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Kickback and
Related Warnings
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched or
snagged rotating wheel, backing pad, brush or
any other accessory. Pinching or snagging
causes rapid stalling of the rotating accessory
which in turn causes the uncontrolled power
tool to be forced in the direction opposite of the
accessory’s rotation at the point of the binding.
For example, if an abrasive wheel is snagged
or pinched by the workpiece, the edge of the
wheel that is entering into the pinch point can
dig into the surface of the material causing the
wheel to climb out or kickout. The wheel may
either jump toward or away from the operator,
depending on direction of the wheel’s
movement at the point of pinching. Abrasive
wheels may also break under these conditions.
Kickback is the result of power tool misuse
and/or incorrect operating procedures or
conditions and can be avoided by taking proper
precautions as given below.
Maintain a firm grip on the power tool and
position your body and arm to allow you to
resist kickback forces. Always use auxiliary
handle, if provided, for maximum control
over kickback or torque reaction during
start-up.
The operator can control torque
reactions or kickback forces, if proper
precautions are taken.
Never place your hand near the rotating
accessory.
Accessory may kickback over your
hand.
Do not position your body in the area where
power tool will move if kickback occurs.
Kickback will propel the tool in direction
opposite to the wheel’s movement at the point
of snagging.
Use special care when working corners,
sharp edges etc. Avoid bouncing and
snagging the accessory.
Corners, sharp
edges or bouncing have a tendency to snag the
rotating accessory and cause loss of control or
kickback.
Do not attach a saw chain woodcarving
blade or toothed saw blade.
Such blades
create frequent kickback and loss of control.
Safety Warnings Specific for
Grinding and Abrasive
Cutting-Off Operations:
Use only wheel types that are
recommended for your power tool and the
specific guard designed for the selected
wheel.
Wheels for which the power tool was
not designed cannot be adequately guarded
and are unsafe.
The grinding surface of centre depressed
wheels must be mounted below the plane of
the guard lip.
An improperly mounted wheel
that projects through the plane of the guard lip
cannot be adequately protected.
The guard must be securely attached to the
power tool and positioned for maximum
safety, so the least amount of wheel is
exposed towards the operator.
The guard
helps to protect operator from broken wheel
fragments, accidental contact with wheel, and
sparks that could ignite clothing.
Wheels must be used only for
recommended applications. For example:
do not grind with the side of cut-off wheel.
Abrasive cut-off wheels are intended for
peripheral grinding, side forces applied to these
wheels may cause them to shatter.
Always use undamaged wheel flanges that
are of correct size and shape for your
selected wheel.
Proper wheel flanges support
the wheel thus reducing the possibility of wheel
breakage. Flanges for cut-off wheels may be
different from grinding wheel flanges.
Do not use worn down wheels from larger
power tools.
Wheel intended for larger power
tool is not suitable for the higher speed of a
smaller tool and may burst.
Additional Safety Warnings Specific
for Abrasive Cutting-Off Operations:
Do not “jam” the cut-off wheel or apply
excessive pressure. Do not attempt to make
an excessive depth of cut.
Overstressing the
wheel increases the loading and susceptibility
to twisting or binding of the wheel in the cut and
the possibility of kickback or wheel breakage.
Do not position your body in line with and
behind the rotating wheel.
When the wheel,
at the point of operation, is moving away from
your body, the possible kickback may propel
the spinning wheel and the power tool directly
at you.
When wheel is binding or when interrupting
a cut for any reason, switch off the power
tool and hold the power tool motionless
until the wheel comes to a complete stop.
Never attempt to remove the cut-off wheel
from the cut while the wheel is in motion
otherwise kickback may occur.
Investigate
and take corrective action to eliminate the
cause of wheel binding.
1600A014NP 08-18 GWS10-45DE.qxp_GWS 8/24/18 8:49 AM Page 5
