Echo CS-2511T Operator's Manual - Operator Safety

8

CS-271T

OPERATOR SAFETY

VIBRATION AND COLD

•  It is believed that a condition called Raynaud’s 

Phenomenon, which affects the fingers of certain 

individuals, may be brought about by exposure 

to vibration and cold.  

Exposure to vibration and cold may cause  

tingling and burning followed by loss of color and 

numbness in the fingers.  

The following precautions are strongly  

recommended because the minimum exposure 

which might trigger the ailment is unknown. 

•  Keep your body warm, especially the head and 

neck, feet and ankles and hands and wrists. 

•  Maintain good blood circulation by performing 

vigorous arm exercises during frequent work 

breaks and also by not smoking. 

•  Limit the number of hours of operation.  

Try to fill each day with jobs where operating the 

chain saw, or other hand-held power equipment 

is not required. 

•  If you experience discomfort redness and  

swelling of the fingers, followed by whitening 

and loss of feeling, consult your physician before 

further exposing yourself to cold and vibration.

REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY

•  It is believed that over-using the muscles and 

tendons of the finger, hands, arms and  

shoulders may cause soreness, swelling,  

numbness, weakness and extreme pain to the 

areas just mentioned.  

Certain repetitive hand activities may put you 

at a high risk for developing a repetitive stress 

injury (RSI). 

•  An extreme RSI condition is Carpal Tunnel 

Syndrome (CTS) which could occur when your 

wrist swells and squeezes a vital nerve that runs 

through the area. Some believe that prolonged 

exposure to vibration may contribute to CTS.  

CTS can cause severe pain for months or even 

years. 

To reduce the risk of RSI/CTS, do the following:

•  Avoid using your wrist in a bent, extended or 

twisted position. 

•  Take periodic breaks to minimize repetition and 

rest your hands. 

•  Reduce the speed and force in which you do the 

repetitive movement. 

•  Do exercises to strengthen hand and arm 

muscles.

•  See a doctor if you feel tingling, numbness or 

pain in your fingers, hands, wrists or arms.  

The sooner RSI/CTS is diagnosed, the more 

likely permanent nerve and muscle damage can 

be prevented. 

EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION

•  Wear eye protection goggles that meet ANSI  

Z 87.1 requirements.  

Goggles meeting the requirements have the 

mark “Z 87” stamped on them. 

•  Wear hearing protection.  

If this guideline is not followed, hearing loss can 

occur.  

ECHO recommends wearing hearing protection 

at all times. 

WEAR PROPER CLOTHING

•  Snug fitting durable clothing should be worn.  

Pants should have long legs, do not wear shorts.  

Do not wear loose fitting clothing, scarves, 

neckties, jewelry or any item that may become 

tangled in surrounding growth or the chain saw 

itself. 

•  Wear shoes with non-skid soles.  

Do not wear open toed shoes or operate unit 

barefooted. 

•  Wear no-slip, heavy duty work gloves to improve 

your grip on the chain saw handles.  

The gloves also help reduce the transmission of 

machine vibration to your hands. 

HOT HUMID WEATHER

•  Heavy protective clothing can increase operator 

fatigue which may lead to heat stroke.  

Schedule heavy work for early morning, or late 

afternoon hours when temperatures are cooler. 

AVOID HOT SURFACES

•  During operation, the muffler or catalytic muffler 

and surrounding cover become hot. 

•  Never suspend the saw on a lanyard with the  

engine running. 

•  Always use the saw from the right-hand side of 

your body - 

never

 from the left side. 

•  Always wear proper safety clothing to protect 

your lower body from sharp saw chain and hot 

muffler. 

•  Always keep exhaust area clear of flammable 

debris during transportation or when storing, 

otherwise serious property damage or personal 

injury may result.