Echo DM-4610 Operator's Manual page 5

Painful or numb fingers?
See your doctor
WEAR PROPER CLOTHING
• Snug fitting, durable clothing should be worn. Trousers
should have long legs. DO NOT WEAR SHORTS. Do
not wear loose fitting clothing, scarfs, neckties, jeweiry
or any item that may be drawn or tangled in the fan.
• Wear chemical resisting work clothes.
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles. DO NOT wear open
toed shoses or operate unit bare footed.
• Wear no-slip, heavy duty work gloves to improve your
grip on the pipe.
Wearing rubber gloves and cap to prevent direct
contact with chemicals.
VIBRATION AND COLD
It is believed that a condition called Raynaud's
Phenomenon which affects the fingers of certain
individuals may be brought about by exposure to
vibration and cold. Exposure to vibration and cold may
cause tingling and burning, followed by loss of color and
numbness in the fingers.
The following precautions are strongly recommended
because the minimum exposure which might trigger the
ailment is unknown.
• Keep your body warm, especially the head and neck,
feet and ankles, and hands and wrists.
• Maintain good blood circulation by performing vigorous
arm exercises during frequent work breaks, and also
by not smoking.
• Limit the number of hours of operation.
Try to fill each day with jobs where operating the
duster/mist blower or other hand-held power
equipment is not required.
• If you experience discomfort, redness and swelling of
the fingers, followed by whitening and loss of feeling,
consult your physician before exposing yourself further
to cold and vibration.
REPETITIVE STRESS INJURIES
It is believed that overusing the muscles and tendons of
the fingers, hands, arms and shoulders may cause
soreness, swelling, numbness, weakness and extreme
pain to the areas just mentioned. Certain repetitive hand
activities may put you at a high risk for developing a
repetitive stress injury (RSI).
To reduce the risk of RSl, do the following:
• Avoid using your wrist in a bent, extended or twisted
position.
• Take periodic breaks to minimize repetition and rest
your hands. Reduce the speed and force in which you
do the repetitive movement.
• Do exercises to strengthen hand and arm muscles.
• See a doctor if you feel tingling, numbness or pain in
your fingers, hands, wrists or arms. The sooner RSI is
diagnosed, the more likely permanent nerve and
muscle damage can be prevented.
5 DM-4610