Safety
safelyenoughtoprotectthemselvesandothers
fromseriousinjury.
•Alwaysfollowtherecommendationsforwheel
weightsorcounterweights.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.If
lightningisseenorthunderisheardinthearea,
DoNotoperatethemachine;seekshelter.
SlopeOperation
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrol
andtip-overaccidents,whichcanresultinsevere
injuryordeath.Operationonallslopesrequiresextra
caution.Ifyoucannotbackuptheslopeorifyoufeel
uneasyonit,DoNotmowit.
•DoNotmowslopesgreaterthan15degrees.
•Watchforditches,holes,rocks,dips,andrisesthat
changetheoperatingangle,asroughterraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Choosealowgroundspeedsoyouwillnothave
tostopwhileoperatingonaslope.
•DoNotmowslopeswhengrassiswet.Slippery
conditionsreducetractionandcouldcausesliding
andlossofcontrol.
•Reducespeedanduseextremecautiononslopes.
•DoNotmakesuddenturnsorrapidspeed
changes.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasrocks,tree
limbs,etc.fromthemowingarea.Tallgrasscan
hideobstacles.
•Avoidsuddenstartswhenmowinguphillbecause
themowermaytipbackwards.
•Beawarethatoperatingonwetgrass,acrosssteep
slopesordownhillmaycausethemowertolose
traction.Lossoftractiontothedrivewheelsmay
resultinslidingandalossofbrakingandsteering.
•Alwaysavoidsuddenstartingorstoppingona
slope.Iftireslosetraction,disengagetheblades
andproceedslowlyofftheslope.
•Useextremecarewithgrasscollectionsystemsor
otherattachments.Thesecanchangethestability
ofthemachineandcauselossofcontrol.
•DoNottrytostabilizethemachinebyputting
yourfootontheground.
•DoNotmowneardrop-offs,ditches,steepbanks
orwater.Wheelsdroppingoveredgescancause
rollovers,whichmayresultinseriousinjury,death
ordrowning.
•Useawalkbehindmowerand/orahandtrimmer
onslopesgreaterthan15degrees,neardrop-offs,
ditches,steepbanksorwater.
Children
Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatorisnot
alerttothepresenceofchildren.Childrenareoften
attractedtothemachineandthemowingactivity.
Neverassumethatchildrenwillremainwhereyou
lastsawthem.
•Keepchildrenoutofthemowingareaandunder
thewatchfulcareofanotherresponsibleadult,
nottheoperator.
•Bealertandturnthemachineoffifchildrenenter
thearea.
•Beforeandwhilebackingorchangingdirection,
lookbehind,down,andside-to-sideforsmall
children.
•Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththebladesoff.
Theymayfalloffandbeseriouslyinjuredor
interferewithsafemachineoperation.
•Childrenwhohavebeengivenridesinthepast
maysuddenlyappearinthemowingareafor
anotherrideandberunoverorbackedoverby
themower.
•Neverallowchildrentooperatethemachine.
•Useextracarewhenapproachingblindcorners,
shrubs,trees,theendofafenceorotherobjects
thatmayobscurevision.
TowingSafety
•Donotattachtowedequipmentexceptatthe
hitchpoint.
•Followtheattachmentmanufacturer's
recommendationforweightlimitsfortowed
equipmentandtowingonslopes.Towedweight
mustnotexceedtheweightofthemachine,
operator,andballast.Usecounterweightsor
wheelweightsasdescribedintheattachment,or
inthepullingmachineOperator’sManual.
•Neverallowchildrenorothersinorontowed
equipment.
•Onslopes,theweightofthetowedequipment
maycauselossoftraction,increasedriskof
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