National Mower 68 SR, 68 DL California Safe Operating Practices, Maintenance and Storage

SAFETY INFORMATION

3. OPERATION

Do not operate the engine in a confined space where dangerous carbon monoxide fumes can collect.

Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.

Before attempting to start the engine, disengage all cutting unit clutches and shift into neutral.

Do not use on slopes of more than 15°.

Remember there is no such thing as a safe slope. Travel on grass slopes requires particular care. To guard against overturning:

•do not stop or start suddenly when going up or downhill;

•engage clutch slowly, always keep machine in gear, es- pecially when travelling downhill;

•machine speeds should be kept low on slopes and dur- ing tight turns;

•stay alert for humps and hollows and other hidden haz- ards;

•never mow across the face of the slope, unless the ma- chine is designed for this purpose.

Watch out for traffic when crossing or near roadways.

Stop the reel rotation before crossing surfaces other than grass.

Never direct discharge of material toward bystanders or allow anyone near the machine while in operation.

Never operate the lawnmower with defective guards, or without safety devices in place.

Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed the engine. Operating the engine at excessive speed can increase the hazard of personal injury.

Before leaving the operator's position,

•disengage the power take-off and lower the cutting units;

•shift into neutral and set the parking brake;

•stop the engine and remove the key.

Disengage drive to the cutting units, stop the engine, remove the ignition key, and disconnect the spark plug wire:

•before cleaning blockages or unclogging chute;

•before checking, cleaning, or working on the machine;

•after striking a foreign object. Inspect the lawn mower for damage and make repairs before restarting and op- eration the lawn mower;

•if lawn mower starts to vibrate abnormally (check imme- diately).

Disengage drive to attachments when transporting or not in use.

Stop the engine and disengage drive to attachment:

•before refuelling;

•before removing the grass catcher;

•before making height adjustment;

•before cleaning blockages;

•before checking, cleaning, or working on the mower;

•after striking a foreign object. Inspect the mower for damage and make repairs before restarting and oper- ating the equipment.

Reduce the throttle setting during engine shutdown and turn the fuel off at the conclusion of mowing.

4. MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE

Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equipment is in safe working condition.

Never store the equipment with fuel in the tank inside a building where fumes can reach an open flame or spark.

Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.

To reduce the fire hazard, keep the engine, silencer, battery compartment, and fuel storage area free of grass, leaves, or excessive grease.

Replace worn or damaged parts for safety.

If the fuel tank has to be drained, this should be done outdoors.

When machine is to be parked, stored, or left unattended, lower the cutting means unless a positive mechanical lock is used.

Be careful during adjustment of the machine to prevent entrapment of the fingers between moving blades and fixed parts of the machine.

On multi-reel machines, take care as rotating one reel can cause other reels to rotate.

CALIFORNIA SAFE OPERATING PRACTICES

Mowers used in California, USA are required by law (CA PRC 4442 & CA H & SC 13005) to have their engines equipped with spark arresters when operating in flam- mable vegetation. Arresters must be obtained from your engine dealer and are not available from National Mower Company.

6 68OM-06/03