9
Operator Safety
Towing
1.  Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed for  
  towing. DO NOT attach towed equipment except at 
  the hitch point.
2.  Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for weight  
  limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes.
3.  DO NOT allow children or others on towed equip-   
 ment.
4.  On slopes, the weight of the towed equipment may    
  cause loss of traction and loss of control.
5.  Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.
Maintenance
1.  DO NOT store machine or fuel container inside where 
   fumes may reach an open flame, spark or pilot light   
  such as in a water heater, furnace, clothes dryer or
   other gas appliance. Allow engine to cool before
   storing machine in an enclosure. Store fuel container  
  out of the reach of children in a well ventilated, unoc-  
 cupied building. 
2.  Keep engine free of grass, leaves or excess grease    
  to reduce fire hazard and engine overheating. 
3.  When draining fuel tank, drain fuel into an approved   
  container outdoors and away from open flame. 
4.  Check brakes frequently; adjust, repair or replace as   
 needed.
5.  Keep all bolts, nuts and screws properly tight. Check  
  that all cotter pins are in proper position. 
Maintenance
(Continued From Previous Column)
6.  Always provide adequate ventilation when running  
   engine. Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an  
  odorless and deadly poison. 
7.  Disconnect negative (black) cable from battery before    
  performing maintenance or service. Cranking engine   
  could cause injury. 
8.  DO NOT work under machine without safety blocks. 
9.  Service engine and make adjustments only when    
  engine is stopped. Remove spark plug wire(s) from  
   spark plug(s) and secure wire(s) away from spark    
 plug(s). 
10. DO NOT change engine governor speed settings or   
 overspeed engine. 
11.  Lubricate machine at intervals specified in manual to      
  prevent controls from binding. 
12. Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the  
   blades or wear heavy leather gloves and use    
  CAUTION when handling them. 
13. DO NOT test for spark by grounding spark plug next   
  to spark plug hole; spark plug could ignite gas exiting  
 engine.
14. Have machine serviced by an authorized dealer at    
  least once a year and have the dealer install any new  
 safety devices. 
15.  Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels as        
 necessary.
16. Use only genuine replacement parts to assure that    
  original standards are maintained.
 WARNING
Grass Catcher bags used on this product are made of 
woven fabric, and are subject to deterioration and wear 
during  normal usage. Check condition of bags before 
each use. Immediately replace worn or damaged catch-
er bags with only bags recommended by the manufac-
turer. The Grass Catcher is optional equipment on some 
models.
 WARNING
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain
lead and lead compounds, chemicals known to the 
State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or 
other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
 WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain
vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause cancer or other repro-
ductive harm.