5
P
OWER
B
LOWER
O
PERATOR
'
S
M
ANUAL
EXTENDED
OPERATION
/
EXTREME
CONDITIONS
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 sensations, 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, 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
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 expo-
sure to vibration may contribute to CTS. CTS can cause severe pain for
months or even years.
EQUIPMENT
Before operation a complete check of the unit must be performed:
• Check unit for loose/missing nuts, bolts and screws. Tighten and/or
replace as needed.
• Inspect fuel lines, tank and area around carburetor for fuel leaks. DO
NOT operate unit if leaks are found.
To reduce the risk of RSI/CTS, do the
following:
• Avoid using your wrist in a bent, ex-
tended, 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 repeti-
tion and rest your hands.
• Reduce the speed and force with which
you do the repetitive movement.
• Do exercises to strengthen the hand and
arm muscles.
• Immediately stop using all power equip-
ment 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 perma-
nent nerve and muscle damage can be
prevented.
