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Page 4
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
Specific Safety Rules for Circular Saws
(continued)
■ Always observe that the lower guard is covering
the blade before placing saw down on bench or
floor. An unprotected, coasting blade will cause
the saw to walk backwards, cutting whatever is in its
path. Be aware of the time it takes for the blade to
stop after switch is released.
■ NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. It is important to support the work
properly to minimize body exposure, blade binding,
or loss of control.
■ Hold tool by insulated gripping surface when
performing an operation where the cutting tool
may contact hidden wiring or its own cord.
Contact with a "live" wire will also make exposed
metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the operator.
■ When ripping, always use a rip fence or straight
edge guide. This improves the accuracy of the cut
and reduces the chance for blade binding.
■ Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond vs. round) arbor holes. Blades that do
not match the mounting hardware of the saw will
run eccentrically, causing loss of control.
■ Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers
or bolts. The blade washers and bolts were specially
designed for your saw for optimum performance
and safety of operation.
Causes and Operator Prevention of Kickback
■ Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound,
or misaligned saw blade, causing an uncontrolled
saw to lift up and out of the workpiece toward the
operator.
■ When the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the
kerf closing down, the blade stalls and the motor
reaction drives the unit rapidly back toward the
operator.
■ If the blade becomes twisted or misaligned in the
cut, the teeth at the back edge of the blade can dig
into the top surface of the wood causing the blade
to climb out of the kerf and jump back toward the
operator.
■ Kickback is the result of tool misuse and/or incorrect
operating procedures or conditions and can be
avoided by taking proper precautions, as given
below:
■ Maintain a firm grip with both hands on the saw
and position your body and arm to allow you to
resist KICKBACK forces. KICKBACK forces can
be controlled by the operator, if proper precautions
are taken.
■ When blade is binding, or when interrupting a
cut for any reason, release the trigger and hold
the saw motionless in the material until the
blade comes to a complete stop. Never attempt
to remove the saw from the work or pull the saw
backward while the blade is in motion, or
KICKBACK may occur. Investigate and take
corrective actions to eliminate the cause of blade
binding.
■ When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center
the saw blade in the kerf and check that saw
teeth are not engaged into the material. If saw
blade is binding, it may walk up or KICKBACK from
the workpiece as the saw is restarted.
■ Support large panels to minimize the risk of
blade pinching and KICKBACK. Large panels
tend to sag under their own weight. Supports must
be placed under the panel on both sides, near the
line of cut and near the edge of the panel.
■ Do not use dull or damaged blade. Unsharpened
or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf which
causes excessive friction, blade binding and
KICKBACK.
■ Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers
must be tight and secure before making cut. If
blade adjustment shifts while cutting, it may cause
binding and KICKBACK.
■ Use extra caution when making a "Pocket Cut"
into existing walls or other blind areas. The
protruding blade may cut objects that can cause
KICKBACK.