Stihl 036 QS Instruction Manual - Page 9

and cutting attachment to the operator's hands. An AV system is recommended for those persons using chain saws on a regular or sustained basis. - Wear gloves and keep your hands warm. Heated handles, which are available on most STIHL powerheads, are recommended for cold weather use. - Keep the saw chain sharp and the saw, including the AV system, well maintained. A dull chain will increase cutting time, and pressing a dull chain through wood will increase the vibrations transmitted to your hands. A saw with loose components or with damaged or worn AV buffers will also tend to have higher vibration levels. - Maintain a firm grip at all times, but do not squeeze the handles with constant, excessive pressures, take frequent breaks. All the above mentioned precautions do not guarantee that you will not sustain whitefinger disease or carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, continual and regular users should monitor closely the condition of their hands and fingers. If any of the above symptoms appear, seek medical advice immediately. Clothing must be sturdy and snug-fitting, but allow complete freedom of movement. Avoid loose-fitting jackets, scarfs, neckties, jewelry, flared or cuffed pants, or anything that could become entangled with the saw or brush. Wear overalls or jeans with a reinforced cut retardant insert or cut retardant chaps. Protect your hands with gloves when handling saw and saw chain. Heavy-duty, nonslip gloves improve your grip and protect your hands. Good footing is most important in chainsaw work. Wear sturdy boots with nonslip soles. Steel-toed safety boots are recommended. To reduce the risk of injury to your eyes never operate a chainsaw unless wearing goggles or properly fitted safety glasses with adequate top and side protection complying with ANSI Z 87.1. Wear an approved safety hard hat to protect your head. Chainsaw noise may damage your hearing. Always wear sound barriers (ear plugs or ear mufflers) to protect your hearing. Continual and regular users should have their hearing checked regularly. Parts of the chainsaw; for illustrations and definitions of the parts see the chapter on "Main Parts of Saw". Never modify a chainsaw in any way. Only attachments and parts supplied by STIHL or expressly approved by STIHL for use with the specific STIHL saw models are authorized. Although certain unauthorized attachments are useable with the STIHL powerhead, their use may, in fact, be extremely dangerous. Always stop the engine before putting a chainsaw down or carrying it. Carrying a chainsaw with the engine running is extremely dangerous. Accidental acceleration of the engine can cause the chain to rotate. During operation, the powerhead muffler and the material around it reach extremely high temperatures. Avoid touching the hot muffler, you could receive serious burns. When carrying your saw by hand, the engine must be stopped and the saw must be in the proper position.