4
Kickback Safety Precautions
Take the following steps to reduce the chance of accident or injury:
• Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built into the unit.
• Do not cut above shoulder height.
• Do not overreach. Always keep proper footing and balance. Take
extra care when working on steep slopes or inclines. Do not
operate the unit in a tree or on a ladder unless specifically
trained to do so.
• Do not make cuts with the tip of the guide bar.
• Make sure the area of operation is free from obstructions. Do not
let the tip of the guide bar contact any object, such as a log,
branch, the ground or other obstruction.
• Always inspect the wood before cutting. Foreign objects could
damage the unit or cause serious personal injury. Never cut
through nails, metal rods, railroad ties or pallets.
• Do not operate the unit with one hand! Serious injury to the
operator, helpers or bystanders may result from one-handed
operation. This unit is intended for two-handed use. Always grip
the unit firmly with both hands when the unit is running. Hold the
front handle with the left hand and the rear handle with the right
hand. Firmly encircle the handles with the thumbs and fingers.
Do not let go. A firm grip will help maintain control of the unit and
reduce the chance of kickback.
• Stand slightly to the left of the unit to avoid being in the direct line
of the saw chain.
• Never start the saw when the guide bar is inside an existing cut.
Be extremely careful when re-entering a cut.
• Always begin a cut with the unit running at full speed. Fully
squeeze the throttle control and maintain a steady cutting speed.
Slower speeds increase the chance of kickback.
• Keep the saw housing pressed firmly against the wood.
• Do not cut more than one log or branch at a time.
Fig. A
Fig. B
Rotational
Kickback
Kickback
Danger Zone
Saw Chain
Direction
Linear
Kickback
Pinch
• For safer, more effective performance, make sure the guide bar
and chain are properly cleaned, lubricated, tightened and
sharpened. Check the guide bar and chain at frequent intervals
for proper adjustment.
• When cutting a limb that is under tension, use extreme caution.
When the tension is released, the limb could spring back and
strike the operator, causing severe injury or death.
• Use extreme caution when cutting small-sized brush and
saplings, as slender material may catch the saw chain and be
whipped toward the operator or pull the operator off balance.
• This saw is classified by UL as a Class 1C saw in accordance
with CSA Z62.1-03. It is intended for infrequent use by
homeowners, cottagers and campers, and for general
applications such as clearing, pruning, cutting firewood, etc. It is
not intended for prolonged use. If the intended use involves
prolonged periods of operation, this may cause circulatory
problems in the user’s hands due to vibration.
• Never remove, modify or make inoperative any safety device
furnished with the unit.
• Do not use the unit in the presence of flammable liquids or gases.
• Do not attempt operations beyond the operator’s capacity or
experience.
• Do not operate a unit that is damaged, improperly adjusted or not
completely and securely assembled. Make sure moving parts
stop when the unit is turned off. Do not use the unit if it does not
turn on and off properly. Have defective parts replaced by an
authorized service dealer.
KICKBACK SAFETY
Understanding Kickback
A basic understanding of kickback can help reduce or eliminate the
element of surprise and the chance of kickback-related injury.
Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.
• Rotational Kickback can happen when the upper tip of the
guide bar contacts an object while the chain is moving (Fig. A).
This can cause the chain to dig into the object and momentarily
stop moving. The guide bar is then kicked up and back toward
the operator in a lightning-fast reverse reaction.
• Linear Kickback can happen when the wood on either side of a
cut closes in and pinches the moving saw chain along the top of
the guide bar (Fig. B). This can cause the chain to instantly stop.
The chain force is then reversed, causing the saw to move in the
opposite direction, sending the saw straight back toward the
operator.
• Pull-In can happen when the moving chain on the bottom of the
guide bar hits a foreign object inside the wood. This can cause
the chain to suddenly stop. The saw is then pulled forward and
away from the operator, which could potentially result in the loss
of control of the saw.
WARNING:
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. In
some cases, tip contact may cause a lightening-fast reverse
action, kicking the guide bar rapidly back to wards 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 a loss of
control over the saw, which could result in serious injury to
the user. Contact with foreign objects within the wood can
also induce a loss of chain saw control.
