Exmark 4500-450 manual Slope Operation, Children, Towing, Service

Safety

safely enough to protect themselves and others from serious injury.

•Always follow the recommendations for wheel weights or counterweights.

Slope Operation

Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over accidents, which can result in severe injury or death. Operation on all slopes requires extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy on it, Do Not mow it.

•Do Not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees.

•Watch for ditches, holes, rocks, dips, and rises that change the operating angle, as rough terrain could overturn the machine.

•Choose a low ground speed so you will not have to stop while operating on a slope.

•Do Not mow slopes when grass is wet. Slippery conditions reduce traction and could cause sliding and loss of control.

•Reduce speed and use extreme caution on slopes.

•Do Not make sudden turns or rapid speed changes.

•Remove or mark obstacles such as rocks, tree limbs, etc. from the mowing area. Tall grass can hide obstacles.

•Avoid sudden starts when mowing uphill because the mower may tip backwards.

•Be aware that operating on wet grass, across steep slopes or downhill may cause the mower to lose traction. Loss of traction to the drive wheels may result in sliding and a loss of braking and steering.

•Always avoid sudden starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose traction, disengage the blades and proceed slowly off the slope.

•Use extreme care with grass collection systems or other attachments. These can change the stability of the machine and cause loss of control.

•Do Not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on the ground.

•Do Not mow near drop-offs, ditches, steep banks or water. Wheels dropping over edges can cause rollovers, which may result in serious injury, death or drowning.

•Use a walk behind mower and/or a hand trimmer on slopes greater than 15 degrees, near drop-offs, ditches, steep banks or water.

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 mowing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.

•Keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful care of another responsible adult, not the operator.

•Be alert and turn the machine off if children enter the area.

•Before and while backing or changing direction, look behind, down, and side-to-side for small children.

•Never carry children, even with the blades off. They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe machine operation.

•Children who have been given rides in the past may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride and be run over or backed over by the mower.

•Never allow children to operate the machine.

•Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees, the end of a fence or other objects that may obscure vision.

Towing

•Use for towing only if equipped with an Exmark hitch kit. Do Not attach towed equipment except at the hitch point.

•Follow Exmark’s recommendation for weight limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes. This information can be found in the hitch kit instruction sheet and on the decal.

•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.

Service

Safe Handling of Gasoline

To avoid personal injury or property damage, use extra care when handling gasoline and other fuels. They are flammable and the vapors are explosive.

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