Operation
• Do not operate the mac hine while ill, tired, or
under the inuence of alcohol or dr ugs .
• Operate the mac hine only in g ood visibility and
appropriate w eather conditions . Do Not operate
the mac hine when there is the risk of lightning .
• K ee p a w a y from holes , r uts , bumps , roc ks , and
other hidden hazards . Use care when approac hing
blind cor ners , shr ubs , trees , tall g rass or other
objects that ma y hide obstacles or obscure vision.
Unev en ter rain could o v er tur n the mac hine or
cause the operator to lose their balance or footing .
• Star t the engine with y our feet w ell a w a y from
the blades .
• Do Not operate the mac hine without all safety
shields , guards , switc hes , and other devices in
place and in proper w orking condition.
• K ee p y our hands and feet a w a y from the mo ving
par ts . K ee p clear of the disc harg e opening .
• Do Not mo w with the disc harg e deector
raised, remo v ed, or altered unless there is a
g rass-collection system or m ulc h kit in place and
w orking properly .
• Nev er raise the dec k with blades r unning .
• Be a w are of the mo w er disc harg e path and direct
disc harg e a w a y from others . A v oid disc harging
material ag ainst a w all or obstr uction as the
material ma y ricoc het bac k to w ard the operator .
Stop the blades , slo w do wn, and use caution
when crossing surfaces other than g rass and when
transpor ting the mo w er to and from the area to
be mo w ed.
• Be aler t, slo w do wn and use caution when
making tur ns . Do Not mo w in rev erse unless it
is absolutely necessar y . Alw a ys look do wn and
behind y ou before mo ving the mac hine in rev erse .
• P ark the mac hine on lev el g round. Stop engine ,
w ait for all mo ving par ts to stop , and remo v e k ey .
– Before c hec king, cleaning or w orking on the
mo w er .
– After striking a foreign object or abnor mal
vibration occurs (inspect the mo w er for
damag e and mak e re pairs before restar ting
and operating the mo w er).
– Before clearing bloc kag es .
– W henev er y ou lea v e the mo w er . Do Not lea v e
a r unning mac hine unattended.
• Stop engine , w ait for all mo ving par ts to stop:
– Before refueling .
– Before dumping the g rass catc her .
– Before making height adjustments .
• T ragic accidents can occur if the operator is not
aler t to the presence of c hildren. Children are
often attracted to the mac hine and the mo wing
acti vity . Nev er assume that c hildren will remain
where y ou last sa w them.
– K ee p c hildren out of the mo wing area and
under the w atc hful care of another responsible
adult, not the operator .
– Be aler t and tur n the mac hine off if c hildren
enter the area.
– Before and while bac king or c hanging
direction, look behind, do wn, and side-to-side
for small c hildren.
– Nev er allo w c hildren to operate the mac hine .
– Do Not car r y c hildren, ev en with the blades
shut off . Children could fall off and be
seriously injured or interfere with the safe
operation of the mac hine . Children that ha v e
been gi v en rides in the past could suddenly
appear in the w orking area for another ride and
be r un o v er or bac k ed o v er b y the mac hine .
Slope Safety
• Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control
and rollo v er accidents , whic h can result in sev ere
injur y or death. T he operator is responsible for
safe slope operation. Operating the mac hine on
any slope requires extra caution. Before using the
mac hine on a slope , the operator m ust:
– R eview and understand the slope instr uctions
in the man ual and on the mac hine .
– Ev aluate the site conditions of the da y to
deter mine if the slope is safe for mac hine
operation. Use common sense and g ood
judgment when perfor ming this ev aluation.
Chang es in the ter rain, suc h as moisture , can
quic kly affect the operation of the mac hine
on a slope .
• Operate across slopes , nev er up and do wn. A v oid
operation on ex cessi v ely stee p or w et slopes . P oor
footing could cause a slip and fall accident.
• Identify hazards at the base of the slope . Do
Not operate the mac hine near drop offs , ditc hes ,
embankments , w ater or other hazards . T he
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