S Keep fuel and oil caps, screws, and fasteners securely tightened. S Maintain unit according to recommended procedures. S Make sure unit is assembled correctly as shown in this manual. S Make idle speed adjustments with lower end supported. S Keep others away when making idle speed adjustments. S Use only recommended Poulan PRO accessories and replacement parts. S Have all service performed by a qualified service dealer with the exception of the items listed in the maintenance section of this manual. direction of the chain rotation. The pruner is driven straight back toward the operator. S Pull-In can occur when the moving chain contacts a foreign object in the wood in the cut along the bottom of the guide bar and the chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden stopping pulls the pruner forward and away from the operator and could easily cause the operator to lose control of the pruner. REDUCE THE CHANCE OF KICKBACK HANDLE FUEL WITH CAUTION S Do not smoke while handling fuel or while operating the unit. S Eliminate all sources of sparks or flame in the areas where fuel is mixed or poured. There should be no smoking, open flames, or work that could cause sparks. Allow engine to cool before refueling. S Mix and pour fuel in an outdoor area on bare ground; store fuel in a cool, dry, well ventilated place; and use an approved, marked container for all fuel purposes. Wipe up all fuel spills before starting engine. S Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) from fueling site before starting engine. S Turn the engine off and let unit cool in a non-combustible area, not on dry leaves, straw, paper, etc. Slowly remove fuel cap and refuel unit. S Store the unit and fuel in an area where fuel vapors cannot reach sparks or open flames from water heaters, electric motors or switches, furnaces, etc. S Stop engine and allow to cool before removing fuel cap. S Always store gasoline in a container approved for flammable liquids. KICKBACK S Recognize that kickback can happen. With a basic understanding of kickback, you can reduce the element of surprise which contributes to accidents. S Never let the moving chain contact any object at the tip of the guide bar. S Keep the working area free from obstructions such as other trees, branches, rocks, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid any obstruction that your chain could hit while you are cutting. When cutting a branch, do not let the guide bar contact branch or other objects around it. S Keep your chain sharp and properly tensioned. A loose or dull chain can increase the chance of kickback occurring. Follow manufacturer's chain sharpening and maintenance instructions. Check tension at regular intervals with the engine stopped, never with the engine running. Make sure the bar clamp nut is securely tightened after tensioning the chain. S Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If the chain is moving at a slower speed, there is greater chance of kickback occurring. S Cut one branch at a time. S Use extreme caution when re-entering a previous cut. S Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of the bar (plunge cuts). S Watch for shifting of wood or other forces that could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain. S Use the Reduced-Kickback Guide Bar and Low-Kickback Chain specified for your unit. WARNING: Avoid kickback which can result in serious injury. Kickback is the backward, upward or sudden forward motion of the guide bar occurring when the chain near the upper tip of the guide bar contacts any object such as a log or branch, or when the wood closes in and pinches the chain in the cut. Contacting a foreign object in the wood can also result in loss of control. S 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. S Pinch-Kickback can occur when the wood closes in and pinches the moving chain in the cut along the top of the guide bar and the chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden stopping of the chain results in a reversal of the chain force used to cut wood and causes the pruner to move in the opposite 6 MAINTAIN CONTROL S Keep a good, firm grip on the pruner with both hands when the engine is running and don't let go. A firm grip will help you reduce kickback and maintain control. Keep the fingers of your left hand encircling and your left thumb under the assist handle. Keep your right hand completely around the throttle handle whether your are right handed or left handed.