Shindaiwa 80974 - Manual (Page 3)

3
General Safety Instructions
WARNING!
Use Good Judgment
ALWAYS wear eye protection to
shield against thrown objects.
NEVER operate the engine when
transporting the unit.
NEVER operate the engine indoors!
Make sure there is always good ven-
tilation. Fumes from engine exhaust
can cause serious injury or death.
ALWAYS clear your work area of
trash or hidden debris that could
be thrown back at you or toward a
bystander.
ALWAYS use the proper cutting tool
for the job.
ALWAYS stop the unit immediately if
it suddenly begins to vibrate or shake.
Inspect for broken, missing or improp-
erly installed parts or attachments.
NEVER extend trimming line beyond
the length specified for your unit.
ALWAYS keep the unit as clean as
practical. Keep it free of loose vegeta-
tion, mud, etc.
ALWAYS hold the unit firmly with both
hands when cutting or trimming, and
maintain control at all times.
ALWAYS keep the handles clean.
ALWAYS disconnect the spark plug
wire before performing any
maintenance work.
ALWAYS, if a blade should bind fast
in a cut, shut off the engine immedi-
ately. Push the branch or tree to ease
the bind and free the blade.
WARNING!
Never make unauthorized attachment
installations.
Always wear a shoulder strap
or a harness when operating
a unit equipped with a blade.
Wear appropriate footwear (non-
skid boots or shoes): do not wear
open-toed shoes or sandals. Never
work barefooted!
The Properly Equipped Operator
Wear hearing protection devices and a
broad-brimmed hat or helmet.
Wear close-fitting clothing to
protect legs and arms. Gloves
offer added protection and are
strongly recommended. Do
not wear clothing or jewelry
that could get caught in ma-
chinery or underbrush.
NEVER wear
shorts!
Always wear eye
protection such as goggles or
safety glasses.
Always operate with both
hands firmly gripping the
unit.
When operating with a blade, make
sure the handle is positioned to pro-
vide you with maximum protection
from contacting the blade.
Keep away from the rotating
trimming line or blade at all
times, and never lift a moving
attachment above waist-high.
Keep a proper
footing and do not
overreach—main-
tain your balance
at all times during
operation.
Always make sure
the appropriate cutting
attachment shield is
correctly installed.
Figure 1
SAFETY
Be Aware of the Working Environment
Avoid long-term operation
in very hot or very cold
weather.
Make sure bystanders
or observers outside the
50-foot “danger zone”
wear eye protection.
Be extremely careful of
slippery terrain, especially
during rainy weather.
Beware of a coasting blade when brushcutting or
edging. A coasting blade can injure while it con-
tinues to spin after the throttle trigger is released
or after the engine is stopped.
When operating in rocky terrain or near electric
wires or fences, use extreme caution to avoid
contacting such items with the cutting attach-
ment.
Be constantly alert for objects and debris that
could be thrown either from the rotating cutting
attachment or bounced from a hard surface.
If contact is made with a
hard object, stop the engine
and inspect the cutting at-
tachment for damage.
50
FEET
Reduce the risk of
bystanders being struck
by flying debris. Make
sure no one is within 50
feet (15 meters)—that’s
about 16 paces—of an
operating attachment.
Figure 2