Safety
ThismachinemeetsorexceedstheB71.1-2003
specicationsoftheAmericanNationalStandards
Institute,ineffectatthetimeofproduction.
However,improperuseormaintenancebythe
operatororownercanresultininjury.Toreduce
thepotentialforinjury,complywiththesesafety
instructionsandalwayspayattentiontothe
safetyalertsymbol,whichmeansCAUTION,
WARNING,orDANGER-"personalsafety
instruction."Failuretocomplywiththeinstruction
mayresultinpersonalinjuryordeath.
SafeOperatingPractices
ThefollowinginstructionsarefromANSIstandard
B71.1-2003.
Thisproductiscapableofamputatinghandsand
feetandthrowingobjects.Alwaysfollowallsafety
instructionstoavoidseriousinjuryordeath.
GeneralOperation
•Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionsin
theoperator’smanualandonthemachinebefore
starting.
•Donotplacehandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor
underthemachine.Keepclearofthedischarge
openingatalltimes.
•Allowonlyresponsibleadultswhoarefamiliarwith
theinstructionstooperatethemachine.
•Cleartheareaofobjectssuchasrocks,toys,wire,
etc.,whichcouldbepickedupandthrownbythe
blade.
•Besuretheareaisclearofotherpeoplebefore
mowing.Stopthemachineifanyoneentersthearea.
•Nevercarrypassengers.
•Donotmowinreverseunlessabsolutelynecessary.
Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhile
backingup.
•Beawareofthemowerdischargedirectionanddo
notpointitatanyone.Avoiddischargingmaterial
againstawallorobstruction.Materialmayricochet
backtowardtheoperator.Stoptheblade(s)when
crossinggravelsurfaces.
•Donotoperatethemachinewithoutdeector,
dischargecoverorentiregrasscollectionsystemin
placeandworking.
•Bealert,slowdownandusecautionwhenmaking
turns.Lookbehindandtothesidebeforechanging
directions.
•Neverleavearunningmachineunattended.Always
turnoffblades,setparkingbrake,stopengine,and
removekeybeforedismounting.
•Turnoffbladeswhennotmowing.Stoptheengine
andwaitforallpartstocometoacompletestop
beforecleaningthemachine,removingthegrass
catcheroruncloggingthedischargechute.
•Operatethemachineonlyindaylightorgood
articiallight.
•Donotoperatethemachinewhileunderthe
inuenceofalcoholordrugs.
•Watchfortrafcwhenoperatingnearorcrossing
roadways.
•Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthe
machineintoatrailerortruck.
•Alwaysweareyeprotectionwhenoperatingthe
mower.
•Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsand
above,areinvolvedinalargepercentageofriding
mower-relatedinjuries.Theseoperatorsshould
evaluatetheirabilitytooperatetheridingmower
safelyenoughtoprotectthemselvesandothersfrom
seriousinjury.
•Alwaysfollowtherecommendationsforwheel
weightsorcounterweights.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.If
lightningisseenorthunderisheardinthearea,do
notoperatethemachine;seekshelter.
SlopeOperation
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontroland
tip-overaccidents,whichcanresultinsevereinjuryor
death.Operationonallslopesrequiresextracaution.If
youcannotbackuptheslopeorifyoufeeluneasyonit,
donotmowit.
•Donotmowslopesgreaterthan15degrees.
•Watchforditches,holes,rocks,dips,andrisesthat
changetheoperatingangle,asroughterraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Choosealowgroundspeedsoyouwillnothaveto
stopwhileoperatingonaslope.
•Donotmowslopeswhengrassiswet.Slippery
conditionsreducetractionandcouldcausesliding
andlossofcontrol.
•Alwayskeepthewheelmotorsengagedwhengoing
downslopes.
•Reducespeedanduseextremecautiononslopes.
•Donotmakesuddenturnsorrapidspeedchanges.
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