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PERSONAL SAFETY
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
WORK AREA SAFETY
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
WARNING READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS Failure to follow all instructions
listed below, may result in electric shock, fi re and/or serious personal injury.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
TOOL USE AND CARE
• Grounded tools must be plugged into an outlet
properly installed and grounded in accordance
with all codes and ordinances. Never remove
the grounding prong or modify the plug in any
way. Do not use any adaptor plugs. Check with
a qualifi ed electrician if you are in doubt as to
whether the outlet is properly grounded. If the
tools should electrically malfunction or break down,
grounding provides a low resistance path to carry
electricity away from the user.
• Double Insulated tools are equipped with a
polarized plug (one blade is wider than the
other). This plug will fi t in a polarized outlet
only one way. If the plug does not fi t fully in
the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not
fi t, contact a qualifi ed electrician to install a
polarized outlet. Do not change the plug in any
way. Double insulation eliminates the need for
the three wire grounded power cord and grounded
power supply system.
• Guard against electric shock. Prevent body con-
tact with grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators,
ranges and refrigerators. When making blind or
plunge cuts, always check the work area for hidden
wires or pipes. Hold your tool by insulated nonmetal
grasping surfaces. Use a Ground Fault Circuit Inter-
rupter (GFCI) to reduce shock hazards.
• Do not expose power tools to rain or wet condi-
tions. Water entering a power tool will increase
the risk of electric shock.
• Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord to
carry the tools or pull the plug from an outlet.
Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges
or moving parts. Replace damaged cords
immediately. Damaged cords increase the risk
of electric shock.
• Know your power tool. Read this manual care-
fully to learn your power tool's applications and
limitations as well as potential hazards associated
with this type of tool.
• Stay alert, watch what you are doing, and use
common sense when operating a power tool. Do
not use tool while tired or under the infl uence
of drugs, alcohol, or medication. A moment of
inattention while operating power tools may result
in serious personal injury.
• Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing
or jewelry. Contain long hair. Keep your hair,
clothing, and gloves away from moving parts.
Loose clothes, jewelry, or long hair can be caught
in moving parts. When working outdoors, wear rub-
ber gloves and insulated non-skid footwear. Keep
hands and gloves away from moving parts.
• Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is off
before plugging in. Do not use a tool if the power
switch does not turn the tool on and off. Do not carry
a plugged-in tool with your fi nger on the switch.
• Remove adjusting keys or wrenches before
turning on the tool. A wrench or a key that is left
attached to a rotating part of the tool may result
in personal injury.
• Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and
balance at all times. Proper footing and balance
enables better control of the tool in unexpected
situations.
• Use safety equipment. Everyone in the work area
should wear safety goggles or glasses with side
shields complying with current safety standards.
Everyday eyeglasses only have impact resistant
lenses. They are not safety glasses. Wear hearing
protection during extended use and a dust mask
for dusty operations. Hard hats, face shields, safety
shoes, etc., should be used when specifi ed or
necessary. Keep a fi re extinguisher nearby.
• Keep guards in place and in working order.
• Never stand on tool. Serious injury could occur if
the tool is tipped or if the cutting tool is unintention-
ally contacted.
• Keep hands away from all cutting edges and
moving parts.
• Use clamps or other practical way to secure
and support the workpiece to a stable platform.
Holding the work by hand or against your body is
unstable and may lead to loss of control.
• Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered
benches and dark areas invite accidents.
• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-
spheres, such as in the presence of fl ammable
liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools create sparks
which may ignite the dust or fumes.
• Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away
while operating a power tool. Distractions can
cause you to lose control. Protect others in the
work area from debris such as chips and sparks.
Provide barriers or shields as needed.
• Protect others in the work area from debris such
as chips and sparks. Provide barriers or shields
as needed.
• Make workshop child proof with padlocks, mas-
ter switches, or by removing starter keys.
• When operating a power tool outside, use an
outdoor extension cord marked “W-A” or “W”.
