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accidents are caused by poorly maintained power tools.
f) Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less likely to bind
and are easier to control.
g) Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits etc. in accordance with these instructions, taking into account
the working conditions and the work to be performed. Use of the power tool for operations different from those
intended could result in a hazardous situation.
5) Service
a) Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair person using only identical replacement parts. This will
ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
Safety instructions for all saws
a) DANGER: Keep hands away from cutting area and the blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle, or
motor housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they cannot be cut by the blade.
NOTE For circular saws with 140 mm or smaller diameter blades, the "Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle, or motor housing" may be omitted.
b) Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The guard cannot protect you from the blade below the workpiece.
c) Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of the workpiece. Less than a full tooth of the blade teeth should be
visible below the workpiece.
d) Never hold piece being cut in your hands or across your leg. Secure the workpiece to a stable platform. It is
important to support the work properly to minimize body exposure, blade binding, or loss of control.
e) Hold power tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the cutting tool may
contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Contact with a "live" wire will also make exposed metal parts of the power tool
"live" and shock the operator.
f) When ripping always use a rip fence or straight edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces the
chance of blade binding.
g) Always use blades with correct size and shape (diamond versus round) of arbour holes. 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 bolt. The blade washers and bolt were specially designed for
your saw, for optimum performance and safety of operation.
Further safety instructions for all saws
Causes and operator prevention of kickback:
− kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound or misaligned saw blade, causing an uncontrolled saw to lift up and
out of the workpiece toward the operator;
− when the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the kerf closing down, the blade stalls and the motor reaction drives the
unit rapidly back toward the operator;
− if the blade becomes twisted or misaligned in the cut, the teeth at the back edge of the blade can dig into the top
surface of the wood causing the blade to climb out of the kerf and jump back toward the operator.
Kickback is the result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking
proper precautions as given below.
a) Maintain a firm grip with both hands on the saw and position your arms to resist kickback forces. Position
your body to either side of the blade, but not in line with the blade. Kickback could cause the saw to jump
backwards, but kickback forces can be controlled by the operator, if proper precautions are taken.
NOTE For circular saws with 140 mm or smaller diameter blades, the words "with both hands" may be omitted.
b) When blade is binding, or when interrupting a cut for any reason, release the trigger and hold the saw
motionless in the material until the blade comes to a complete stop. Never attempt to remove the saw from the
work or pull the saw backward while the blade is in motion or kickback may occur. Investigate and take corrective
actions to eliminate the cause of blade binding.
c) When restarting a saw in the workpiece, centre the saw blade in the kerf and check that saw teeth are not
engaged into the material. If saw blade is binding, it may walk up or kickback from the workpiece as the saw is
restarted.
d) Support large panels to minimise the risk of blade pinching and kickback. Large panels tend to sag under their
own weight. Supports must be placed under the panel on both sides, near the line of cut and near the edge of the panel.
e) Do not use dull or damaged blades. Unsharpened or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf causing excessive
friction, blade binding and kickback.
f) Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers must be tight and secure before making cut. If blade
adjustment shifts while cutting, it may cause binding and kickback.
g) Use extra caution when making a "plunge cut" into existing walls or other blind areas. The protruding blade