SAFETY RULES
AS'F OP"A"ONPRAC C S O.R,O -ONMOW.S&
IMPORTANT: THIS CUTTING MACHINE IS CAPABLE OF AMPUTATING HANDS AND FEET AND THR'OWING OBJECTS.
FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
I. GENERAL OPERATION
Read,understand,and followall instructionsinthemanual
and on the machine beforestarting.
•Only allow responsibleadults, who are familiar with the
instructions,tooperate the machine.
•Clear the area ofobjectssuch es rocks,toys,wire, etc.,
whichcouldbe picked up and thrown bythe blade.
•Be sure thearea isclear ofotherpeople before mow=ng.
Stop machineifanyone enters the area.
•Never carry psssengers.
•Do not mow in reverse unless absolutely necessery.
Always lookdown and behindbefore and whilebacking.
• Be awareofthernowerdischargedirectionanddo notpeint
itat anyone. Do notoperate the mower withouteitherthe
entiregrass catcher or the guard in place.
•Slowdownbefore turning.
•Never leavea runningmachineunattended. Always tum
offblades, set parkingbrake, stop engine, and remove
keys before dismounting.
•Turn offbladeswhen notmowing.
•Stopenginebefore removinggrasscatcherorunclnggjng
chute.
•Mow onlyindaylightor good artificiallight.
•Do notoperate the machine whileunder the influenceof
alcoholordrugs.
•Watch for trafficwhen operating near or crossingroad-
ways.
•Useextracerewhen loadingorunloedingthe machineinto
a trailerortruck.
•Dataindicatesthat operators,age 60 yearsandabove, are
involvedin a large percentage of ridingmower-related
injuries.These operators shouldevaluate their abilityto
operate the ridingmower safelyenough toprotectthem-
selves and othersfrom seriousinjury.
•Keep rnachinefree ofgrass, leaves orotherdebrtsbuild-
up whichcantouchhot exhaust/ engine parts and bum.
Do not allow the mower deck to plow leaves
orotherdebriswhichcan cause build-uptooccur. Clean
any oil or fuel spillage before operating or storing the
machine. Allow machine to cool before
storage.
II. SLOPE OPERATION
SIo_. are a majorfactorrslatedto loss-of-controland tipever
accidents,whichcanresultin severeinjuryor death. All slopes
requireextracaution.Ifyoucannotbackuptheslopeorif youfeel
ucaasyon it,do notmowit.
DO:
•Mow upand downslopes, not across.
•Remove obstaclessuch as rocks,tree limbs, etc.
•Watch for holes, ruts, or bumps. Uneven terrain could
overtum the machine. Tallgrass can hide Gbstacles.
•Use slow speed. Choose a lowgear so thatyou will not
have tostop or shiftwhile on the slope.
•Followthe manufacturer's recommendations for wheel
weightsor counterweightsto improve stability.
•Use extracare withgrass catchers or otherattachments.
These can change the stabilityof the machine.
•Keepallmovementontheslopesslowandgradual. DO
not make suddenchanges in speed ordirection.
2
•Avoidstartingorstoppingon aslope. Iftireslosetraction,
disengage the blades and proceed slowlystraightdown
the slope.
DO NOT:
•Do not rum on slopes unlessnecessary, and then, rum
slowty and graduallydownhill, ifpe_ible.
•Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches, or embankments.
The mower couldsuddenlyrumover ifa wheel isOverthe
edge of a cliffor ditch,or ifan edge caves in.
•Do not mowonwet grass. Reducedtraction couldcause
sliding.
•Do not trytostabilizethe machinebyputtingyourfoot on
theground.
•Do not usegrass catcher on steep slopes.
III. CHILDREN
Tragic accidentscan occur if the operator isnot alert tothe
presence of children. Children are often attracted to the
machine andthemowing activity.Neverassumethatchildren
willremain where you lestsaw them.
•Keep children out of the mowing area and under the
watchfulcare ofanother responsibleadult.
•Be alert and turn machine offit childrenenter the area.
•Beforeandwhen becking,lookbehind and downforsmall
children.
•Never carry children. They may falloffand beseriously
injured orinterfere with safe machineoperation.
•Never allow childrento operatethe machine.
• Use extracare when approachingblindcomers, shrubs,
trees, or other objectsthat may obscure vision.
IV. SERVICE
•Useextracera inhandlinggaselineand otherfuels. They
are flammable and vaporsare explosive.
-Use only an appreved container.
-Never remove gas cap or add fuel with the engine
running. Allowengine tocoolbeforerefueling. Do not
smoke.
-Never refuelthereachine indoors.
-Never storethe machineorfuelcontainerinsidewhere
there is an open flame, suchas a water heater.
•Never run a machine insidea closedarea.
•Keep nuts and bolts,especially blade attachment belts,
tightand keep equipment ingoodcondition.
•Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper
operationregularly.
•Keep rnachinefree ofgrass,leaves, orotherdebrisbuild-
up. Clean oilorfuelspillage. Allowmachine tocoolbefore
storing.
•Stop and inspect the equipment if you strikean object.
Repair, if necessary, before restarting.
•Never make adjustments or repairs with the engine
running.
•Grasscatchercoreponents are subjecttowear, damage,
and deterioration,which could expose moving parts or
allowobjectstobethrown. Frequentlycheckcomponents
and replace with manufacturer's recommended parts,
when necessa_.
•Mower blades are sharpand can cut. Wraptheblade(s)
or wear gloves, and use extra caution when servicing
them.
•Check brake operation frequently. Adjust and service
as required.
