4
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Pinch-Kickback
can occur when the the
wood closes in and pinches the moving
saw chain in the cut along the top of the
guide bar and the saw chain is suddenly
stopped. This sudden stopping of the
chain results in a reversal of the chain
force used to cut wood and causes the
saw to move in the opposite direction of the
chain rotation. The saw is driven straight
back toward the operator.
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Pull-In
can occur when the moving chain
contacts a foreign object in the wood in the
cut along the bottom of the guide bar and the
saw chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping pulls the saw forward and away
from the operator and could easily cause the
operator to lose control of the saw.
Avoid Pinch--Kickback:
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Be extremely aware of situations or ob-
structions that can cause material to pinch
the top of or otherwise stop the chain.
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Do not cut more than one log at a time.
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Do not twist the saw as the bar is with-
drawn from an undercut when bucking.
Avoid Pull--In:
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Always begin cutting with the engine at full
speed and the saw housing against wood.
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Use wedges made of plastic or wood.
Never use metal to hold the cut open.
Kickback Path
Avoid Obstructions
Clear The Working Area
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
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Recognize that kickback can happen.
With a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce the element of surprise
which contributes to accidents.
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Never let the moving chain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
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Keep the working area free from obstruc-
tions such as other trees, branches, rocks,
fences, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid
any obstruction that your saw chain could
hit while you are cutting. When cutting a
branch, do not let the guide bar contact
branch or other objects around it.
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Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crease the chance of kickback occurring.
Follow manufacturer’s chain sharpening
and maintenance instructions. Check ten-
sion at regular intervals with the engine
stopped, never with the engine running.
Make sure the chain brake nuts are se-
curely tightened after tensioning the chain.
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Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
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Cut one log at a time.
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Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
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Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
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Watch for shifting logs or other forces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain.
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Use the Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar
and Low--Kickback Chain specified for
your saw.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Never reverse
hand positions
Stand to the
left of the saw
Thumb on
underside of
handlebar
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
Elbow locked
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Keep a good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands when the engine is running and
don’t let go. A firm grip will help you reduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your are right handed or left handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
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Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
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Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
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Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
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Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control of the
saw.
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Do not cut above shoulder height. It is diffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.
