Husqvarna 414EL Operation Manual - Page 14

GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 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. Always wear: • Approved protective helmet • Hearing protection • Protective goggles or a visor • Gloves with saw protection • Trousers with saw protection • Use appropriate protections for arm. • 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 bar and chain or other sources. Always have fire extinguishing tools available if you should need them. Help prevent forest fires. WARNING! Working in a tree requires the ! use of special cutting and working techniques which must be observed in order to reduce the increased risk of personal injury. 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 can be activated manually (by your left hand). • The brake is applied when the front hand guard is pushed forward. • This movement activates a spring-loaded mechanism that stops the drive sprocket. • 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. • To release the chain brake pull the front hand guard backwards, towards the front handle. • The chain brake must be engaged when the chain saw is started. • 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. (5) • 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. • The way the chain brake is activated manually 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 the kickback is less violent or the kickback zone of the bar is closer to you the chain brake is designed to be activated manually by the movement of your left hand. (6) • In the felling position the left hand is in a position that makes manual activation of the chain brake impossible. With this type of grip, that is when the left hand is placed so that it cannot affect the movement of the front hand guard, the chain brake can only be activated by the inertia action. (7) 14 - English