•Stopthebladeswheneveryouarenotmowing.
•Stopthemachine,removetheignitionkey,and
waitforallmovingpartstostopbeforeinspecting
themowerdeckorattachmentafterstrikingan
objectorifthereisanabnormalvibrationinthe
machine.Makeallnecessaryrepairsbefore
resumingoperation.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturns
andcrossingroadsandsidewalkswiththe
machine.Alwaysyieldtheright-of-way.
•Disengagethecuttingunitandshutofftheengine
beforeadjustingtheheightofcut(unlessyoucan
adjustitfromtheoperatingposition).
•Operatetheengineonlyinwell-ventilatedareas.
Exhaustgasescontaincarbonmonoxide,which
islethalifinhaled.
•Neverleavearunningmachineunattended.
•Beforeleavingtheoperatingposition(including
toemptythecatchersortounclogthechute),do
thefollowing:
–Parkthemachineonalevelsurface.
–Disengagethepowertake-off.
–Engagetheparkingbrake.
–Shutofftheengineandremovetheignitionkey.
–Waitforallmovingpartstostop.
•Shutoffthemachineanddisengagethedriveto
thecuttingunitinthefollowingsituations:
–Beforefueling
–Beforeclearingblockages
–Beforechecking,cleaning,ormaintainingthe
cuttingunit
–Afterstrikingaforeignobjectorifanabnormal
vibrationoccurs.Inspectthecuttingunitfor
damageandmakerepairsbeforestartingand
operatingthemachine
–Beforeleavingtheoperatingposition
•Donotusethemachineasatowingvehicle.
•Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapproved
byTheToro®Company.
SlopeSafety
•Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrol
androlloveraccidents,whichcanresultinsevere
injuryordeath.Youareresponsibleforsafeslope
operation.Operatingthemachineonanyslope
requiresextracaution.Beforeusingthemachine
onaslope,dothefollowing:
–Reviewandunderstandtheslopeinstructions
inthemanualandonthemachine.
–Evaluatethesiteconditionsofthedayto
determineiftheslopeissafeformachine
operation.Usecommonsenseandgood
judgmentwhenperformingthisevaluation.
Changesintheterrain,suchasmoisture,can
quicklyaffecttheoperationofthemachineon
aslope.
•Operateacrossslopes,neverupanddown.Avoid
operationonexcessivelysteeporwetslopes.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.Do
notoperatethemachineneardrop-offs,ditches,
embankments,water,orotherhazards.The
machinecouldsuddenlyrolloverifawheelgoes
overtheedgeortheedgecollapses.Keepasafe
distance(twicethewidthofthemachine)between
themachineandanyhazard.Useawalk-behind
machineorahandheldtooltooperateinthese
areas.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,orturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction;turnslowlyandgradually.
•Donotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steeringorstabilityisinquestion.
Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopesordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.Themachinecanslideeven
ifthedrivewheelsarestopped.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasditches,holes,
ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenhazards.Tall
grasscanhideobstacles.Uneventerraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Useextracarewhileoperatingwithaccessoriesor
attachments.Thesecanchangethestabilityof
themachineandcausealossofcontrol.Follow
directionsforcounterweights.
•Ifyoulosecontrolofthemachine,stepoffand
awayfromthedirectionoftravelofthemachine.
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