When starting, stopping, or adjusting throttle stand
to the side of the unit outside of the track assembly.
DO NOT put hands, feet, or loose material on track
assembly when unit is running.
THROWN HAZARD WARNING! When mowing do
not stand in front of the cutting deck at any time. Do
not point the front of mower at the operator or any
other person while the cutting blades are moving. All
persons must remain 200 feet from the open front
deck of the mower while blades are turning.
When mowing, the operator and all other persons
should remain at least 30 feet to the side of the
mower, or 100 feet from the back of the mower, or
200 feet from the front of the mower.
DO NOT stand on machine or tracks while the
engine is running
DO NOT stand in front or behind the machine or
tracks while the engine is running.
DO NOT drive machine through more than
8 inches of water
DO NOT allow cutting blades to contact standing
water. DO NOT mow in areas where there could be
more than 2 inches of standing water.
DO NOT adjust deck height while PTO is engaged.
Operating Conditions
Lightning can cause severe injury or death. If
lightning is seen or thunder is heard in the area, DO
NOT operate the machine, seek shelter.
ALWAYS check overhead and side clearances
carefully before operation.
Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing
roadways.
Clear the area of objects such as rocks, wire, toys,
etc., which could be thrown by the blades.
Check for weak spots on docks, ramps or floors.
Avoid uneven work areas and rough terrain. Stay
alert for hidden hazards or traffic.
Use care when approaching blind corners, shrubs,
trees or other objects that may obscure vision.
Dust, smoke, fog, etc. can reduce vision and cause
an accident.
Operate machine only in daylight or good
artificial
light.
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 drive on the slope with
adequate traction, or if you feel
uneasy on it,
DO NOT mow it.
DO NOT operate on slopes of more than
50°.
When mowing a slope, the best position is at the top
of the slope, looking down at the mower. Certain
situations may require the operator to be at the
bottom of the slope. When in this position, all
persons must be at least 30 feet to the side of the
mower at all times. If the mower must cross the path
of any person downhill from the machine, those
persons should be on level ground, at least 30 feet
back from where the hill transitions above 10°.
The operator and any observers MUST NOT stand
directly below the mower in case the mower were to
slide or roll over. While a rollover is rare, it is
possible in certain conditions. The machine is very
heavy and if it were to roll over a person, it would
likely result in severe injury or death.
If operating from the side or bottom of a slope, the
operator must be aware of what is at the top of the
slope and beyond. There may be steep drop-offs,
bystanders, or other hazardous terrain. The operator
must be able to control the area that is not within
direct sightlines, so that people are not able to
approach the machine without the operator knowing.
Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other
hidden
objects. Uneven terrain could
overturn the machine.
Tall grass can hide
obstacles.
DO NOT mow on moist or wet grass. Tracks
may
lose traction causing a loss of control.
Use extra care while operating machine with
grass
catchers or other attachments; they can affect the
stability of the machine. DO NOT use these
attachments on steep slopes.
Keep all movements on the slope slow and
gradual.
DO NOT make sudden changes in speed or
direction, which could cause the
machine to roll over.
Avoid starting, stopping, or turning on a
slope. If the
tracks lose traction, disengage
the blade(s) and
proceed slowly straight
down the slope.
Operation on slopes may lead to loss of
steering
control. When operating on slopes
be prepared to
react to an emergency situation.
DO NOT park on slopes unless necessary. When
parking on slope ALWAYS chock or
block wheels.
ALWAYS set parking brake.
Choose a low ground speed to better maintain
traction.
DO NOT bypass transmission or allow
transmission
to free-wheel when on a slope.
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