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Every year scores of children are injured or killed in accidents involving lawnmowers. In fact, one out of every five deaths caused by a lawnmower involves a child. Injuries and deaths from lawnmower accidents can be reduced dramatically if parents would follow these simple guidelines.
Always Prepare Your Lawn for Mowing.
Check your lawn for items such as sticks, rocks, toys, sports equipment, dog bones, wire, and equipment parts. The debris could be thrown while mowing, possibly hitting the operator or bystanders.
Handle Fuel With Care.
Always use care when filling the tank with gasoline. Wipe up spills. Never fill the tank of a hot mower.
Wear Appropriate Clothing and Shoes.
Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, close-fitting clothes, eye protection, heavy gloves, hearing protection when needed, and no jewelry, which can get caught in moving parts. Do not operate a mower barefoot or when wearing open sandals.
Check Guards and Shields On Your Mower.
Be sure you know how to operate the mowing equipment. Know where the controls are and what they do. Don't remove or disable guards or other safety devices.
Used A Mower With An Automatic Blade Cut-Off.
Used only a mower with an automatic blade cut-off on the handle. And stay behind the handle for several seconds until the blade stops after releasing the blade control bar. Never reach underneath a mower while it is still operating, even if the blade is not spinning. If you need to remove debris or check the blade, disconnect the wire from the spark plug.
Don't Cut Grass When It's Wet.
Wet clippings will probably clog the discharge chute and ultimately could jam the blade and shut down the engine. When you need to remove clippings from the chute, the rotary blade must be stopped. Wet grass may also cause the mower or your feet to slide because of the reduced traction.
Riding Mowers Can Be Dangerous.
Passengers should NEVER be allowed on a riding mower. Don't use a riding mower to mow areas where the lawn slopes. |
