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication. A moment of inattention while operating power tools may result in serious personal injury.

nDress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. Contain long hair. Keep your hair, clothing, and gloves away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jewelry, or long hair can be caught in moving parts.

nKeep fingers away from trigger when not driving fasten- ers to avoid accidental firing.

nDo not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. Proper footing and balance enables better control of the tool in unexpected situations.

nUse safety equipment. Always wear eye protection. Dust mask, nonskid safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection must be used for appropriate conditions.

nDo not use on a ladder or unstable support. Stable footing on a solid surface enables better control of the tool in unexpected situations.

TOOL USE AND CARE

n Do not force tool. Use the correct tool for your application. The correct tool will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it is designed.

nDo not use tool if trigger does not actuate properly. Any tool that cannot be controlled with the trigger is dangerous and must be repaired.

nCheck operation of the workpiece contact mechanism frequently. Do not use the tool if the workpiece contact mechanism is not working correctly as accidental driving of a fastener may result. Do not interfere with the proper operation of the workpiece contact mechanism.

nStore idle tools out of the reach of children and other untrained persons. Tools are dangerous in the hands of untrained users.

nMaintain tools with care. Follow maintenance instruc- tions. Properly maintained tools are easier to control.

nCheck for misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts, and any other condition that may affect the tool’s operation. If damaged, have the tool serviced before using. Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained tools.

nUse only fasteners that are recommended for your model.

nKeep the tool and its handle dry, clean and free from oil and grease. Always use a clean cloth when clean- ing. Never use brake fluids, gasoline, petroleum-based products, or any strong solvents to clean your tool. Fol- lowing this rule will reduce the risk of loss of control and deterioration of the enclosure plastic.

SERVICE

nTool service must be performed only by qualified re- pair personnel. Service or maintenance performed by unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.

nWhen servicing a tool, use only identical replacement parts. Follow instructions in the Maintenance sec- tion of this manual. Use of unauthorized parts or failure to follow Maintenance instructions may create a risk of injury.