• Do not operate the product in wet grass.
• Be careful near corners, bushes, trees or other
objects that can prevent your view.
• Use very high caution when you reverse or pull
the product in your direction.
• Do not put hands or feet near or below rotating
parts. Keep clear of the discharge openings at all
times.
• Stop the blade when you go across gravel
surfaces.
• Stop the engine and wait until the blade stops
fully before you clean the product, remove the
grass catcher, or remove material from the
discharge chute.
• Disengage the drive system, if installed, before
you start the engine.
• Do not operate the product when you are tired, ill
or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
• If the product has unusual vibration, stop the
engine and immediately examine for the cause.
Vibration is usually a warning of damage.
• Do not point ejected material in the direction of
others. Do not eject material against a wall or
blockage. Material may ricochet back in the
direction of the operator.
• Do not operate the product without the correct
guards, plates, grass catcher or other safety
protective devices in position.
Work area safety
• Remove branches, twigs, stones and other
objects from the lawn before you start to cut.
• Keep persons, including children, and animals at
a safe distance from the work area.
• Objects that hit against the cutting equipment
can be ejected and cause damage to persons
and objects.
• Do not use the product in bad weather, including
fog, rain, moist or wet locations, strong winds,
intense cold and risk of lightning. Doing work in
bad weather can cause fatigue and dangerous
conditions, such as slippery surfaces.
• Examine your work area to make sure that your
control of the product cannot be prevented.
• Be careful of roots, stones, twigs, pits and
ditches. High grass can conceal obstacles.
• Be careful when you go near hidden corners and
objects that can prevent your view.
Safety instructions for slopes
• Be careful when you cut on a slope. Slopes can
be dangerous. A fall on a slope can cause injury.
• Cut across the face of slopes. Do not cut up and
down.
• Be careful when you change direction on a slope.
• Be careful of hidden objects or holes in the lawn.
Rough terrain can cause you to fall.
• Do not cut near a steep slope, drop-off, ditch or
embankment. You can fall.
• Do not cut on wet grass. You can fall.
• Do not cut on terrain with more than a 15 degree
slope.
Personal protective equipment
Always use the correct personal protective
equipment when you operate the product. This
includes, at minimum, sturdy footwear, eye
protection and hearing protection. Personal
protective equipment does not erase the risk of injury
but may decrease the grade of injury if an accident
occurs.
• Always wear safety glasses or eye protection
while you operate the product or do maintenance
or repairs.
• Do not operate the product with bare feet or with
open shoes. Always use heavy-duty slip-resistant
boots with good ankle support while you operate
the product.
• Wear heavy, long pants. Do not wear shorts,
sandals or go bare foot.
• Use approved protective gloves, if necessary.
For example, when attaching, examining or
cleaning the blade.
• Always use approved ear protection while you
operate the product. Noise for a long period can
cause noise-induced hearing loss.
Protective devices on the product
• Make sure that you regularly do the maintenance
to the product.
• The life of the product increases.
• The risk of accidents decreases.
Let an approved dealer or an approved service
center regularly examine the product to do
adjustments or repairs.
• Do not use a product with damaged protective
equipment. If the product is damaged, speak to
an approved service center.
Operator presence control bar
The operator presence control bar stops the engine.
Release the operator presence control bar to stop
the engine.
To do an inspection of the operator presence control
bar, start the engine and then release the operator
presence control bar.
If the engine does not stop in 3 seconds, let an
approved service agent adjust the engine brake.
438 - 001 - 29.11.2017
5
