7
Safety
TOWED EQUIPMENT (RIDE-ON UNITS)
1. Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed
for towing. Do not attach towed equipment except
at the hitch point.
2. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for
weight limit for towed equipment and towing on
slopes. See attaching a trailer under OPERATION.
3. Never allow children or others in or on towed
equipment.
4. On slopes, the weight of the towed equipment
may cause loss of traction and loss of control.
5. Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.
6. Do not shift to neutral and coast down hill.
CHILDREN
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to
the presence of children. Children are often attracted to
the unit and the mowing activity. Never assume that
children will remain where you last saw them.
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and under
the watchful care of another responsible adult.
2. Be alert and turn unit off if children enter the area.
3. Before and during reverse operation, look behind
and down for small children.
4. Never carry children, even with the blade(s) off.
They may fall off and be seriously injured or
interfere with safe unit operation. Children who
have been given rides in the past may suddenly
appear in the mowing area for another ride and be
run over or backed over by the machine.
5. Never allow children to operate the unit.
6. Use extra care when approaching blind corners,
shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure
vision.
EMISSIONS
1. Engine exhaust from this product contains
chemicals known, in certain quantities, to cause
cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
2. Look for the relevant Emissions Durability Period
and Air Index information on the engine emissions
label.
IGNITION SYSTEM
1. This spark ignition system complies with Canadian
ICES-002.
SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to loss-of-control and
tip-over accidents, which can result in severe injury or
death. Operation on all slopes requires extra caution. If
you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy on it,
do not operate on it.
Control of a walk-behind or ride-on machine sliding on a
slope will not be regained by the application of the
brake. The main reasons for loss of control are:
insufficient tire grip on the ground, speed too fast,
inadequate braking, the type of machine is unsuitable
for its task, lack of awareness of the ground conditions,
incorrect hitching and load distribution.
1. Mow across slopes, not up and down.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, or bumps. Uneven terrain
could overturn the unit. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.
3. Choose a slow speed so that you will not have to
stop or change speeds while on the slope.
4. Do not mow on wet grass. Tires may loose
traction.
5. Avoid starting, stopping, or turning on a slope. If
tires lose traction (i.e. machine stops forward
motion on a slope), disengage the blade(s) (PTO)
and drive slow off the slope.
6. Keep all movement on slopes slow and gradual.
Do not make sudden changes in speed or
direction, which could cause the machine to
rollover.
7. Use extra care while operating machines with
grass catchers or other attachments; they can
affect the stability of the unit. Do not use on
steeps slopes.
8. Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your
foot on the ground (ride-on units).
9. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches, or
embankments. The mower could suddenly turn
over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff or ditch,
or if an edge caves in.
10. Do not use grass catchers on steep slopes.
11. Do not mow slopes if you cannot back up them.
12. See your authorized dealer/retailer for
recommendations of wheel weights or
counterweights to improve stability.
13. Remove obstacles such as rocks, tree limbs, etc.
14. Use slow speed. Tires may lose traction on slopes
even though the brakes are functioning properly.
15. Do not turn on slopes unless necessary, and then,
turn slowly and gradually uphill, if possible. Never
mow down slopes.
WARNING
Never operate on slopes greater than 15°
Select slow ground speed before driving onto
slope. Use extra caution when operating on
slopes with rear-mounted grass catchers.
Mow across the face of slopes, not up and
down,use caution when changing directions
and DO NOT START OR STOP ON SLOPE.
Safety Rules and Information
Not
for
Reproduction
