Safety
improperuseormaintenancebytheoperatororowner
canresultininjury.Toreducethepotentialforinjury,
complywiththesesafetyinstructionsandalwayspay
attentiontothesafetyalertsymbol,whichmeans
CAUTION,WARNING,orDANGER-"personalsafety
instruction."Failuretocomplywiththeinstructionmay
resultinpersonalinjuryordeath.
SafeOperatingPractices
ThefollowinginstructionsareadaptedfromANSIstandard
B71.4-2012.
Training
•ReadtheOperator'sManualandothertrainingmaterial.
Iftheoperator(s)ormechanic(s)cannotreadEnglishitis
theowner'sresponsibilitytoexplainthismaterialtothem.
•Becomefamiliarwiththesafeoperationoftheequipment,
operatorcontrols,andsafetysigns.
•Alloperatorsandmechanicsshouldbetrained.The
ownerisresponsiblefortrainingtheusers.
•Neverletchildrenoruntrainedpeopleoperateorservice
theequipment.Localregulationsmayrestricttheageof
theoperator.
•Theowner/usercanpreventandisresponsiblefor
accidentsorinjuriesoccurringtohimselforherself,other
peopleorproperty.
Preparation
•Evaluatetheterraintodeterminewhataccessoriesand
attachmentsareneededtoproperlyandsafelyperform
thejob.Onlyuseaccessoriesandattachmentsapproved
bythemanufacturer.
•Wearappropriateclothingincludinghardhat,safety
glassesandhearingprotection.Longhair,looseclothing
orjewelrymaygettangledinmovingparts.
•Inspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobeusedand
removeallobjectssuchasrocks,toysandwirewhichcan
bethrownbythemachine.
•Checkthatoperator'spresencecontrols,safetyswitches
andshieldsareattachedandfunctioningproperly.Donot
operateunlesstheyarefunctioningproperly.
Operation
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.Iflightning
isseenorthunderisheardinthearea,donotoperate
themachine;seekshelter.
•Neverrunanengineinanenclosedarea.
•Onlyoperateingoodlight,keepingawayfromholesand
hiddenhazards.
•Besurealldrivesareinneutralandparkingbrakeis
engagedbeforestartingengine.Onlystartenginefrom
theoperator'sposition.
•Besureofyourfootingwhileusingthismachine,
especiallywhenbackingup.Walk,don'trun.Never
operateonwetgrass.Reducedfootingcouldcause
slipping.
•Slowdownanduseextracareonhillsides.Besureto
travelsidetosideonhillsides.Turfconditionscanaffect
themachine'sstability.Usecautionwhileoperatingnear
drop-offs.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturnsandwhen
changingdirectionsonslopes.
•Neverraisedeckwiththebladesrunning.
•NeveroperatewiththePTOshield,orotherguardsnot
securelyinplace.Besureallinterlocksareattached,
adjustedproperly,andfunctioningproperly.
•Neveroperatewiththedischargedeectorraised,
removedoraltered,unlessusingagrasscatcher.
•Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingoroverspeed
theengine.
•Stoponlevelground,disengagedrives,engageparking
brake(ifprovided),shutoffenginebeforeleavingthe
operator'spositionforanyreasonincludingemptyingthe
catchersoruncloggingthechute.
•Stopequipmentandinspectbladesafterstrikingobjects
orifanabnormalvibrationoccurs.Makenecessary
repairsbeforeresumingoperations.
•Keephandsandfeetawayfromthecuttingunit.
•Lookbehindanddownbeforebackinguptobesureof
aclearpath.
•Keeppetsandbystandersaway.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturnsand
crossingroadsandsidewalks.Stopbladesifnotmowing.
•Beawareofthemowerdischargedirectionanddonot
pointitatanyone.
•Donotoperatethemowerundertheinuenceofalcohol
ordrugs.
•Usecarewhenloadingorunloadingthemachineinto
orfromatrailerortruck.
•Usecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,shrubs,trees,
orotherobjectsthatmayobscurevision.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.Iflightning
isseenorthunderisheardinthearea,donotoperate
themachine;seekshelter.
Safehandlingoffuels
•Toavoidpersonalinjuryorpropertydamage,use
extremecareinhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremely
ammableandthevaporsareexplosive.
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