User manual ECHO CHAIN SAW SAFETY MANUAL

[. . . ] CHAIN SAW SAFETY MANUAL DANGER! Misuse may result in serious or fatal injuries. You must read, understand, and follow these safety instructions and the instructions in your Chain Saw Instruction Manual before operating a Chain Saw. DANGER! Chainsaw kickback can cause serious or fatal injuries. ECHO supplies an anti-kick back guard called a Kick Guard ® with every new chain saw. Read the Kick Guard® instructions to determine which cutting applications and conditions require the installation of the kick guard. [. . . ] Keep all parts of your body away from the saw chain when the engine is running. To assure a good grip on the saw, keep the handles dry, clean, and free of oil or fuel mixture. Before you start the unit, make sure that the saw chain is not contacting anything. If you decide to shut off the engine, wait until the chain stops before setting the chain saw down. Carry the chain saw with the engine stopped, or chain brake engaged with the guide bar and saw chain to the rear. For gasoline operated chain saws, keep the muffler away from your body. When transporting your chain saw, use a protective guide-bar scabbard. DON'T TOUCH HOT SURFACES DO NOT LET HELPER HOLD WHAT YOU ARE CUTTING! WARNING!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. An exposed clutch running at high speeds can shatter, causing serious injury to occur. Keep your chain sharp- this will improve cutting performance and reduce physical exertion. Follow ECHO's sharpening and maintenance instructions for the saw chain. Use only replacement guide bars and chains specified by ECHO, or guide bars and chains that meet ANSI B175. 1 requirements. Use extreme caution when cutting small-size brush and saplings because slender material may catch the saw chain and be whipped toward you or pull you off balance. When cutting a limb that is under tension, be alert for spring back so that you will not be struck by the limb or chain saw when the tension in the branch is released during the cut. STAY OUT OF THE PATH CARRY SAW WITH BAR TO REAR & ENGINE STOPPED 20 KEY SAFETY AND RISK PREVENTION RULES GENERAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS All chain saw service, other than the items listed in the operator's manual maintenance instruction, is to be performed only 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 to remove the clutch, structural damage to the flywheel could occur. This could cause the flywheel to shatter, resulting in serious injury to operator and bystanders. ) Spark arrester mufflers are standard on ECHO chain saws to reduce the possibility of forest fires. Insist on a replacement guide bar with holes to allow the mounting of the Kick Guard TM device. PROPER GRIP ON THE SAW - A firm grip is one requirement for chain saw control. The saw should always be held firmly with both hands whenever the engine is running. Grasp the front handle firmly behind the front hand guard with your left hand. [. . . ] If the Kick Guard® device is absent, kickback can occur if the unshielded bar nose touches an object or the ground. ROTATIONAL KICKBACK - The violent reaction which can occur when the chain at the upper section of the nose is suddenly stopped or impeded, thereby dangerously driving the bar nose in an upward arc toward the operator. LINEAR KICKBACK - A push reaction, which can occur under certain conditions with the guide bar buried in the cut when the cut closes, pinching the chain along the top rails of the guide bar and propelling the chain saw straight back toward the operator. KICK GUARD® DEVICE - The ECHO brand name for its antikickback device which covers the bar nose. [. . . ]