General Power Tool Safety
Warnings
WARNING Read all safety warnings and all
instructions. Failure to follow the warnings and
instructions may result in electric shock, fire and/or
serious injury.
Save all warnings and
instructions for future reference.
GRINDER SAFETY WARNINGS
Safety Warnings Common for Grinding, Sanding,
Wire Brushing, or Abrasive Cutting-Off Operations:
1. This power tool is intended to function as a
grinder, sander, wire brush or cut-off tool. Read all
safety warnings, instructions, illustrations and
specifications provided with this power tool.
Failure to follow all instructions listed below may result
in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury.
2. Operations such as polishing are not
recommended to be performed with this power
tool. Operations for which the power tool was not
designed may create a hazard and cause personal
injury.
3. Do not use accessories which are not specifically
designed and recommended by the tool
manufacturer. Just because the accessory can be
attached to your power tool, it does not assure safe
operation.
4. The rated speed of the accessory must be at least
equal to the maximum speed marked on the power
tool. Accessories running faster than their rated
speed can break and fly apart.
5. The outside diameter and the thickness of your
accessory must be within the capacity rating of
your power tool. Incorrectly sized accessories
cannot be adequately guarded or controlled.
6. Threaded mounting of accessories must match
the grinder spindle thread. For accessories
mounted by flanges, the arbour hole of the
accessory must fit the locating diameter of the
flange. Accessories that do not match the mounting
hardware of the power tool will run out of balance,
vibrate excessively and may cause loss of control.
7. Do not use a damaged accessory. Before each use
inspect the accessory such as abrasive wheels for
chips and cracks, backing pad for cracks, tear or
excess wear, wire brush for loose or cracked
wires. If power tool or accessory is dropped,
inspect for damage or install an undamaged
accessory. After inspecting and installing an
accessory, position yourself and bystanders away
from the plane of the rotating accessory and run
the power tool at maximum no-load speed for one
minute. Damaged accessories will normally break
apart during this test time.
8. Wear personal protective equipment. Depending
on application, use face shield, safety goggles or
safety glasses. As appropriate, wear dust mask,
hearing protectors, gloves and workshop apron
capable of stopping small abrasive or workpiece
6
fragments. The eye protection must be capable of
stopping flying debris generated by various
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operations. The dust mask or respirator must be
capable of filtrating particles generated by your
operation. Prolonged exposure to high intensity noise
may cause hearing loss.
9. Keep bystanders a safe distance away from work
area. Anyone entering the work area must wear
personal protective equipment. Fragments of
workpiece or of a broken accessory may fly away and
cause injury beyond immediate area of operation.
10. Hold the power tool by insulated gripping surfaces
only, when performing an operation where the
cutting accessory may contact hidden wiring or its
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own cord. Cutting accessory contacting a "live" wire
may make exposed metal parts of the power tool "live"
and could give the operator an electric shock.
11. Position the cord clear of the spinning accessory.
If you lose control, the cord may be cut or snagged
and your hand or arm may be pulled into the spinning
accessory.
12. Never lay the power tool down until the accessory
has come to a complete stop. The spinning
accessory may grab the surface and pull the power
tool out of your control.
13. Do not run the power tool while carrying it at your
side. Accidental contact with the spinning accessory
could snag your clothing, pulling the accessory into
your body.
14. Regularly clean the power tool's air vents. The
motor's fan will draw the dust inside the housing and
excessive accumulation of powdered metal may
cause electrical hazards.
15. Do not operate the power tool near flammable
materials. Sparks could ignite these materials.
16. Do not use accessories that require liquid
coolants. Using water or other liquid coolants may
result in electrocution or shock.
Kickback and Related Warnings
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched or snagged
rotating wheel, backing pad, brush or any other
accessory. Pinching or snagging causes rapid stalling of
the rotating accessory which in turn causes the
uncontrolled power tool to be forced in the direction
opposite of the accessory's rotation at the point of the
binding.
For example, if an abrasive wheel is snagged or pinched
by the workpiece, the edge of the wheel that is entering
into the pinch point can dig into the surface of the material
causing the wheel to climb out or kick out. The wheel may
either jump toward or away from the operator, depending
on direction of the wheel's movement at the point of
pinching. Abrasive wheels may also break under these
conditions.
Kickback is the result of power tool misuse and/or
incorrect operating procedures or conditions and can be
avoided by taking proper precautions as given below.
a) Maintain a firm grip on the power tool and
position your body and arm to allow you to resist
kickback forces. Always use auxiliary handle, if
provided, for maximum control over kickback or
torque reaction during start-up. The operator can
control torque reactions or kickback forces, if proper
precautions are taken.