7 Ways to Practice Lawn Mower Safety

7 Ways to Practice Lawn Mower Safety

How to Stay Safe When Using a Lawn Mower

Dale, the Power Equipment Expert
By 
Power Equipment Expert

I'll never forget the time I thought mowing backwards was a good idea. Daydreaming about something else, I backed right onto an unsuspecting pedestrian walking her dog on the sidewalk. The surprise caused me to trip and almost pull the mower onto both of us.

No matter how big of a mowing pro you think you are, you can screw it up, which is why good safety habits are important. Following lawn mower safety precautions will help reduce your risk of injury while preventing damage to your mower and other property.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 1: Read the Owner's Manual

As a first safety step, you should always read the operator's manual that comes with your specific lawn mower, tractor, or zero turn. Every model has different features and a different design. Knowing safety features and warnings specific to your mower can help prevent injuries and accidents from occurring.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 2: Wear Protective Gear

Because loose pants, sleeves, and jewelry items can get caught in your equipment's moving parts, you should wear clothes that fit properly—not too loose or too tight.

Wear Lawn Mower Safety GearDress comfortably, but safely. Close-fitting clothing will reduce your chance of injury by entanglement. Long pants are recommended to help protect your legs from flying debris as you mow and trim.

We recommend strong, tough, non-slip boots to protect your feet and reduce your chance of slip-and-fall related injuries. Tennis shoes and sandals are not safe to wear when operating a lawn mower. Sandals offer no protection for your feet, and shoelaces can get tangled in the blades.

Wearing a face shield and/or a pair of safety glasses will protect your eyes and face from flying debris. To prevent hearing damage from long-term exposure to loud noise, we recommend hearing protection. You can use earplugs, or opt for a more comfortable option and wear ear muffs that cover the ears entirely and muffle loud noises.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 3: Inspect Equipment Prior to Use

Before mowing, you should put on your safety gear and inspect the parts of your mower that suffer the most from wear.

Inspect for SafetyNOTE: Turn off your mower completely before inspecting it, and pull out the spark plug as an extra precaution.

  • Belts: Because loose belts can slip, break, or become hot during use, you should change loose or worn-looking belts right away. Leaving a worn-out belt on your mower could result in injury or damage to your mower should it break or overheat due to friction.

  • Blades: Using protective gloves, inspect the mower blades. Ensure that your mower's blades are tightly secured and well balanced. Ensure there are no cracks, and that the blades are not excessively worn. Weak, cracked, or loose blades could result in them being launched, causing serious injury or property damage.

  • Fluids: Inspect your fluids to ensure they're at the proper levels, and that there are no leaks. Fluid leaks are a potential fire hazard, and low fluid levels could result in engine damage or breakdown.

Clean off any areas of the mower that have caked-on grass clippings, dirt, debris, or leaves. Build-up of debris can pose a fire hazard around moving parts. Wipe your mower clean between uses to help reduce corrosion, fire hazard, and possible breakdown.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 4: Practice Safety When Refueling

When fueling your lawn mower, always be sure that the engine is shut off and has had ample time to fully cool prior to filling your fuel tank. Pouring fuel into the tank while the engine is hot poses a serious risk. 

Safe Refueling

To prevent static from sparking and igniting the fuel when refueling, touch the fuel nozzle to the mower before removing the fuel cap. This will help to neutralize any static charge. And you should never smoke or introduce any open flame near the fuel or fuel tank.

Store your gasoline in an approved fuel container, out of direct sunlight, in a well-ventilated area. Use a funnel when refueling, and maintain consistent contact between the funnel and the fuel tank during refueling to prevent generation of static electricity or spillage.

Wipe up any drips or spills before starting the engine. All fuel should be contained only in the fuel tank or storage tank upon start-up. And when starting your mower, only start it outdoors in a well-ventilated area. Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide (CO), which is a tasteless, odorless, and extremely dangerous gas. Inhaling concentrated CO is deadly, so roll your mower outside prior to starting it.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 5: Riding Mower Safely

Safe DrivingAll sorts of mowers qualify as riding mowers:

No matter which kind you're driving, always wear a seat belt so you don't fall off. Only mow up and down the faces of slopes to prevent rollover.

Never drive a mower across the face of a slope, as it leans the mower to one side and greatly increases the likelihood of rollover. Riding mowers should never be used on inclines greater than 15 degrees.

You should also be careful not to make any sudden or sharp turns, and don't take off too quickly.

Keep in mind that, when operating a walk-behind mower, the opposite direction is recommended. Mow along the faces of slopes to prevent injury. A slip-and-fall while mowing uphill could cause the mower to roll back and onto you. A slip-and-fall while mowing downhill could cause you to slip toward the mower or lose your hold on it and leave it rolling downhill.

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 6: Stay Away from Moving Parts

Stay Away From Moving PartsA good rule of thumb is to keep your hands and feet where they are meant to be at all times. On walk-behind mowers, keep both hands on the handlebar while in use. Do not remove one hand to lift and turn the mower, or you could turn it too far and drop it down on your foot. Never tilt-lift the mower at all while blades are engaged. Keep all wheels on the ground while making turns to avoid injury.

Do not attempt to unclog the discharge chute while the machine is running. The blades are directly behind the discharge chute, so you should never lift the discharge chute deflector during operation. Never attempt to work on or make adjustments to the machine while it's running. 

 

Lawn Mower Safety Tip 7: Watch Where You Mow

Avoid mowing in reverse with walk-behind mowers, as you could unintentionally drag the mower back over your feet (that's where I messed up). Always mow in a forward motion. And no daydreaming. Watch where you mow!

The same generally goes for lawn tractors and other riding mowers. While you aren't likely to catch your feet under it, you may not see someone or something behind you while in reverse. Disengage the blades prior to reversing.

We don't recommend mowing on wet grass because it can cause slipping. This goes for walk-behind mowers as well as riding mowers and tractors. Operating walk-behind mowers on wet grass can cause you to slip into the mower. Likewise, operating riding mowers and tractors on wet grass can cause the machine to slip and throw you out of your seat.

With these tips in mind, you'll be able to operate your mower safely and enjoy your lawn mowing season.

 

NEXT: Shop All Lawn Mower Safety Equipment

Dale, the Power Equipment Expert
By 
Power Equipment Expert
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