Tillers are great tools, but they're not toys by any means. Following proper safety instructions and operation tips will ensure you have a safe and productive experience with your rototiller.

The cutting power necessary for these machines to break hard ground or cultivate loose soil is enough to do serious harm if not used properly.

Put safety first, along with proper operation techniques, and you'll come to love and respect your garden tiller for the powerful tool that it is.

 

1. Wear Proper Safety Gear

You don't need to wear a helmet or safety chaps when using a tiller, but there are some basic pieces of clothing to wear as safety gear:

• Sturdy work boots
• Proper-fitting clothing that covers arms and legs
• Work gloves

Your feet are the closest part of your body to the tines, which spin and cut the ground. If you use a rear tine tiller, your feet come close to the tines and should be well guarded against injury. Choose durable work boots with sturdy, textured soles for traction.

Close-fitting clothing should also be worn during tiller operation. Loose clothing or jewelry can become entangled in the tines or other moving parts and cause serious injury.

Also, full-length pants and long-sleeve shirts are recommended to protect your skin from any propelled debris. Work gloves should also be worn to improve your grip and protect your hands.

 

2. Inspect and Clear the Work Area

Prior to beginning your tilling project, you need to be sure you take a walk around the area where you'll be tilling. Inspect the area for any obstacles that could be launched by your tiller or cause damage to the tines:

• Rocks and stones
• Toys
• Garden hoses and tools
• Sticks and branches

Removing these obstacles will also help prevent trip-and-fall accidents.

Make sure no children or pets are present before you begin tilling. You don't want your dog getting hurt trying to attack the tiller, and you don't want kids running in front of you either.

Be sure to always keep an eye out during operation to ensure no one enters your workspace.

 

3. Prep for Start-Up

Review all of your tiller's controls and be familiar with how to properly operate them. Always read your tiller's product manual prior to start-up.

Make sure you're aware of any quick shutoff features, and know how to quickly shut down and disengage the rototiller in case of an emergency.

You must be able to quickly and appropriately react to avoid accidents. If necessary, review  to make sure you're familiar with all of the shutoff controls.

When you're ready to fire up your rototiller and get started, you should first make sure any clutch levers are disengaged. If you have a drive clutch, shift it to neutral.

 

4. Never Leave a Running Tiller Unattended

Never leave it running when you're not next to it, even if you're just running to the other side of the yard. Only have your tiller running and engaged when you're at the controls and clear of any possible safety hazards.

Furthermore, never try cleaning debris from the tines or making any adjustments to the unit while it's running. Always shut down the tiller completely and disengage the spark plug prior to making any adjustments or clearing the tines. Accidental start-up can result in you losing fingers or worse.

And if you need to transport your tiller to another area, disengage the tines. Running into someone or something with the tines engaged is extremely dangerous.

 

5. Avoid Structures and Utilities

There are plenty of structures on your property that can pose risks while you're tilling:

• Fences
• Trees
• Driveways
• Lighting fixtures
• Utility lines
• Pipes

If, for any reason, you must till close to a fence or other structure, be cautious. Have your utility lines marked with flags or paint so you know where to avoid tilling.

No matter where you live, there should be a service available for marking your underground utility lines. Whether you call 811 or another service line, be sure you have your underground utility lines marked prior to tilling. This will save you a lot of stress.

 

6. Work at Your Tiller's Speed, Not Yours

No matter how productive you wish to be, avoid damaging your tiller by trying to force it to do too much:

• Digging too deep
• Pushing forward too quickly
• Forcing it through a dense, difficult patch of soil

Let your tiller do the majority of the work, but don't put too much strain on it either. 

If you run into a hard spot, it could be a large rock buried in the ground. Don't force it. Back up, disengage, and dig around that spot with a spade to find out what's causing the restriction.

Also, there's no need to force your tiller forward if it's not moving quickly. Whether your tiller is self-propelled or not, it will move forward at its own pace. Give it small nudges to keep it going, but let the tines do the work. 

f you have a non-propelled rear-tine tiller with counter rotating tines, you may need to push a little more to move it forward, but don't force it if it slows down or gets stuck.

 

7. Shut It Down When You Hear Strange Noises

If your tiller begins vibrating in an unusual manner or begins making strange noises that you've never heard before, stop, shut it down, and disconnect the spark plug. Do not continue operating your tiller if it sounds as though something's wrong.

Diagnose the problem and make necessary repairs, or bring it into a local authorized service center for professional help. Do not operate your tiller again until the problem has been addressed.

 

8. Never Run a Gas Tiller in an Enclosed Area

Due to the dangers of deadly carbon monoxide, it's important to never run your gas-powered tiller indoors or inside any enclosed area. This includes a garage. 

Carbon monoxide is emitted by the exhaust system on your tiller. Even with your garage door open, the fumes can become highly concentrated because there's not enough air flow to remove it from the area.

Electric cultivators do not pose this threat, because they do not use gasoline engines, but any gasoline-operated machinery should never be operated indoors.

Tillers and cultivators are powerful machines, and once you know how to use them safely, they become machines that you can enjoy using.

 

NEXT: How to Pick the Perfect Rototiller