Safety; General Lawn Mower Safety; Training; Preparation - Toro 22196 Operator's Manual

Safety

This lawn mower meets or exceeds the CPSC blade
safety requirements for walk-behind rotary lawn mowers
and the B71.4 specifications of the American National
Standards Institute in effect at the time of production.
Improperly using or maintaining this lawn mower can
result in injury. To reduce the potential for injury,
comply with these safety instructions.
Toro designed and tested this lawn mower to offer reasonably
safe service; however, failure to comply with the following
instructions may result in personal injury.
WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an
odorless, deadly poison that can kill you.
Do not run the engine indoors or in an enclosed
area.
To ensure maximum safety and best performance, and
to gain knowledge of the product, it is essential that
you and any other operator of the lawn mower read
and understand the contents of this manual before the
engine is ever started. Pay particular attention to the
safety alert symbol (Figure 2) which means Caution,
Warning, or Danger—"personal safety instruction."
Read and understand the instruction because it has to
do with safety. Failure to comply with the instruction
may result in personal injury.

General Lawn Mower Safety

This lawn mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and
of throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety
instructions could result in serious injury or death.
The following instructions are from the ANSI/OPEI
B71.4–2004 standard.

Training

•
Read the Operator's Manual and other training material. If
the operator(s) or mechanic(s) cannot read English, it is
the owner's responsibility to explain this material to them.
•
Become familiar with the safe operation of the equipment,
operator controls, and safety signs.
•
All operators and mechanics should be trained. The
owner is responsible for training the users.
•
Never let children or untrained people operate or service
the equipment. Local regulations may restrict the age of
the operator.
•
The owner/user can prevent and is responsible for
accidents or injuries occurring to themselves, other
people, or property.

Preparation

•
Evaluate the terrain to determine what accessories and
attachments are needed to properly and safely perform
the job. Only use accessories and attachments approved
by the manufacturer.
•
Wear appropriate clothing, including safety glasses and
hearing protection. Long hair, loose clothing, or jewelry
may get tangled in moving parts.
•
Inspect the area where the equipment is to be used, and
remove all objects such as rocks, toys, and wire which can
be thrown by the machine.
•
Use extra care when handling gasoline and other fuels.
They are flammable and vapors are explosive.
– Use only an approved container.
– Never remove the gas cap or add fuel when the
engine is running.
– Do not smoke.
– Never refuel or drain the machine indoors.
•
Check that operator's presence controls, safety switches,
and shields are attached and functioning properly. Do not
operate the machine unless they are functioning properly.

Operation

•
Never run an engine in an enclosed area.
•
Only operate in good light, keeping away from holes and
hidden hazards.
•
Be sure all drives are in neutral before starting the engine.
Only start the engine from the operator's position.
•
Be sure of your footing while using pedestrian-controlled
equipment, especially when backing up.
•
Walk; don't run.
•
Never operate on wet grass. Reduced footing could cause
slipping.
•
Slow down and use extra care on hillsides. Be sure to
travel in the recommended direction on hillsides.
•
Use caution while operating near drop-offs.
•
Slow down and use caution when making turns and when
changing directions on slopes.
•
Never raise the deck with the blade running.
•
Never operate with the discharge deflector raised,
removed, or altered, unless using a grass catcher.
•
Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed
the engine.
•
Stop on level ground and shut off the engine before
leaving the operator's position for any reason, including
emptying the catcher or unclogging the chute.
•
Stop the equipment and inspect the blade after striking
objects or if an abnormal vibration occurs. Make
necessary repairs before resuming operations.
•
Keep hands and feet away from the cutting units.
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