Husqvarna 240 e-series Owners Manual - Page 10

GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Will my hand always activate the chain brake during a kickback? No. It takes a certain force to move the hand guard forward. If your hand only lightly touches the front guard or slips over it, the force may not be enough to trigger the chain brake.You should also maintain a firm grip of the chain saw handles while working. If you do and experience a kickback, your hand may never leave the front handle and will not activate the chain brake, or the chain brake will only activate after the saw has swung around a considerable distance. In such instances, the chain brake might not have enough time to stop the saw chain before it touches you. There are also certain positions in which your hand cannot reach the front hand guard to activate the chain brake; for example, when the saw chain is held in felling position. Will my inertia activated chain brake always activate during kickback in the event of a kickback? No. First your brake must be in working order. Testing the brake is simple, see instructions under the heading Checking, maintaining and servicing chain saw safety equipment. We recommend you do before you begin each work session. Second the kickback must be strong enough to activate the chain brake. If the chain brake is too sensitive it would activate all the time which would be a nuisance. Will my chain brake always protect me from injury in the event of a kickback? No. First, the chain brake must be in working order to provide the intended protection. Second, it must be activated during the kickback as described above to stop the saw chain. Third, the chain brake may be activated but if the bar is too close to you the brake might not have enough time to slow down and stop the chain before the chain saw hits you. Only you and proper working technique can eliminate kickback and its danger. Throttle lockout The throttle lockout is designed to prevent accidental operation of the throttle control. When you press the lock (A) (i.e. when you grasp the handle) it releases the throttle control (B). When you release the handle the throttle control and the throttle lockout both move back to their original positions. This arrangement means that the throttle control is automatically locked at the idle setting. (5) Chain catcher The chain catcher is designed to catch the chain if it snaps or jumps off. This should not happen if the chain is properly tensioned (see instructions under the heading Assembly) and if the bar and chain are properly serviced and maintained (see instructions under the heading General working instructions). Right hand guard Apart from protecting your hand if the chain jumps or snaps, the right hand guard stops branches and twigs from interfering with your grip on the rear handle. Vibration damping system Your machine is equipped with a vibration damping system that is designed to reduce vibration and make operation easier. The machine′s vibration damping system reduces the transfer of vibration between the engine unit/cutting 10 - English equipment and the machine′s handle unit. The body of the chain saw, including the cutting equipment, is insulated from the handles by vibration damping units. Cutting hardwoods (most broadleaf trees) creates more vibration than cutting softwoods (most conifers). Cutting with cutting equipment that is blunt or faulty (wrong type or badly sharpened) will increase the vibration level. WARNING! Overexposure to vibration can ! lead to circulatory damage or nerve damage in people who have impaired circulation. Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms of overexposure to vibration. Such symptoms include numbness, loss of feeling, tingling, pricking, pain, loss of strength, changes in skin colour or condition. These symptoms normally appear in the fingers, hands or wrists. These symptoms may be increased in cold temperatures. Stop switch Use the stop switch to switch off the engine. Muffler The muffler is designed to reduce noise levels and to direct exhaust fumes away from the user. WARNING! The exhaust fumes from the ! engine are hot and may contain sparks which can start a fire. Never start the machine indoors or near combustible material! In areas with a hot, dry climate there is a high risk of fires. These areas are sometimes subject to government rules requiring among other things the muffler must be equipped with an approved type of spark arrestor screen (A). (6) CAUTION! The muffler gets very hot during and after use. This also applies during idling. Be aware of the fire hazard, especially when working near flammable substances and/or vapours. WARNING! Never use a saw without a ! muffler, or with a damaged muffler. A damaged muffler may substantially in- crease the noise level and the fire hazard. Keep fire fighting equipment handy. If a spark arrestor screen is required in your area, never use the saw without or with a broken spark arrestor screen. Cutting equipment This section describes how to choose and maintain your cutting equipment in order to: • Reduce the risk of kickback. • Reduce the risk of the saw chain breaking or jumping off the bar. • Obtain optimal cutting performance. • Extend the life of cutting equipment. • Avoid increasing vibration levels. 1151508-26 Rev. 1 2009-07-08