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- Carry the chain saw by the front handle with
the chain saw switched off and away from your
body. When transporting or storing the chain
saw always fi t the guide bar cover. Proper
handling of the chain saw will reduce the like-
lihood of accidental contact with the moving
saw chain.
Causes and operator preventtion of kickback
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 sudden
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 od injury.
Kickback is the result of tool misuse and/or in-
correct operating procedures or conditions and
can be avoided by taking proper precautions as
given below:
- Maintain a fi rm grip, with thumbs and fi ngers
encircling the chain saw handles, with both
hands on the saw and posiion your body and
arm to allow you to resist kickback forces.
Kickback forces can be controlled by the op-
erator, if proper precautions are taken. Do not
let go of the chain saw.
- Do not overreach and do not cut above shoul-
der height. This helps prevent unintended tip
contact and enables better control of the chain
saw in unexpected situations.
- Use only replacement bars and chains speci-
fi ed by the manufacturer. Incorrect replace-
ment bars and chains may cause chain break-
age or kickback.
- Follow the manufacturer’s sharpening and
maintenance instructions of the saw chain.
Decreasing the depth gauge height can lead
to increased kickback.
Further safety instructions
- If the chain is skewed or not aligned with the
cut, the teeth on the rear chain margin may
strike the wood surface from the top, the chain
may jump out of the cut and the saw may eject
back toward the user.
residual current of 30 mA or less.
- Keep all parts of the body away from the saw
chain when the chain saw is operating. Before
you start the chain saw, make sure that the
saw chain is not contacting anything. A mo-
ment of inattention while operating chain saws
may cause entanglement of your clothing or
body with the saw chain.
- Always hold the chain saw with your right
hand on the rear handle and your left hand on
the front handle. Holding the chain saw with a
reversed hand confi guration increases the risk
of personal injury and should never be done.
- Wear safety glasses and hearing protection.
Further protective equipment for head, hands,
legs and feet is recommended. Adequate pro-
tective clothing will reduce personal injury by
fl ying debris or accidental contact with the saw
chain.
- Do not operate a chain saw in a tree. Operation
of a chain saw while up in a tree may result in
personal injury.
- Always keep proper footing and operate the
chain saw only when standing on fi xed, se-
cure and level surface. Slippery or unstable
surfaces such as ladders may cause a loss of
balance or control of the chain saw.
- Carry the insulation saw with the guide bar
away from your body and the safety cover
mounted.
- Follow instructions for lubrication, chain
tension and changing accessories. Improperly
tensioned or lubricated chain may either break
or increase the chance for kickback.
- Keep handles dry, clean and free from oil and
grease. Greasy, oily handles are slippery caus-
ing loss of control.
- Cut insulation only. Do not use chain saw for
purposes not intended. For example: do not
use chain saw for cutting wood, plastic, ma-
sonry or wood building materials. Use of the
chain saw for operations different than intend-
ed could result in a hazardous situation..
- Hold the power tools on insulated gripping
surfaces only, because the saw chain can come
into contact with hidden power lines or with
its own power cord. Touching the saw chain
with a “live” electrical conductor may cause the
exposed metal parts of the electromechanical
tool to become “live” and lead to injury of the
user by electric shock.
- We recommend using a residual-current device
with actuating current of 30 mA or less.
