Use and Care Manual

Safety
ThismachinehasbeendesignedinaccordancewithANSI
standardB71.1-2012.
Toreducethepotentialforinjury,complywiththesesafety
instructionsandalwayspayattentiontothesafetyalert
symbol,whichmeansCaution,Warning,orDanger—personal
safetyinstruction.Failuretocomplywiththeinstructionmay
resultinpersonalinjuryordeath.
SafeOperatingPractices
Thisproductiscapableofamputatinghandsandfeetand
throwingobjects.Alwaysfollowallsafetyinstructionsto
avoidseriousinjuryordeath.
ThefollowinginstructionsareadaptedfromANSIstandard
B71.1-2012.
GeneralOperation
•Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionsinthe
Operator'sManualandonthemachinebeforestarting.
•Donotplaceyourhandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor
underthemachine.Keepclearofthedischargeopening
atalltimes.
•Allowonlyresponsibleadultswhoarefamiliarwiththe
instructionstooperatethemachine.
•Cleartheareaofobjectssuchasrocks,toys,wire,etc.,
whichcouldbepickedupandthrownbytheblade.
•Besuretheareaisclearofotherpeoplebeforemowing.
Stopthemachineifanyoneentersthearea.
•Nevercarrypassengers.
•Donotmowinreverseunlessabsolutelynecessary.
Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebacking
up.
•Beawareofthemowerdischargedirectionanddonot
pointitatanyone.Avoiddischargingmaterialagainsta
wallorobstruction.Materialmayricochetbacktoward
you.Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggravelsurfaces.
•Donotoperatethemachinewithoutdeector,discharge
coverorentiregrasscollectionsysteminplaceand
working.
•Bealert,slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturns.
Lookbehindandtothesidebeforechangingdirections.
•Neverleavearunningmachineunattended.Alwaysturn
offtheblades,settheparkingbrake,shutofftheengine,
andremovethekeybeforedismountingthemachine.
•Turnoffthebladeswhennotmowing.Shutoffthe
engine,waitforallpartstocometoacompletestopand
removethekeybeforecleaningthemachine,removing
thegrasscatcheroruncloggingthedischargechute.
•Operatethemachineonlyindaylightorgoodarticial
light.
•Donotoperatethemachinewhileill,tired,orunderthe
inuenceofalcoholordrugs.
•Watchfortrafcwhenoperatingnearorcrossing
roadways.
•Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthemachine
intoatrailerortruck.
•Wearappropriateclothingincludingeyeprotectionand
substantial,slip-resistantshoes.Tiebacklonghair.Do
notwearjewelry.
•Alwaysfollowtherecommendationsforanyapplication
ofcounterweights.
•Lightningcancausesevereinjuryordeath.Iflightning
isseenorthunderisheardinthearea,donotoperate
themachine;seekshelter.
SlopeOperation
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontroland
tip-overaccidents,whichcanresultinsevereinjuryordeath.
Operationonallslopesrequiresextracaution.Ifyoucannot
backuptheslopeorifyoufeeluneasyonit,donotmowit.
•Donotmowslopesgreaterthan15degrees.
•Watchforditches,holes,rocks,dips,andrisesthatchange
theoperatingangle,asroughterraincouldoverturnthe
machine.
•Choosealowgroundspeedsothatyouwillnothaveto
stopwhileoperatingonaslope.
•Donotmowslopeswhengrassiswet.Slippery
conditionsreducetractionandcouldcauseslidingand
lossofcontrol.
•Alwayskeepthedrivewheelsengagedwhengoingdown
slopes.
•Reducespeedanduseextremecautiononslopes.
•Donotmakesuddenturnsorrapidspeedchanges.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasrocks,treelimbs,etc.
fromthemowingarea.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
•Avoidsuddenstartswhenmowinguphillbecausethe
mowermaytipbackwards.
•Beawarethatlossoftractionmayoccurgoingdownhill.
Weighttransfertothefrontwheelsmaycausedrive
wheelstoslipandcauselossofbrakingandsteering.
•Alwaysavoidsuddenstartingorstoppingonaslope.If
thetireslosetraction,stopthemachine,disengagethe
bladesandproceedslowlyoffdowntheslope.
•Useextremecarewithgrasscatchersorotherattachments.
Thesecanchangethestabilityofthemachineandcause
lossofcontrol.
•Donottrytostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfoot
ontheground.
•Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditches,steepbanksor
water.Wheelsdroppingoveredgescancauserollovers,
whichmayresultinseriousinjury,deathordrowning.
•Useawalkbehindmowerand/orahandtrimmernear
drop-offs,ditches,steepbanksorwater.
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