38
SER
VICE NOTES
3
•
Stop the engine (motor) whenever you
leave the equip
ment, before clean
ing the
mower or unclogging the chute.
•
Shut the engine (motor) of
f and wait until
the blade comes to complete stop before
removing grass catcher
.
•
Mow only in daylight or good artifi
cial
light.
•
Do not operate the machine while under
the infl
uence of alcohol or drugs.
•
Never operate machine in wet grass.
Always be sure of your footing: keep a
fi
rm hold on the handle; walk, never run.
•
Disengage the self-propelled mech
a-
nism or drive clutch on mowers so
equipped before starting the engine.
•
If the equipment should start to vi
brate
abnormally
, stop the engine (motor) and
check immediately for the cause. V
ibra-
tion is generally a warning of trouble.
•
Always wear safety goggles or safe
ty
glasses with side shields when op
er
at
ing
mower
.
II. SLOPE OPERA
TION
Slopes are a major factor related to slip &
fall accidents which can result in severe
injury
.
All slopes require extra caution. If
you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it.
DO:
•
Mow across the face of slopes: nev
er
up and down. Exercise extreme caution
when changing direction on slopes.
•
Remove obstacles such as rocks, tree
limbs, etc.
•
W
atch for holes, ruts, or bumps.
T
all
grass can hide obstacles.
DO NOT
:
•
Do not trim near drop-of
fs, ditches or
embankments.
The operator could lose
footing or balance.
•
Do not trim excessively steep slopes.
•
Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced
footing could cause slipping.
III. CHILDREN
T
ragic accidents can occur if the op
er
a-
tor is not alert to the presence of children.
Children are often attracted to the ma
chine
and the mowing activity
.
Ne
v
e
r
assume
that children will remain where you last
saw them.
• Keep children out of the trimming area
and under the watchful care of an
oth
er
re
spon
si
ble adult.
•
Be alert and turn machine of
f if chil
dren
enter the area.
•
Before and while walking back
wards,
look behind and
do
wn
for small chil
dren.
•
Never allow children to operate the
machine.
•
Use extra care when approaching blind
corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects
that may obscure vision.
W
ARNING:
CHILDREN CAN BE
INJURED BY
THIS EQUIPMENT
.
The
American
Academy of Pediatrics recom-
mends that children be a minimum of 12
year of age before operating a pedestrian
controlled lawn mower and a minimum of
16 years of age before operating a riding
lawn mower
.
•
When loading or unloading this machine,
do not exceed the maximum recom-
mended operation angle of 15°.
•
W
ear proper Personal Protective Equip-
ment (PPE) while operating this ma-
chine, including (at a minimum) sturdy
footwear
, eye protection, and hearing
protection. Do not mow in short and/or
,
open toed footwear
.
Always let someone know you are outside
mowing.
IV
. SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE
Use extreme care in handling gasoline.
Gasoline is extremely fl
ammable and the
vapors are explosive.
•
Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes
and other sources of ignition.
•
Use only an approved container
.
•
Never remove gas cap or add fuel with
the engine running.
Allow engine to cool
before refueling.
•
Never refuel the machine indoors.
•
Never store the machine or fuel contain-
er where there is an open fl
ame, spark
or pilot light such as a water heater or on
other appliances.
•
Never fi
ll containers inside a vehicle, on
a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner
.
Always place containers on the ground
away from your vehicle before fi
lling.
•
Remove gas-powered equipment from
the truck or trailer and refuel it on the
ground. If this is not possible, then
refuel such equipment with a portable
container
, rather than from a gasoline
dispenser nozzle.
•
Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim
of the fuel tank or container opening at
all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
•
If fuel is spilled on clothing, change
clothing immediately
.
•
Never overfi
ll fuel tank. Replace gas
cap and tighten securely
.
