MTD WHITE GT-185 - Safe Operation Practices; General Operation Guidelines; Slope Operation Safety; Child Safety Precautions

IMPORTANT : SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
A
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 YOUR UNIT. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL— ^ HEED ITS WARNING.
A
A DANGER:
Your lawn mower 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 injury. This lawn
mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety
instructions could result in serious injury or death. __
I. G E NERAL OPERATION
1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual and
on the machine before starting. Keep this manual in a safe place
for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement
parts.
2. Only allow responsible individuals familiar with the instructions
to operate the machine. Know controls and how to stop the
machine quickly.
3. Do not put hands or feet under cutting deck or near rotating
parts.
4. Clear the area of objects such as rocks, toys, wire, etc., which
could be picked up and thrown by the blade. A small object may
have been overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by the
mower in any direction and cause injury to you or a bystander.
To help avoid a thrown objects injury, keep children, bystanders
and helpers at least 75 feet from the mower while it is in opera¬
tion. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during oper¬
ation or while performing an adjustment or repair, to protect
eyes from foreign objects. Stop the blade(s) when crossing
gravel drives, walks or roads.
5. Be sure the area is clear of other people before mowing. Stop
machine if anyone enters the area.
6. Never carry passengers.
7. Disengage blade(s) before shifting into reverse and backing up.
Always look down and behind before and while backing.
8. Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge direction and
do not point it at anyone. Do not operate the mower without
either the entire grass catcher or the chute guard in place.
9. Slow down before turning. Operate the machine smoothly.
Avoid erratic operation and excessive speed.
10. Never leave a running machine unattended. Always turn off
blade(s), place transmission in neutral, set park brake, stop
engine and remove key before dismounting.
11. Turn off blade(s) when not mowing.
12. Stop engine and wait until blade(s) comes to a complete stop
before (a) removing grass catcher or unclogging chute, or (b)
making any repairs, adjusting or removing any grass or debris.
13. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
14. Do not operate the machine while under the influence of alcohol
or drugs.
15. Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing roadways.
16. Use extra care when loading or unloading the machine into a
trailer or truck. This unit should not be driven up or down a
ramp onto a trailer or truck under power, because the unit could
tip over, causing serious personal injury. The unit must be
pushed manually on a ramp to load or unload properly.
17. Never make a cutting height adjustment while engine is running
if operator must dismount to do so.
18. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks
and shirts. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or jewelry. They can
be caught in moving parts. Never operate a unit in bare feet,
sandals, or sneakers.
19. Check overhead clearance carefully before driving under power
lines, wires, bridges or low hanging tree branches, before enter¬
ing or leaving buildings, or in any other situation where the
operator may be struck or pulled from the unit, which could
result in serious injury.
20. Disengage all attachment clutches, thoroughly depress the
brake pedal, and shift into neutral before attempting to start
engine.
21. Your mower is designed to cut normal residential grass of a
height no more than 10'. Do not attempt to mow through
unusually tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry leaves.
Debris may build up on the mower deck or contact the engine
exhaust presenting a potential fire hazard.
II. SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over acci¬
dents which can result in severe injury or death. All slopes require
extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy
on it, do not mow it.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual
to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly
area. If the slope is greater than 15° as shown on the slope gauge,
do not operate this unit on that area or serious injury could result.
DO:
Mow up and down slopes, not across.
Remove obstacles such as rocks, limbs, etc.
Watch for holes, ruts or bumps. Uneven terrain could overturn the
machine Tall grass can hide obstacles.
Use slow speed. Choose a low enough gear so that you will not have
to stop or shift while on the slope. Always keep machine in gear
when going down slopes to take advantage of engine braking action.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for wheel weights or
counterweights to improve stability.
Use extra care with grass catchers or other attachments. These can
change the stability of the machine.
Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do not make
sudden changes in speed or direction. Rapid engagement or braking
could cause the front of the machine to lift and rapidly flip over
backwards which could cause serious injury.
Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose traction, disen¬
gage the blade(s) and proceed slowly straight down the slope.
DO NOT:
Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then, turn slowly and grad¬
ually downhill, if possible.
Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments.The mower
could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff or
ditch, or if an edge caves in.
Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced traction could cause sliding.
Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on the
ground.
Do not use grass catcher on steep slopes.
III. CHILDREN
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence
of children. Children are often attracted to the machine and the
mowing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you
last saw them.
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and in watchful care of an
adult other than the operator.
2. Be alert and turn machine off if children enter the area.
3. Before and when backing, look behind and down for small
children.
2
(continued on page 5)