Specific Safety Rules

Guard Against Kickback

KICKBACK may occur when the nose or tip of the guideWARNING: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 injury to user.

The following precautions should be followed to minimize kickback:

• Grip Pole Saw firmly. Hold the saw firmly with both hands when the unit is running. Use a firm grip with thumbs and fingers encircling the saw handle and pole.

• Do not over reach.

• Keep proper footing and balance at all times.

• Don't let the nose of the guide bar contact a log, branch, ground or other obstruction.

• Do not extend Pole Saw handle above shoulder height.

• Use devices such as low kickback chain, chain braking system and special guide bars that reduce the risks associated with kickback.

• Only use replacement bars and chains specified by the manufacturer or the equivalent.

• Never let the moving chain contact any object at the tip of the guide bar.

• Keep the working area free from obstructions such as other trees, branches, rocks, fences, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid any obstruction that your saw chain could hit while you are cutting through a particular log or branch.

• Keep your saw chain sharp and properly tensioned. A loose or dull chain can increase the chance of kickback. Check tension at regular intervals with the motor stopped and battery removed.

• Begin and continue cutting only with the chain moving at full speed. If the chain is moving at a slower speed, there is a greater chance for kickback to occur.

• Cut one branch at a time.

•Use extreme caution when re-entering a previous cut. Engage spiked bumpers into wood and allow chain to reach full speed before proceeding with cut.

•Do not attempt plunge cuts or bore cuts.

•Watch for shifting branches or other forces that could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain.

Kickback SafetyThe followingFeaturesfeatures are included on your Pole SawWARNING:to help reduce the hazard of kickback; however such features will not totally eliminate this dangerous reaction. As a chain saw user do not rely only on safety devices. You must follow all safety precautions, instructions, and maintenance in this manual to help avoid kickback and other forces which can result in serious injury.

• Reduced-Kickback Guide Bar, designed with a small radius tip which reduces the size of the kickback danger zone on bar tip. A reduced- kickback guide bar is one which has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the number and seriousness of kickbacks when tested in accordance with safety requirements for electric chain saws.

• Low-Kickback Chain, designed with a contoured depth gauge and guard link which deflect kickback force and allow wood to gradually ride into the cutter. A low-kickback chain is a chain which has met kickback performance requirements of ANSI B175.1 when tested on the representative sample of chain saws.

• Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the cutting tool may contact hidden wiring. Contact with a "live" wire will make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the operator.

Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding,WARNING:drilling, and other construction activities contains chemicals

4 known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.