SAFETY
HCS-3020 4020
10
X7702243800
© 3/2016 ECHO Inc.
• Keep your body warm, especially the head,
neck, feet, ankles, hands, and wrists.
• Maintain good blood circulation by performing
vigorous arm exercises during frequent work
breaks, and also by not smoking.
• Limit the hours of operation. Try to fill each
day with jobs where operating the unit 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 Injuries (RSI)
It is believed that overusing the muscles and
tendons of the fingers, hands, arms, and
shoulders may cause soreness, swelling,
numbness, weakness, and extreme pain in
those areas. 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. Instead try to
maintain a straight wrist position. Also, when grasping, use your whole hand,
not just the thumb and index finger.
• Take periodic breaks to minimize repetition and rest your hands.
• Reduce the speed and force with which you do the repetitive movement.
• Do exercise to strengthen the hand and arm muscles.
• Immediately stop using all power equipment and consult a doctor if you feel
tingling, numbness, or pain in the fingers, hands, wrists, or arms. The sooner
RSI/CTS is diagnosed, the more likely permanent nerve and muscle damage
can be prevented.
