Operator Safety - Echo CS-400 Instruction Manual

VIBRATION AND COLD
• It is believed that a condition called Raynaud's Phe-
nomenon, which affects the fingers of certain individu-
als, 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 chain saw, 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 further exposing yourself
to cold and vibration.
REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY
• It is believed that over-using the muscles and tendons
of the finger, 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).
• An extreme RSI condition is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
(CTS) which could occur when your wrist swells and
squeezes a vital nerve that runs through the area.
Some believe that prolonged exposure to vibration
may contribute to CTS.CTS can cause severe pain for
months or even years.
To reduce the risk of RSI/CTS, 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 repeti-
tive 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/
CTS is diagnosed, the more likely permanent nerve and
muscle damage can be prevented.
WARNING
The ignition components of this machine generate an electromagnetic field during operation which may interfere
with some pacemakers. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury, persons with pacemakers should consult
with their physician and the pacemaker manufacturer before operating this machine. In the absence of such
information, ECHO does not recommend the use of ECHO products by anyone who has a pacemaker.
CS-400

OPERATOR SAFETY

EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION
• wear eye protection goggles that meet ANSI
• wear hearing protection. If this guideline is not fol-
WEAR PROPER CLOTHING
• Snug fitting durable clothing should be worn.Pants
• DO NOT WEAR SHORTS. Do not wear loose fitting
• wear shoes with non-skid soles. DO NOT wear open
• wear no-slip, heavy duty work gloves to improve your
• Keep long hair away from engine and air intake. Retain
HOT HUMID WEATHER
• Heavy protective clothing can increase operator fa-
AVOID HOT SURFACES
• During operation, the muffler or catalytic muffler and
• Never suspend the saw on a lanyard with the engine
• Always use the saw from the right-hand side of your
• Always wear proper safety clothing to protect your
• Always keep exhaust area clear of flammable debris
8
Z 87.1 requirements. Goggles meeting the require-
ments have the mark "Z 87" stamped on them.
lowed, hearing loss can occur. ECHO recommends
wearing hearing protection at all times.
should have long legs,
clothing, scarves, neckties, jewelry or any item that
may become tangled in surrounding growth or the
chain saw itself.
toed shoes or operate unit barefooted.
grip on the chain saw handles. The gloves also help
reduce the transmission of machine vibration to your
hands.
hair with cap or net.
tigue which may lead to heat stroke. Schedule heavy
work for early morning, or late afternoon hours when
temperatures are cooler.
surrounding cover become hot.
running.
body - NEVER from the left side.
lower body from sharp saw chain and hot muffler.
during transportation or when storing, otherwise seri-
ous property damage or personal injury may result.