OPERATION
9.1 Foreign Debris Hazards/Overhead Obstructions
An area to be cut must first be inspected for objects that could be thrown or that could damage the machine. Walk through the area looking for fences, boulder, rocks, culverts, stumps or metal objects. Mark the inspected area with flags. If the area is dense and cannot be walked thoroughly it may be necessary to inspect a smaller area as well as possible, then trim away the part that has been inspected and can safely be removed. Walk each new area again and repeat the inspection before cutting more away. Repeat as often as necessary until the area is cleared. It can be damaging and/or dangerous to work the cutter in an area that had not been visually inspected.
Place DANGER signs at least 300 feet beyond the perimeter of the area to be worked, not just 300 feet from where the machine started operating! It is convenient in many cases to work in 300 foot sections. Move the first Danger sign to the beginning of the freshly cleared area, place it, then take the first cutting area flag up to the end of the freshly cleared area 300 feet away. Walk and inspect the next 300 feet and place the second cutting area flag. Pick up the second DANGER sign, and take it a further 300 feet along the road or trail. Note that in many cases the DANGER area will extend in front of and behind the machine as well as along each side. Post signs accordingly.
Extreme care should be taken when operating near loose objects such as gravel, rocks, wire, and other debris. Inspect the area before mowing. Foreign objects should be removed from the site to prevent machine damage and/or bodily injury or even death. Any objects that cannot be removed must be clearly marked and carefully avoided by the operator. Stop mowing immediately if blades strike a foreign object. Repair all damage and make certain rotor or blade carrier is balanced before resuming mowing.
Many varied objects, such as wire, cable, rope, or chains, can become entangled in the operating parts of the mower head. These items could then swing outside the housing at greater velocities than the blades. Such a situation is extremely hazardous and could result in serious injury or even death. Inspect the cutting area for such objects before mowing. Remove any like object from the site. Never allow the cutting blades to contact such items.
(SGM-06)
Mow at the speed that you can safely operate and control the tractor and mower. The correct mowing speed depends on terrain condition and grass type, density, and height of cut. Normal ground speed range is from 2 to 5
MACHETE BOOM 3/09 | Operation Section |
©2009 Alamo Group Inc.
