Appliance-specific safety instructions for
circular saws
Safety instructions for all saws
Sawing method
a)
DANGER! Keep your hands clear of the sawing area and
the saw blade. Hold the auxiliary handle or motor housing with
your other hand. When both hands are being used to hold the
saw, neither can be injured by the saw blade.
b) Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The blade guard
cannot protect you from the saw blade below the workpiece.
c) Set the cutting depth to match the thickness of the workpiece.
Less than a full tooth height should be visible below the
workpiece.
d) Never hold the workpiece to be sawn in your hand or over your
leg. Fasten the workpiece onto a stable working surface. It is
important to fasten the workpiece securely to minimise the danger
of bodily contact, jamming of the saw blade or loss of control.
e) Hold the power tool only by the insulated handles when you are
carrying out work during which the accessory tool may come into
contact with concealed power cables or
the tool’s own power cord.
Contact with a live wire will also make exposed metal parts of the
power tool live and could give the operator an electric shock.
f) When making longitudinal cuts, always use a rip fence or a
straight edge guide. This will improve the accuracy of your cut and
reduce the likelihood of the saw blade jamming.
g) Always use saw blades of the correct size and with an
appropriate central fixing bore (e.g. star-shaped or round). Blades
that do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run
eccentrically, causing loss of control.
h) Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or bolts. The
blade washers and bolts were specially designed for your saw, for
optimum performance and safety of operation.
Further safety instructions for all saws
Kickback - causes and corresponding safety instructions
▯
A kickback is a sudden reaction caused as a result of the saw
blade catching, jamming or being falsely aligned, causing the saw
to jump up uncontrollably and out of the workpiece in the direction
of the operator;
▯
if the saw blade catches or jams in a narrowing saw cut, the
blade can no longer rotate and the power of the motor throws the
appliance back in the direction of the operator;
▯
if the saw blade twists in the saw cut or becomes misaligned,
the teeth at the rear edge of the saw blade can become caught in
the wood surface, causing the saw blade to jump out of the cut
and the saw to jump backwards in the direction of the operator.
Kickback is a result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operating
procedures or conditions. This can be avoided by taking proper
precautions as described below.
a) Hold the saw firmly in both hands and position your arms such
that they can absorb the force of a kickback. Always stand to the
side of the saw blade and never in line with it. If a kickback
occurs, the circular saw may jump backwards. However, by taking
appropriate precautions the operator can control the kickback
forces.
b) If the saw blade jams or you stop working, switch the saw off
and hold it steadily in the workpiece until the saw blade has
completely stopped turning. Never attempt to remove the saw
from the workpiece or pull it backwards while the saw blade is still
moving as this could lead to a kickback. Investigate and take
corrective actions to eliminate the cause of blade binding.
c) If you want to restart a saw that is still in the workpiece, centre
the saw blade in the cut and check to ensure that the teeth are not
caught anywhere in the workpiece. If the saw blade catches it can
jump out of the workpiece or cause a kickback when the saw is
restarted.
d) Support large panels to minimise the risk of blade
pinching and kickback. Large panels tend to bend under
their own weight. Panels/boards must be supported on
both side: i.e. both in the vicinity of the saw cut and also at
the edge.
e) Do not use blunt or damaged saw blades. Saw blades
with blunt or misaligned teeth may cause excessive friction
as the saw cut is too narrow, and this can cause a saw
blade jam and kickback.
f) Before sawing, ensure that the fastenings for the cut
depth and cut angle settings are tightened. If the settings
change while sawing, the saw blade might jam and cause
a kickback.
g) Be particularly careful when sawing in existing walls or
other obscured areas. The inserted saw blade could get
caught on hidden objects and cause a kickback.
Function of the lower blade guard
a) Check whether the lower blade guard closes properly
before each use. Do not operate the saw if lower blade
guard does not move freely and close instantly. Never
clamp or tie the lower blade guard into the open position.
If the saw is accidentally dropped, lower blade guard may
be bent. Raise the blade guard with the release lever and
make sure it moves freely and does not touch the blade or
any other part at all angles and cut depths.
b) Check the operation of the lower blade guard spring.
Have the saw serviced before using it if the lower blade
guard and spring are not working properly. Damaged parts,
sticky deposits or accumulations of chippings can cause
the lower blade guard to operate slowly.
c) The lower blade guard may be retracted manually only
for special cuts such as "plunge cuts" and "compound
cuts". Raise the lower blade guard with the release lever
and release it as soon as blade enters the material. For all
other sawing, the lower blade guard should operate
automatically.
d) Always ensure that the lower blade guard is covering the
blade before placing the saw down on the workbench or
floor. An unprotected, coasting saw blade will move the
saw in the opposite direction to the cutting direction and
saw anything in its path. Always, take into account that the
saw blade takes some time to stop spinning.
Safety guidelines for battery chargers
■ This appliance may be used by children aged 8 years
and above and by persons with limited physical, sensory or
mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge,
provided that they are under supervision or have been told
how to use the appliance safely and are aware of the
potential risks. Do not allow children to use the appliance
as a toy. Cleaning and user maintenance tasks may not be
carried out by children unless they are supervised.
■ To avoid potential risks, damaged mains cables should
be replaced by the manufacturer, their customer service
department or a similarly qualified person.
