Husqvarna 440 e-series Owners Manual - Page 12

GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Always use common sense (2) It is not possible to cover every conceivable situation you can face when using a chain saw. Always exercise care and use your common sense. Avoid all situations which you consider to be beyond your capability. If you still feel uncertain about operating procedures after reading these instructions, you should consult an expert before continuing. Do not hesitate to contact your dealer or us if you have any questions about the use of the chain saw. We will willingly be of service and provide you with advice as well as help you to use your chain saw both efficiently and safely. Attend a training course in chain saw usage if possible. Your dealer, forestry school or your library can provide information about which training materials and courses are available. Work is constantly in progress to improve the design and technology - improvements that increase your safety and efficiency. Visit your dealer regularly to see whether you can benefit from new features that have been introduced. Personal protective equipment WARNING! Most chain saw accidents ! happen when the chain touches the operator. You must use approved personal protective equipment whenever you use the machine. Personal protective equipment cannot eliminate the risk of injury but it will reduce the degree of injury if an accident does happen. Ask your dealer for help in choosing the right equipment. • Approved protective helmet • Hearing protection • Protective goggles or a visor • Gloves with saw protection • Trousers with saw protection • Boots with saw protection, steel toe-cap and non-slip sole • Always have a first aid kit nearby. • Fire Extinguisher and Shovel Generally clothes should be close-fitting without restricting your freedom of movement. IMPORTANT! Sparks can come from the muffler, the bar and chain or other sources. Always have fire extinguishing tools available if you should need them. Help prevent forest fires. Machine′s safety equipment In this section the machine's safety features and their function are explained. For inspection and maintenance see instructions under the heading Checking, maintaining and servicing chain saw safety equipment. See instructions under the heading, What is what?, to find where these parts are located on your machine. The life span of the machine can be reduced and the risk of accidents can increase if machine maintenance is not carried out correctly and if service and/or repairs are not carried out professionally. If you need further information please contact your nearest servicing dealer. WARNING! Never use a machine with ! defective safety components. Safety equipment must be inspected and maintained. See instructions under the heading Checking, maintaining and servicing chain saw safety equipment. If your machine does not pass all the checks, take the saw to a servicing dealer for repair. Chain brake and front hand guard Your chain saw is equipped with a chain brake that is designed to stop the chain if you get a kickback. The chain brake reduces the risk of accidents, but only you can prevent them. (3) Take care when using your saw and make sure the kickback zone of the bar never touches any object. (4) • The chain brake (A) can either be activated manually (by your left hand) or automatically by the inertia release mechanism. (39) • The brake is applied when the front hand guard (B) is pushed forwards or when the right-hand brake trigger (E) is pushed up and forwards. (5) • This movement activates a spring-loaded mechanism that tightens the brake band (C) around the engine drive system (D) (clutch drum). (6) • The front hand guard is not designed solely to activate the chain brake. Another important feature is that it reduces the risk of your left hand hitting the chain if you lose grip of the front handle. • The chain brake must be engaged when the chain saw is started to prevent the saw chain from rotating. (52) • Use the chain brake as a "parking brake" when starting and when moving over short distances, to reduce the risk of moving chain accidentally hitting your leg or anyone or anything close by. Do not leave the chain saw switched on with the chain brake activated for long periods. The chain saw can become very hot. • The chain brake is released by moving the front hand guard marked "PULL BACK TO RESET" back, towards the front handle. • Kickback can be very sudden and violent. Most kickbacks are minor and do not always activate the chain brake. If this happens you should hold the chain saw firmly and not let go. (56) • The way the chain brake is activated, either manually or automatically by the inertia release mechanism, depends on the force of the kickback and the position of the chain saw in relation to the object that the kickback zone of the bar strikes. If you get a violent kickback while the kickback zone of the bar is farthest away from you the chain brake is designed to be activated by the inertia in the kickback direction. (7) 12 - English 1153159-95 Rev.2 2010-04-08