Trim down your grasses safely this summer with the mower. But do not let it tip on you. Failing to abide by the safety tips can be dangerous. You can fall victim to severe injuries and even accidental death.
Don’t worry, mowing your beautiful landscape is not hectic if you follow these safety guidelines:
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- how to Use Your Lawn Mower Safely?
- 01. Read the Safety Manual Carefully
- 02. Wear Protective Clothes, Shoes, and Accessories
- 03. Ensure that Your Kids and Pets are Away from the Mower
- 04. Watch Out for the Weather Conditions
- 05. Clean and Prepare Your Lawn for Mowing
- 06. Move the Mower in the Right Direction
- 07. Take Care When You Mow on the Hills
- 08. Prevent Engine Heating
- 09. Always Keep the Safety Devices Activated
- 10. Use the Right Tools for Care and Maintenance
- Some Parting Words
how to Use Your Lawn Mower Safely?
01. Read the Safety Manual Carefully
All lawnmower manufacturers provide the necessary safety instructions and user guidelines at the time of selling the machine. These instructions are specifically important in perspective to the type of mower you have purchased.
Read the instructions several times to ensure you have completely understood all the safety measures. It will clearly teach you how to operate the equipment safely for great results.
02. Wear Protective Clothes, Shoes, and Accessories
Before you start using the mower, take note of the following factors:
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- Shoes: Shoes protect your feet from slips and fall when running a mower. Even if you are on a riding mower, the shoes will protect you from the heat and tipping. Do not ride the mower in bare feet or wearing sandals.
- Outfit: To stay safe and protect yourself from hard objects, wear thick fabric fitting long trousers, and a full-sleeved shirt.
- Accessories: Always wear goggles to prevent flying dirt and debris from entering the eyes. Some lawnmowers produce sounds over 100 decibels which can damage your hearing ability or headaches. Don’t forget to wear ear protective accessories before starting the machine.
03. Ensure that Your Kids and Pets are Away from the Mower
Every year more than 9000 children are admitted to the emergency room due to serious mower-related injuries. Obviously, you do not want your kids to go through the same dilemma.
Keep your children and pets at a safe distance while cutting the grass in your yard. However, you can always teach them to operate the mower along with the safety instructions when they attain the minimum recommended age.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should be at least 12 years old to operate the walk-behind mowers and 16 years old to run the rider mowers.
Never allow them to sit with you in the riding mower as they can fall and encounter fatal injuries.
04. Watch Out for the Weather Conditions
You need to depend on the climate to a great extent for the mowing job. It is preferable to cut the grass in your lawn on a bright sunny afternoon when you will be able to see everything clearly.
Before you mow, inspect the grass and the ground conditions. If the grass or the soil is wet, it can clog your machine. Therefore, avoid mowing the grass during rains and thunderstorms.
05. Clean and Prepare Your Lawn for Mowing
Some lawns have an uneven landscape with hard rocks. Your garden may be filled with ropes, wires, toys, etc. Running the mower over these things can cause accidents. The mower can start throwing them all around causing injury to anyone around. Moreover, sturdy objects in the way can also damage your machine blades.
Clean your garden properly and remove all objects to prevent collision and inconveniences.
06. Move the Mower in the Right Direction
The direction in which you should move the mower depends on the type of machine. If you are using a riding mower, move it upward and downward to maintain good balance and avoid tripping.
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On the other hand, those who are using the push mower or self-propelled Mower should walk it sideways. Moving the mower upwards will spill the piles of mud and grass towards you causing hurt. Walking the mower downwards is very risky as you will soon lose balance and tip over the running machine.
07. Take Care When You Mow on the Hills
Mowing on the hills is a risky job so you need to take necessary precautions. Use the right mower machine designed for hills. For beginners, it is recommended to get started with a self-propelled mower that allows you to maintain the right balance. You can move it sideways slowly for greater balance and easily turn it to change the direction.
For experienced people, the riding mower for hills is a good option. Move it up and down the hills to get the job done.
08. Prevent Engine Heating
The riding mower parts including the engine become too hot if you keep running it for a long time. In extreme cases, the muffler can heat up beyond 1200.
Stop using the mower if it becomes too hot. Protect your skin from getting in contact with the heated areas to prevent burns. If you need to refuel the machine, allow cooling time before you add fuel.
09. Always Keep the Safety Devices Activated
The hot and sharp parts of the mower can hurt or burn you during prolonged usage. The standard models have safety equipment such as the grass catcher, guards, and shields. Make sure the safety equipment on the machine is always activated to stay protected.
If you need to clean or repair the machine, stop the engine and allow it to cool down before proceeding.
10. Use the Right Tools for Care and Maintenance
While it is always recommended to call an expert for regular repair and maintenance, at times you may need to do some basic operations to keep the mower in working order. You need to clean the blades frequently to clean the debris and clogs trapped inside.
The blades are extremely sharp to cut the grass efficiently. Using your hands to clean the blades can be risky and you can end up in a serious injury. Use the required tools to do the maintenance work so that you do not hurt your hands.
Some Parting Words
It is not difficult to run a lawnmower in your garden. But be careful of the sharp blades and the flying debris. If your children are using the mower, they should do the task in the presence of an experienced elder to observe the entire procedure. Instruct them properly until they acquire sufficient expertise in handling the machine independently.
Undoubtedly, these simple tips will help you to mow your yard perfectly while protecting it from any possible danger.