Lawnmower Safety
Now that summer is here, it’s not uncommon to hear the hum of a lawnmower or smell freshly cut grass. Human error is most often the cause of the approximately 75,000 lawnmower injuries per year that require a visit to the emergency room. But there is a lot you can do to avoid having to make that trip. Here are a number of important safety issues to keep in mind when using a lawn mower.
- Children younger than 16 years should not operate ride-on mowers.
- Children younger than 12 years should not operate walk-behind mowers.
- Spend time showing your child how to operate a lawn mower properly. Supervise until you are sure they can perform the task on their own.
- Read the operator’s manual. Understand your mower before you use it.
- Only use a mower with a control that stops operating when the handle is released.
- Keep guards, shields, switches,and safety devices in proper working order at all times.
- Let mower cool before refueling.
- Wear sturdy, non-slip shoes. Steel toed shoes are best.
- Check ground for objects that may be thrown by the mower. Wear pants to protect legs from objects thrown from the mower.
- Do not mow in reverse.
- Do not unclog a jammed mower while engine is running. Only touch bottom of mower when spark plug wire is disconnected.
- With a ride-on mower, drive up and down slopes to prevent rollover.
- With a walk-behind mower, travel across the slope to prevent rollback onto your feet.
- Do not mow wet grass
- For electric mowers, use a ground fault circuit interrupter to prevent electric shock.