Chainsaw Safety Manual14
English / USA
a) saws with a displacement of less
than 3.8 cubic inches (62 cm³).
– must, in their original condition,
meet a 45° computer derived
kickback angle when equipped with
certain cutting attachments.
– and must be equipped with at least
two devices to reduce the risk of
kickback injury, such as a chain
brake, low kickback chain, reduced
kickback bar, etc.
b) saws with a displacement of
3.8 cubic inches (62 cm³) and above
– must be equipped with at least one
device designed to reduce the risk
of kickback injury such as a chain
brake, low kickback chain, reduced
kickback bar, etc.
The computer derived angles for saws
below 3.8 cubic inch (62 cm³)
displacement are measured by applying
a computer program to test results from
a kickback test machine.
!Warning!
The computer derived angles of § 5.11
of ANSI B 175.1-2000 may bear no
relationship to actual kickback bar
rotation angles that may occur in real life
cutting situations.
In addition, features designed to reduce
kickback injuries may lose some of their
effectiveness when they are no longer in
their original condition, especially if they
have been improperly maintained.
Compliance with § 5.11 of ANSI B 175.1-
2000 does not automatic-ally mean that
in a real life kickback the bar and chain
will rotate at most 45°.
!Warning!
In order for powerheads below 3.8 cubic
inch (62 cm³) displacement to comply
with the computed kickback angle
requirements of § 5.11 of ANSI B 175.1-
2000 use only the following cutting
attachments:
– bar and chain combinations listed
as complying in the "Specifications"
section of the Owner's Manual or
– other replacement bar and chain
combinations marked in
accordance with the standard for
use on the powerhead or
– replacement chain designated
"low kickback saw chain''.
See the section on "Low kickback saw
chain and reduced kickback bars"
Devices for reducing the risk of
kickback injury
STIHL recommends the use of the
STIHL Quickstop chain brake on your
power-head with green labeled reduced
kickback bars and low kickback chains.
!Warning!
To reduce the risk of injury, stop using
the saw immediately if the chain brake
does not function properly. Take the saw
to your local STIHL Service Center! Do
not use the saw until the problem has
been rectified (see the section "Chain
Brake").
Quickstop chain brake
STIHL has developed a chain stopping
system designed to reduce the risk of
injury in certain kickback situations. It is
called a Quickstop chain brake. The
Quickstop is available as standard
equipment on your STIHL chainsaw and
is available for installation on most older
STIHL saws. Ask your dealer to retrofit
your older model saw with a chain brake.
