Echo chain saw cs-400 User Manual

9

•  It is believed that a condition called Raynaud’s Phe-

nomenon, which affects the fingers of certain individu-

als, 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.

•  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 repeti-

tive 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.

•  Wear eye protection goggles that meet ANSI    

Z 87.1 requirements. Goggles meeting the require-

ments 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. 

•  Snug fitting durable clothing should be worn.Pants 

should have long legs, DO NOT WEAR SHORTS.  

 

Do not wear loose fitting clothing, scarves, neck-

ties, 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.

•  Keep long hair away from engine and air intake. Retain 

hair with cap or net.

•  Heavy protective clothing can increase operator fa-

tigue which may lead to heat stroke.   Schedule heavy 

work for early morning, or late afternoon hours when 

temperatures are cooler.

•  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 seri-

ous property damage or personal injury may result.