general safety rules
WARNING:
Read and understand all instructions. Failure to follow all instructions listed below, may result in electric shock, fire and/or serious personal injury.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS
Know your tool. Read the operator’s manual carefully. Learn the saw’s applications and limitations as well as the specific potential hazards related to this tool.
■ 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
•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 when the engine is running. Place your right hand on the rear handle and your left hand on the front handle with your thumbs and fingers encircling the chain 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.
•Cut at high engine speeds. Always cut with the engine running at full speed. Fully squeeze the throttle trigger and maintain a steady cutting speed.
•Do not overreach or cut above chest height.
•Follow the manufacturer’s sharpening and maintenance instructions for the saw chain.
•Only use replacement bars and chains specified by the manufacturer or the equivalent.
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. Fatigue causes carelessness. Be more cautious before rest periods and towards the end of your shift. Never operate a chain saw when you are tired or under the influence of medication, drugs, or alcohol.
Use safety footwear. Wear
protective gloves, and eye, hearing, and head protection devices.
Heavy protective clothing may increase operator fatigue, which could lead to heat stroke. During weather that is hot and humid, heavy work should be scheduled for early morning or late afternoon hours when temperatures are cooler.
Do not stand on any unstable surface while using the chain saw, that includes ladders, scaffolds, trees, etc.
Use caution when handling fuel. Move the chain saw at least 30 feet 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.
Always carry the chain saw with the engine stopped and the brake engaged, the guide bar and saw chain to the rear, and the muffler away from your body. When transporting the chain saw, use the appropriate guide bar scabbard.
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. Do not leave the engine running unattended. As an additional safety precaution, apply the chain brake prior to setting down the saw.
■ Use extreme caution when cutting
■ 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 the handles dry, clean, and free of oil or fuel mix- ture.
Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. 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 cut from a ladder; this is extremely dangerous.
All chain saw service, other than the items listed in the instruction manual and all maintenance, should be per- formed 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 could cause the flywheel to burst.)
Always have a fire extinguisher available when using chain saw.
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