The classic summertime duty is mowing the lawn. Both parents and children gather in the front yard to prepare for the traditional Thanksgiving flag football game. A lawn mower safety checklist must be done before mowing the lawn.
Unfortunately, a lot of individuals visit emergency departments without a safety checklist. Even while working with power mowers, putting your safety on the cheap could result in even worse injury.
Before mowing the lawn, keep your children away from the mower. Also, take some points in mind:
- Don’t mow in the bad weather condition
- Don’t mow when sunlight is not proper
- When the grass is not dry don’t mow
Lawn Mower Safety Checklist
A lush, lovely, and well-kept lawn is achieved by using a lawn mower. If the lawnmower is not properly handled you have to heal from an accident at home or in the hospital. Learn about the fundamental lawn mower safety checklist in this post to ensure a risk-free experience when mowing the lawn.
- Read the manual before turning on the lawn mower.
- Drive it safely, and do follow the rules of the mower
- Mow in the sunlight
- Place all the guards properly
- Don’t take your hands or feet down in the running mower
- Keep away children
- Keep the mower’s speed slow
- Make slow turns when mowing the rider
- When the grass is wet don’t mow
- Replace the damaged parts timely
- Mower’s tires should be flat properly
- When you’re riding a mower’s blade is spinning, do not reverse.
- Check & balance the weather conditions
Safety Tips Before Mowing The Lawn
- Ensure the kids are far away from the area you plan to mow and that they are at a safe distance
- Read the mower’s instructions and the operator’s manual
- Toys, twigs, and other things that are picked up by mower blades should be removed from the area
- Your grass collector, safety guards, and other safety equipment are mounted correctly on your mower.
- Verify the oil and gasoline levels
- Check each tire’s air pressure
- Check mower blades, adjustment, and sharpening.
- Make sure your lawn mower is in good shape to achieve optimal mowing effectiveness.
- Use a ground fault circuit interrupter if you have an electric lawn mower to avoid electric shock
- Never let kids ride in the back of a garden tractor or other ride-on lawn mower
- Once the mower is cooled and switched off, refuel the engine.
Safety Mistakes To Avoid
Some major mistakes we have to avoid:
Blade Control
When the operator releases their hold on the controls, the blades cease rotating in three seconds. The machine does not spin if the operator is not in charge of it. There are certain exceptions to that rule as well, adding more safety precautions.
The blade stops without turning the engine off, the mower has a manual start. It doesn’t have a draw chord at the top of the handle or a 360-degree foot shield.
Foot Shield
To prevent the operator’s feet from slipping beneath the mower deck need to mount at the back. The CPSC claims that these shields have been strength-tested. When opened, they either automatically close or stop the mower from operating.
This shield is taken off with some lawnmowers that collect clippings. If so, the foot shield or grass catcher must be installed for the mower to start.
Check Labels
As the safety standard is implemented. Every lawn mower includes a label warning users to keep their hands and feet away from the discharge chute. These labels demonstrate that the mower complies with CPSC guidelines for blade safety.
Risk For Children
Children run outside to the lawnmower while an adult cuts the grass, causing their injuries. When sitting in the mower operator’s lap and getting their feet trapped in it. A report was published in the June 2017 issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
212,258 kids under 18 sought medical attention for injuries caused by lawnmowers between 1990 and 2014. That equates to over 12 per 100,000 American children. Not all injuries are caused directly by the lawnmower.
Several individuals hurt were struck by flying objects, if not directly by the lawnmower. Mowers are still deadly, but things are getting better. Throughout the 25-year trial period, the injury rate decreased by nearly 60%. Lawnmower injuries continue as a cause of substantial morbidity among youngsters.
Hazards Linked with Lawn Mower
Some hazards which are directly linked with a lawn mower:
- The body’s surface areas come into contact with the mower blade.
- Stone can struck in the mower blade in motion. [It hurled at rates of up to 91 meters per second (300 feet/s) or 330 kilometers/hour when they are struck by mower blades (200 miles/hour)].
- It burns to touch a muffler or cylinder and hasn’t a chance to cool off completely.
- Fire is brought on by refilling an engine that is still hot.
- The hearing loss is brought on by noise following prolonged mower noise exposure.
- Rollovers trap the operator or bring the blades of the mower into touch.
Before Refueling Cool the Engine Properly
- Shut off the mower and let the blades stop completely before:
- Crossing roads or other terrains
- The grass catcher is taken out
- Clearing the outflow chute of clogs
- Leave the lawnmower
Wear Protective Gear
Lawnmowers move at low speeds, but the blades on the deck spin rapidly, propelling grass, weeds, and branches speedily. From head to toe, you should be well-attired. When mowing the lawn, flip-flops are strongly discouraged.
It’s crucial to shield your toes and feet from any potential danger from mower blades. When mowing early in the morning, the grass is moist; for best results, wear supportive, nonslip shoes. Protect yourself from sun damage and lawn projectiles by wearing long pants and long-sleeve shirts while mowing.
Wear safety glasses or shades to protect your eyes from dust and other minute grass particles. You are exposed to excessive motor noise when mowing your grass; get earplugs to protect your hearing.
Check The Surroundings
Don’t allow a child to ride on a lawnmower. They are too little to avoid being crushed by the mower or gravely hurt by its blades. Make sure that kids play in a secure area while you mow, and keep them out of the yard. Always be aware of traffic when mowing close to a road. Cut the grass next to the road when there is no traffic.
While cutting a lawn on an uneven surface, lawnmowers can easily tip-prone. Mow the grass with a mower across the faces of hills rather than up and down. While using a lawn mower, go up and down on slight slopes; don’t mow on too steep areas.
Things To Avoid While Using A Lawn Mower
Keep these things in your lawn mower safety checklist:
- Don’t use a mower on steep slopes. Serious injury could result from the mower toppling or rolling over.
- Mowers shouldn’t be left on slopes.
- Avoid abrupt stops or starts when moving up or down hills.
- Avoid parking too close to a ditch or creek.
- When the motor is started, neither the grass catcher nor the discharge chute should be cleared.
- While the mower is operating, avoid mounting or dismounting.
- Your toes should fit beneath the mower housing. It can be cut by a blade if there is enough room to do so.
- When the lawnmower’s engine is running, never leave it alone (even if the blade is not turning).
- Never carry people even when you are not mowing.
- To lessen the chance of carbon monoxide gas accumulation, don’t turn off the engine in the garage.
- Do not handle hot motor components.
FAQ’S
What lawn mower accident occurs most frequently?
Deep cuts, loss of fingers, hands, toes, or feet, broken and dislocated bones, burns, eye injuries, soft tissue injuries, and sprains or strains are the most injuries caused by lawnmowers.
What does a lawnmower safety switch do?
The safety switch features a brake pad to slow the flywheel. Shut off the engine when you release the control bar on the handle to prevent the ignition coil from sparking.
What is the most typical tool risk?
Misuse and poor maintenance are the two main risks for hand tools. When a hand tool is used for a purpose other than what it is designed for, misused.
What PPE is recommended for lawn care?
Face (safety shields) Head (hard hat) Feet (safety shoes) arms and hands (gloves).
How many accidents are brought on by lawnmowers?
According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, more than 37,000 Americans are hurt by motorized lawnmowers yearly.
Why does mowing the grass cause individuals to have heart attacks?
A heart attack can be brought on by rapid, intense effort, especially in cold temperatures. This occurs as a result of blood vessel constriction, which raises blood pressure, and the heart under pressure.
Can a fire start from mowing?
During hot weather the grass is dry, and lawnmowers can start fires. A lawn mower can catch fire if dry grass becomes jammed in the mower deck.