These cords are rated for outdoor use and reduce
the risk of electric shock.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
SERVICE
• Do not force tool. Your tool will perform best at
the rate for which it was designed. Excessive force
only causes operator fatigue, increased wear and
reduced control.
• Use the right tool. Do not use a tool or attach-
ment to do a job for which it is not recommended.
For example, do not use a circular saw to cut tree
limbs or logs. Do not alter a tool.
• Disconnect the plug from the power source
before making any adjustments, changing ac-
cessories, or storing the tool. Such preventive
safety measures reduce the risk of starting the tool
accidentally.
• Store idle tools out of reach of children and
other untrained persons. Tools are dangerous
in the hands of untrained users.
• Never leave the tool running unattended. Turn
power off. Do not leave the tool until it comes to a
complete stop.
• Check for misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts, and any other condition
that may affect the tool’s operation. If damaged,
have the tool serviced before using. Many ac-
cidents are caused by poorly maintained tools.
• Use only accessories that are recommended
by the manufacturer for your model. Accesso-
ries that may be suitable for one tool, may become
hazardous when used on another tool.
• Maintain tools with care. Keep cutting tools
sharp and clean. Properly maintained tools with
sharp cutting edge are less likely to bind and are
easier to control. Do not use a damaged tool. Tag
damaged tools “Do not use” until repaired.
• Tool service must be performed only by quali-
fi ed repair personnel. Service or maintenance
performed by unqualifi ed personnel could result
in a risk of injury.
• When servicing a tool, use only identical replace-
ment parts. Follow instructions in the Mainte-
nance section of this manual. Use of unauthorized
parts or failure to follow Maintenance Instructions
may create a risk of electric shock or injury.
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending
on how often you do this type of work. To reduce
your exposure to these chemicals: work in a well
ventilated area, and work with approved safety
equipment, such as those dust masks that are
specifically designed to filter out microscopic
particles.
• Handle the counterbalance with care. The cable
is under tension. Always assemble cable to saw
carriage before removing cable clip. Do not pull on
cable by hand or attempt to disassemble or repair
the counterbalance.
• Do not defeat the guards or operate the tool
without the guards in place.
• Do not use push sticks. Push sticks or the work-
piece can kick back, cause the blade to pinch, or
become caught in the blade and be thrown from
the tool.
• Cross-cutting (vertical cutting) must always be
done from the top down. Saw carriage should be
raised to the uppermost position on the guide tubes
and locked into position with the carriage lock when-
ever the tool is not in use. See "Cross-Cutting".
• Ripping (horizontal cutting) must ripping must
always be done by moving the workpiece
through the saw in the direction of the arrow on
the saw motor. Saw carriage should be raised to
the top of the guide tubes and locked into position
with the carriage lock whenever tool is not in use.
See "Rip Cutting".
• Never cut a workpieces with a width smaller
than that of the saw carriage. Proper support
for the workpiece must be maintained to insure
safety. When the carriage moves over the work-
piece, it would be impossible to safely support the
workpiece for the cut. Use a tool better suited for
these applications.
• Always wait for blade to stop completely be-
fore changing positions. Unplug the tool before
transporting or moving it.
• Do not place hands on or under saw carriage
or in the path of the blade. Do not attempt to
retrieve a piece of material that is cut off while the
blade is rotating.
• Make workshop child proof with padlocks,
master switches, or by removing starter keys. See
"Lock-Off Feature".
• Replace guards after blade change. Maintain
guards in working order.
• Direction of feed. Feed work into a blade or cut-
ter against the direction of rotation of the blade or
cutter only.
•
Causes and Operator Prevention of KICK-
BACK:
KICKBACK is a sudden reaction to a pinched,
bound or misaligned saw blade, causing an un-
controlled saw to lift up and out of the workpiece
toward the operator.
When the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the
kerf closing down, the blade stalls and the motor
• Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry
important information. If unreadable or missing,
contact a MILWAUKEE service facility for a free
replacement.
• WARNING! Some dust created by power sanding,
sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction
activities contains chemicals known to cause
cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Some examples of these chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paint
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other
masonry products, and
• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated
lumber.