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SAFE MOWING GUIDE
bruises, or even put out an eye. Often the per-
son hurtby a thrown objectisa bystander such
as a child, another family member or a neigh-
bor. Keep people and pets completely away
from the mowing area. Direct the mower'sdis-
charge away from areas where people can be.
Planning your mowing pattern has a double
benefit. It can reducechances of an injury and
make the clean up after mowing eas=er.
Are there ditches,
walls, or major in- _)
clines inthe area to be .,,,_
cut?.Plan the mowing [. t(_
pattern to avoid such / / v |\
danger areas. In- _,_ J_J
clines and rough ter- _ _
rain must be mowed _ _\_,
carefully and some _\_ _i_='_,_t_'_
areas must not be cut ! \_1_ _'_._ _,
with a mower at all./1 _\t_ _,_i'.'_._ _1
WLth walk behind"I
equipment, mow It-t__JJ_},
across the incline so _r._t,L_,, ._ ._
that ifyou or the mow- _,l _
er slip, you won't run -_}_..._,_J:_;;,
into each other. ,r,,_,..;,,. _,
Never mow slopes greater than 15 degrees.
See the "Guide" in the back of this Instruction
Book to check any slopes.
Ready to start cutting? Not yet. Be sure the
mower has been fullyassembled according to
directions in the Instruction Book. Even if as-
sembly was done by a lawn and garden shop
or the store where the unit was purchased, it
must be checked. Are all nuts, bolts and
screws tight'?.Does the engine have oil?These
items must be checked periodicallythroughout
the life of the mower.
Your mower has a gasoline engine. Gas is
dangerous. Store fuel only in a approved gas
container. Do not store large amounts of gas.
Put out all cigarettes, pipes and cigars before
working with gasoline. Store fuel and the mow-
er itselfin a well ventilatedarea away from any
possible source of ignitionsuch a pilotlighton
a furnace. Ifthe mower is tobe storedforan ex-
tended time, remove the gas from the tank.
This minimizes the chance of a fire and keeps
the tank clear of deposits and old gasoline,
thus improvingmower performance. Move the
mower outside before addinggasoline. Use a
funnel and wipe up any spilledfuel beforestart-
ing. Remember, gasoline expands when
heated so leave some expansion room.Also,
most mower gas caps are vented to allow for
expansion. Always use the propercap. People
are needlessly burned by fires, hurt in explo-
sions, mowers and other property are dam-
aged because offailure to follow basic safety
rules related to gasoline and fueling.
Never add gasolineto an enginethat isrunning
or that ishotfrom recent use, thiscan cause an
accident. Remove dry grass and other debris
from the mower. Keeping the mower clean will
F-98526
improve the performance, help the engine stay
cooler, extend the life of moving parts, and
minimize the danger of fire. People get burned
working with and around their mowers for oth-
er reasons than fire and explosions. It takes
only a few seconds of operation for the engine
and the muffler to become hot. Do not touch
these parts when the mower is running. Stop
the engine and let it cooldown beforeservicing
the mower. Remember, exhaust fumes can be
dangerous. Never operate the engine indoors
or in an enclosed area.
Getting a new mower can be a big event for a
family. Let family members satisfytheir curios-
ity about the mower and at the same time, tell
them about itsdangers. Remember, a mower
isnot a toy and isnotfor use by childrenor any-
one lacking in age, strength or experience.
As withany power equipment,a mower can be
dangerous if not assembled, misused, or not
propedy maintained. The most important rule
isto always use goodjudgement and common
sense.
Your mower will cut thick grass and heavy
plant stems with ease. Fingers and toes are no
more resistant to the mower's blade. Many
people are injured because they =forgot" and
reached into the dischargechute. Always treat
_our lawn mower as if the blade is rotating.
ever perform any service or try to make any
adjustment,except carburetor, while the en-
gine is running.
Use only accessories suited for your mower.
Use of improper accessories can reduce the
safety designed into both the mower and the
accessory, it can even damage the unit. Read
and follow the instructionswhichcome withthe
accessory and the mower.