Echo HEDGE CLIPPER User guide

HEDGE CLIPPER SAFETY MANUAL
Misuse may result in serious or fatal injuries. You must read, under-
stand, and follow these safety instructions and the instructions in your
Operator’s Manual before operating a Hedge Clipper.
To locate your nearest Echo dealer, visit our website at www.echo-usa.com, or call 1-800-
432-ECHO (3246). Ask how to obtain a FREE Safety Video. Echo’s supplemental Safety
Video provides helpful safety and operating information.
Hedge Clipper blades are very sharp and can cause severe injuries,
even if engine is off and blades are not moving. Avoid contact with
blades. Wear gloves to protect hands. Place blade cover on blades
when transporting or storing unit.
DANGER!
DANGER!
89857008963
10/07
X7522240002

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INTRODUCTION
WARNING
Thismanualdescribeshowtoprotectyourselfandothersfromhazardsrelatedtooperationof
a gasoline or electric-powered hedge clipper.
Beforeassembling,fueling,oroperatingyourhedgeclipper,youmustreadthisSafetyManual
andyourHedgeClipperOperator’sManual. Youmustalsounderstandandobeyallsafety
rules,precautions,andoperatinginstructions.
Youmustalsobealertatalltimes,andbephysicallycapableofhandlingandcontrollinga
powerhedgeclipperinavarietyofcuttingapplications. Ifyouareunabletohandlethehedge
clippersafely,orifyoufeelthatthecuttingtaskyouwishtoperformmayputyourself,your
property,orothersatrisk,pleasecallaprofessionallandscapemaintenancecompanyto
handlethejob.
EchohighlyrecommendsthatyouobtainandreviewthesupplementalEchoHedgeClipper
SafetyVideobeforeusingyourunit.ContactyourEchodealer foracopy,orformoreinforma-
tion,or call Echo at 1-800-432-ECHO. Youmay also visit Echo’s websiteat
www.Echo-USA.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................2
SAFETY SYMBOLS AND WARNINGS .....................................................................3
OPERATOR SAFETY................................................................................................6
ASSEMBLY .............................................................................................................11
FUELING .................................................................................................................12
STARTING...............................................................................................................15
OPERATION ............................................................................................................17
MAINTENANCE.......................................................................................................24
STORAGE................................................................................................................26
ELECTRIC HEDGE CLIPPERS..............................................................................27
DEFINITIONS ..........................................................................................................31

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Theseimportantsafetysymbolsandwarningsareusedthroughoutthismanual,andmayalso
appearinyourOperator'sManual. Thesesymbolsandwarningsareprovidedtohelpmake
youawareofpotentialhazards,andtheprecautionsyoumusttaketoprotectyourselfand
othersfrominjury. Youmustreadthisinformationandunderstandthesesymbols,andobeythe
instructions. Thesesymbolsmayalsoappearonsafetylabelsasavisualremindertofollow
theseimportantprecautionswheneveryouaretransporting,fueling,operating,servicing,or
handling,orstoringyourhedgeclipper.
SAFETYSYMBOLSANDWARNINGS
Circle/Slash Prohibition Symbol
Thissymbolmeansthatthespecificactionshownis
prohibited. Ignoringtheseprohibitionscanresultin
seriousorfatalinjury.
Safety Alert Symbol
TheSafetyAlertsymbolisusedtoalertyoutopotential
personalinjuryhazards. Toavoidseriousorfatal
injuries,obeyallsafetymessagesthatfollowthissym-
bol.
Safety Alert Symbol/DANGER Signal Word
Thesafetyalertsymbolappearingwiththeword“Dan-
ger!”callsattentiontoahazardwhichwillresultindeath
orseriousinjuryifnotavoided.
Safety Alert Symbol/WARNING Signal Word
Thesafetyalertsymbolappearingwiththeword“Warn-
ing!”callsattentiontoahazardwhichcouldresultin
deathorseriousinjuryifnotavoided.
Safety Alert Symbol/CAUTION Signal Word
Thesafetyalertsymbolappearingwiththeword“Cau-
tion!”callsattentiontoahazardwhichmayresultin
minorormoderateinjuryifnotavoided.
NOTICE signal word only. (No safety alert symbol)
Theword"NOTICE”callsattentiontoasituationwhich
mayresultinpropertyorequipmentdamageifthe
informationthatisprovidedisnot followed.
DANGER
WARNING
CAUTION
NOTICE

