MTD 549 manual Children, Slope Operation, Service, Do Not, Safe Handling of Gasoline

15.Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your footing, release the blade control handle immediately and the blade will stop rotating within three seconds.

16.Mow in daylight or good artificial light; walk, not run.

17.Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walkways or roads.

18.If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.

19.Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a complete stop before removing the grass catcher or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in the blade area until you are sure the blade has stopped rotating.

20.Never operate mower without proper trail shield, discharge cover, grass catcher, blade control handle or other safety protective devices in place and working. Never operate mower with damaged safety devices. Failure to do so can result in personal injury.

21.Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not touch.

22.Only use parts and accessories made by the original equipment manufacturer (O.E.M). Failure to do so can result in personal injury.

23.If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and good judgment. Contact your dealer for assistance. Call 1-800-800-7310 for the name of your nearest dealer.

Do Not:

1.Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you could lose your footing or balance.

2.Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on the slope gauge.

3.Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause slipping.

Children

Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the mower and the mowing activity. They do not understand the dangers. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.

1.Keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful care of a responsible adult other than the operator.

2.Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.

3.Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down for small children.

4.Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure your vision of a child who may run into the mower.

5.Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can suffer burns from a hot muffler.

6.Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a power mower. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the operation instructions and safety rules in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.

Slope Operation

Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents which can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes requires extra caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. Before operating this unit on a slope or hilly area, use the slope gauge on page 6 to measure slopes. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.

Do:

1.Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise caution when changing direction.

2.Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles.

3.Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your balance, release the blade control handle immediately, and the blade will stop rotating within 3 seconds.

Service

Safe Handling of Gasoline:

1.To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite.

2.Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.

3.Use only an approved gasoline container.

4.Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle before filling.

5.If possible, remove gas-powered equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possible, then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.

6.Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open device.

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