the bar and chain contact the object, the
angle of contact, the condition of the
chain and other factors.
The type of bar and saw chain you use
is an important factor in the occurrence
and force of the kickback reaction. Some
STIHL bar and chain types are designed
to reduce kickback forces. STIHL
recommends the use of reduced
kickback bars and low kickback chains.
ANSI B175.1-2000 Chain Saw
Kickback Standard
§ 5.11 of ANSI standard B175.1-2000,
sets certain performance and design
criteria related to chain saw kickback,
which has been adopted for electric
chain saws in UL 1662 in § 30.
To comply with kickback § 30 of
UL 1662, electric chain saws
–
must, in their original condition,
meet a 45° computer derived
kickback angle when equipped with
certain cutting attachments,
–
and must be equipped with at least
two devices to reduce the risk of
kickback injury, such as a chain
brake, low kickback chain, reduced
kickback bar, etc.
The computer derived angles for electric
saws are measured by applying a
computer program to test results from
the kickback test machine.
Warning!
The computer derived angles of § 5.11
of ANSI B175.1-2000 may bear no rela-
tionship to actual kickback bar rotation
angles that may occur in real life cutting
situations.
MSA 160 C
In addition, features designed to reduce
kickback injuries may lose some of their
effectiveness when they are no longer in
their original condition, especially if they
have been improperly maintained.
Compliance with § 5.11 of ANSI
B175.1-2000 does not automatically
mean that in a real life kickback the bar
and chain will rotate at most 45°.
Warning!
In order for powerheads to comply with
the computed kickback angle require-
ments of § 30 of UL 1662 / § 5.11 of
ANSI B175.1-2000 use only the follow-
ing cutting attachments:
–
bar and chain combinations listed
as complying in the "Specifications"
section of the instruction manual or
–
other replacement bar and chain
combinations marked in
accordance with the standard for
use on the powerhead or
–
replacement chain designated "low
kickback saw chain.''
See the section on "Low kickback saw
chain and reduced kickback bars."
Devices for Reducing the Risk of
Kickback Injury
STIHL recommends the use of the
STIHL Quickstop chain brake on your
powerhead with green labeled reduced
kickback bars and low kickback chains.
Warning!
To reduce the risk of injury, never use a
saw if the chain brake does not function
properly. Take the saw to your local
STIHL servicing dealer. Do not use the
saw until the problem has been rectified.
STIHL Quickstop Chain Brake
STIHL has developed a chain stopping
system designed to reduce the risk of
injury in certain kickback situations. It is
called a Quickstop chain brake.
When a kickback occurs, the guide bar
may rotate around the front handle. If the
cutting position is such that the
operator's left hand is gripping the front
handle behind the hand guard, and if the
left hand rotates around the front handle
and makes a sufficiently forceful contact
with the front hand guard, which is the
Quickstop activating lever, this contact
will activate a properly maintained
Quickstop chain brake.
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