Stihl MS 162 Instruction Manual - Page 14

English - Never operate your chain saw with a missing or damaged spark arresting screen. - If you experience loss of performance and suspect a clogged screen, have your muf‐ fler serviced. Some state or federal laws or regulations may require a properly maintained spark arrester for certain uses. ■ In California, it is a violation of § 4442 or § 4443 of the Public Resources Code to use or operate gasoline-powered tools on forestcovered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equip‐ ped with a complying spark arrester that is maintained in effective working order. The owner/operator of this product is responsible for properly maintaining the spark arrester. Other states or governmental entities/agen‐ cies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, may have similar requirements. - Do not use your chain saw around flam‐ mable materials or around vegetation or brush when there is a risk of fire or wild‐ fire. - Contact your local fire authorities or the U.S. Forest Service if you have any ques‐ tion about laws or regulations relating to fire protection requirements. DANGER ■ To reduce the risk of electrocution: - Never operate this chain saw in the vicinity of any wires or cables that may be carrying electric cur‐ rent. - Never cut near power lines. - Do not rely on the chain saw's insulation against electric shock. 6 Kickback and Other Reac‐ tive Forces 6.1 Reactive Forces WARNING ■ Reactive forces may occur any time the chain is rotating. Reactive forces can cause serious or fatal personal injury. ■ The powerful forces used to cut wood can be reversed and work against the operator. If the rotating saw chain is suddenly and signifi‐ cantly slowed or stopped by contact with any solid object such as a log or branch, or is 6 Kickback and Other Reactive Forces pinched, the reactive forces may occur instantly. ■ These reactive forces may result in loss of control, which, in turn, may cause serious or fatal injury. - An understanding of the causes of these reactive forces may help you avoid the element of surprise and loss of control. Surprise contributes to accidents. The most common reactive forces are: - Kickback - Pull-in - Pushback 6.2 Kickback 6.2.1 Kickback WARNING Kickback may occur when the moving chain near the upper quadrant of the bar nose contacts a solid object or is pinched. ■ When this occurs, the energy driving the chain can create a force that moves the chain saw in a direction opposite to the chain movement at the point where the chain is slowed or stop‐ ped. This may fling the bar up and back in a lightning fast reaction mainly in the plane of the bar and can cause severe or fatal injury to the operator. ■ Kickback may occur, for example, when the chain near the upper quadrant of the bar nose contacts the wood or is pinched during limb‐ ing, or when it is incorrectly used to begin a plunge or boring cut. ■ The greater the force of the kickback reaction, the more difficult it becomes for the operator to control the chain saw. Many factors influence the occurrence and force of the kickback reac‐ tion. These include chain speed, the speed at which the bar and chain contact the object, the location and angle of contact, the condition of the chain, and how quickly the chain is slowed or stopped, among other factors. 0000-GXX-1374-A0 14 0458-200-8621-A