Safety
Toreducethepotentialforinjury,complywiththesesafety
instructionsandalwayspayattentiontothesafetyalert
symbol,whichmeansCaution,Warning,orDanger—personal
safetyinstruction.Failuretocomplywiththeinstructionmay
resultinpersonalinjuryordeath.
SafeOperatingPractices
Thisproductiscapableofamputatinghandsandfeetand
throwingobjects.Alwaysfollowallsafetyinstructionsto
avoidseriousinjuryordeath.
ThefollowinginstructionsareadaptedfromANSIstandard
B71.1-2012.
GeneralOperation
•Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionsinthe
Operator'sManualandonthemachinebeforestarting.
•Donotplaceyourhandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor
underthemachine.Keepclearofthedischargeopening
atalltimes.
•Allowonlyresponsibleadultswhoarefamiliarwiththe
instructionstooperatethemachine.
•Cleartheareaofobjectssuchasrocks,toys,wire,etc.,
whichcouldbepickedupandthrownbytheblade.
•Besuretheareaisclearofotherpeoplebeforemowing.
Stopthemachineifanyoneentersthearea.
•Nevercarrypassengers.
•Donotmowinreverseunlessabsolutelynecessary.
Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebacking
up.
•Beawareofthemowerdischargedirectionanddonot
pointitatanyone.Avoiddischargingmaterialagainsta
wallorobstruction.Materialmayricochetbacktoward
you.Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggravelsurfaces.
•Donotoperatethemachinewithoutdeector,discharge
coverorentiregrasscollectionsysteminplaceand
working.
•Bealert,slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturns.
Lookbehindandtothesidebeforechangingdirections.
•Neverleavearunningmachineunattended.Alwaysturn
offtheblades,settheparkingbrake,shutofftheengine,
andremovethekeybeforedismountingthemachine.
•Turnoffthebladeswhennotmowing.Shutoffthe
engine,waitforallpartstocometoacompletestopand
removethekeybeforecleaningthemachine,removing
thegrasscatcheroruncloggingthedischargechute.
•Operatethemachineonlyindaylightorgoodarticial
light.
•Donotoperatethemachinewhileill,tired,orunderthe
inuenceofalcoholordrugs.
•Watchfortrafcwhenoperatingnearorcrossing
roadways.
•Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthemachine
intoatrailerortruck.
•Wearappropriateclothingincludingeyeprotectionand
substantial,slip-resistantshoes.Tiebacklonghair.Do
notwearjewelry.
•Alwaysfollowtherecommendationsforanyapplication
ofcounterweights.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.Iflightning
isseenorthunderisheardinthearea,donotoperate
themachine;seekshelter.
SlopeOperation
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontroland
tip-overaccidents,whichcanresultinsevereinjuryordeath.
Operationonallslopesrequiresextracaution.Ifyoucannot
backuptheslopeorifyoufeeluneasyonit,donotmowit.
•Donotmowslopesgreaterthan15degrees.
•Watchforditches,holes,rocks,dips,andrisesthatchange
theoperatingangle,asroughterraincouldoverturnthe
machine.
•Choosealowgroundspeedsothatyouwillnothaveto
stopwhileoperatingonaslope.
•Donotmowslopeswhengrassiswet.Slippery
conditionsreducetractionandcouldcauseslidingand
lossofcontrol.
•Alwayskeepthedrivewheelsengagedwhengoingdown
slopes.
•Reducespeedanduseextremecautiononslopes.
•Donotmakesuddenturnsorrapidspeedchanges.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasrocks,treelimbs,etc.
fromthemowingarea.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
•Avoidsuddenstartswhenmowinguphillbecausethe
mowermaytipbackwards.
•Beawarethatlossoftractionmayoccurgoingdownhill.
Weighttransfertothefrontwheelsmaycausedrive
wheelstoslipandcauselossofbrakingandsteering.
•Alwaysavoidsuddenstartingorstoppingonaslope.If
thetireslosetraction,stopthemachine,disengagethe
bladesandproceedslowlyoffdowntheslope.
•Useextremecarewithgrasscatchersorotherattachments.
Thesecanchangethestabilityofthemachineandcause
lossofcontrol.
•Donottrytostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfoot
ontheground.
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