Mower Safety - Makes the Job Fun

Lawn mowing season also seems to be the season for accidents caused while operating power lawn mowers. During the entire summer, we read story after story about someone losing a toe, a foot, a finger or hand, or having more severe injuries while operating a power lawn mower.

Accidents are a serious problem, and manufacturers have done considerable research and made improvements as their contribution to eliminate lawn mower accidents. Regardless of this effort to solve the problem, one fact stands out: More than 90 per cent of the accidents are traceable to lack of knowledge on the part of the user or simply carelessness on the part of the user.

Manufacturers wage a two-pronged attack on the mower accident problem: they strive to add safety features to their equipment, and they try to educate you, the consumers, in safe handling of the equipment.

But perhaps you are thinking: “But I am very careful when I use the power mower!” Are you really?

• Do you carefully clear the lawn of rocks, twigs, toys and bones before you mow?
• Do you wear open sandals when you mow?
• Did you ever try to clean out the matted grass with the engine running?
• Did you ever refill the gas tank with the engine still hot?
• Do you permit children or pets on the lawn or nearby while you are mowing the lawn?
• Do you consistently trim very closely to obstacles such as the rock borders of flower beds, trees, curbs, buildings or other projections?

If you answer “yes” or even “sometimes” to even one of these questions, you have exposed yourself to the possibility of a mower accident.

In fact, I’m going to admit that I have also been guilty of some of these violations. I was one of the fortunate ones. I got by with only a warning of a close call which cured me of making the same mistake twice.

Yes, I have mowed the lawn with dog bones and toys lying in the grass, only to have the shattered pieces flying in various directions sharp edged fragments looking for a victim. I remember also the time I mowed too closely to a three-pronged hand garden cultivator, with tines about 1/2 inch wide. The whirling blade bent the tines as easily as a piece of cooked spaghetti!

I remember one day while driving, I saw a lady gardener who had a power mower tilted on its side. She was cleaning out the matted grass with a stick with the engine running! I stopped the car and went to her on the pretext of asking directions. In order to hear my question, she put the mower down and turned it off; which was what I had hoped she would do. During the brief conversation, I also offered her a friendly warning, and reminded her of the danger she was courting in her careless handling of the mower.

This article is not intended to frighten any reader from using power lawn mowers; quite the contrary. Your power mower is a valuable time and work saver, and almost every home owner is justified in owning one. With moderate care, your mower will operate efficiently and at very low cost for years. We are merely trying to alert you to the dangers in careless handling of this equipment.

Because rotary mowers comprise over 80 per cent of the mowers sold, and because of the present design of rotary blade mowers, these mowers are involved in most of the accidents. But in all fairness to the manufacturers, we want to re-emphasize the fact that more than 90 per cent of the mower accidents are caused by careless handling of the equipment.

The Responsibility for Safe Handling of Power Equipment is in Your Hands

Only you can keep children or pets out of the way of the mower. Only you can prevent children from tinkering with a mower when it is stored. Only you the user, are responsible for removing the stones, bones, and sticks from the lawn before using the mower. Only you can assume the responsibility for having a periodic inspection made of your mower by a reliable serviceman. if you are not a capable do-it-yourself handyman (or married to one). The responsibilities for careful operation, proper maintenance. careful inspection and proper fuel storage are yours.

Don’t let an accident mar the pleasure you can get from mowing your lawn with a power lawn mower. Yes, I said pleasure. Pleasure in having a properly operating machine making a pastime out of what is ordinarily a chore. Pleasure in keeping a lawn neatly trimmed with a minimum of effort. Pleasure in using the conveniences that the mower manufacturers build into the equipment.

The mower manufacturers have tried to make the lawn mowing chore as pleasant as possible. Several maintain large research departments and test areas, where ideas and features are tested and proven before they are incorporated into the mower sold by your dealer.

If you are buying your First power lawn mower this year, I’d like to add several suggestions for you to help you operate your new mower with greater safety.

If you are not familiar with using a power mower, ask your dealer for detailed operating and stopping instructions. If you buy from a reliable, conscientious equipment dealer, he’ll probably be willing to give you a home demonstration to be sure you understand how to operate the mower for maximum safety and maximum efficiency.

If you don’t require a home demonstration, take time to read the instruction manual carefully. Read it with the mower in front of you, so that you will fully understand the parts of the mower and their function.

For all power mower users, we sincerely urge you to cut out the list of ll simple suggestions for power mower safety in this article, and post it in a conspicuous place near your power lawn mower. Read these rules before you operate your mower until these safety principles are firmly in your mind.

Today’s lawn mower is designed and engineered to provide maximum safety for you. However, as with all mechanical tools, it’s up to you to observe the safety rules that minimize the chances of an accident. Lawn mowing can be fun and good exercise with today’s equipment… but it’s more fun to mow safely!

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