•Wetgrassorleavescancauseseriousinjuryif
youslipandcontacttheblade.Avoidmowingin
wetconditions.
•Keepyourhandsandfeetawayfromthecutting
unit.
•Lookbehindanddownbeforebackinguptobe
sureofaclearpath.
•Useextremecarewhenapproachingblind
corners,shrubs,trees,orotherobjectsthatmay
blockyourview.
•Disengagethedrivetothecuttingunitandengage
theparkingbrakebeforeadjustingtheheightof
cut.
•Operatetheengineonlyinwell-ventilatedareas.
Exhaustgasescontaincarbonmonoxide,which
islethalifinhaled.
•Donotleavearunningmachineunattended.
•Beforeleavingtheoperatingposition(includingto
emptythecatchersortounclogthecuttingunits),
dothefollowing:
–Parkthemachineonlevelground.
–Disengagethecuttingunitandlowerthe
attachments.
–Engagetheparkingbrake.
–Shutoffthemachineandremovetheignition
key(ifequipped).
–Waitforallmovingpartstostop.
–Shutoffthemachineanddisengagethedrive
tothecuttingunitinthefollowingsituations:
◊Beforefueling
◊Beforeclearingblockages
◊Beforechecking,cleaning,ormaintaining
thecuttingunit
◊Afterstrikingaforeignobjectorifan
abnormalvibrationoccurs.Inspectthe
cuttingunitfordamageandmakerepairs
beforestartingandoperatingthemachine
◊Beforeleavingtheoperatingposition
–Useonlyaccessoriesandattachments
approvedbyTheT oro®Company.
–Besureofyourfootingwhileusingthis
machine,especiallywhenbackingup.Walk;
donotrun.
–Neveroperatewiththedischargedeector
raised,removedoraltered,unlessyouare
usingagrasscatcher.
–Nevercarrypassengersonthemachine.
–Donotdirectthedischargematerialtoward
anyone.Avoiddischargingmaterialagainst
awallorobstruction;materialmayricochet
towardyou.Stoptheblade(s)whencrossing
gravelsurfaces.
–Starttheenginecarefullyaccordingto
instructionsandwithyourfeetwellawayfrom
theblade(s)andnotinfrontofthedischarge
chute.
–Useextremecautionwhenreversingorpulling
themachinetowardyou.
–Stopthebladeifyoumusttransportthe
machinetoandfromthemowingareaand
whencrossingsurfacesotherthangrass.
SlopeSafety
•Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrol
androlloveraccidents,whichcanresultinsevere
injuryordeath.Youareresponsibleforsafeslope
operation.Operatingthemachineonanyslope
requiresextracaution.Beforeusingthemachine
onaslope,dothefollowing:
–Reviewandunderstandtheslopeinstructions
inthemanualandonthemachine.
–Evaluatethesiteconditionsofthedayto
determineiftheslopeissafeformachine
operation.Usecommonsenseandgood
judgmentwhenperformingthisevaluation.
Changesintheterrain,suchasmoisture,can
quicklyaffecttheoperationofthemachineon
aslope.
•Operateacrossslopes,neverupanddown.Avoid
operationonexcessivelysteeporwetslopes.
Poorfootingcouldcauseaslip-and-fallaccident.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.Do
notoperatethemachineneardrop-offs,ditches,
embankments,water,orotherhazards.The
machinecouldsuddenlyrolloverifawheelgoes
overtheedgeortheedgecollapses.Keepasafe
distancebetweenthemachineandanyhazard.
Useahandheldtooltooperateintheseareas.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,orturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction;turnslowlyandgradually.
•Donotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steeringorstabilityisinquestion.
Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopesordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.Themachinecanslideeven
ifthedrivewheelsarestopped.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasditches,holes,
ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenhazards.Tall
grasscanhideobstacles.Uneventerraincould
overturnthemachine.
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