Safety
ThislawnmowermeetstheCPSCbladesafety
requirementsforwalk-behindrotarylawnmowers
andtheB71.4specicationsoftheAmericanNational
StandardsInstituteineffectatthetimeofproduction.
Improperlyusingormaintainingthislawnmowercan
resultininjury.Toreducethepotentialforinjury,
complywiththesesafetyinstructions.
Torodesignedandtestedthislawnmowertoofferreasonably
safeservice;however,failuretocomplywiththefollowing
instructionsmayresultinpersonalinjury.
WARNING
Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an
odorless,deadlypoisonthatcankillyou.
Donotruntheengineindoorsorinanenclosed
area.
Toensuremaximumsafety,bestperformance,and
togainknowledgeoftheproduct,itisessentialthat
youandanyotheroperatorofthelawnmowerread
andunderstandthecontentsofthismanualbeforethe
engineiseverstarted.Payparticularattentiontothe
safetyalertsymbol(Figure2)whichmeansCaution,
Warning,orDanger—“personalsafetyinstruction.”
Readandunderstandtheinstructionbecauseithasto
dowithsafety.Failuretocomplywiththeinstruction
mayresultinpersonalinjury.
GeneralLawnMowerSafety
Thislawnmoweriscapableofamputatinghandsandfeetand
ofthrowingobjects.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety
instructionscouldresultinseriousinjuryordeath.
ThefollowinginstructionsarefromtheANSI/OPEI
B71.4–2004standard.
Training
•ReadtheOperator’sManualandothertrainingmaterial.
•Iftheoperator(s)ormechanic(s)cannotreadEnglishitis
theowner’sresponsibilitytoexplainthismaterialtothem.
•Becomefamiliarwiththesafeoperationoftheequipment,
operatorcontrols,andsafetysigns.
•Alloperatorsandmechanicsshouldbetrained.The
ownerisresponsiblefortrainingtheusers.
•Neverletchildrenoruntrainedpeopleoperateorservice
theequipment.Localregulationsmayrestricttheageof
theoperator.
•Theowner/usercanpreventandisresponsiblefor
accidentsorinjuriesoccurringtothemselves,other
peopleorproperty.
Preparation
•Evaluatetheterraintodeterminewhataccessoriesand
attachmentsareneededtoproperlyandsafelyperform
thejob.
•Onlyuseaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedbythe
manufacturer.
•Wearappropriateclothing,includingsafetyglassesand
hearingprotection.Longhair,looseclothingorjewelry
maygettangledinmovingparts.
•Inspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobeusedand
removeallobjectssuchasrocks,toysandwirewhichcan
bethrownbythemachine.
•Useextracarewhenhandlinggasolineandotherfuels.
–Theyareammableandvaporsareexplosive.
–Useonlyanapprovedcontainer.
–Neverremovegascaporaddfuelwhenengineis
running.
–Donotsmoke.
–Neverrefuelordrainthemachineindoors.
•Checkthatoperator’spresencecontrols,safetyswitches
andshieldsareattachedandfunctioningproperly.Donot
operateunlesstheyarefunctioningproperly.
Operation
•Neverrunanengineinanenclosedarea.
•Onlyoperateingoodlight,keepingawayfromholesand
hiddenhazards.
•Besurealldrivesareinneutralbeforestartingengine.
•Besureofyourfootingwhileusingpedestriancontrolled
equipment,especiallywhenbackingup.
•Walk,don’trun.
•Neveroperateonwetgrass.Reducedfootingcouldcause
slipping.
•Slowdownanduseextracareonhillsides.Besureto
travelsidetosideonhillsides.
•Usecautionwhileoperatingneardrop-offs.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturnsandwhen
changingdirectionsonslopes.
•Neverraisedeckwiththebladesrunning.
•Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingoroverspeed
theengine.
•Stopequipmentandinspectbladesafterstrikingobjects
orifanabnormalvibrationoccurs.Makenecessary
repairsbeforeresumingoperations.
•Keephandsandfeetawayfromthecuttingunits.
•Lookbehindanddownbeforebackinguptobesureof
aclearpath.
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