Kickback Safety Precautions - Shindaiwa 269Ts Owner's/Operator's Manual

Kickback Safety Precautions

DANGER
Kickback safety precaution for chain
saw users 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 case may cause a
lightning-fast reverse reaction, kicking the
guide bar up and back toward the operator
(this is called a rotational kickback).
Pinching the saw chain along the top of the
guide bar may push the guide bar rapidly
back toward the operator (this is called a
linear kickback).
■ Either or these reactions may cause you to
lose control of the saw and come in contact
with the moving chain, which could result
in serious personal injury. As a chain saw
user, you should take several steps to keep
your cutting jobs free from accident or
injury.
■ With a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce or eliminate the element of
surprise. Sudden surprise contributes to
accidents. Understand that rotational
kickback is preventable by keeping an
unshielded bar nose from touching an
object or the ground.
■ Do not operate a chain saw with one hand!
Serious injury to the operator, helpers or
bystanders may result from one-handed
operation. For proper control, always use
two hands when operating a chain saw, one
hand which operates the trigger. This can
result in the chain saw "skating "or skid-
ding, which can result in personal injury
due to loss of control.
■ Keep a good rm grip on the saw which
both hands, with the right hand on the
rear handle and the left hand on the front
handle, when the engine is running. Use a
rm grip with thumbs and ngers enriching
the chain saw handles. A rm grip will help
you reduce kickback and maintain control
of the saw. Two hands must be used to
control the saw at all times.
■ Do not overreach or cut above chest height.
■ Make sure that the area in which you are
cutting is free from obstructions. Do not let
the bar nose contact a log, branch, or any
other obstruction which could be hit while
you are operating the saw.
■ Cutting at high engine speeds may reduce
the likelihood of kickback. But cutting at
part-throttle or low engine speeds may be
preferable to control the chain saw in tight
situations and may also reduce the
likelihood of kickback.
■ Follow manufacturer's sharpening and
maintenance instructions for the saw chain.
■ Use only replacement guide bars and
chains speci ed by the manufacturer, or the
acceptable equivalents of these guide bars
and chains.
7