4
OPERATOR SAFETY
DANGER:
RISK OF CUT; KEEP
HANDS AND FEET AWAY FROM BLADE.
Keep both hands on handles when power is on.
Do not attempt to clear away cut material when
blades are in motion. Make sure trigger switch is
not engaged and power source is disconnected
when removing jammed material from blades.
Do not grab or hold unit by blades.
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Dress properly. Always wear safety
glasses or similar eye protection when op-
erating, or performing maintenance on your
unit. (Safety glasses are available.) Always
wear face or dust mask if operation is dusty.
Always wear heavy, long pants, long
sleeves, boots, and gloves. Secure hair
above shoulder length. Do not go barefoot
or wear short pants, sandals, jewelry, loose
clothing, or clothing with loosely hanging
straps, ties, tassels, etc. They can be
caught in moving parts.
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Always wear hearing protection when us-
ing this unit.
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Being fully covered also helps protect you
from debris and pieces of toxic plants such
as poison ivy thrown by the blades, which
could be more of a hazard than touching the
plant itself.
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Stay Alert
.
Do not operate unit when you
are tired, ill, upset or under influence of al-
cohol, drugs, or medication. Watch what
you are doing; use common sense.
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Avoid unintentional starting of the unit. Never
carry unit with your finger on the trigger
switch. Be sure the trigger switch is not en-
gaged before connecting the extension cord.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
WARNING:
Avoid a dangerous envi-
ronment. To reduce the risk of electrical
shock, do not use on wet hedges or shrub-
bery. Do not use in rain, in damp or wet loca-
tions, or around swimming pools, hot tubs,
etc. Do not expose to snow, rain, or water to
avoid the possibility of electrical shock.
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Use a voltage supply as shown on unit.
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Avoid dangerous situations. Do not use in
the presence of flammable liquids or gases
to avoid creating a fire or explosion and/or
causing damage to unit.
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To reduce the risk of electrical shock, this
equipment has a polarized plug (one blade
is wider than the other) and will require the
use of a polarized extension cord. The ap-
pliance plug will fit into a polarized exten-
sion cord only one way. If the plug does not
fit fully into the extension cord, reverse the
plug. If the plug still does not fit, obtain a
correct polarized extension cord. A polar-
ized extension cord will require the use of a
polarized wall outlet. This plug will fit into
the polarized wall outlet only one way. If
plug does not fit fully into the wall outlet, re-
verse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a
qualified electrician to install the proper wall
outlet. Do not change the equipment plug,
extension cord receptacle, or extension
cord plug in any way.
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To reduce risk of electrical shock, use ex-
tension cords specifically marked as suit-
able for outdoor appliances having electri-
cal rating not less than the rating of unit.
Cord must be marked with suffix “W--A” (in
Canada “W”). Make sure your extension
cord is in good condition. Inspect extension
cord before use and replace if damaged. Do
not use a damaged cord. Cord insulation
must be intact with no cracks or deteriora-
tion. Plug connectors must be undamaged.
An undersized extension cord will cause a
drop in line voltage resulting in loss of pow-
er and overheating. If in doubt, use the next
heavier gauge. The lower the gauge num-
ber, the heavier the cord (see SELECT AN
EXTENSION CORD in the OPERATION
section).
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Do not use multiple cords.
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Do not abuse cord. Never carry the unit by
the extension cord or yank extension cord
to disconnect unit.
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Use cord retainer to prevent disconnection
of extension cord from unit and possible
damage to the unit due to plug movement
(see ATTACH THE EXTENSION CORD
TO YOUR TRIMMER in the OPERATION
section).
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Do not use the unit if the trigger switch does
not turn the unit on and off properly. Repairs to
the switch must be made by your authorized
service dealer.
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Keep the extension cord clear of operator,
blades and obstacles at all times. Do not ex-
pose cords to heat, oil, water, or sharp edges.
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Blades can cut extension cord. Keep the
extension cord away from the blades. A cut
extension cord can cause serious electrical
shock to you or others.
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To avoid the possibility of electric shock,
avoid body contact with any grounded con-
ductor, such as metal fences or pipes.
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Inspect hedge trimmer cord periodically
and if damaged, have it repaired by an au-
thorized service dealer
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Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
protection should be provided on circuit or
outlet to be used. Receptacles are avail-
able having built-in GFCI protection and
may be used for this measure of safety.
UNIT SAFETY
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Inspect unit before use. Damaged parts
must be repaired or replaced by your autho-
rized service dealer.
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Inspect entire unit, including blade and
handguard, before each use. Have dam-
aged parts repaired or replaced by your au-
thorized service dealer. Make sure all han-
dles, guards, and fasteners are in place and
securely fastened.