Section 1: Safety
5
3. Never carry children as passengers.
Do not carry ANY passengers. They may
fall off, become seriously injured, or inter-
fere with safe unit operation.
4. Keep children out of the work area and
under the watchful care of a responsible
adult other than the unit operator.
5. Be alert and turn unit off if children
enter the area.
6. Before and when backing, look behind
and down for children.
7. Use extra care when approaching blind
corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects
that may obscure vision.
8. Keep children away while performing
maintenance or adjustments.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
1. Before inspecting, cleaning, adjusting
or repairing the unit, stop the engine, let
all moving parts come to a
complete stop, disconnect
the spark plug wire, and
install the plastic blade
guard on the cutter bar. On
electric start models, remove the ignition
key from the keyswitch.
2. Always wear sturdy footwear (prefer-
ably steel-toed shoes), long trousers,
hearing and eye protection while doing
any maintenance on the unit. Do not wear
loose-fitting clothing, jewelry, scarves,
ties, etc., which could get caught in
moving parts. Tie up or restrain hair.
3. Install the plastic blade guard before
removing the cutter bar assembly and
wear sturdy leather gloves to help protect
your fingers and hands.
4. Keep children away while performing
maintenance or adjustments.
5. Remove any metal jewelry when
working on or near electrical system com-
ponents.
6. Use only original equipment replace-
ment parts. Parts manufactured by others
could create a hazard even though they
may fit on the unit.
7. Keep the equipment in safe working
condition. Keep all nuts, bolts and screws
tight. Frequently check the engine
mounting bolts and cutter bar mounting
bolts for tightness.
8. Provide safe, adequate light in your
work area. NEVER USE AN OPEN FLAME
FOR ILLUMINATION! Use only a portable
safety light enclosed in a wire cage for
working on unit. NOTE:
Hot filaments from a
broken light bulb can
ignite spilled fuel or oil.
9. If the unit has gasoline in its fuel tank,
do not store it inside a building where
fumes from the gasoline could reach an
open flame or spark. Let the engine cool
before storing the unit.
10. Store gasoline in a cool, well-venti-
lated area, away from spark- or flame-pro-
ducing equipment. Store gasoline in an
approved container, away from children.
11. Keep unit free of grass, leaves or
build-up of other debris. Clean up oil or
fuel spillage. Allow unit to cool before
storing.
12. Replace muffler if worn or defective.
13. Use extra care when loading or
unloading unit into a trailer or truck.
14. Do not use food or beverage con-
tainers to store waste materials. Using
such containers could result in accidental
poisoning.
ENGINE
1. Before starting the engine or operating
the unit, read the separate engine manual
completely. Read and follow all safety
instructions provided in that manual.
2. BEFORE SERVICING THE ENGINE:
Disconnect the spark plug wire and keep it
from touching the spark plug.
3. Keep the engine free of grass, leaves,
oil, and grease.
4. Engine exhaust is extremely hot. Keep
grass, oil, fuel, and other combustible
materials far away from engine exhaust.
5. Do not change the engine governor set-
ting. Over-speeding may damage the
engine and unit and will void the warranty.
See an authorized engine service dealer if
a problem exists.
6. Never run an internal combustion
engine inside a closed area. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide gas, a
deadly poison. Carbon monoxide is odor-
less, colorless and tasteless. Do not
operate the unit near buildings, windows,
or air conditioners. If the engine is run in a
garage, open all doors and allow for ade-
quate ventilation.
Place Hand Here When
Pulling Starter Rope
Hot Surfaces
Warning
Sharp Cutter Bar
Blades Danger
Danger - Keep Hands
and Feet Away
On Rear Panel
Warning - Operating
Engine -
Electric
Start Only
Cover “Top” Decal
Engine Throttle Settings
SAFETY DECAL LOCATION
Operator Presence
Controls
SAFETY DECALS
Keep all safety decals clean and in
good condition. The location of each
decal is shown in Figure 1-2.
Refer to the Parts List for ordering
replacement decals.
Figure 1-2
