Echo GRASS/WEED TRIMMER BRUSHCUTTER and CLEARING SAW manual Safety Precautions

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS (CONTINUED)

•A bladed unit can kickout, causing serious injury to helpers, bystanders or animals. Keep people and animals at least 15- meters (approximately 50 feet) away. Use proper procedures to keep control of the unit.

•The blade can push, pull or kickout, causing the operator to lose his balance or lose control of the unit.

•Keep blades clear of fences, wires, posts, rocks, etc. to prevent kick out and blade damage.

•Do not operate when under the influence of alcohol, medica- tions or substances which can affect your vision, dexterity and judgment. You must be in good physical and mental health in order to operate safely.

•Do not operate where the unit could contact electrical conduits, house wiring, or any power lines.

•Handle flammable fuel with care. Use an approved type can. Do not smoke or bring sparks or flame near the fuel supplies. Use proper fueling procedures as recommended in the operator’s manual.

•Never refuel while the engine is running or hot. Move at least 10 feet from the fueling spot before starting the engine.

•Do not store the unit with fuel in the tank, because a fuel leak could start a fire.

•Do not run the engine indoors or where there is poor ventilation. Engine fumes contain deadly poisonous carbon monoxide.

•Never operate the unit without the proper debris shield and other protective devices in place. Replace damaged or broken debris shields.

•Do not operate a semi-automatic feed type line head if the debris shield is not equipped with a cut-off knife.

•Never operate without good visibility and light.

•Never start the engine if the drive shaft is not in place to prevent the engine from over speeding or the clutch from flying apart.

•For starting position, lay the unit down in a clear area so the line or blade cannot contact the ground or any other obstruction.

•Hold the unit down firmly so you will not lose control during cranking. If not held down properly, the engine could pull you off balance or swing the cutting line or blade into an obstruction of your body.

•Do not crank the engine while the unit is harnessed to you or otherwise suspended above ground level.

•Always keep both hands on the control handles. Do not operate one-handed. Do not hold material you are cutting.

•Keep the unit and attachments in good working condition. Tighten fastening parts at regular intervals. Check the cutting head assembly before each use.

•After shutting down the engine, keep fingers and feet away from the cutting line or blade until all rotation stops. If the cutting head coasts for a long time instead of stopping right away, adjust the carburetor per instructions in your operator’s manual, or have the adjustment made by your ECHO servicing dealer.

•Shut down immediately if the unit starts to shake or vibrate. This could be a sign of danger from a broken part or missing fasteners.

•Disconnect spark plug wire before you work on the unit or leave it unattended.

•Do not cut with dull blades which can increase the risk of kickout and breakage.

Before operating unit, thoroughly inspect blades for damage and cracks. Do not use a damaged blade.

•Replace dull 80-tooth Brush Blades if you cannot have them sharpened professionally. Do not try to resharpen them yourself.

•Sharpen dull 8-tooth Grass/Weed Blades at the proper angles with a flat file. Do not file down into the gullet (bottom) are of the tooth. The gullets must be rounded, with no sharp corners or filing nicks which could be the start of stress cracks and blade failure.

•ECHO may produce new design attachments and blades from time to time. If you purchase such an item, follow the installation, operation and maintenance instructions supplied with it.

•Do not mount any ordinary circular saw blade, a lawnmower or edge/trimmer blade, or a grinding type cut-off wheel on your Grass/Weed Trimmer or Weed/Brush Cutter.

•Do not use any blade or attachment not authorized for your unit by ECHO, Inc.

•All maintenance given in the operator’s manual should be performed by you or an ECHO servicing dealer. Any service or repair work for which the operator’s manual does not give instructions must be done only by an authorized ECHO servicing dealer.

•The debris shield, also known as a cutting attachment shield, located at the lower rotating head, is intended to reduce the chance of thrown objects hitting the leg. Do not rely on the debris shield to protect the eyes from thrown objects. Wear eye protection goggles conforming to the ANSI Z87.1 Safety Standard (Z87 is stamped on the goggles).

•Secure hair above shoulders.

•Never use wire or wire rope in place of nylon monofilament cutting line.

•Spark arrester mufflers are standard on ECHO units to reduce the possibility of forest fires. Do not operate the unit with a loose or defective muffler. Do not remove the spark arrester screen.

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