5
Warnings – Personal safety precautions
When working with microtomes, personal safety precautions must always be taken. It is
mandatory to wear work safety shoes, safety gloves, a mask and safety goggles.
Warnings – Operating the instrument
•
Be very careful when handling microtome knives and disposable blades because their cutting edge
is extremely sharp.
•
Always remove the knife / blade before detaching the knife holder from the instrument. Always put the
knives back into the knife case when not in use.
•
Never place a knife anywhere with the cutting edge facing upwards and never try to catch a falling
knife!
•
Always clamp the specimen block PRIOR TO clamping the knife or blade.
•
Lock the handwheel and cover the knife edge with the knife guard prior to any manipulation of knife
or specimen clamp, prior to changing the specimen block and during all work breaks!
•
Always take appropriate safety precautions when sectioning brittle specimens because the specimen
may splinter.
•
Ensure that liquids do not enter the interior of the instrument during work.
•
Do not attempt to clamp, approach, or orient the specimen during the retraction phase.
•
Prior to sectioning, check that the specimen is securely clamped in the specimen clamp –failure to
observe this poses the risk of damaging the specimen.
Warnings
– Cleaning and Maintenance
•
LOCK the handwheel before each cleaning.
•
Before each cleaning, switch off the instrument, disconnect the power plug, remove the knife holder
completely and clean it separately.
•
Always remove the blade before detaching the knife holder from the instrument.
•
Do not use any solvents containing acetone or xylene for cleaning.
•
Ensure that no liquids enter the interior of the instrument when cleaning.
•
Do not turn the instrument on before it is completely dry.
•
Turn the instrument off with the main switch and pull the main plug before replacing the fuses. Only
use fuses of the same specification provided in Operation Manual.
•
Only authorized and qualified service personnel may access the internal components of the
instrument for service and repair.
