Lawn Mower Safety
It is that time of year where the grass needs mowing again. Whether your kids love to help or not you need to keep in mind that the lawn mower is one of summer’s most dangerous tools. In fact, 200,000 people – 16,000 of them children – are injured in lawn mower-related accidents each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports.
Most of the injuries like severed fingers and toes, broken bones, burns and eye injuries are caused by careless use and can be prevented by following a few simple safety tips. Even though lawn mowers are a common lawn care tool, they still need to be handled with safety in mind.
Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when mowing the lawn.
Handling Gasoline
• Never smoke when filling the gas tank.
• Store gasoline in a proper container with a UL, FM, or CSA label.
• Never keep gasoline in the house or fill gas tank indoors.
• Never store the machine or fuel container where there is an open flame, spark, or pilot light.
• Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle before filling.
• Never over-fill the fuel tank and replace gas cap and tighten securely.
• Wipe up gasoline spills immediately and move the machine away from the area of spillage before trying to start.
• Never remove the gas cap or add fuel with the engine running.
Safety for All Mowers
• Be sure to completely read the safety information contained in the operator’s manual.
• Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.
• Do not allow young children anywhere near the area of operation.
• Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them. And always have another responsible adult watch them while you’re mowing.
• Be sure to clean up the area to be mowed before you start mowing. The blades on mowers spin very fast and can pick up and throw debris that could seriously injure a bystander.
• Do not operate a lawnmower with the discharge guard (reflector) or engine grass catcher NOT installed.
• Always allow the mower blade(s) to stop completely before leaving the mower’s operator position.
• Always turn the mower blades off when crossing a sidewalk or a driveway.
Safety For Riding Mowers
• Do not give children rides on a riding mower, even with the mower blades not turning as they may fall off and be badly injured or children who have been given rides may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride and be run over or backed over by the machine.
• Do not mow with a riding mower in reverse unless absolutely necessary.
• Do not use a riding mower on too steep an incline or where you don’t have adequate traction, it can cause you to lose control or roll over.
• Always consult your operator’s manual for safety messages concerning operation on a slope.
Safety For Walk-Behind Mowers
• Do not put your hands or feet near or under the mower.
• Never tilt a walk-behind mower; always keep all four wheels on the ground.
• Do not pull the mower backward unless absolutely necessary. Always look down and behind before and while mowing backwards.
Safety For Electric Mowers
• Use only recommended, grounded extension cords and never abuse the cord or use a frayed cord. And always mow away from the cord.
• Turn off the mower when you leave it and unplug the cord directly from the outlet; never unplug by yanking the cord from the wall.
• Never use an electric mower when wet or raining.
Smart lawn care means including safety in your lawn care routine. Safety is especially important when you’re mowing but what every homeowner should consider is doing safety checks even before mowing the lawn. The first and foremost pre-mowing check you have to do is to go over your lawn and remove any objects on the lawn surface. This includes twigs, stones, toys, and even pet droppings. Pre-mowing routines are just as important as any other lawn care and maintenance procedure.
Be Safe this Summer!
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