Certain equipment is necessary to protect your body from materials ejected from the mowing and trimming equipment and from being caught in moving parts. When operating mowing and trimming equipment you should wear the following.
Close-fitting clothes and no jewelry - Loose shirt sleeves, pant legs or jewelry can catch in the equipment’s moving parts, resulting in injury; therefore, close-fitting clothes should be worn. Pull back long hair.
Long pants and sturdy, non-slip boots - Wear long pants, and sturdy, non-slip boots to protect your legs and feet from objects that are thrown from the mower. Never wear sandals, which expose your feet, or tennis shoes, which can easily be severed if caught under the mower deck or in the trimmer’s cutting swath.
Safety glasses and a face shield - Safety glasses should be worn at all times unless operating equipment with an enclosed cab. A face shield should be used, in addition to safety glasses, when operating a string/brush trimmer and other times when your face could be hit by debris.
Concentrate on Working Safely - Sometimes you may be tempted to take risky shortcuts. Remember that an accident can leave you permanently injured or cut your life short. For your safety and the safety of those around you, do not take unnecessary risks. No deadline is so pressing you can’t take the time to do your work safely.
Additional Precautions - Do not operate machinery if you are tired or have taken drugs or alcohol. If you are on medication, discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you are capable of safely operating machinery.
Start Up Mower Safety Procedures
· Make sure all attachments are disengaged
· Shift into neutral before starting the engine
· Always start string/brush trimmers on the ground
· Start riding equipment from the operator’s seat only
· Keep hands and feet away from the blade area when starting walk behind mowers
Safe Shut-Down Mower Procedures
· Disengage the blade and other attachments
· Lower the attachments to the ground
· Shift the controls into neutral
· Set the parking brake
· Turn off the engine
· Remove the key (if applicable)
Safe Fueling Procedures - Gasoline and other fuels are flammable. Follow safe fueling procedures to help reduce the risk of fuel ignition.
· Always shut off the engine and wait at least 5 minutes for the engine to cool before refueling
· Use only approved fuel containers and store in a well ventilated area, away from direct sunlight
· Never smoke or have an open flame near fuel
· Touch the fuel nozzle to the machine before removing the fuel cap to prevent a static spark
· Use a funnel or a non-spill nozzle when fueling to reduce spillage
· Keep the nozzle or funnel in contact with the fuel tank while filling
· Wipe up all spills immediately, before starting the engine
· Never clean your hands with gasoline—use a nonflammable solvent instead
Information accumulated by: Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
