Safety
SafeOperationPracticesfor
RidingRotaryLawnMowers
Readandunderstandthecontentsofthismanualbefore
operatingthemachine.
Thesafetyalertsymbol(Figure2)isusedtoalertyouto
potentialpersonalinjuryhazards.Obeyallsafetymessages
thatfollowthissymboltoavoidpossibleinjuryordeath.
ThefollowinginstructionsarefromtheCENstandardEN
836:1997.
Thisproductiscapableofamputatinghandsandfeetand
ofthrowingobjects.Alwaysfollowallsafetyinstructionsto
avoidseriousinjuryordeath.
Training
•Readtheinstructionscarefully.Befamiliarwiththe
controlsandtheproperuseoftheequipment.
•Neverallowchildrenorpeopleunfamiliarwiththese
instructionstousethelawnmower.Localregulationscan
restricttheageoftheoperator.
•Nevermowwhilepeople,especiallychildren,orpetsare
nearby.
•Keepinmindthattheoperatororuserisresponsiblefor
accidentsorhazardsoccurringtootherpeopleortheir
property.
•Donotcarrypassengers.
•Alldriversshouldseekandobtainprofessionaland
practicalinstruction.Suchinstructionshouldemphasize:
–theneedforcareandconcentrationwhenworking
withride-onmachines;
–controlofaride-onmachineslidingonaslopewill
notberegainedbytheapplicationofthebrake.The
mainreasonsforlossofcontrolare:
◊insufcientwheelgrip;
◊beingdriventoofast;
◊inadequatebraking;
◊thetypeofmachineisunsuitableforitstask;
◊lackofawarenessoftheeffectofground
conditions,especiallyslopes;
◊incorrecthitchingandloaddistribution.
Preparation
•Whilemowing,alwayswearsubstantialfootwearandlong
trousers.Donotoperatetheequipmentwhenbarefoot
orwearingopensandals.
•Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentisto
beusedandremoveallobjectswhichmaybethrownby
themachine.
•Warning—Fuelishighlyammable.
–Storefuelincontainersspecicallydesignedforthis
purpose.
–Refueloutdoorsonlyanddonotsmokewhile
refuelling.
–Addfuelbeforestartingtheengine.Neverremove
thecapofthefueltankoraddfuelwhiletheengineis
runningorwhentheengineishot.
–Iffuelisspilled,donotattempttostarttheengine
butmovethemachineawayfromtheareaofspillage
andavoidcreatinganysourceofignitionuntilfuel
vaporshavedissipated.
–Replaceallfueltanksandcontainercapssecurely.
•Replacefaultysilencers.
•Beforeusing,alwaysvisuallyinspecttoseethattheblades,
bladeboltsandcutterassemblyarenotwornordamaged.
Replacewornordamagedbladesandboltsinsetsto
preservebalance.
•Onmulti-bladedmachines,takecareasrotatingoneblade
cancauseotherbladestorotate.
Operation
•Donotoperatetheengineinaconnedspacewhere
dangerouscarbonmonoxidefumescancollect.
•Mowonlyindaylightoringoodarticiallight.
•Beforeattemptingtostarttheengine,disengageallblade
attachmentclutchesandshiftintoneutral.
•Donotuseonslopesofmorethan
–10°whenmowingonsidehills;
–15°whenmowinguphillordownhill.
•Rememberthereisnosuchthingasasafeslope.Travel
ongrassslopesrequiresparticularcare.Toguardagainst
overturning:
–donotstoporstartsuddenlywhengoingupor
downhill;
–machinespeedsshouldbekeptlowonslopesand
duringtightturns;
–stayalertforhumpsandhollowsandotherhidden
hazards;
–nevermowacrossthefaceoftheslope,unlessthe
lawnmowerisdesignedforthispurpose.
•Usecarewhenpullingloadsorusingheavyequipment.
–Useonlyapproveddrawbarhitchpoints.
–Limitloadstothoseyoucansafelycontrol.
–Donotturnsharply.Usecarewhenreversing.
–Usecounterweight(s)orwheelweightswhen
suggestedintheinstructionhandbook.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.Ifyousee
lightningorhearthunderinthearea,donotoperatethe
machine;seekshelter.
•Watchoutfortrafcwhencrossingornearroadways.
•Stopthebladesrotatingbeforecrossingsurfacesother
thangrass.
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