Makita UC3030A Instruction Manual page 5

Chain saw safety warnings
1. Keep all parts of the body away from the saw chain
when the chain saw is operating. Before you start the
chain saw, make sure the saw chain is not contacting
anything. A moment of inattention while operating chain
saws may cause entanglement of your clothing or body with
the saw chain.
2. Always hold the chain saw with your right hand on
the rear handle and your left hand on the front handle.
Holding the chain saw with a reversed hand configuration
increases the risk of personal injury and should never be
done.
3. Hold the power tool by insulated gripping surfaces
only, because the saw chain may contact hidden wiring
or its own cord. Saw chains contacting a "live" wire may
make e xposed m etal p arts o f t he p ower t ool " live" a nd c ould
give the operator an electric shock.
4. Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Further
protective e quipment f or h ead, h ands, l egs a nd f eet i s
recommended. Adequate protective clothing will reduce
personal i njury b y fl ying d ebris o r a ccidental c ontact w ith t he
saw chain.
5. Do not operate a chain saw in a tree.
saw while up in a tree may result in personal injury.
6. Always keep proper footing and operate the chain saw
only w hen s tanding o n fi xed, s ecure a nd l evel s urface.
Slippery or unstable surfaces such as ladders may cause a
loss of balance or control of the chain saw.
7. When cutting a limb that is under tension be alert for
spring back. When t he t ension i n t he w ood fi bres i s r eleased
the spring loaded limb may strike the operator and/or throw
the chain saw out of control.
8. Use extreme caution when cutting brush and saplings.
The slender material may catch the saw chain and be
whipped t oward y ou o r p ull y ou o ff b alance.
9. Carry the chain saw by the front handle with the chain
saw switched off and away from your body. When
transporting or storing the chain saw always fit the
guide bar cover. Proper handling of the chain saw will
reduce the likelihood of accidental contact with the moving
saw chain.
10. Follow instructions for lubricating, chain tensioning and
changing accessories. Improperly tensioned or lubricated
chain may either break or increase the chance for kickback.
11. Keep handles dry, clean, and free from oil and grease.
Greasy, oily handles are slippery causing loss of control.
12. Cut wood only. Do not use chain saw for purposes not
intended. For example: do not use chain saw for cutting
plastic, masonry or non-wood building materials. Use
of t he c hain s aw f or o perations d ifferent t han i ntended c ould
result in a hazardous situation.
13. Causes and operator prevention of kickback:
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 sudden reverse
reaction, kicking the guide bar up and back towards the
operator.
Pinching the saw chain along the top of the guide bar may
push the guide bar rapidly back towards the operator.
Either o f t hese r eactions m ay c ause y ou t o l ose c ontrol o f t he
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.
Kickback is the result of tool misuse and/or incorrect
operating procedures or conditions and can be avoided by
taking proper precautions as given below:
- Maintain a firm grip, with thumbs and fingers
encircling the chain saw handles, with both hands
on the saw and position your body and arm to allow
you to resist kickback forces. Kickback forces can
Operation of a chain
be controlled by the operator, if proper precautions are
taken. Do not let go of the chain saw.
- Do not overreach and do not cut above shoulder
height. This helps prevent unintended tip contact and
enables better control of the chain saw in unexpected
situations.
- Only use replacement bars and chains specified
by the manufacturer. Incorrect replacement bars and
chains may cause chain breakage and/or kickback.
- Follow the manufacturer's
maintenance instructions for the saw chain.
Decreasing the depth gauge height can lead to increased
kickback.
sharpening and
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