English
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product contains
chemical known to the State of California to cause
cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR CHAIN
SAW USERS
Kickback safety precautions
WARNINGS! : Kickback may occur when the nose
or tip of the guide bar touches an object, or when
the wood closes in and pinches the saw chain in
the cut. Tip contact in some cases may cause a
lightning-fast reverse reaction, kicking the guide bar
up and back toward the operator. Pinching the saw
chain along the top of the guide bar may push the
guide bar rapidly back toward the operator. Either of
these reactions may cause you to lose control of the
saw, which could result in serious personal injury.
Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built
into your saw. As a chain saw user, you should take
several steps to keep your cutting jobs free from
accident or injury. ( Fig.1)
○ With a basic understanding of kickback, you
can reduce or eliminate the element of surprise.
Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.
○ Keep a good fi rm grip on the saw with both
hands, the right hand on the rear handle and the
left hand on the front handle, when the engine is
running. Use a fi rm grip with thumbs and fi ngers
encircling the chain saw handles. A fi rm grip will
help you reduce kickback and maintain control of
the saw. Don't let go.
○ Make sure that the area in which you are cutting
is free from obstructions. Do not let the nose
of the guide bar contact a log, branch, or any
other obstruction that could be hit while you are
operating the saw.
○ Cut at high engine speeds.
○ Do not overreach or cut above shoulder height.
○ Follow the manufacturer's sharpening and
maintenance instructions for the saw chain.
○ Only use replacement bars and chains specifi ed
by the manufacturer or the equivalent.
Other safety precautions
○ Do not operate a chain saw with one hand!
Serious
injury
to
2
1
Fig. 1
the
operator,
helpers,
bystanders, or any combination of these persons
may result from one-handed operation. A chain
saw is intended for two-handed use.
○ Do not operate a chain saw when you are fatigued.
○ Use safety footwear, snug-fi tting clothing,
protective gloves, and eye, hearing, and head
protection devices.
○ Use caution when handling fuel. Move the chain
saw at least 10 feet (3 m) from the fueling point
before starting the engine.
○ Do not allow other persons to be near the chain
saw when starting or cutting with the chain saw.
Keep bystanders and animals out of the work area.
○ Do not start cutting until you have a clear work
area, secure footing, and a planned retreat path
from the falling tree.
○ Keep all parts of your body away from the saw
chain when the engine is running.
○ Before you start the engine, make sure that the
saw chain is not contacting anything.
○ Carry the chain saw with the engine stopped,
the guide bar and saw chain to the rear, and the
muffl er away from your body.
○ Do not operate a chain saw that is damaged,
improperly adjusted, or not completely and
securely assembled. Be sure that the saw chain
stops moving when the throttle control trigger is
released.
○ Shut off the engine before setting the chain saw
down.
○ Use extreme caution when cutting small-size
brush and saplings because slender material
may catch the saw chain and be whipped toward
you or pull you off balance.
○ When cutting a limb that is under tension, be
alert for springback so that you will not be struck
when the tension in the wood fi bers is released.
○ Keep the handles dry, clean, and free of oil or
fuel mixture.
○ Operate the chain saw only in well-ventilated
areas.
○ Do not operate a chain saw in a tree unless you
have been specifi cally trained to do so.
○ All chain saw service, other than the items
listed in the instruction manual(s) maintenance
instructions, should be performed by Hitachi
Authorized Service Centers. (For example, if
improper tools are used to remove the fl ywheel or
if an improper tool is used to hold the fl ywheel in
order to remove the clutch, structural damage to
the fl ywheel could occur and subsequently could
cause the fl ywheel to burst.).
○ When transporting your chain saw, use the
appropriate guide-bar scabbard.