MTD 500 Thru 519 manual Maintaining Safety, General Operation

SECTION 1: MAINTAINING SAFETY

This Warning symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate your lawn mower. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, heed its warning.

DANGER: Your lawn mower was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This lawn mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING: The Engine Exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

GENERAL OPERATION

•Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety before attempting to assemble this machine. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine and in the manual(s) before operation. Be completely familiar with the controls and the proper use of this machine before operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.

•Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equipment, not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.

•Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a power mower. Children 14 years old and over should only operate mower under close parental supervision. Only responsible individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use your mower.

•Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, particularly small children and pets. Stop engine when they are in the vicinity of your mower to help prevent blade contact or thrown object injury. Although the area of operation should be completely cleared of foreign objects, an object may have been overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in the area.

•Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.

•Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation or while performing an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects that may be thrown from the machine in any direction.

•Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other foreign objects which could be picked up and thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in the area. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like. To help avoid a thrown objects injury, keep children, bystanders and helpers at least 75 feet from the mower while it is in operation.

•Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep clear of discharge opening at all times as the rotating blade can cause injury.

•Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled over the foot during a fall. Do not hang on to the mower if you are falling; release the handle immediately.

•Never pull the mower toward you while you are walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall or obstruction first look down and behind, and then follow these steps:

•Step back from the mower to fully extend your arms.

•Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.

•Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward you.

•Repeat these steps as needed.

•Do not operate the mower while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

•Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on units so equipped while starting engine.

•The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device inoperative and may result in personal injury through contact with the rotating blade. The blade control handle must operate easily in both directions and automatically return to the disengaged position when released.

3