Troy-Bilt 554 manual Children, Operation, Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely

2

Safe

Operation

WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle compo- nents contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

DANGER: This machine 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 machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

Practices

WARNING

This 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 this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see

this symbol.

HEED ITS WARNING

Your

Responsibility

Restrict the use

of this power machine to persons who read, understand

and follow the warnings

and instructions

in this manual

and on the machine.

Children

Tragic accidents can occur if operator is not alert to presence of children. Children are often attracted to power equipment such as lawn edgers. 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 watchful care of a responsible adult other than the operator.

2.Be alert and turn lawn edger 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 lawn edger.

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 an edger. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand operation instructions and safety rules in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.

Operation

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.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.

7.Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources of ignition.

8.Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will accumulate in the area.

9.Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling.

10.Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½ inch below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel expansion.

11.Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.

12.If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment. Move unit to another area. Wait 5 minutes before starting engine.

13.Never store the machine or fuel container near an open flame, spark or pilot light as on a water heater, space heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas appliances.

14.To reduce fire hazard, keep lawn edger free of grass, leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel soaked debris.

15.Allow a lawn edger to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.

General Operation:

1.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.

2.This machine 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 edge lawn. Do not use it for any other purpose.

3.Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the instructions in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent. Only responsible individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use this machine.

4.To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, stay in operator zone behind handles and keep children, bystanders, helpers and pets at least 75 feet from lawn edger while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters area.

5.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 tripped over or picked up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury.