OPERATING
20 – English
Training and protective equipment
•
Only operators trained in the use of cutting with a
power cutter equipped with carbide tipped blade shall
be allowed to operate the power cutter.
•
Full protective fire fighting gear shall be worn by the
operator at all times.
•
A full face shield (not just protective eye glasses) shall
be worn by the operator to protect the face from flying
debris or a sudden kick-back of the power cutter.
Risk area
No persons that do not have the protective equipment
described above shall be allowed inside the risk area for
thrown material.
Blade speed
Apply the cutting blade gently with high rotating speed
(full throttle) Maintain full speed until cutting is complete.
Low blade speed, especially in hard and thin materials
can result in jamming and the breaking-off of the carbide
tips.
Thin material
Cutting thin and hard material (i.e. a sheet metal covered
roof) should be conducted in a forward direction for best
control.
Pinching or jamming
Make a careful evaluation of how the object will move
during the final stage of the cutting to avoid pinching or
jamming. The cut must open during the cut. If the object
sags and the cut begins to close the blade may pinch,
possibly resulting in a kick-back or damage to the blade.
Cutting in line
Skewing or twisting in the line of cut will reduce cutting
efficiency and damage the blade.
Before each rescue operation
Check that the blade and the blade guard is not damaged
or cracked. Replace the blade or the blade guard if it has
been exposed to impact or is cracked.
•
Check that no carbide tips have loosened from the
cutting blade.
•
Check that the blade is not skew or shows signs of
cracking or other defects.
When cutting in hard materials carbide tipped blades will
rapidly lose its sharpness. For best performance during
rescue operations we recommend that a new blade be
installed.
Kickback
Kickback is the sudden upward motion that can occur if
the blade is pinched or stalled in the kickback zone. Most
kickbacks are small and pose little danger. However a
kickback can also be very violent and throw the power
cutter up and back towards the user in a rotating motion
causing serious or even fatal injury.
Reactive force
A reactive force is always present when cutting. The force
pulls the machine in the opposite direction to the blade
rotation. Most of the time this force is insignificant. If the
20 m (66 ft)
!
WARNING! Kickbacks are sudden and
can be very violent. The power cutter can
be thrown up and back towards the user
in a rotating motion causing serious or
even fatal injury. It is vital to understand
what causes kickback and how to avoid it
before using the machine.
Summary of Contents for K970 III Rescue
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