II. SLOPE OPERATION
Slopesare a major factorrelatedto loss of controland
•Mowup and downslopes, notacross.
•Watchfor holes, ruts, bumps,rocks,or other hidden objects. Uneventerrain
couldoverturn the machine. Tallgrass can hideobstacles.
•Choose a low ground speedso that you will not haveto stop or shift while on the slope.
•Do not mow on wet grass.Tires may losetraction.
Alwayskeepthe machinein gearwhen
going downslopes.Do not shiftto neutraland coastdownhill.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,or turningon a slope. If the tires losetraction, dis- engagethe blades and proceedslowly straightdown the slope.
•Keepall movementon the slopes slow and gradual. Do not makesudden changesin speedor direction,which could causethe machineto roll over.
•Useextra care while operatingma- chinewith grass catchersor other at- tachments;they can affectthe stability of the machine.Do no use on steep slopes.
•Do not try to stabilizethe machine by puttingyour foot on the ground.
•Do not mow near
suddenlyroll over if a wheel is over the edge or if the edgecaves in.
III. CHILDREN
Tragic accidentscan occur if the operator
is not alert to the presence of children. Childrenare oftenattractedto the machine
and the mowing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.
•Keepchildrenout of the mowing area and in the watchfulcare of a respon- sibleadult other than the operator.
•Bealert and turn machineoff if a child enters the area.
•Beforeandwhile backing,look behind and downfor smallchildren.
•Nevercarry children,evenwith the bladesshut off. Theymayfall off and be seriouslyinjuredor interferewith safemachineoperation.Childrenwho havebeen givenrides in the past may
suddenlyappear in the mowing area for anotherride and be run over or backedover bythe machine.
•Neverallow childrento operatethe machine.
•Use extracare when approachingblind corners,shrubs, trees,or other objects that mayblockyour view of a child.
IV, TOWI NG
•Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed for towing. Do not at- tach towed equipment except at the hitch point.
•Followthe manufacturer's recom-
mendation for weight limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes.
•Never allow children or others in or on towed equipment.
•On slopes, the weight of the towed
equipment may cause loss of traction and loss of control.
•Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.
V.SERVICE
SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE
To avoid personal injury or property damage, use extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive.
•Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other sources of ignition.
•Use only approved gasoline container.
•Never remove gas cap or add fuel with the engine running. Allow engine to cool before refueling.
•Never fuel the machine indoors.
•Never store the machine or fuel con- tainer where there is an open flame, spark, or pilot light such as on a water heater or other appliances.
•Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer bed with plastic liner. Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle when filling.
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