Operator's Manual

Safety
ThislawnmowermeetsorexceedstheCPSCblade
safetyrequirementsforwalk-behindrotarylawnmowers
andtheB71.4specicationsoftheAmericanNational
StandardsInstituteineffectatthetimeofproduction.
Improperlyusingormaintainingthislawnmowercan
resultininjury.Toreducethepotentialforinjury,
complywiththesesafetyinstructions.
Torodesignedandtestedthislawnmowertoofferreasonably
safeservice;however,failuretocomplywiththefollowing
instructionsmayresultinpersonalinjury.
WARNING
Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an
odorless,deadlypoisonthatcankillyou.
Donotruntheengineindoorsorinanenclosed
area.
Toensuremaximumsafetyandbestperformance,and
togainknowledgeoftheproduct,itisessentialthat
youandanyotheroperatorofthelawnmowerread
andunderstandthecontentsofthismanualbeforethe
engineiseverstarted.Payparticularattentiontothe
safetyalertsymbol(Figure2)whichmeansCaution,
Warning,orDanger—“personalsafetyinstruction.”
Readandunderstandtheinstructionbecauseithasto
dowithsafety.Failuretocomplywiththeinstruction
mayresultinpersonalinjury.
GeneralLawnMowerSafety
Thislawnmoweriscapableofamputatinghandsandfeetand
ofthrowingobjects.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety
instructionscouldresultinseriousinjuryordeath.
ThefollowinginstructionsarefromtheANSI/OPEI
B71.4–2004standard.
Training
•ReadtheOperator’sManualandothertrainingmaterial.If
theoperator(s)ormechanic(s)cannotreadEnglish,itis
theowner’sresponsibilitytoexplainthismaterialtothem.
•Becomefamiliarwiththesafeoperationoftheequipment,
operatorcontrols,andsafetysigns.
•Alloperatorsandmechanicsshouldbetrained.The
ownerisresponsiblefortrainingtheusers.
•Neverletchildrenoruntrainedpeopleoperateorservice
theequipment.Localregulationsmayrestricttheageof
theoperator.
•Theowner/usercanpreventandisresponsiblefor
accidentsorinjuriesoccurringtothemselves,other
people,orproperty.
Preparation
•Evaluatetheterraintodeterminewhataccessoriesand
attachmentsareneededtoproperlyandsafelyperform
thejob.Onlyuseaccessoriesandattachmentsapproved
bythemanufacturer.
•Wearappropriateclothing,includingsafetyglassesand
hearingprotection.Longhair,looseclothing,orjewelry
maygettangledinmovingparts.
•Inspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobeused,and
removeallobjectssuchasrocks,toys,andwirewhichcan
bethrownbythemachine.
•Useextracarewhenhandlinggasolineandotherfuels.
Theyareammableandvaporsareexplosive.
–Useonlyanapprovedcontainer.
–Neverremovethegascaporaddfuelwhenthe
engineisrunning.
–Donotsmoke.
–Neverrefuelordrainthemachineindoors.
•Checkthatoperator’spresencecontrols,safetyswitches,
andshieldsareattachedandfunctioningproperly.Donot
operatethemachineunlesstheyarefunctioningproperly.
Operation
•Neverrunanengineinanenclosedarea.
•Onlyoperateingoodlight,keepingawayfromholesand
hiddenhazards.
•Besurealldrivesareinneutralbeforestartingtheengine.
Onlystarttheenginefromtheoperator’sposition.
•Besureofyourfootingwhileusingpedestrian-controlled
equipment,especiallywhenbackingup.
•Walk;don’trun.
•Neveroperateonwetgrass.Reducedfootingcouldcause
slipping.
•Slowdownanduseextracareonhillsides.Besureto
travelintherecommendeddirectiononhillsides.
•Usecautionwhileoperatingneardrop-offs.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturnsandwhen
changingdirectionsonslopes.
•Neverraisethedeckwiththebladerunning.
•Neveroperatewiththedischargedeectorraised,
removed,oraltered,unlessusingagrasscatcher.
•Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingoroverspeed
theengine.
•Stoponlevelgroundandshutofftheenginebefore
leavingtheoperator’spositionforanyreason,including
emptyingthecatcheroruncloggingthechute.
•Stoptheequipmentandinspectthebladeafterstriking
objectsorifanabnormalvibrationoccurs.Make
necessaryrepairsbeforeresumingoperations.
•Keephandsandfeetawayfromthecuttingunits.
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