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Safe Operation PracticesGeneral Operation
1. Read this operator’s manual caref ully in its entirety before
attempting to assemble thi s machine. Read, understa nd, and
follow all instructions on t he machine and in the manual (s) before
operation. Keep this manual in a s afe place for future and regular
reference and for ordering repl acement parts.
2. Be completely familiar with t he controls and the proper u se of this
machine before operating it.
3. This machine is a precision pi ece of power equipment, not a
plaything. Therefore, exercise ex treme caution at all times . Your
unit has been designed to per form one job: to mow grass. D o not
use it for any other purpose.
4. Never allow children under 14 years old to o perate this machine.
Children 14 years old and over should read an d understand the
instructions in this manu al and should be trained and su pervised
by a adult.
5. Only responsible indivi duals who are familiar with t hese rules of
safe operation should be allowe d to use this machine.
6. Thoroughly inspect the are a where the equipment is to be use d.
Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bo nes, toys and other foreign
objects which could be tri pped over or picked up and thrown by
the blade. Thrown objects can c ause serious personal in jury.
7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid disc harge of material toward
roads, sidewalks, bystanders a nd the like. Also, avoid discharg -
ing material against a wall or obstr uction which may cause
discharged material to ric ochet back toward the operato r.
8. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown obje ct injury, stay in the
operator zone behind the handl es and keep children, bystand ers,
helpers and pets at least 75 feet from t he mower while it is in
operation. Stop machine if anyo ne enters the area.
9. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation
and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes.
Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes.
10. Wear sturdy, rough-s oled work shoes and close -fitting slacks
and shirts. Shirts and pan ts that cover the arms and legs an d
steel-toed shoes are recomm ended. Never operate this mac hine
in bare feet, sandals, slipper y or light weight (e.g. canvas ) shoes.
11. Do not put hands o r feet near rotating parts or un der the cutting
deck. Contact with the bla de can amputate hands and feet .
12. A missing or dam aged discharge cover can ca use blade contact
or thrown object injuries.
13. Many injuries o ccur as a result of the mower bein g pulled over
the foot during a fall caused by slip ping or tripping. Do not ho ld
on to the mower if you are falling; re lease the handle immedi -
ately.
14. Never pull the mower b ack toward you while you are walking . If
you must back the mower away from a wall or obst ruction first
look down and behind to avoid trip ping and then follow these
steps:
a. Step back from th e mower to fully extend your arms.
b. Be sure you are well bal anced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward you.
d. Repeat these ste ps as needed.
15. Do not operate the mower wh ile under the influence of al cohol or
drugs.
16. Do not engage th e self-propelled mech anism on units so equippe d
while starting engine.
17. The blade cont rol handle is a safety devic e. Never attempt to
bypass its operation. Doing s o makes the safety device inop erative
and may result in personal injur y through contact with t he rotating
blade. The blade control hand le must operate easily in both
directions and automatic ally return to the disengage d position
when released.
18. Never operate the m ower in wet grass. Always be sure of your
footing. A slip and fall can cause s erious personal injur y. If you
feel you are losing your footing, rele ase the blade control hand le
immediately and the blade wil l stop rotating within thre e seconds.
19. Mow only in dayli ght or in good artificia l light. Walk, never run.
20. Stop the blade w hen crossing gravel drives, wa lks or roads.
21. If the equipm ent should start to vibrate a bnormally, stop the engine
and check immediately for the c ause. Vibration is general ly a
warning of trouble.
22. Shut the engin e off and wait until the blade c omes to a complete
stop before removing the grass c atcher or unclogging the c hute.
The cutting blade contin ues to rotate for a few seconds afte r the
engine is shut off. Never place any par t of the body in the blade
area until you are sure the blade has sto pped rotating.
23. Never operate mower w ithout proper trail shiel d, discharge cover,
grass catcher, blade control han dle or other safety protecti ve
devices in place and working. N ever operate mower with damaged
safety devices. Failure to do so, can r esult in personal injur y.
24. Muffler and e ngine become hot and can ca use a burn. Do not
touch.
25. Never attempt to ma ke a wheel or cutting height ad justment while
the engine is running.
26. Only use par ts and accessories made fo r this machine by the
manufacturer. Failure to do so can result i n personal injury.
27. When starting engine, pull cord slow ly until resistance is fel t, then
pull rapidly. Rapid retractio n of starter cord (kick back) will pull hand
and arm toward engine faster than you c an let go. Broken bones,
fractures, bruises or sprain s could result.
28. If situation s occur which are not covered in t his manual, use care
and good judgment. Call cus tomer assistance for the na me of your
nearest servicing dealer.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to s lip and fall accidents wh ich can
result in severe injury. Operation o n slopes requires extra ca ution. If
you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. Fo r your safety, use the
slope gauge included as par t of this manual to measure sl opes before
operating this unit on a slope d or hilly area. If the slope is g reater than
15 degrees, do not mow it.
Do:
1. Mow ac ross the face of slopes; n ever up and down. Exercise
extreme caution when chang ing direction on slopes .
2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hid den objects, or bumps whi ch can
cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obsta cles.
3. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fa ll can cause serious
personal injury. If you feel you are losi ng your balance, release the
blade control handle immed iately, and the blade will stop rot ating
within 3 seconds.
WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituent s, and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and bir th defects or other
reproductive harm.
WARNING