•Stop the rotating trimmer head when crossing gravel drives, walks, or roads. Wait for the cutting lines to stop rotating.
•Stop the engine (motor) whenever you leave the equipment and allow it to cool, before cleaning, repairing or inspecting the unit. Be sure the trimmer head and all moving parts have stopped.
•Operate only in daylight or good artifi cial light.
•Do not operate the machine while under the infl uence of alcohol or drugs.
•Never operate machine in wet grass. Always be sure of your footing: keep a fi rm hold on the handle and walk; never run.
•If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine (motor) and check immediately for the cause. Vibra- tion is generally a warning of trouble.
•Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields when oper- ating machine.
II. SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents which can result in severe injury. All slopes require extra caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not trim it.
DO:
•Trim across the face of slopes: never up and down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.
•Remove obstacles such as rocks, tree limbs, etc.
•Watch for holes, ruts, or bumps. Tall grass can hide obstacles.
DO NOT:
•Do not trim near
•Do not trim excessively steep slopes.
•Do not trim on wet grass. Reduced foot- ing could cause slipping.
III. CHILDREN
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the machine and the trimming activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.
•Keep children out of the trimming area and under the watchful care of another responsible adult.
•Be alert and turn machine off if children enter the area.
•Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down for small children.
•Never allow children to operate the machine.
•Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure vision.
IV. SERVICE
•Use extra care in handling gasoline and other fuels. They are fl ammable and vapors are explosive.
-Use only an approved container.
-Never remove gas cap or add fuel with the engine running. Allow en- gine to cool before refueling. Do not smoke.
-Never refuel the machine indoors.
-Never store the machine or fuel con- tainer inside where there is an open fl ame, such as a water heater.
-Move away from fueling site before starting engine.
•Never run a machine inside a closed area.
•Never make adjustments or repairs with the engine (motor) running. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire away from the plug to prevent acci- dental starting.
•Keep nuts and bolts, especially trimmer head and engine bolts, tight and keep equipment in good condition.
•Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.
•Keep machine free of grass, leaves, or other debris buildup. Clean oil or fuel spillage. Allow machine to cool before cleaning or storing.
•Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object. Repair, if necessary, before restarting.
•Do not change the engine governor set- ting or overspeed the engine.
•Clean and replace safety and instruction decals as necessary.
Look for this symbol to point out important safety precautions. It means CAUTION!!! BECOME ALERT!!! YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED.
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