Craftsman 9096-31B202 316350840 Operator's Manual page 8

KICKBACK SPECIFICS
WARNING:
control of the chain saw and result in serious
or fatal injury to the saw operator or to any-
one standing close by. Always be alert.
Rotational kickback and pinch-kickback are
major chain saw operational dangers and the
leading cause of most accidents.
KICKBACK may occur when the NOSE or TIP of the
guide bar touches an object, or when 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.
Any of these reactions may cause you to lose control of
the saw, which could result in serious personal injury.
Rotational Kickback
Rotational Kickback can occur when the moving
chain contacts an object at the upper tip of the guide
bar. This contact can cause the chain to dig into the
object, which stops the chain for an instant. The
result is a lightning fast, reverse reaction which kicks
the guide bar up and back toward the operator.
A
A
A = Kickback path
B = Kickback reaction zone
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION
Kickback can lead to
dangerous loss of
B
A
Fig. 1
KICKBACK SPECIFICS
Pinch Kickback
Pinch kickback can occur when the saw chain is pinched
along the bottom or top of the guide bar.
When pinched on the bottom of the guide bar, it may pull
the saw forward, away from the operator
When pinched along he top of the guide bar, it may push
the guide bar rapidly back toward the operator.
A = Pull
B = Solid objects
C = Push
8
A
B B
C
Fig. 2