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Read Operator's and Safety Manuals
Readmanualscarefully,andfollowrulesforsafeopera-
tion. Failuretodosocouldresultinseriousorfatalinjury.
Wear Head, Eye, and Hearing Protection
Wearhead,hearing,eyeprotectionthatmeetANSI
requirements.
Wear Hand Protection
Wearheavydutyworkglovestoprotecthands
Sharp Blades Alert
Contactwithbladescanresultinamputationoffingers
Carbon Monoxide Hazard Alert
Donot operate indoors. Breathing CarbonMonoxide can
causeseriousorfatalinjuries.
Explosion Hazard Alert
Gasoline vapor can explode if exposed to sparks or open
flame.
Burn Hazard Alert
Contactwithhotsurfacescancauseseriousburns.
Fire Hazard Alert
Risk of fire from gasoline spills or leaks. Wipe up spills
immediately and dispose of wipes in an approved fire-
safecontainer.
Shock Hazard Alert
Unitnotinsulatedagainstelectricalcurrent. Avoidpower
lines.
Slip Hazard Alert
Wearslip-resistantfootweartoreduceriskoffalls.
SAFETYSYMBOLSANDWARNINGS

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Operate Only With Handle Guard/Do Not Remove
Hand Guard (Double-sided Blades)
Donotoperatewithouthandguardinplace.
Operate Only With Handle Guard/Do Not Remove
Hand Guard (Single-sided Blades)
Donotoperatewithouthandguardinplace.
Stop Symbol
Indicatesthe“Stop”positionfortheengineignition
switch(StopSwitch).
Keep Bystanders 15 Feet Away
Keepbystanders at least5m(15feet) away when
operatinghedgeclippers.
Do Not Operate Near Electrical Lines
Donot operate closer than 15m (50 ft.) toelectrical
lines.
Flame Prohibition
Donotallowflamesorsparksnearfuelorfuelvapors.
No Smoking Prohibition
Donotsmokenearfuel.
SAFETYSYMBOLSANDWARNINGS

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OPERATOR SAFETY
DANGER
Echohedgeclippersarepowerful,professional-grade
toolsdesignedtocutthroughbushes,hedges,shrubs,
andotherwoodygrowth. Whenusedproperly,these
hedgeclipperssavetime,reduceeffort,andmake
difficultlandscapingtaskseasy. Ifhandledcarelesslyor
usedimproperly,thesepowerfulcuttingtoolscancause
severeinjuryordeath.
Beforeusingthesehedgeclippers,youmust:
•ReadandunderstandthisSafetyManual
•ReadandunderstandtheOperator’sManualpro-
videdwithyourunit.
•Wearappropriateprotectiveequipment
•Makesureallotherswhouse thehedgeclippers
havereadandunderstandbothmanualsbefore
fuelingoroperatingthetool.
•Clearthe work area of bystanders and pets
•Cleartheworkareaofdebrisandotherworkhaz-
ards
•Makesureyouhavesafe,unobstructedfooting
•Make sure the material to be cut is free of hidden
hazards
•Safelypreparethefuel/oilmix
•Fuelyourunitsafely
•Storethefuelcontainersafely
PHYSICAL CONDITION
WARNING
Operatingthisunitwhileyouareimpairedcanresultin
seriouspersonalinjuryordeathtoyourselfandothers.
Neveroperatetheunitifyouarefatigued,orareunder
theinfluenceofalcohol,medication,oranyothersub-
stancesthatcanaffectyourjudgment,reflexes,vision,
orcoordination. Youmustbementallyalertandphysi-
callyabletooperatea hedge clipper safely.
OPERATORSAFETY

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Ifyouareimpairedinanyway,orarephysicallyunable
tosafelyoperateandcontroltheunit,donotfuel,start,
orattempttousetheunit.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
WARNING
Operatingapowerhedgeclipperexposesyouto sharp,
fast-movingblades,powerfulcuttingaction,flyingde-
bris,sharp sticksandbranches,and otherworkarea
hazards. Thesehazardscancauseseriousinjurytoyou
andothersifyoudonottaketheprecautionsnecessary
toprotectyourself.
Tohelpprotectagainstinjurycausedbythesehazards,
youmustwearappropriatepersonalprotectiveequip-
ment:
Eye and Face Protection
WeareyeprotectionthatmeetsANSIZ87.1require-
ments. Foradditionalsafety,afull-faceshieldmaywe
wornoversafetygogglestoprovideprotectionfrom
sharpbranchesorflyingdebris.
Hearing/Ear Protection
EchohighlyrecommendswearingANSI-approved
hearingprotectionwheneveryouareoperatingtheunit.
Hearingprotectionpreventshearinglosscausedby
frequentorprolongedexposuretoenginenoise. Echo
recommendsearplugs,orforconstant,heavy-dutyuse,
wearearmuff-stylehearingprotection.
Combination Head/Eye/Face/Hearing Protection
Forcompleteeye/face/hearingprotection,theuseofa
combinationsafetyhelmet/earmuffs/faceshieldpro-
videshead,face,andhearingprotectionallinoneunit.
Designs
conformingtoANSI
Z87.1
Goggles
*Face Shield
*Danger: UseGoggles UnderFace
Shield
OPERATORSAFETY

