POWER PRODUCTS LLC.
3300ST
Protecting your Body from Vibration
The following precautions are strongly recommended, because
the minimum exposure, which may trigger the ailment is unknown.
1. Always use the right tool for each job (to do the job more
quickly and expose you to less hand-arm vibration).
2. Check tools before using them to make sure they have been
properly maintained and repaired to avoid increased vibration
caused by faults or general wear.
3. Make sure cutting tools are kept sharp so that they remain
efficient.
4. Reduce the amount of time you use a tool in one go, by
doing other jobs in between. Try to fill each day with jobs
6.
4) Service
a) Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair
personnel using only identical replacement parts.
This will
ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
EFFECTS OF VIBRATION
It is believed that a condition called Raynaud’s Phenomenen,
which affects the fingers of certain individuals, may be bought
about by exposure to vibration and cold - it may cause tingling
and burning sensations, followed by loss of colour and numbness
in the fingers.
If you continue to use high-vibration tools these symptoms will
probably get worse, for example:
• The numbness in your hands could become permanent
and you won’t be able to feel things at all;
• You will have difficulty picking up small objects such
as screws or nails;
• The vibration white finger could happen more frequently
and affect more of your fingers.
REPETITIVE STRESS
INJURIES (RSI)
It is believed that overusing the muscles and tendons of the
fingers, arms, hands and shoulders may cause swelling,
soreness, numbness, weakness or extreme pain in those areas.
Cerain repetitive hand activities may put you at a high risk for
developing a Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI).
An extreme RSI condition is Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
which can occur when your wrist swells and squeezes a vital
nerve that runs through the area. It is believed that prolonged
exposure to vibration may contribute to CTS. CTS can cause
severe pain for months or even years.
To reduce the risks of RSI / CTS do the following:
•
Avoid using your wrist in a bent, extended or twisted position.
Instead try to maintain a straight wrist position. Also, when
grasping, use your whole hand, not just the thumb and index
finger.
•
Take periodic breaks to minimise repetition and rest your
hands.
•
Reduce the speed and force with which you do the repetitive
movement.
•
Do exercise to strengthen the hand and arm muscles.
n) Keep cutting tools sharp and clean.
Properly maintained
cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less likely to bind and
are easier to control.
o) Remove any adjusting key or wrench before turning the
tool on.
A wrench or a key that is left attached to a rotating part
of the power tool may result in personal injury.
where operating the unit or other hand-held power equipment
is not required.
5. Avoid gripping or forcing a tool or workpiece more than you
have to.
6. Store tools so that they do not have very cold handles when
next used.
7. If you experience discomfort, redness, swelling of the fingers
followed by whitening and loss of feeling, consult your
physician before further exposing yourself to cold and
vibration.
8. Maintain good blood circulation by:
•
Keeping your body warm, especially the head, neck,
feet, ankles, hands and wrists.
• Giving up or cutting down on smoking because smoking
reduces blood flow
• Performing vigorous arm exercises during frequent
work breaks.
