MS 241 C-M
English
13
WARNING DANGER
REACTIVE FORCES INCLUDING 
KICKBACK
WARNING
Reactive forces may occur any time the 
chain is rotating. Reactive forces can 
cause serious personal injury.
The powerful force used to cut wood can 
be reversed and work against the 
operator. If the rotating saw chain is 
suddenly and significantly slowed or 
stopped by contact with any solid object 
such as a log or branch or is pinched, the 
reactive forces may occur instantly. 
These reactive forces may result in loss 
of control, which, in turn, may cause 
serious or fatal injury. An understanding 
of the causes of these reactive forces 
may help you avoid the element of 
surprise and loss of control. Surprise 
contributes to accidents.
The most common reactive forces are:
– kickback,
– pushback,
– pull-in.
WARNING
Kickback:
When this occurs, the energy driving the 
saw chain can create a force that moves 
the chain saw in a direction opposite to 
the saw chain movement at the point 
where the saw chain is slowed or 
stopped. This may fling the bar up and 
back in a lightning fast reaction mainly in 
the plane of the bar and can cause 
severe or fatal injury to the operator.
Some STIHL chain saws 
are equipped with a cata
-
lytic converter, which is 
designed to reduce the 
exhaust emissions of the 
engine by a chemical 
process in the muffler. 
Due to this process, the 
muffler does not cool 
down as rapidly as con
-
ventional mufflers when 
the engine returns to idle 
or is shut off. To reduce 
the risk of fire and burn 
injuries when using a cat
-
alytic converter, always 
set your chain saw down 
in the upright position and 
never locate it where the 
muffler is near dry brush, 
grass, wood chips or 
other combustible materi
-
als while it is still hot.
  
  
  
  
Do not rely on the chain 
saw ’s insulation against 
electric shock. To reduce 
the risk of electrocution, 
never operate this chain 
saw in the vicinity of any 
wires or cables (power, 
etc.) which may be carry
-
ing electric current.To 
reduce risk of electrocu
-
tion, take extra 
precautions when cutting 
near power lines. Have 
the power switched off 
before starting cutting 
work in the immediate 
vicinity of power lines.