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PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Gloves
Wearsturdyworkglovestoprovideprotectionagainst
cutsandscratches.
WARNING
SharpBlades/PowerfulCuttingAction. Workglovesand
otherheavyworkclothingmaynotprovideprotection
againstseriousinjuryifcontactismadewithmoving
blades. Contactwith cuttingedgesofmoving bladeswill
causesevereinjuryoramputation. Keephands,fingers,
andallotherbodypartsawayfrommovingblades.
AlwaysmoveignitionswitchtoSTOPposition,allow
bladestostopmoving,anddisconnectsparkplug lead
fromspark plug before clearing jams or making blade
adjustments.
Leg Protection
Wearlongpantstoprotectlegsfromcutsandscratches
causedbysharpbranches.
Foot Protection
Wearsturdyshoesorwork boots to provide foot protec-
tion. Steel-toeshoes or boots provide extra protection
against dropped or falling objects. Make sure soles are
non-slipforsecurefooting.
General Clothing Safety
Neverwearties,looseclothing,orclothingwithstrings,
frills,ordanglingstraps.Keepclothingbuttonedor
zipped,andkeepshirttailstucked in. Never wear
danglingorhangingjewelrysuchasearringsorneck-
laces,oranyotheritemsthatcouldbecomeentangled
withbranchesorequipment,andbedrawnintotheair
intakegrid of the engine.
Work
Gloves
Boots
LongPants
Alwayswearproperclothingwhen
usingthehedge clipper.
Safety
Goggles
OPERATORSAFETY

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DUST PROTECTION
Operatorswhoaresensitivetowooddustorother
commonairborneallergensmayneedtowearadust
masktopreventinhalingthesematerialswhilecutting.
Dustmaskscanprovideprotectionagainstsawdust,
plantdebris,andotherplantmattersuchaspollen.
Makesure the mask does not impair your vision, and
replacethemaskasneededtopreventairrestrictions.
PROTECTION AGAINST COLD OR VIBRATION
CAUTION
Prolongedexposuretocoldand/orvibrationmayresult
ininjury. Readandfollowallsafetyandoperation
instructionstominimizeriskofinjury. Failuretofollow
instructionsmayresultinpainfulwrist/hand/arminjuries.
Raynaud's Syndrome
AconditionknownasRaynaud’sSyndromecanoccur
fromexposuretocoldand/orvibration. Thiscondition
affectsthehandsandarms,causingtingling,burning,
numbness,andlossofcolorinthefingers. Theamount
ofexposureneededtotriggerthisisunknown,and
variesbyindividual.
Toprotectyourselffromthiscondition,takethefollowing
precautions:
•Keepyourbodywarm-payparticularattentionto
headandneck,handsandwrists,andfeetand
ankles.
•Avoidawkwardgripsontheunitthatmaycause
stress. Maintaincontrol,butdonotholdtheunitwith
anexcessivelytightgrip.
•Takeregularrestbreaks.
•Exerciseandstretchtostrengthenmuscles,andto
maintaincirculation. Keep exposuretovibrationat a
minimum.
•Ifyouexperiencediscomfort,redness,and/orswell-
ingofthefingers,followedbywhiteningorlossof
feeling,stopusingtheunit,andcontactadoctor.
OPERATORSAFETY

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Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI)
Overuseofthemusclesandtendonsofthefingershands,arms,andshouldersmaycause
soreness,swelling,numbness,weakness,andpainintheseareas. Repetitivehand/wrist
movementcanputyouathighriskfordevelopingaRepetitiveStressInjury(RSI),suchas
CarpelTunnelSyndrome(CTS). CarpalTunnelSyndromeoccurswhenswellinginthewrist
putspressureonanerve,resultinginseverepain.
Toprotectyourselffromtheseconditions,takethefollowingprecautions:
•Avoidusing your wrist in a bent or twisted position.
Trytomaintainastraightwristposition.
•Avoidusingyourthumbandindexfingertogrip
things-useyourwholehand.
•Takeregularrestbreaks.
•Exerciseandstretchtostrengthenmusclesand
maintaincirculation.
•Keepexposuretovibrationataminimum.
•Reducethe speed and force of repetitive move-
ments.
•Ifyouexperiencetingling,numbness,orpaininthe
fingers,hands,wrists,orarms,stopusingtheunit
immediately,and contact a doctor. Early diagnosis
ofRSIcanhelppreventpermanentnerveand
muscledamage.
ASSEMBLY
WARNING
Hedge clipper blades are extremely sharp. Acci-
dental hand or body contact with blades can result
in severe cuts, even if the engine is off and blades
arenotmoving. Alwayswearsturdyworkgloveswhen
handlingthehedgeclipper,and donotallow bladesto
touchanypartofyourbody.
Ifyour hedgeclipperrequiresassemblybefore it canbe
used,youmustmakesureallguards,shields,and
protectivedevicesareproperlyinstalled. NEVERfuel,
start,oroperateyourunitwithoutallguardsandshields
inplace,orwithoutallprotectivedevicessuchasthrottle
lock-outleversworkingproperly.
Ifpartsaremissing,orifyouhaveaprobleminstalling
parts,contactyourEchoDealerforassistanceorcall
EchoConsumerProductSupportat1-800-673-1558.
OPERATORSAFETY