–Useanangleindicatortodeterminethe
approximateslopeangleofthearea.
–Neveroperateonslopesgreaterthan15
degrees.
–Evaluatethesiteconditionsofthedayto
determineiftheslopeissafeformachine
operation.Usecommonsenseandgood
judgmentwhenperformingthisevaluation.
Changesintheterrain,suchasmoisture,can
quicklyaffecttheoperationofthemachineon
aslope.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.Do
Notoperatethemachineneardropoffs,ditches,
embankments,waterorotherhazards.The
machinecouldsuddenlyrolloverifawheelgoes
overtheedgeortheedgecollapses.Keepasafe
distance(twicethewidthofthemachine)between
themachineandanyhazard.Useawalkbehind
machineorahandtrimmertomowthegrassin
theseareas.
g229111
Figure11
1.SafeZone-Usethemowerhereonslopeslessthan15
degrees
2.DangerZone-Useawalk-behindmowerand/orhand
trimmeronslopesgreaterthan15degrees
3.Water
4.W=widthofthemachine
5.Keepasafedistance(twicethewidthofthemachine)
betweenthemachineandanyhazard.
•Avoidstarting,stoppingorturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction;turnslowlyandgradually.
•DoNotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steeringorstabilityisinquestion.
Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopesordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.Themachinecanslideeven
ifthedrivewheelsarestopped.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasditches,holes,
ruts,bumps,rocksorotherhiddenhazards.Tall
grasscanhideobstacles.Uneventerraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Useextracarewhileoperatingwithaccessoriesor
attachments,suchasgrasscollectionsystems.
Thesecanchangethestabilityofthemachine
andcausealossofcontrol.Followdirectionsfor
counterweights.
•Ifpossible,keepthedeckloweredtotheground
whileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthedeckwhile
operatingonslopescancausethemachineto
becomeunstable.
TowingSafety
•Donotattachtowedequipmentexceptatthehitch
point.
•Donotusethemachineasatowingvehicleunless
ithasahitchinstalled.
•Donotexceedtheweightlimitsfortowed
equipmentandtowingonslopes.Thetowed
weightmustnotexceedtheweightofthemachine
andoperator.
•Neverallowchildrenorothersnearthetowed
equipment.
•Onslopes,theweightofthetowedequipmentmay
causelossoftraction,increasedriskofrollover,
andlossofcontrol.Reducethetowedweightand
slowdown.
•Thestoppingdistancemayincreasewiththe
weightofatowedload.Travelslowlyandallow
extradistancetostop.
•Makewideturnstokeeptheattachmentclearof
themachine.
17