Lawn Mower Safety

2 OPEN Whether you have just purchased your first mower or you have been mowing your lawn for years, safety should always be top of mind. Review these safety tips to avoid situations that could result in injury to you or your family.

Always read your operator's manual before using your mower for the first time, and refer to the manual whenever you have a question about your mower. The manual contains important information about the safe operation, features and maintenance of your equipment.

Dress appropriately when you mow your lawn. Wear sturdy work shoes and long pants when mowing. Never wear sandals. Work gloves and safety glasses are recommended.

Before you mow, walk through your yard and pick up any items such as sticks, stones, debris and toys. Mowing over items can damage your mower blade and result in objects being thrown from the mower's discharge chute, which could cause injury.

Be certain that children and pets are not in the yard when you mow. Never assume that they will remain where you last saw them. Instead, keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful care of a responsible adult other than the operator. Never allow a child to ride on a riding mower or walk along side even with the blades shut off. They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe machine operation. Children who have been given rides in the past may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride. For this reason, use extreme care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may block your view of a child. Be alert and turn off the machine if a child enters the mowing area. In general, never allow a child under the age of 16 to operate any type of outdoor power equipment.

Start your lawn mower outside never start or operate any outdoor power equipment in a garage, shed or other building even if the doors or windows are open.

Only add fuel when the mower is turned off and has cooled down, and only do so outdoors. Wait at least 2 minutes before refueling. Allow spilled gas to evaporate before starting your mower engine.Keep all safety devices such as guards, shields, switches, etc. in place and in proper working condition.

Walk-behind mowers have a safety bar on the handle that must be held when you mow. When you release the safety bar, the mower blade will automatically shut off.

Riding mowers are equipped with a safety shut-off, too. If you want to leave the seat, you must turn the mower blades off and set the parking break. Never try to disarm these important safety features they are there for your protection.

Mow only when your lawn is dry and when you have enough daylight to clearly see what you are doing.

Never pull a running mower backwards toward your feet as you may trip and fall.

Do not mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary. Always look down and behind before and while traveling in reverse even with the mower blades disengaged to avoid hitting a person or pet.

Mowing on slopes and hills can be dangerous. If you feel unsure about operating your mower on an incline, don't do it. With a walk-behind mower, always mow across the slope; with a riding mower, always mow up and down the slope, or mow as recommended by the operating manual. As a general rule of thumb, don't operate a riding mower on slopes that rise more than 3.5 feet over a 20 foot length. If you can't back up a slope on a traditional riding lawn mower (i.e. one with a steering wheel), don't mow it because it is too steep.

Always keep your hands and feet away from the mower deck the part of the mower which covers the blade underneath while the mower is running.

Finally, maintain your mower so that it will operate properly. Your operator's manual contains maintenance information.

You can also learn how to tune-up your mower by viewing our Yard Smarts tune-up tutorial.