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.
2
1
Fig. 1
Other safety precautions
○ Do not operate a chain saw with one hand! Serious
injury to 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.